40 Easter Sunday

Clare and Dante

 

Easter Sunday was everything Clare hoped for and more. Dante looked handsome in his new suit and bow tie, and Clare was surprised at the girl peering back at her in the mirror. She recognized she was growing and changing and squelched the pang of sadness that came with the thought of Mama missing these changes. “ Not today, ” she said. “ Only happy thoughts today. ”

The church service was beautiful and very like St. Vincent ’ s. Again Clare focused on happy thoughts. As the choir sang, however, tears rolled down her smooth cheeks. Confused, she searched her emotions, finally deciding that tears don ’ t necessarily equate with sadness. She gently pushed the tears aside, no longer concerned, and smiled when she noticed other people dabbing the corners of their eyes.

After church they drove straight to Cedric and Jonas ’ s house. The meal was fabulous, causing Clare to wonder how she could ever go back to processed packets. The adults, of course, lingered at the table too long but eventually got up and out, hiding eggs in the yard for the children to hunt. It was a grand time, with lots of running and screams as one by one the brightly colored eggs were discovered and retrieved. Some of the older kids then took turns hiding the eggs until half a dozen were “ hidden too well . ” “ The skunks will be out here hunting tonight, ” Marissa laughed , as she confiscated the remaining eggs and urged the children to run along and do something else.

One of Clare and Dante ’ s favorite things about Cedric and Jonas ’ s house was the wooded area in back bordering a river. As the boys tore through the woods, putting birds to flight, Clare walked slowly down a trail, carefully observing her surroundings. Spring wildflowers peeked out of the lush green undergrowth. There were delicate and cheery lilies and pink fairy slippers. She bent and plucked a few to take back hoping Jeanette wouldn ’t mind.

At the river ’ s edge, the children found a hand-hewn bench and Clare hoisted herself up; whoever had made it must have had long legs since it was rather too tall. Jonas and Cedric were messing with a large tree branch partially submerged in the river, but Dante was nowhere to be seen .

“ Where ’ s Dante? ” Clare asked the two boys.

“ Up here, ” a voice called from above.

Clare looked up and gasped. Dante clung to the tip top of a tree near the water ’ s edge.

“ What do you think you ’ re doing? ” Clare’ s voice betrayed her worry, two octaves higher and a bit severe.

“ Climbing a tree. Who knew I was an expert tree climber? ” he called gleefully.

Jonas had dropped the branch he was tugging and watched the exchange. “ Help me up, ” he said to Clare.

“ No way. ” It was one thing for her brother to risk his neck, but she would not be responsible for some other child. “Don ’ t even think about it, Jonas , ” Clare said.

The little boy turned back and continued playing with his brother.

Clare watched Jonas and Cedric play, but refused to look at Dante . Seeing him up there, dangling over the swift current, tied her stomach in knots. At last she looked up again. “ Dante, there ’ s a better tree over there, ” she suggested, pointing to a larger tree with wider branches farther inland. Then she closed her eyes and prayed. There is only so much you can do to protect the ones you love .

Later on, after dark, the whole bunch of them—parents, grandparents, and all—took flashlights and supplies and hiked back down to the river. They built a campfire, roasted marshmallows, and told jokes and stories. The grown-ups marveled at such warm weather in April, while the kids quietly marveled at being allowed up past their bedtimes.

By the time Clare and Dante were back home and in bed, they were happily exhausted.

“ What was your favorite thing about today? ” Clare asked.

“ Hmm. It ’ s a tie, ” said Dante. “ Climbing to the top of the tree and the campfire. Could you have ever imagined roasting marshmallows before, back home? ”

“ No,” she answered. “ How could we? ”

“ What about you? What was your favorite part? ”

Clare sighed. “ Everything, ” she finally said. “ Everything. ”