The Shell Collector

stretched to the sky. She’d once read somewhere that stretching when you got up was a sign of being healthy. That was a good enough reason to give it a try.
Amanda’s feet stuck to the humid floor as she walked down the hall. She poked her head inside Jesse’s room. Even though the ceiling fan was on, both kids had kicked off their sheets. Hailey was still fast asleep, hugging the stuffed lop-eared bunny she’d gotten for Christmas two years ago. Jesse was wiggling—a sure sign he’d be up any minute.
She walked to the living room and sat on the couch, pulling her feet up underneath her for a few minutes of quiet. She closed her eyes and took in slow, deep breaths.
I’m thankful for the security the teaching job will bring.
I’m thankful for this humble house. It’s becoming a home, and we’re safe here.
The kids are stronger than I’ll ever be. I’m so lucky, and they keep me going.
And then that was it because Jesse came tearing down the hall, his bare feet slapping the floor. He jumped over poor Denali, who’d practically dug a hole while trying to scramble out of the way.
Have I ever finished a list? I’m grateful for so many more things.
“You’re awake!” Jesse struck a squatty sumo stance.
Amen.
He ran over and threw himself at her. “Love!”
“Good morning, my little man.” She hugged him tightly.
He smacked a wet kiss on her cheek. This was their special time each day. Hailey wasn’t an early bird, but Jesse greeted Amanda with enthusiastic smiles every single morning.
It would be hard to switch gears when school started, but she didn’t have a choice. She’d been frugal with the insurance money. Hopefully, with some clever planning, someday she’d still be able to do something with her herbs.
Jesse belly-flopped onto the couch next to her.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love you ten and five.” He burst into a fit of giggles as if ten and five was the biggest number in the world.
She pulled him close. He smelled of baby shampoo and sweet dreams. She blew her lips against the side of his neck, making him laugh. His chubby legs kicked in the air.
He wriggled free to climb down on the floor and kiss Denali on the head. “Good boy.”
The dog let out a sigh and licked Jesse’s hand. It was amazing how much Denali had grown from that tiny eleven-pound puppy to this fifty-two-pound solid hunk of love. The handsome black-and-white bulldog now took up most of the doorway when he sprawled out. His chest was so wide that he looked like he could stop just about anything. Well, except on the days Hailey dressed him up in her tutu. Denali really was the perfect dog for them. Yes, Jack, you were right.
Hailey came down the hall, her eyes still half-shut. “I wasn’t ready to be awake. Jesse, you always wake up too early.”
He shrugged. “My eyes just pop open. I can’t help it.” His expressive face tickled Amanda. He was so committed to getting his point across.
Amanda raised her hands, fingers wide, mirroring him. “Me too. We must be twins.”
He cocked his head. Then he burst into a fit of giggles. “You’re Mommy.”
“Yes, I am. The luckiest mommy in the world to have you two.” She wrangled both kids in for a family hug. “It’s supposed to be cooler today. Want to take Denali down on the beach?”
“Yes!” They both bounced, which excited Denali. He leaped up, then nudged his nose under Hailey’s hand for more attention.
“Go change into your swimsuits, and I’ll pack breakfast to take with us.”
Jesse took off for his room, but Hailey started filling a tote bag with cups and plastic takeout containers. She was planning to design a sandcastle worthy of a princess.
“You have to carry that over the dune, Hailey-bug. Don’t make it too heavy.”
Hailey gave the bag a test lift, then removed a couple of things. She raised it again. “I can carry this much.”
“Bring it back too?”
Hailey took one more thing out, looking satisfied.
“Good deal. Go put on your swimsuit and bring a hat.”
Amanda made peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, cut into fourths, the way they liked them, then tucked them and frozen juice boxes into her bag. She’d quickly figured out how to eliminate carrying a cooler. Even a small one was too much to lug over the dune with everything else they required for a few hours on the sand.
“Y’all ready to roll?” Amanda called out.
Both kids came skidding down the hall.
“Rollin’, rollin’, rollin’.” Jesse marched through the kitchen, wearing his western straw hat and stars-and-stripes swim trunks.
Amanda hoisted the straps of her beach chair onto her back, then grabbed her tote bags. The kids ran past her out the front door with Denali. They waited for her at the gate of the white picket fence that outlined the perimeter of their postage-stamp lot.
She unlatched the gate. Hailey and Jesse, holding hands, started running up what they liked to call the mountain. It had been the perfect spot for watching the fireworks display earlier in the week. The kids were fascinated by the colors even if the bangs scared them every single time. Independence Day was a milestone for her, too, this year. She’d have to be brave, stay strong, and endure.
They made it over the dune in record time and unloaded everything far enough back from the waterline that the tide wouldn’t force them to move, something they’d learned the hard way after chasing towels and toys into the surf one afternoon.
Amanda spread out a sheet. “Let’s eat breakfast before you play, okay?”
Hailey and Jesse each nibbled on a quarter of a sandwich but were more interested in getting down to the water.
“Is this enough for now, Mom?” Hailey asked.
Jesse climbed to his feet.
“Sure. Go play,” Amanda said. “I’ll save these for later.”
Hailey grabbed her bag of tools and ran down to the water. Jesse and Denali caught up to her and began digging like crazy. Sand flew in the air,