I followed Mickey out but he went to the grill to survey Cillian’s activities.

I decided on the table, where we could all sit, eat chips and guacamole, and chat.

Mickey and Cillian joined me, Mickey opening the chips after he sat, tossing them on the table.

Aisling came out with the guac, which was homemade, had the perfect hint of cilantro, a nice tang of garlic and minimum tomatoes, making it sublime (Mickey’s creation, which made me look forward to dinner). She also saw the chips, rolled her eyes at her father and went back in, coming out with a bowl in which she dumped the chips (budding hostess, and a good one, for certain).

And we all sat, munching, sipping, Cillian doing most of the talking with Mickey and I interjecting.

Not long after, Mickey got up and went in to get the meat.

He started grilling.

At their father’s good-natured demand, without complaint, the kids got up and grabbed outdoor table stuff, including nice plastic plates, and set the table.

When it was time, Aisling went in to make the spinach salad.

In the end, I ate more than I had in weeks (and my stomach protested, but I didn’t listen because it was all so delicious) and surprisingly in Mickey’s company, did exactly what he wanted me to do.

I kicked back, drank beer, ate good food, sat with a nice family on the deck during a comfortable summer day in Maine, and relaxed.

* * * * *

“Babe.”

I was in the danger zone.

“Hey.” A hand was on my hip.

Highway straight to the danger zone.

That hand gently shook me. “Amy.”

My eyes fluttered open and I saw dark purple twill.

I knew exactly where I was.

I was in a home with a family that liked me.

A home where we sat in the sun on the deck and ate three different salads (all excellent), superbly grilled brats and chicken breasts slathered in barbeque sauce. This being followed by a heavenly chocolate cake that made my meringue-frosting-topped cupcakes seem like sawdust topped with pillow foam.

A home where I told a fourteen-year-old girl I felt that way about her cake, and she handed the world to me when her blue eyes started shining.

A home where we chatted and laughed and ended our meal playing Frisbee.

A home where I could run around the backyard with kids who enjoyed my company, demonstrating my Frisbee prowess because I was an awesome Frisbee player, seeing as my brother and I would go to the beach as often as possible (it was what you did, we grew up in La Jolla, we had a beach, we used it) and we’d play Frisbee. And being good at Frisbee was apparently a skill you didn’t lose.

A home where, during Frisbee, an eleven-year-old boy told me I was “da bomb” because I was an awesome Frisbee player.

A home where, after Frisbee, we camped out on a big cozy sectional to watch Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer play volleyball (amongst other things) and with beer, a full belly and wonderful company, relaxed and at ease, I’d fallen asleep curled into a corner of that big, cozy, purple couch.