Chapter 26 - THE FAMILY REUNION WITHOUT THOMASIN
The next family reunion happened five months after the patio incident.
I almost skipped it.
Lowri wanted to go.
“Grandma says there’s strawberry cake.”
Strong argument.
We went.
No Thomasin.
She had chosen not to attend.
Good.
Mother hosted but did not control Lowri’s activities.
The photo display changed.
Not because court ordered.
Because family committee adopted one simple rule:
Historical photographs stay historical.
No editing deceased or divorced relatives out to create current-family images.
New photos can be added.
Old ones remain labeled by date.
Boring archival common sense.
Apparently revolutionary.
Carys appeared.
Thomasin appeared in older event photos too.
No one erased.
Lowri walked along display.
Pointed.
“Mommy.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Thomasin.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Grandma young.”
Mother overheard.
“Extremely.”
Lowri laughed.
Then someone handed Lowri a disposable camera.
She took pictures.
Me.
Mother.
Cake.
Her shoes.
Half a tree.
A blurred dog.
No pressure to create “perfect family.”
Then Mother asked:
“Can we take one together?”
Lowri looked at me.
I said:
“Do you want?”
“Yes.”
We stood.
Mother.
Lowri.
Me.
No Carys physically.
No Thomasin.
Just current moment.
After photograph, Lowri said:
“Put next to Mommy one.”
Mother nodded.
“Yes.”
Not over.
Next to.
That was the entire correction.
Then Niall made a toast about family continuity.
I almost groaned.
He caught himself.
“Actually—family honesty.”
Better.
We laughed.
No moral speech.
Then Lowri dropped strawberry cake on her dress.
Crisis.
She cried because floral fabric stained.
Mother grabbed napkin.
Then stopped.
“Want help?”
“Yes.”
Consent again.
Small repetitions build safety.
By end of afternoon, Lowri was tired.
She leaned against Mother for five minutes.
Then came to me.
No adult claimed the transfer meant anything.
May you like
Just a tired child.
That was healthy.
