I figured it was best to let Hayden think about it on her own, so I continued to the laundry room where there was a utility sink to rinse out the brushes.
Saylor paused in the doorway. "Hayden went to her room."
I was used to Hayden's need to hide out for a few hours, especially after being social. "I hope she decides to sign up for the volunteer work."
"I thought you should know that my grandmother created this project when you asked about Hayden meeting other kids her age."
I paused and looked at her. "She didn't have to do that."
Saylor rolled her eyes. "Are you kidding? This is her favorite thing to do, plan elaborate ways to force people to be together. Just don't tell Hayden that."
"Don't worry. I won't. I want this for her."
She moved farther into the room. "I think she'll agree to go."
I met her gaze. "As long as we don't put any pressure on her."
"Or bring it up again." Saylor smiled, and I felt connected to her.
"I can put it on the shared calendar so she can see it." I'd bought this calendar system that went on our phones and synced with a tablet on the kitchen counter. I encouraged everyone in the house to add their things to it, but so far, we didn't really have any pressing engagements.
"That's a good idea. That way she can go if she wants to. There's an art class at the community center I told her about too. I hope you're not upset that I talked to her about it before I mentioned it to you. I thought it would be better coming from me."
"I don't mind." I was pleased that Saylor had thought of Hayden.
"It's for kids interested in art and creating things on a graphic-design program. So it's perfect for her."
"That would be nice if she'd do it. She could meet people there too, and it would get her out of the house." That was my main goal in life, to coax my thirteen-year-old daughter out of her room. The dream of connecting with her seemed far off in the future. I just hoped I made some progress with her over the summer. Because she'd be living with her mother by the end of August and the distance between us would only grow.
"Maybe she'll fall in love with the island and want to live with you."
My jaw tightened. "I try not to think about things like that. She's always lived with her mother. I'm sure that's where she'd rather stay."
Her forehead creased. "What happened between you and her mother? You couldn't make it work?"
The space in the laundry room was small, and I was tucked between the sink and the washing machine. "Our relationship wasn't like that. When she had Hayden, I was deployed all the time or working in another location from them. We didn't even try to maintain a relationship. She wasn't interested in being with someone who was only around some of the time."
"That's tough," Saylor said.
"I hope this summer means something to Hayden, and she doesn't view it as a way to torture her," I said, turning off the water.
"There's no way around that with a teenager," Saylor teased.
"This parenting gig is harder than I ever thought it would be. I regret missing so much time with her."
Saylor was quiet for a few seconds, and then she said, "Why don't you tell her that?"
I thought about it. "I'm sure I have."
"I bet you haven't. I'd make sure she knows that before she leaves at the end of the summer. There are always ways we can repair our relationships with our loved ones. We just have to take the time and the effort."
"You sound like you're speaking from experience."
"There's nothing left to repair of my relationship with Flynn, and things are fine with my parents. They worry about me since they moved to Maine but know I'll be okay."
"You're lucky you have Blaire and this house to escape to."
"I might not want to leave at the end of the summer," Saylor said breezily as she walked out of the laundry room with a smile on her face.
