I wanted to be here for you. He didn’t understand that and he wouldn’t come here himself. Said that I was being selfish, that I was abandoning him and our life.” She shook her head slowly, sadly.
“Oh Soph, I’m so sorry.” Jenna held her sister’s hand tighter. It shocked her, but she understood; it was her sister’s way of giving her the support she sought. It was the right time to tell her.
Together they sat, side by side, as their children played carelessly in surf unaware of the boiling pot’s their mothers were.
“I’m going to stay until the end of the summer. I want to stay, if that’s all right. Then we’ll go home, and the boys can have their lives back and I can sort out this mess.” Sophia smiled, whirling her free hand in the air, showing what a hurricane her existence had become. “But I’ll come back as often as I can. I’ll be here, I promise.” Sophia leaned into Jenna’s shoulder.
“Mama?” Caleb ran up the beach, his thin, spindly child legs dripping with salt water and frosted with black sand.
“Yes, baby?” Sophia answered, climbing to her feet and stretching her back.
“I’m hungry.” It had been hours since they’d devoured Ginny’s blueberry pancakes and it was nearing lunch; Jenna was sure his message was a group effort.
“Why don’t you go wash off your feet, and then we’ll grab some sandwiches?” Sophia suggested, gesturing towards the landing mall a few paces away. “Tell your brothers and Mia to do the same, no sandy feet in the car!” she called after as he lopped back towards the water’s edge.
“Enough with the heavy, let’s feed these monsters.” Sophia turned to Jenna smiling brightly.
That’s how it was done, Jenna mused as she watched Sophia switch from being a woman talking about the demise of her marriage, to being the mother able to organize and take action. The transition between being introspective and being present. Prioritizing. There was time for everything, room for everything, but it took peace of mind to allow that balance.
“Sounds good to me. I could eat. There is this amazing sandwich shop, the food’s really good. Fresh seafood too, for the grownups.” Jenna winked and slipped on her sandals, gathering her straw market tote.
“Those kids, I swear!” Ginny smiled as she trudged towards Sophia and Jenna, lugging the heavy sack of shells behind her. “Think they cleaned out the beach today.”
“Oh Ginny, you are very tolerant. Here, let me take that for you!” Sophia reached for the bag.
“We’re going to go grab some lunch if you’re hungry, Ginny?” Jenna offered, dusting off the seat of her pants.
“Thank you, but actually if you don’t mind, I’m gonna head into town for a bit. Errands and what not. I can come by later if you need me,” Ginny offered.
“Oh no, no, no. Go, enjoy your day!” Jenna hugged Ginny. She knew Ginny was giving her the freedom to lean on her as hard as she needed, but also the out to take matters on herself.
“All right then, I’ll see ya’ll later. Boys, Mia ... you be good for your mamas, otherwise we won’t be doing anything fun tomorrow!” she teasingly hollered over her shoulder as she made her way to the rusted out truck in the gravel parking lot.
The kids waved animatedly and screamed their goodbyes as Ginny rumbled away.
“You are so lucky to have her, she’s wonderful.” Sophia smiled at Jenna as they strolled across the parking lot towards the mall.
“Oh, I know. Believe me. Ginny’s been a blessing, helps me out so much, honestly couldn’t do any of this without her. But, honestly, sometimes I feel really jealous.” Jenna felt the blush creeping across her chest, threatening her neck. Not even Gabe knew that.
“I could see that.” Sophia nodded in agreement, tilting her head as if making room for the new logic behind the words. “But all things considered, you are still lucky,” Sophia chided, bumping Jenny teasingly.
“It’s just hard, you
“Oh Soph, I’m so sorry.” Jenna held her sister’s hand tighter. It shocked her, but she understood; it was her sister’s way of giving her the support she sought. It was the right time to tell her.
Together they sat, side by side, as their children played carelessly in surf unaware of the boiling pot’s their mothers were.
“I’m going to stay until the end of the summer. I want to stay, if that’s all right. Then we’ll go home, and the boys can have their lives back and I can sort out this mess.” Sophia smiled, whirling her free hand in the air, showing what a hurricane her existence had become. “But I’ll come back as often as I can. I’ll be here, I promise.” Sophia leaned into Jenna’s shoulder.
“Mama?” Caleb ran up the beach, his thin, spindly child legs dripping with salt water and frosted with black sand.
“Yes, baby?” Sophia answered, climbing to her feet and stretching her back.
“I’m hungry.” It had been hours since they’d devoured Ginny’s blueberry pancakes and it was nearing lunch; Jenna was sure his message was a group effort.
“Why don’t you go wash off your feet, and then we’ll grab some sandwiches?” Sophia suggested, gesturing towards the landing mall a few paces away. “Tell your brothers and Mia to do the same, no sandy feet in the car!” she called after as he lopped back towards the water’s edge.
“Enough with the heavy, let’s feed these monsters.” Sophia turned to Jenna smiling brightly.
That’s how it was done, Jenna mused as she watched Sophia switch from being a woman talking about the demise of her marriage, to being the mother able to organize and take action. The transition between being introspective and being present. Prioritizing. There was time for everything, room for everything, but it took peace of mind to allow that balance.
“Sounds good to me. I could eat. There is this amazing sandwich shop, the food’s really good. Fresh seafood too, for the grownups.” Jenna winked and slipped on her sandals, gathering her straw market tote.
“Those kids, I swear!” Ginny smiled as she trudged towards Sophia and Jenna, lugging the heavy sack of shells behind her. “Think they cleaned out the beach today.”
“Oh Ginny, you are very tolerant. Here, let me take that for you!” Sophia reached for the bag.
“We’re going to go grab some lunch if you’re hungry, Ginny?” Jenna offered, dusting off the seat of her pants.
“Thank you, but actually if you don’t mind, I’m gonna head into town for a bit. Errands and what not. I can come by later if you need me,” Ginny offered.
“Oh no, no, no. Go, enjoy your day!” Jenna hugged Ginny. She knew Ginny was giving her the freedom to lean on her as hard as she needed, but also the out to take matters on herself.
“All right then, I’ll see ya’ll later. Boys, Mia ... you be good for your mamas, otherwise we won’t be doing anything fun tomorrow!” she teasingly hollered over her shoulder as she made her way to the rusted out truck in the gravel parking lot.
The kids waved animatedly and screamed their goodbyes as Ginny rumbled away.
“You are so lucky to have her, she’s wonderful.” Sophia smiled at Jenna as they strolled across the parking lot towards the mall.
“Oh, I know. Believe me. Ginny’s been a blessing, helps me out so much, honestly couldn’t do any of this without her. But, honestly, sometimes I feel really jealous.” Jenna felt the blush creeping across her chest, threatening her neck. Not even Gabe knew that.
“I could see that.” Sophia nodded in agreement, tilting her head as if making room for the new logic behind the words. “But all things considered, you are still lucky,” Sophia chided, bumping Jenny teasingly.
“It’s just hard, you
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