First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

“He told me he is sad. He says your Dad is busy and grumpy and you are mad you have to watch him. He knows you’d rather be with your friends.”

“Well sh—shoot.”

“Nice save,” Leah laughed.

Sky opened her mouth to say something else but once again they were interrupted.

“Aunt Leah, Aunt Leah come see!” All three kids had returned and the girls were pulling at her.

Liam went to his sister. “Wanna see?” he asked hopefully.

“Sure.”

“You can go back to your friends if you want. It’s just a dumb bug.”

Leah watched as Sky bent so she was closer to his level. Liam looked up at his sister.

“I think . . .” she tried again, “I think I’d rather spend today with you.”

“Really?” Liam whooped.

Leah had not heard that joyous noise in several months. Her emotions threatened to wallop her, but her nieces had taken her hands and were trying to pull her forward.

“Come on, let’s go!” Liam tugged on his sister’s arm and they set off as well.

Too soon, Leah found herself face-to-face with the object of the children’s attention. Whatever the bug was, it was dead now. And based on its appearance, it had been for quite a while. Leah was glad; she wouldn’t have wanted to encounter it when it was still alive.

The dead bug slightly resembled a fly but had a thick black almost two-inch body and long clear wings. It lay belly-up with its many legs curled in death.

Sky cringed as Liam poked it with a stick, flipping it over.

The bug had bulbous red eyes, set far apart.

Leah had seen enough.

“Did anyone touch it?” she asked. The younger kids all looked guilty but no one spoke.

“Oh, gross,” Sky muttered.

Leah pulled out the hand sanitizer and six little hands appeared in front of her. She squeezed a dab on each set. As they rubbed their hands vigorously, Allison spoke.

“Aunt Leah, I’m hungry.”

Leah hoped it was seeing the sanitizer come out of the snack bag that made her think of food, not the dead bug. She shuddered slightly and checked her watch.

It was only a little after one. They had a late breakfast and no lunch. Leah realized she was hungry too.

“To the picnic tables,” she exclaimed.

Her nieces set off in a run and were several yards away before Leah started to follow them. But Sky and Liam stayed where they were.

“I’ve got cookies,” Leah offered, heading off to meet her nieces. She did not need to turn to confirm they were following her. She smiled knowingly.

Leah got Allison, Emmie, and Liam set up with their snacks. But Sky held back. Instead of joining the kids at the table, she wandered around the picnic pavilion. Leah grabbed a cookie with a napkin and brought it to her.

Sky stood in front of a notice board. Colorful flyers were pinned to it. Some looked new, others were ratty and faded.

“Cookie?” Leah offered.

“Thanks,” Sky took the cookie and nibbled without even looking at it, she was so focused on the board.

Leah quickly skimmed the posters to determine which one held Sky’s attention. She noticed a yellow flyer announcing a spring dance.

“Are you going?”

“To the dance? I want to,” she sighed. “But I really need a new dress. I asked Dad but he’s just been so super busy. I can’t seem to get him to take me to the—” She stopped abruptly as if realizing she didn’t want to be sharing this info. “Nevermind, it’s stupid. Thanks for the cookie,” she shoved a big bite in her mouth.

Leah remembered one of the few high school dances she had attended. It had been no fun seeing Cade dancing with other girls and it was made worse when none of the boys wanted to dance with her. She soon gave up and stopped going. Leah couldn’t imagine Sky without a dance partner. She probably had her pick of the boys.

“I don’t think it’s stupid at all. There’s still time to get a dress, right? I hope you get a pretty one and have an amazing time.”

“Sometimes I wish . . .”

“Yeah?” Leah was super curious but tried to play it cool.

“Do you have a mom?”

Leah was completely taken off guard. She stared at Sky for a few seconds before she gathered her wits and could speak. Leah hated talking about her mother.

“Technically, yes.”

“I guess technically I do too,” Sky concluded. “She wasn’t a good mom though. Was yours?”

“I think . . . I think my mom did her best. But no, I wouldn’t say ‘good.’ We’ve never been close and I haven’t seen her in a long time.”

“Our mom is terrible. That’s why I’m so protective of my brother: I don’t want anyone to hurt him.” Sky looked fierce, like a warrior ready for battle.

“That makes sense. Thank you for sharing that with me.” Leah had been surprised Sky was being so talkative but once she heard the added warning, it made more sense. Sky would do whatever she had to do to protect her brother.

“And yet . . .” Sky continued, “I wish I had someone to go dress shopping with. But I’d rather go alone than with my mom.”

Sky gave Leah a look as if to add ‘or you’ to her sentence. Or at least that’s how Leah’s brain interpreted it. And it was not something Leah could offer to help her with either. The thought made her sad.

“It’s okay to miss what we can’t have. I think it’s probably normal,” Leah reasoned. She watched as Sky decided what she’d say next.

“Why are you being so nice to me?”

“Because I’m a nice person.”

“I knew you’d say that,” she laughed. “Nice enough to let me have another cookie?” Sky’s smile was nervous but hopeful.

“Yes, of course! Assuming they haven’t eaten them all. Should we go find out?”

Sky nodded, “Thanks, Leah.”

“My pleasure.” And it was. Leah may have grown up with a mom, but having the physical presence of one was a far cry from having the love and support a child of any age needs.