Chapter 10 - The New Picture
A year later, we were celebrating Maya’s twelfth birthday at a local park.
The summer sun was shining, and the smell of barbecue filled the air. Mark and Daniel were flipping burgers on the grill. Anna was laughing with Mom as they set up the picnic tables.
Dad was in the grass, pitching a wiffle ball to Eli, while Owen and Lucy chased the family dog around the bases.
Maya was sitting next to me on a picnic blanket, opening her gifts.
"Okay, time for a photo!" Anna called out, holding up her digital camera.
Mom turned around, wiping her hands on an apron. "Oh, yes! Let's get a picture of the kids."
My breath hitched slightly, an old reflex acting up. I watched Mom walk over to the kids.
"Alright, everybody squeeze in," Mom said, waving her arms.
Owen, Lucy, Maya, and Eli all piled together onto the picnic bench. Maya ended up in the middle, with Owen’s arm slung over her shoulder and Eli making bunny ears behind Lucy’s head.
Dad jogged over from the wiffle ball game, slightly out of breath but smiling. He looked at the four of them, his eyes crinkling with genuine joy.
"Look at that," Dad said to no one in particular. "All my grandkids. Best-looking bunch in the state."
Mom pulled a small, wrapped box from her pocket and handed it to Maya before the picture was snapped.
"A little something extra for the birthday girl," Mom said.
Maya opened it. Inside was a silver charm bracelet. Hanging from the center was a small, delicate charm engraved with the letter P.
Maya looked up at Mom, her face breaking into a massive, radiant smile. "Thank you, Grandma."
"You're welcome, sweetheart," Mom said, kissing the top of her head.
Anna raised the camera. "Say cheese!"
May you like
"Cheese!" the kids yelled.
I leaned against Daniel’s shoulder as the flash went off. I didn't need to see the digital screen to know how it turned out. It was perfect. We were, finally, just a family.
