THE SUMMER I FOUND YOU

The first thing Lily Carter noticed when she woke up was the sunlight. It slipped through the gap between her curtains and landed directly across her face, forcing her to bury her head beneath the pillow. “Five more minutes,” she mumbled. Her phone vibrated somewhere beneath the blanket. Lily ignored it. It vibrated again. She groaned and reached blindly for it, nearly knocking a glass of water from her bedside table in the process. “Careful,” she whispered to herself, grabbing the phone just in time. There were seven notifications. Six were from Ethan. The seventh was from her mother. Lily smiled when she saw Ethan’s name. ETHAN ❤️ Good morning, beautiful. Then another message appeared. ETHAN ❤️ Are you awake? And another. ETHAN ❤️ I know you're pretending not to be. Lily laughed softly. She typed back. LILY Maybe I am. The reply came almost immediately. ETHAN ❤️ Then I'll have to come over and wake you myself. Lily rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face remained. They had been together for almost two years, and somehow Ethan still knew exactly how to make her smile before she'd even gotten out of bed.She sat up and pushed her messy hair away from her face. At nineteen, Lily had spent most of her life believing she knew exactly what her future would look like. College. Graduation. A good job. A beautiful apartment in the city. And Ethan beside her. It was a simple plan. Maybe too simple. But Lily liked simple. She reached for the small camera sitting on her desk. It wasn't expensive. The strap was slightly worn, and there was a tiny scratch near the lens. But Lily loved it more than most of the things she owned. She turned it on and scrolled through the photographs she'd taken during the semester. Buildings. People. Sunsets between skyscrapers. A woman laughing on a train. A little boy chasing pigeons through a park. None of them were perfect. But Lily loved them. Photography was the one thing she could do for hours without noticing time passing.She opened her laptop and looked at the folder she'd named MY FUTURE. Inside were dozens of photographs. She had secretly started building a portfolio. One day, she wanted to turn photography into something more than a hobby. She wanted to travel. She wanted to photograph places she'd never seen and people whose stories she'd never heard. She wanted something that belonged completely to her. Not to Ethan. Not to her mother. To her. A knock sounded on her bedroom door. Lily? She quickly minimized the folder. “Come in.” The door opened, and Maya Carter stepped inside carrying a basket of freshly washed clothes. Her mother looked at her daughter for a moment before shaking her head. You're still in bed? “I just woke up.” You've been awake for twenty minutes. Lily blinked. “How do you know that?” “Because I've been listening to you argue with your alarm clock.” Lily laughed. Maya dropped the clothes onto the chair. You have plans today? “Maybe.” Maybe? Lily reached for her phone. “Ethan wants to take me out.” Maya raised an eyebrow. “Again?” “Mom.” “What? I'm only asking.” “You like Ethan.” “I do.” Then what's the problem? Maya smiled. “There isn't one.” Lily studied her mother's face. There was something about the way Maya said it that made her pause. But before she could ask, her phone rang. Ethan. She answered immediately. “Hello?” “Finally.” Lily smiled. “Good morning to you too.” “I've been waiting forever.” You've been waiting for twenty minutes. “Exactly. Forever.” She laughed. Ethan's voice softened. Are you free this afternoon? “I think so.” “Good. I'm taking you somewhere.” “Where?” “It's a surprise.” Lily narrowed her eyes even though he couldn't see her. “You know I hate surprises.” “You love my surprises.” That is because your surprises usually involve food. “Exactly. So you trust me.” “Not completely.” “Too late. I'm picking you up at two.” The call ended. Lily stared at the phone. Maya was watching her. “What?” “Nothing.” “That wasn't a nothing face.” Maya smiled faintly. You've been happy lately. Lily's expression softened. “I am happy.” Maya nodded. “I know.” But there was something behind her eyes that Lily couldn't understand. Something almost like worry. Lily ignored it. She had spent enough time thinking about problems that didn't exist. Her life was good. She had Ethan. She had college. She had a mother who loved her. What else could she possibly need? By two o'clock, Lily was waiting outside the apartment. Ethan's black car pulled up a few minutes later. He stepped out wearing a white shirt, dark trousers, and the effortless confidence that seemed to follow him everywhere. Lily smiled when she saw him. You're late. “Three minutes.” Three minutes is late. Ethan opened the passenger door. “Get in, princess.” Lily rolled her eyes. “I told you not to call me that.” “And yet I continue to do it.” She got into the car. As they drove through the city, Lily rested her head against the window and watched the buildings pass. Where are we going? “You'll see.” You're annoying. “You love me.” Lily looked at him. There was no hesitation in her voice. “I do.” Ethan reached across the center console and took her hand. “I love you too.” For a moment, everything felt perfect. Almost too perfect. They stopped at a beautiful restaurant, and Lily immediately understood why Ethan had refused to tell her where they were going. After lunch, they walked through a shopping district. Ethan bought her a small silver necklace despite her protests. You don't need to buy me things. “I know.” Then why do you? “Because I want to.” Lily touched the necklace. It was beautiful. “Thank you.” Ethan leaned closer. “You're welcome.” She smiled. For the rest of the afternoon, Lily forgot about the strange feeling she'd noticed on her mother's face. Until they returned home. Maya was sitting at the dining table. There was a large envelope in front of her. Lily stopped. What is that? Maya looked up. “Something I need to tell you.” Ethan's expression changed slightly. What happened? Maya looked between them. “Nothing bad.” She pushed the envelope toward Lily. Lily slowly picked it up. Her name was written across the front. LILY CARTER. What is it? Maya took a breath. “I've been meaning to talk to you about this for weeks.” Lily opened the envelope. Inside was a printed letter. She read the first line. Then the second. Her eyebrows slowly lifted. Mom… Maya watched her carefully. Lily looked up. “You want me to spend the summer with you?” “Yes.” But you know I already made plans. “I know.” “With Ethan.” “I know that too.” Ethan remained silent. Lily looked at the letter again. It was an invitation from Maya to spend the entire summer in the small town where she had recently moved. Weeks away from the city. Weeks away from college. Weeks away from Ethan. Lily shook her head. “Mom, I can't just disappear for the whole summer.” “You can.” “I don't want to.” Maya's expression softened. “I think you need to.” Lily stared at her. Why? Maya didn't answer immediately. Instead, she looked at the photograph hanging on the wall. A photograph of Lily as a child. Then she looked back at her daughter. “Because sometimes you don't know what you're missing until you leave everything familiar behind.” Lily frowned. That sounds mysterious. “It's not.” “Then tell me the real reason.” Maya hesitated. Ethan finally spoke. “Maybe you should go.” Lily turned toward him. You're agreeing with her? “I think a change of scenery could be good for you.” “You'll miss me?” “Of course.” “Then why are you encouraging this?” Ethan smiled. “Because I trust you.” Lily smiled back. She looked down at the letter again. A whole summer away. It sounded inconvenient. Unnecessary. Maybe even boring. But something inside her told her that refusing would be a mistake. She didn't know why. She didn't know what waited for her there. She certainly didn't know that a decision as simple as spending a summer with her mother would eventually change everything she believed about love. Lily folded the letter. “Okay.” Maya's eyes widened slightly. “Okay?” “I'll go.” Ethan's smile disappeared for just a second. Then he forced it back. Of course I'll visit you. Lily smiled. “You better.” Maya stood and hugged her daughter tightly. “I'm glad.” Lily hugged her back. But as Maya held her, Lily noticed something strange. Her mother's eyes were wet. Lily pulled away. “Mom?” Maya quickly wiped her face. “I'm fine.” “No, you're not.” “It's nothing.” Lily stared at her. Why do I feel like there's something you're not telling me? Maya went completely still. And for the first time in Lily's life, her mother looked genuinely afraid. Then Maya whispered, “Because there is.”