Casper shot from the cabin heading for the lake, its surface a mirror under the midday sun. He hesitated long enough to discard his flip-flops and towel, then jumped in, enjoying the refreshing coolness against his sweaty skin. By the time he bobbed back up, Darla and Kit had arrived. He floated onto his back as they peeled off their shoes and debated the temperature of the water. “It’s perfect,” he said. Okay, fine. The water was chilly, but wasn’t…
Kennedy rolled her eyes and fished her phone out of the pocket of her ever-fading blue jeans. Her mother’s attempts at wrangling the family for a picnic were, as normal, disastrous. It would take at least another thirty minutes for Mom to convince Jed to bring only one book — what a nerd. Then there was the lack of clothes Teddy was wearing, and Leo was still looking for his swim trunks. She blocked it all out and scrolled through…
Ruth stared at her sagging fence and shook her head. The honeysuckle had looked beautiful as it climbed up her mailbox, but now the vines had worked their way onto the fence. Their weight made it buckle ever so slightly, and she could not abide such nonsense, but if she yanked them off, would it harm the ones still encasing her letterbox? Uncertain, the question buzzed around her like a honeybee in search of pollen. She couldn’t stand there pretending…
“We’re going to be late if you don’t hurry,” Jan said, trying not to let her irritation show as the kids took forever to find their shoes. She’d like to arrive before the service started, and roads would already be closed for the march. “Do we have to go?” Harry asked, a smudge of Vegemite on his cheek. Jan swallowed the sigh and chose her words carefully. “I suppose not.” “But you’re still going?” “Yes.” She looped a scarf around…