An hour later, my phone buzzed with a text from Carol. “Are you excluding me, Tina?”
“I’m just following your rule, Carol. Remember?
Not everyone here is family.”
She never responded. The picnic was beautiful. We strung fairy lights through the trees in our backyard and laid out soft blankets and folding tables across the grass.
I spent the whole morning arranging jars of wildflowers, folding napkins, and making sure the fruit wasn’t too warm. I wanted everything to be perfect. Daniel’s cousins came, a few aunts I hadn’t seen in a while, and my sister drove in with cupcakes and a tight hug.
A few of Ellie’s friends showed up, too. It wasn’t a party thrown out of pity, it was one built with care. Mark came, too.
I mean, he had to, Daniel was his only brother. He walked in holding Jason’s hand. Sarah wasn’t with them.
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