Summer After Summer. Ann DeFee

years of playing in this meadow, had I missed this heavenly space? I wasn’t sure whether it was the lush greenery or the breeze dancing through the trees that made it so extraordinary, but whatever it was, I sensed that I’d been brought here for a reason.

      “Would you like to talk?”

      That was like asking a lion if he’d be interested in a wildebeest snack. The funny thing was, we didn’t talk; we simply relaxed and watched the water.

      Charlie was reclining in the grass with his hands behind his head. “Are you ready to go to California?”

      That was a good question, and one no one else had bothered to ask.

      I grimaced, pondering my many misgivings, my middle-of-the-night fears. “I’m kinda scared. It’ll sure be different. Are you and Colton still planning to go to UT?”

      “Yeah.” He levered himself up on one arm. “There are two of us and money’s tight, so we couldn’t get very exotic in our choice of schools.”

      After that, we talked, we laughed, and we shared memories from our childhood. It was an afternoon I’d remember forever, one of those rare and idyllic moments. As we discussed our college futures, I was surprised to discover that Charlie wanted to be a doctor. We’d been friends forever, but I didn’t know that. And Charlie was totally enthusiastic about my dream of becoming a world-class architect. His unconditional acceptance was another reason I loved him.

      I was hunched over with my chin on my knees when Charlie started playing with my ponytail. As far as I was concerned, he could do that all day.

      “You have beautiful hair. It feels like silk.” He emphasized his point by gently removing the rubber band and sifting the strands through his fingers.