“What’s going on?” Lindsay asked, sitting down at the end of the bench beside her sister.

“That’s what I’d like to know,” Colin said coming up behind them and sitting down at the other end of the bench. “I was in the middle of a meeting.”

Sheena nodded. “I know, I’m sorry, but we need to talk.”

“About what?” Lindsay asked.

Sheena gave her a look. “You know about what.”

A warm, salty wind whipped at her hair. A seagull’s caw echoed overhead and children laughed on the beach. Sheena glanced out at the frothy white waves washing in on the beach even as gray clouds billowed above the horizon, promising rain.

“I want to be happy for Dad,” Sheena said. “I used to hope that he’d find love again, but, now that he has…I just keep thinking about Mom.”

Colin sighed and rested his arm on the back of the bench. “I know what you mean.”

Lindsay shook her head. “But we shouldn’t feel that way. Angie’s a great woman and she makes Dad happy.”

“I know that,” Sheena answered. “But it doesn’t change the way that I feel.”

Lindsay nodded slowly and watched a plane leaving a contrail in the sky.

“I miss Mom,” Sheena said.

“What? And we don’t?” Colin asked.

“I didn’t say that. We just never talk about her anymore.”

“What good would it do?”

“I want to remember her!”

Colin looked away.

Lindsay placed a hand on her shoulder. “So do we. It just hurts.”

Silence hung between them for a moment.

“You remember the time Mom waxed the floors and Colin chased Lucky into the house?” Sheena asked.

“Yeah,” Lindsay laughed. “They both went flying across the room, knocked Mama’s cake off the counter, and landed in a heap of paws, blue jeans, and frosting by the fridge.”

Colin chuckled. “Mom always said if there was an accident to be had, I’d find it.”

“Still do,” Sheena teased.

Colin gave her a playful shove and they all laughed.

Sheena took a deep breath. “See…memories can be good.”

Colin nodded his agreement.

“Yeah,” Lindsay said with a smile. “They can.”

 

© Whitney L. Schwartz

 

Written for Thursday 360