Sunny morning light slid through the curtains. Mia blinked her sleepy eyes. She was three, and it was summer vacation.
She padded to the window in her bare feet. The air looked bright. The trees outside were still. A little bird hopped on the fence.
Mia smelled toast.
In the kitchen, Mom was spreading butter. The butter shined like a soft yellow ribbon. Dad poured water into a blue bottle. It made a glug-glug sound.
“Good morning,” Mia said. Her voice was small, but clear.
Mom turned and smiled. “Good morning, Mia.”
Dad smiled too. “Good morning.”
Mia liked how it felt when everyone said it back. It felt like a warm hug made of words.
Mom knelt down. “We're going to the park today. We can bring strawberries.”
Mia's eyes got wide. “Strawberries!”
She helped, the way a three-year-old helps. She put napkins in the bag. She pushed them down with her little hands.
On the porch, the sun was already warm. The sidewalk looked pale and sleepy. Mia held Mom's hand. Dad carried the bag.
At the corner, Mrs. Lee watered her flowers. Drops sparkled on the green leaves.
Mia remembered what Mom had been practicing with her. Say it clearly. Use your bright voice.
Mia lifted her chin. “Hello, Mrs. Lee!”
Mrs. Lee looked up. Her face lit up. “Hello, Mia! What a lovely hello.”
Mia felt tall inside.
Mrs. Lee held out a small bunch of mint. The leaves were soft and smelled fresh. “For your picnic,” she said.
Mia touched the mint gently. “Thank you,” she said.
Mom said, “Thank you, Mrs. Lee. That is so kind.”
They walked on. Mia kept smelling her fingers. Mint smelled like cool summer.
At the park, the grass was bright. A sprinkler tick-tick-ticked near the edge, making a soft rainbow in the sun. Children laughed, but it was not too loud.
Mia ran to the swing. The seat was warm from the sun.
A little boy was waiting too. He held a red bucket.
Mia looked at him. She wanted to swing right away. Her toes wiggled. Then she remembered another good thing: say hello.
“Hello,” Mia said.
The boy smiled. “Hello. I'm Sam.”
“I'm Mia,” she said.
Mom gave Mia a gentle push. “Up,” Mom said. “Down.”
Mia's hair fluttered. The sky was so blue it made her want to giggle.
After a while, Mom said, “Two more pushes, then we'll let Sam have a turn.”
Mia's tummy squeezed tight. She loved the swing. She didn't want to stop.
“One,” Mom said, and pushed.
Mia held the chains. “I want more,” she whispered.
Mom leaned close. “It's hard to stop when something is fun. You can tell your swing ‘goodbye.' Then it feels easier.”
Mia blinked. Goodbye to a swing? She tried it.
“Goodbye, swing,” Mia said softly.
Mom smiled. “One more push.”
Mia went up. Mia went down. Then Mom stopped.
Mia slid off. She took a breath. She looked at Sam. He was still waiting.
Mia made her voice clear again. “Your turn, Sam.”
Sam grinned. “Thank you!”
Mia felt warm in her chest. Giving a turn felt good. It felt like sunshine inside.
They washed hands with a little wet wipe. It felt cool and smelled like lemons.
Then it was picnic time. They sat under a tree. The shade made a soft, bouncy pattern on the blanket.
Dad opened the box. Strawberries sat like red hearts. Mom sprinkled a little mint on top.
Mia took a bite. Sweet juice ran on her lip. “Mmm,” she said.
Mom wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Thank you for using napkins,” Mom said.
Mia looked at the mint. “Thank you, Mrs. Lee,” she said, even though Mrs. Lee was not there. She liked saying thank you anyway.
A dog walked by with its owner. The dog's tongue hung out. It looked happy and hot.
Mia waved. “Hello, dog!”
The owner laughed softly. “Hello!”
After lunch, Mia found a small leaf on the blanket. It was shaped like a tiny hand. She gave it to Dad.
“For you,” she said.
Dad held it like a treasure. “Thank you, Mia. That is a sweet gift.”
Soon the sun felt stronger. Mom touched Mia's cheek. “Your face is warm. Time to go home and rest.”
Mia felt a little sad. The park was nice. The swing was nice. The picnic was nice.
Mom squeezed her hand. “We can say goodbye. We can come back another day.”
Mia nodded. She looked at the tree. “Goodbye, tree.”
She looked at the swing. “Goodbye, swing.”
She looked at Sam. “Goodbye, Sam.”
Sam waved. “Goodbye, Mia!”
On the way home, they passed Mrs. Lee again. The flowers looked brighter now.
Mia stood still. She remembered to use her clear voice.
“Goodbye, Mrs. Lee! Thank you for the mint!”
Mrs. Lee waved her watering can a little. “Goodbye, Mia. You are very welcome.”
At home, the rooms felt cool and quiet. Mom closed the curtains halfway. The light turned soft, like honey.
Mia curled on the couch with her favorite blanket. Dad brought her water in the blue bottle.
“Thank you,” Mia said.
Dad kissed her forehead. “You're welcome.”
Mia listened to a faraway lawn mower hum. She smelled mint on her fingers, and strawberries in her tummy, and summer in the air.
Before her eyes closed, Mia whispered, “Hello, summer. Goodbye, busy day.”
Mom's voice was gentle. “Hello, rest. Goodnight, Mia.”
Mia smiled, safe and calm, and drifted into a sweet nap.
