Heavy footsteps thundered the foyer, then three children appeared at once.
“We have to go outside right now,” Billie announced.
“Hello to you as well.”
“Hello. We have to go outside right now!”
“There may or may not be developments in the backyard,” CJ said.
“Hmm.” I raised an eyebrow. “Would anyone like a snack first?”
“No.” Billie shook her head vehemently.
“Yes,” Bianca said simultaneously.
CJ groaned. “We can have snacks later.”
Definitely a conspiracy. “Why are the three of you behaving like raccoons with unlimited access to multiple garbage cans?”
Billie grabbed my hand before I could continue interrogating them. “Come on!”
I allowed myself to be dragged through the kitchen and mudroom, Bianca and CJ exchanging increasingly excited looks.
The moment the back door opened, I stopped walking. The raised beds were where they’d always been, stone pathways curving between patches of spring herbs and freshly turned soil.The climbing roses near the fence had begun blooming in pale white clusters.
But that wasn’t at all what caught my attention. No, what caught my attention was the gazebo that now stood near the far end of the yard beneath the old oak tree.
It was beautiful. Dark wood with elegant lines. Professional-grade shade scrim stretched across the open sides.
The fine mesh softened the late afternoon sunlight into something muted and safe. I would be able to see through it clearly enough to watch the children running through the yard, but the direct brightness wouldn’t strike my skin painfully.
My breath caught. “Oh.”
The children beamed.
“Surprise,” Billie yelled.
“We wanted you to be able to stay outside longer with us,” Bianca explained.
CJ spread both arms dramatically toward the structure. “Behold. Your goth gazebo.”
I laughed helplessly before I could stop myself.
Billie seized my wrist again. “There’s more.”
Of course there was.
They pulled me into its cool shade. Hooks had been installed beside one support beam, perfectly positioned to hang parasols.
“You always lean your umbrella against the porch or prop it in the dirt,” Bianca explained carefully. “Daddy said hanging it would be easier.”
My chest tightened. Oh, it was so thoughtful of them. So thoughtful it overwhelmed me.
The side curtains could be adjusted individually depending on the angle of the sun. One side had darker layering than the others where the afternoon light would strike strongest. And near the entrance sat a small wooden cabinet. Confused, I opened it, pressing my hand to my lips when I saw the bottles of sunscreen lined up inside. And not just any sunscreen. The exact brands I preferred to use. The mineral one I preferred for everyday wear. The fragrance-free imported formula. The expensive Korean brand I’d once mentioned lasted longest when it was humid.
For one completely absurd moment, I thought I might cry over sunscreen.
“He noticed,” Bianca said beside me. I closed the cabinet carefully.
