Vanessa was fuming. “They couldn’t even be bothered to drop the boy off themselves? They had to pay a valet, a total stranger, to take him here instead?”

“It’s incorrigible, but I would expect nothing less. I haven’t seen Andrew since he was an infant. We’re total strangers to him as well.”

They had had six weeks to prepare the cottage for Andrew’s arrival. AJ had renovated the spare bedroom with a fresh coat of paint and stocked the shelves with E.B. White and C.S. Lewis. Vanessa had thoroughly inspected the yard to make sure the last of the stinging nettle had been removed and had taken down her erotic art pieces.

Many conversations had also taken place during this time. Conversations where AJ thoughtfully listened to her partner’s concerns, and conversations where Vanessa made it absolutely clear she had only agreed to the summer. At the end of three months, the boy would head back to London. It’s not like he would enjoy life with two thirty year old lesbians anyways, she reasoned.

Vanessa tried to act casual when the day of his arrival came, but she was terrified. She was friendly with the neighborhood kids, but she wasn’t responsible for them. Things with AJ had been surreally perfect for the last four years, what if this buggered everything up? It’s only three months, she kept telling herself. AJ is an angel on Earth. We can handle this.

Still, she was overcome with nerves as a pale boy with dark, curly hair stepped out from the car. Vanessa leaned against the door frame of the cottage in an attempt to look nonchalant, but AJ had run towards him and was kneeling by him in a moment.

“Hello, Andrew!” she said while embracing him in a tight hug. “We’re excited to have you here!”

“You’re Angela?” he asked, unimpressed.

“Yes, but you can call me AJ,” she said warmly. “This is Vanessa.” She pointed back towards the cottage. “We’re here to take care of you for the summer.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Vantackle said you two were best friends and that’s why you live together, but I saw you kissing when I drove up.”

Of course AJ’s parents would say that, Vanessa thought bitterly.

AJ smiled at Andrew patiently. “Well, Vanessa and I are more than friends. We love each other. We’re in a relationship together.”

“No way!” He protested. “That’s impossible!”

“Why is that?” AJ asked sweetly.

“Mr. and Mrs. Vantackle said it’s against the rules. They told me when they took me to church.”

Vanessa supposed that the Vantackle’s were now working harder to instill homophobia at a young age. They didn’t want to risk having another AJ in the family; meaning someone that was thoughtful, warm, happy, empathetic...

The redhead finally decided to speak. “Hmmm.. I didn’t take you for a rule follower.”

“I’m not!” Andrew protested, tilting his chin upwards in defiance. “I do what I want.”

“I guess we have that in common then,” Vanessa smirked.

“You know what else you two have in common,” AJ said, while reaching towards each of them. She moved her hands near their heads with a dramatic flourish. “You both have butterscotch candies behind your ears!” AJ smiled like she had just bested Harry Houdini and a moment of awkward silence ensued.

“That was a rubbish trick,” Andrew said while popping a candy in his mouth.

“I agree,” Vanessa nodded. “I guess that’s another thing we have in common.”

To the surprise of both women, Andrew gave a laugh. Vanessa felt something warm in her chest as she watched the boy giggle. Overall, she counted the initial meeting as a success.

Andrew had been bounced around from home to home, so it made sense he would be reluctant to grow attached. But over time, having care and unquestioning love heaped upon him, he began to let his guard down. Given the slightest amount of water, even a stubborn seed can grow roots. He finally started asking AJ to read him stories at night, and had become an excellent helper to Vanessa in their thriving garden. She even gave him the occasional painting lesson, though he was more interested in using his fingers than any of the brushes.

As expected, their town had welcomed him with open arms. Andrew’s appearance became less sallow as he began spending more time outside, rather than being hidden like a shameful secret within the Vantackle manor.

Vanessa was helping AJ make pastry dough in the kitchen. The windows were open to let in a warm summer breeze and unobstructed view of their spacious garden. AJ moved behind her with flour covered hands and wrapped her arms around her slender hips, pressing a gentle kiss into her neck. She felt a warm glow run through her veins at the warmth and intimacy at the gesture. After all these years, Vanessa was still overwhelmed by the perfection of the moments they shared together.

She looked out the window. Andrew had been sent to the garden to pick raspberries, but was currently chastising the large bush for a leaf spot.

“The summer is nearly over,” AJ whispered in her ear. “Should I contact my parents about arrangements to send him home?”

Less than a decade ago, Vanessa had been detached from everyone. She had been living in a cramped London apartment that she afforded by sleeping with strangers. She had no family she kept in contact with, and had never been in a healthy relationship.

She was now living in a picturesque countryside cottage where she spent her days gardening and painting. She was also living with an angel, her angel, and a young boy who had recently asked if he could call her mum.

“He’s already home,” she whispered.

“I know,” AJ agreed, pressing a kiss into her cheek.

Vanessa started tearing up. She couldn’t believe she was lucky enough to be part of the happiest, most unconventional family in the English countryside.