Chapter 8 - THE SECOND BARBECUE
Two summers after the fire pit, my mother asked whether we could try another family barbecue.
I almost said no.
Then asked Lucas.
He was eight now.
Taller.
More confident.
Still slept with Panda Cousin.
Its official name remained Panda Cousin.
He refused alternatives.
“Will Uncle Derek be there?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then no.”
Simple.
I told my mother.
She hesitated.
Then:
“Okay.”
That mattered.
Old Elaine would have said:
Don’t make me choose between my sons.
New Elaine understood she was not being asked to choose.
She was being asked to create one safe event.
Derek did not come.
Frank did.
Sophia.
Robert.
Melissa.
Ethan and Cole.
The fire pit was gone.
I noticed immediately.
“What happened to it?”
Frank looked embarrassed.
“I took it out.”
“Why?”
“Didn’t want it.”
We both knew that was not the whole reason.
In its place stood a young maple tree.
I almost rolled my eyes at the symbolism.
Then Lucas saw it.
“What’s that?”
Frank said:
“A tree.”
“I know.”
Lucas looked at him like he was stupid.
“Why?”
Frank smiled.
“I thought something should grow there instead.”
Okay.
Maybe symbolism was allowed.
The barbecue was ordinary.
That was the miracle.
Children ran through sprinklers.
Adults argued about baseball.
Nobody mocked Lucas when he put on headphones because the music became too loud.
Nobody told Ethan to stop crying when he scraped his knee.
Frank handed him a towel.
That small moment almost broke me.
People can change behavior before they fully change language.
Sometimes that is how it starts.
At sunset, Lucas sat beneath the maple tree with Panda Cousin.
Frank joined him.
Not too close.
“What’s the panda doing?”
“Guarding the tree.”
“From what?”
Lucas shrugged.
“Stuff.”
Frank nodded.
“Good job.”
No joke.
No “too old for that.”
No lesson.
Just good job.
May you like
I looked away before anyone saw my face.
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