C'est la vie - A Collection

Good Days

It was a perfect day.

The sun was shining, birds were singing, and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted from the bakery down the street. Children laughed as they chased each other around the park, their joyful squeals mingling with the chatter of picnicking families. The grass was soft and green, dotted with dandelions that danced in the light breeze. Everything was so... peaceful. So perfect.

Amelia sat on a checkered blanket, a basket of goodies spread out in front of her. Her best friends were by her side—Claire, always the loudest, and Hannah, the quiet one, who had brought along a new book to read. They'd known each other since childhood, and moments like this, with nothing to worry about but which sandwich to eat first, were the moments they cherished the most.

"Pass the lemonade!" Claire grinned, already reaching for the pitcher before anyone else could.

Amelia laughed. "You always go for the lemonade first."

"Because it's the best!" Claire poured herself a tall glass, splashing a little in the process, but no one cared. It was too beautiful of a day to worry about a few drops.

Hannah looked up from her book, a soft smile playing on her lips as she glanced at her friends. "It's hard to believe we all finally managed to get together like this. Life's been so hectic."

Amelia nodded, leaning back on her hands. "Yeah, it's a rare moment. We barely have time to hang out anymore. One of us is stuck in business meetings, another's off in some other country, and the other would be suddenly meeting her boyfriend's parents at Ghana." She chuckled. "We're not exactly free like we used to be."

"True," Hannah agreed joining with her her. "We've become really busy unlike when we were seven."

"So, Miss 'I-read-24/7,' you better put that book down now," Claire teased, her words muffled by the straw stuck between her teeth as she sipped her lemonade. "You can finish it later when we're gone."

Hannah smiled sheepishly, holding up her book defensively. "Just one more page. The scenery here perfectly matches the romance I'm reading." Without waiting for a response, she went right back to her novel. Amelia and Claire exchanged amused glances, shaking their heads as they chuckled.

"Something never change." Claire said.

"Nope." Amelia replied.

They spent the next hour talking, laughing, and basking in the warmth of the sun. Everything was easy and light—stories of their latest adventures, a little gossip about work, boys, future plans, new trends of fashion and a little bit of what they were. 

"Remember when we used to come here as kids?" Claire asked, a nostalgic look in her eyes. "We thought the park was the whole world."

Amelia chuckled. "Yeah, and we thought we'd never grow up."

"We were so naive." Hannah shook her head, but she was smiling.

The afternoon wore on, the chatter and laughter swelling as the plates emptied. Good conversation and fond memories seemed to rise with every bite, filling the air as the food slowly disappeared. Amelia stood up and stretched, a sense of contentment lifting her spirits, making her feel almost weightless as she turned toward the park's entrance.

"Oh, look! The ice cream truck's here," she said, pointing toward the street. "Anyone want something?"

Claire immediately shot up. "Yes! I'll take vanilla."

"I'm coming with you," Hannah added, standing and brushing off her jeans.

Amelia smiled and jogged ahead. The music from the truck played a cheerful tune as she approached, already imagining the cool sweetness of strawberry ice cream melting in her mouth.