Page 104 of Let's Kiss and Tell

“Why is it sad?”

“Because he’s dead,” she says, and I can’t help but let out a laugh. It causes Lucy and Sadie to look over at me. “Are you spying on us, Uncle Marsh?”

“Yeah”—Lucy raises an eyebrow—“are you spying on us, Uncle Marsh?”

“Never!” I step inside and sit on Sadie’s bed. “Also, Dee Dee, you have a whole party happening outside. What are you doing in here?”

“I wanted to show Lucy Midge!” she says like she’s in trouble.

“And that’sverythoughtful of you,” I say. “But I think you should get back outside. It’s rude to leave your own party.”

“Okay,” Sadie says. “Can I give you a hug, Lucy?”

“Of course you can!” Lucy smiles and opens her arms. The two of them embrace and my chest tightens.

Once Sadie lets go, she runs out of the room, and I hear her spring down the hall.

“You okay?” Lucy leans her head back onto my leg and looks up at me.

“Yeah,” I say, admiring her face from upside down.

“Are you ready to go back out there?” she asks. “Should I be worried?”

I pull Lucy up from the floor and watch her adjust her dress. “No, you just keep being you. You’re perfect.”

We walk to the backyard, and there are more kids than I remember and a ton of faces that look unfamiliar. I’m assuming they’re all parents of Sadie’s classmates. I see Julia and my mom sitting together at one of the tables chatting, and a part of me feels annoyed, maybe even betrayed. It’s a beautiful afternoon filled with the sound of music and children’s laughter. Everyone around us has ice-cream cones and lemonade and I so badly want to forget that Julia’s here.

Then, I remember why Lucy’s here. Why it was so crucial for her to be here today. I did what I needed to do: show everyone I’m in a new relationship. I did it. I showed everyone I’ve moved on. I’ve been anticipating this moment for an entire year, practically losing sleep over it. Now that I’m here, I care more about how Lucy’s doing being in this unfamiliar environment than how anyone else feels.

I catch up with Lucy who’s watching Sadie get her face painted like a butterfly. Slowly, I wrap my arm around Lucy’s shoulders. She keeps her focus ahead of her and moves one of her arms around my waist and places her head on my chest. It’s an unfamiliar comfort. Almost like nothing in the world matters except meand Lucy. Like for the first time in averylong time, surely more than the past year, I feelhappy.

Lucy gives me a squeeze and nuzzles her head in deeper to the crook underneath my arm.

I kiss the top of her head, and it feels a little too natural. I’m not quite sure if I’m doing it for show or because I just want to touch her any way I can. “Do you want anything?”

She looks up at me, her arm still around my waist, and I don’t want her to leave. Lucy and I don’t touch like this. There’s been no conversation of PDA and what that would look like. I have to believe this is just as effortless for her as it is for me.

“I’m getting a little hungry,” she says.

“Let me get us some food—”

“No, no, stay here.” Lucy slips out from under my arm. “I’ll grab us some stuff.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.” She smiles, and our arms slowly slide against each other and our fingertips linger for a second before I’m watching her walk away. The subtle sway of her hips, her long hair bouncing along her back. She’s the most beautiful person here right now, and everyone has to notice it the way I do.

“Marshall.” My mom starts walking toward me.

“Mom,” I say.

“Lucy’s nice,” she says, and I feel her inching toward something that I don’t want to hear. “Very attractive…I get why you like her.”

“Sadie adores her,” I add, watching Lucy now talking to Oliver at the buffet table.

“Why did you bring her here?” she says.

I look at her. “What do you mean?”