Chapter 18 - The Summer FestivalSummer arrived in Columbus with a burst of vibrant green foliage, long sunlit evenings, and weekend neighborhood block parties.
Our suburban community was hosting its annual mid-summer street festival, complete with food trucks, live acoustic music, and game booths lining the oak-shaded cul-de-sacs. For previous summer festivals, Mark had always found an excuse to stay home, complaining about the heat, the crowds, or his father’s impending business calls, leaving me to navigate the awkward social pleasantries alone while trying to keep Ethan included.
This year was entirely different.
Ethan and I rolled down the driveway hand-in-hand—well, technically, Ethan wheeled alongside me while holding my hand—dressed in matching light summer clothes. Neighbors waved warmly as we approached the main square. Several local mothers whom I had only exchanged polite nods with in the past rushed over to chat, inviting Ethan to join the community ring-toss contest and complimenting our front yard garden.
“Hey, Claire! Ethan!” called out Mrs. Gable, our next-door neighbor, walking over with a tray of homemade lemon bars. “We’re setting up the community barbecue pit behind the park pavilion. You two have to join us!”
“We’d love to, Mrs. Gable,” I smiled warmly.
Ethan beamed, his eyes dancing with excitement. “Can I enter the pie-eating contest, Mom? Well, not eating pie—can I judge it?”
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“You can be the head judge, buddy,” I laughed, squeezing his shoulder.
As Ethan rolled off toward the game booths to inspect the local carnival setups, I watched him with a heart full of fierce, unbreakable pride. He wasn't hiding in a drafty kitchen anymore. He was right out in the center of the community, laughing, socializing, and shining under the warm summer sun.
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