“Libby was just apologizing for sleeping,” Pete said, tilting his head around Pop to make eye contact with her.
Pop stood back up. “Oh, dear,” he said. “I can tell by the look of you two that I shouldn’t get involved in this conversation. Continue… whatever this is.” As he left the room, he called over his shoulder, “The bonfire’s tonight. Perhaps you can go together if you can get along with each other long enough.”
After Pop left the room, Libby said, “I really need to go. I planned to see Mom today.”
He took in a breath and let it out. “You need to go?” he repeated, a slightly irritated look on his face. “You don’t need to do anything. You want to go.”
“I’m sorry.” She combed her hair with her fingers and straightened her clothes as best she could. She stood up and folded the blanket, setting it back onto the arm of the sofa. She wasn’t just saying the words. She truly was sorry.
“Look, I only have a few days and I’d like to spend them with friends. Can we do that? Can we put this…” she wagged a finger between them, “behind us for now?”
Pete stood up, sighed and looked down at her. “I’m going to the bonfire tonight. Want to go?”
“What time?” she asked.
“I’ll pick you up at seven.”
* * *
“I still don’t know why they advertise the bonfire every year. It’s busy enough without all the summer visitors finding out about it,” Celia said as she leaned out the window of her car. Libby had spent the entire Sunday afternoon with her mother at the cottage. Celia hadn’t boasted or gossiped or anything. They’d just talked. She enjoyed it so much.
She wanted her mother to relax, to enjoy the festivities without worrying about showing off or making sure everyone thought she had a successful life. She wanted her mother to see that she could be happy and that people would like her whether or not Libby went to New York or her mother had gotten dressed up in a showy outfit. The one thing Libby had seen in town was that people there genuinely liked one another. They looked out for each other. If her mother stopped worrying about appearances so much, she may see it as well.
“Are you going to go?” Libby asked.
“Absolutely!” she said, and they laughed because they both knew that whenever there was a social event in this town, Celia would certainly be in attendance.
“Silly question.”
“Parking’s going to be a bear. Are you riding with someone?”
“Pete’s picking me up.”
It was fleeting. The look didn’t stay on her mother’s face very long and she straightened it out. Probably not to cast any shadow on a perfect day. But it was there—the slight disapproval or annoyance, she couldn’t tell. The flutter of her eyes told Libby that Celia knew she’d seen the look.
“Why don’t you like Pete?” It felt good to have the courage to ask her mother about it directly. She was family after all—she should be able to do that—but for so many years she hadn’t. It made her feel stronger, like she’d finally grown up.
“It’s not that I don’t like him. I just want to be sure you don’t waste your life because of silly emotions you had as a girl.”
She wanted to tell her mother not to worry about her anymore, that she didn’t have to worry about anything anymore; Libby would be there for her and she could finally relax. “Believe me, Mom, no matter what I choose in life, it won’t be wasted. You have to trust me to make the best choices for myself. Plus, I’ve got a new job! And I found an apartment for the time being. It’s all going to be fine.” She was trying very hard to make Celia happy again, but then she realized she didn’t need to do that anymore. “But no matter what I choose, Mom, it’ll be what’s right for me. You’ve done a good job showing me how to make choices for myself. Don’t worry. I’ll make the right ones.”
Celia looked thoughtful for a moment and then, with a smile, she said, “I’m your mother. I will always worry about you. But I know that I no longer have to worry about your choices. You’ve shown me time and time again that you know what you’re doing.” Watching Celia’s reaction, Libby was excited for what was to come with their relationship.
Once Celia had made her way down the drive, Libby went inside to freshen up for the bonfire. It was a yearly tradition in the area, marking the beginning of summer. All the businesses contributed, the public beach exploded with vendors in brightly colored booths selling their wares, and the sidewalks were overrun by townspeople and tourists alike as they balanced locally made gifts, area produce, and cotton candy in their arms.