Page 70 of Summer Breakdown
Lani giggles, and Marcel smiles as he shows Daraki something on his phone.
“Cam-Cam, why are you moving?”
“Sometimes, you outgrow your place,” Cam says with, a shrug, but she averts her eyes. “I want somewhere with a garden. I don’t have one right now.”
Lani hums. “Then you could grow daisies!”
“I could. And I’d have ducks.”
Lani gasps. “I love ducks!” Jasmine really might make her garden into a homestead. She couldn’t have horses—there’s not enough space—but she could have ducks. Maybe some cows.
“Ez,” Jasmine says, “did you do your garden?”
“Yeah.”
“Can you do mine?”
“Yeah,” he replies. “What do you want?”
“I dunno. I’d need to plan it with the kids, but maybe something a bit more natural. We want to keep the pool, though.”
“Pool and cows!” Lani says. “And duckies, and the ones with the horns.”
“Horns?” Jasmine asks, and Lani frowns.
“Frankie?”
“Yes, babe?” Frankie replies. She’s setting the table, and Jasmine wants to sit next to her. Or opposite her. Near her.
“When you told me the story the other day, which animal had the horns?”
“Goats,” she replies. What story? Jasmine wants to know the story.
“Thanks, babe,” Lani replies, and her eyes are wide when everyone laughs.
Ezra smiles. “Make a list. I’ll come over and we can plan it. Marcel can help me.”
“Tight,” Jasmine says.
“Tight,” Lani repeats. “Cam-Cam and Frankie and I can watch and play mermaids.”
Jasmine smiles. “You can.”
“And we should get Mali too.”
“Okay.” Jasmine waits for it.
“And Zach.”
“Right,” Ezra says. “Get seated.”
“I didn’t even do the bread, Mama,” Lani whispers, but it’s too late—Ezra walks past her, tucking her under his arm like a surfboard as Lani cackles sideways.
Jasmine grabs the bread, but by the time she gets to the table, there’s only one seat left. Frankie is on the other side of the table. Not even opposite. Jasmine tries not to frown.
“Jasmine,” Imani says, getting up. She’s opposite Frankie, and not at all subtle. “Can we switch?”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
