Chapter 11 - The Summer Festival
Summer arrived with a burst of heat and county fairs, bringing the annual Valley Heritage Festival—a massive weekend event where local families set up booths, showcased crafts, and celebrated the history of the region.
Every year, Evelyn hosted a private tent near the center square for the extended family. In the past, Mia’s name had been conspicuously absent from the family roster sheet posted on the bulletin board.
This year was different.
When we walked up to the white-canopied tent on Saturday morning, a large wooden sign hung proudly at the entrance, painted by Evelyn’s own hand: The Ryan & Elena Family. Beneath it, listed cleanly in bold black lettering, were all five grandchildren—with Mia’s name centered right between her older cousins.
Evelyn sat near the front, wearing a wide-brimmed sunhat and handing out homemade blackberry tarts to passersby. When she saw us coming, she set her basket down and walked straight toward us.
She didn't look at Ryan or me first; her eyes went straight to Mia, who was wearing a bright blue sundress.
"Are you ready for the pie-eating contest, Mia?" Evelyn asked with a playful sparkle in her eye that I had never seen before.
Mia gasped, her eyes going wide. "Grandma, you said I could enter?"
"I signed you up myself," Evelyn smiled, taking Mia’s small hand in hers. "And I placed a bet with your uncle David that you're going to win."
As they walked off together toward the food stalls hand-in-hand, Ryan slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me close.
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"She really is trying, isn't she?" I murmured, resting my head against his shoulder.
"She’s making up for lost time," Ryan replied softly, watching his mother laugh at something Mia whispered. "And honestly? It looks good on her."
