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“Did you have breakfast already?” I ask her.
She nods her head in wide gestures, “Mary made pancakes!”
“Yum!” Jane says, coming to pinch the little girl’s cheeks. “Then what do you say we go to the park like your daddy said?”
“Wanna feed the ducks with me, Aunt Jane?” Anna asks.
Jane nods, “Of course! Let’s go find some bread.”
Anna shakes her head emphatically, “No, that is bad for them! We learned in school it’s better to feed them oats instead.”
I quickly place a hand over my mouth to hide a giggle as Jane gives Anna an amused look, then shrugs and walks into the kitchen. She comes out a few moments later with a small bag of oats.
“Yay!” the girl beams, running around in circles towards the front door.
We walk to the park, bundled up in jackets and enjoying the mild sun of early April. Anna runs ahead of us, staying on the sidewalks, and she’s the first one to spot the ducks.
“Let’s go to the lake!” Anna runs freely once we are at the park. I’m not too worried because the worst that can happen is her being run over by a couple’s Great Dane, which seems unlikely because of how calm the animal is on the leash.
“Careful, Anna!” I shout anyway.
“Don’t go falling in the water, girl!” Jane adds.
We settle onto a bench near the lake to watch Anna toss oats into the water, attracting the attention of the ducks.
“This place is so peaceful,” I say, airy.
“It is,” she winks at me. “Let’s go to the playground after to let out some steam.”
“Gotcha,” I say, beaming with happiness and enjoying this small moment.
Jane was about to ask me another question, when the soft steps of an elderly woman reach my ears.
“Do you young ladies mind if I share the seat?” she asks, and Jane stands up immediately to go hug her.
“Mrs. Ritz!” she cries out, kissing the old woman on the cheek. “Joyce, this is Mrs. Ritz. She is pretty much a grandma to me!”
I stand too and offer my hand to Mrs. Ritz. The woman ignores my hand and comes to hug me as well. “And what your name might be?” she asks, holding me tight against her chest.
“I’m Joyce, Mrs. Ritz,” I say, pulling back from her. “Nice to meet you.”
“Pleased to meet you too, darling,” Mrs. Ritz takes a seat in between Jane and me. “What are you girls doing today? Talking about boys?”
I giggle, my attention turning back to Anna, who is still feeding the ducks.
“The only boys in Joyce’s life are her teachers, Mrs. Ritz,” Jane says, nonchalantly.
“And the boss!” I add, and that comes outwaymore enthusiastic than I’d like.
Jane doesn’t seem to like my comment, but Mrs. Ritz taps me on the shoulder and brings her arm around my shoulders.
“He’s handsome, isn’t he?” she confides in me, and I nod shyly. “Don’t get yourself fooled by that grumpy face. He’s a precious young man.”
“You know Logan doesn’t like to be talked about behind his back, Mrs. Ritz,” Jane says, looking bothered.
Mrs. Ritz waves her off. “I’ll apologize in advance for him, Joyce. Logan is very bitter since his wife died.”
My eyes go wide because it appears Mrs. Ritz is going to tell me what Jane would not.
