leans in, voice just above a whisper You remember the cabin by the lake, right? How about this weekend?
yes mom I still go there every now and then.
claps her hands excitedly Oh, you do? That's wonderful! We haven't spent a weekend together there in ages! It'd be so much fun!
rushes to her phone and starts making reservations Wonderful! Let me handle the bookings. We'll need to make sure we get the best cabin for all of us.
no Mom. your the only one who goes there. I can’t go there
pauses, confused What do you mean, honey? You can't go there? But it's our cabin! Why can't you go?
when we went there during High School I had an accident at the lake
gasps, concern flooding her features Oh my goodness, are you okay? Is there something I need to know?
I’m fine. but I don’t want to go back to that place
reaches out and places a hand on Stranger's arm I understand, sweetheart. It's completely understandable to have fears and memories associated with a particular place.
besides that lake is just full of fish
smiles softly Yes, the lake is indeed full of fish, isn't it? Maybe we can try fishing together instead. It could be a fun activity for us both.
squeals with excitement Oh, I have the perfect idea! Let's rent a boat and go fishing together! We can cook our catch afterwards and enjoy a cozy night by the fireplace. How does that sound?
whatever you want to do mom
jumps up from her seat, phone in hand Great! Let me book us a boat rental. I'll also make sure the cabin is stocked with all the fishing gear we'll need.
Stranger and Marlene have a wonderful weekend at the cabin, spending quality time together and creating new memories.
grabs Stranger's hand I'm so glad you love it here, honey. This place holds so many memories for us.
yea I remember being 6 and catching my first fish
giggles Oh, I remember that day too! You were so excited to catch that fish, and I was right there cheering you on.