Brown’s better half, interrupted the interrogation.
He owned the local bakery, and they talked for a while about
canning peaches and strawberries while I finished my soup. It
turned out Mr. Brown wanted to sell Edna’s strawberry preserves in
his shop.
“That sounds like a lovely
idea, thank you for thinking of me, Bill.” The idea of making
preserves always brightened her day. I shoved in the last of the
peanut butter sandwich and quickly swallowed.
“Nice to see you, Edna …
Nora ... ”
“You too, Mr. Brown.” He
had no idea how nice it was to see him. “Ready to go?” I asked. Now
the subject had been changed, she struggled to find a way to change
it back. I wasn’t going to help.
As we wove our way through
the maze of round bistro tables, the high-pitched cry of colic
caused Edna to stop. Caroline, a young mother from church, held a
very fussy newborn.
“Can I try?” Edna asked as
she bent close. Caroline gratefully took her up on her offer. The
infant’s little legs, dressed in a blue onesy, were drawn to his
chest in pain.
“You should try warm sugar
water. It always helps when I have to take care of the nursery,”
Edna suggested. His face squinted as he let out another wail. I
gently held his hand between my thumb and first finger. Babies seem
so breakable.
“Hello.” I smiled at him
and crinkled my nose. His legs eased from his chest. I put my hand
over his belly and rubbed. He took a shaky breath and smiled. After
a moment or two, he drifted off to sleep.
“Wow, Nora. I might be
calling on you tonight. It looks like you have the touch.” Caroline
beamed as she took him and nestled him in his stroller. I smiled,
heading off to the parking lot while Edna talked for a moment
longer.
“I think I should recheck
that last gutter today,” I stated, as we got in the Jeep. “I’m not
sure I got everything. Oh, I also picked up a new hinge for the
back door.” Dodging potholes in the driveway brought a fresh round
of accomplishments for the afternoon. Today would be a very busy
one … I would take as many things off my list as possible and stay
out of her way until the inquisition stopped.
I made it through most of
the outdoor chores, and by the time I came back in the house, it
was dark. My body still hadn’t recovered from the morning, and the
physical labor added insult to injury. Edna’s smile let me know I
hadn’t fooled anyone. Fortunately, she didn’t bring up the subject
of Gavin again. I wouldn’t lie to her, but I needed to keep things
close to the vest for the moment. Exhausted, I went to bed right
after dinner; my eyes closed before my head hit the pillow. That
night I dreamt once more of green eyes and waterfalls. I awoke in
the morning looking forward to going back to sleep. The thought was
both thrilling and concerning at the same time.
The community college was
closed for the day, and I was glad I told Mr. Vernor I would work.
Edna was like a pit bull with a bone when it came to getting to the
bottom of issues, and I was glad to have an excuse to be out of the
house.
Clipping a few lilies from
their base, I took them downstairs. An old ceramic pitcher sat in
the middle of the kitchen table, which now served as a
vase.
The silver pail sloshed
with warm milk as I opened the back screen door. Avery was in her
stall, and the chickens were fed. I grinned, wondering what was up.
Edna bustled around the kitchen, making my favorite
breakfast—pancakes with both peanut butter and chocolate chips
sprinkled throughout. We hadn’t had these since
Christmas.
“Wow, Ed … thanks.” I
grinned.
“What’s on your agenda for
the day, Sunny?” She filled her mug, placed the coffee pot back on
the stove, and leaned against the counter.
“I have to work, but I’ll
be back before four. You’re getting your nails done,
right?”
“I didn’t know if you
remembered, but yes, Sally is expecting me … unless you have
something else to do.”
“Nope.”
The silence
He owned the local bakery, and they talked for a while about
canning peaches and strawberries while I finished my soup. It
turned out Mr. Brown wanted to sell Edna’s strawberry preserves in
his shop.
“That sounds like a lovely
idea, thank you for thinking of me, Bill.” The idea of making
preserves always brightened her day. I shoved in the last of the
peanut butter sandwich and quickly swallowed.
“Nice to see you, Edna …
Nora ... ”
“You too, Mr. Brown.” He
had no idea how nice it was to see him. “Ready to go?” I asked. Now
the subject had been changed, she struggled to find a way to change
it back. I wasn’t going to help.
As we wove our way through
the maze of round bistro tables, the high-pitched cry of colic
caused Edna to stop. Caroline, a young mother from church, held a
very fussy newborn.
“Can I try?” Edna asked as
she bent close. Caroline gratefully took her up on her offer. The
infant’s little legs, dressed in a blue onesy, were drawn to his
chest in pain.
“You should try warm sugar
water. It always helps when I have to take care of the nursery,”
Edna suggested. His face squinted as he let out another wail. I
gently held his hand between my thumb and first finger. Babies seem
so breakable.
“Hello.” I smiled at him
and crinkled my nose. His legs eased from his chest. I put my hand
over his belly and rubbed. He took a shaky breath and smiled. After
a moment or two, he drifted off to sleep.
“Wow, Nora. I might be
calling on you tonight. It looks like you have the touch.” Caroline
beamed as she took him and nestled him in his stroller. I smiled,
heading off to the parking lot while Edna talked for a moment
longer.
“I think I should recheck
that last gutter today,” I stated, as we got in the Jeep. “I’m not
sure I got everything. Oh, I also picked up a new hinge for the
back door.” Dodging potholes in the driveway brought a fresh round
of accomplishments for the afternoon. Today would be a very busy
one … I would take as many things off my list as possible and stay
out of her way until the inquisition stopped.
I made it through most of
the outdoor chores, and by the time I came back in the house, it
was dark. My body still hadn’t recovered from the morning, and the
physical labor added insult to injury. Edna’s smile let me know I
hadn’t fooled anyone. Fortunately, she didn’t bring up the subject
of Gavin again. I wouldn’t lie to her, but I needed to keep things
close to the vest for the moment. Exhausted, I went to bed right
after dinner; my eyes closed before my head hit the pillow. That
night I dreamt once more of green eyes and waterfalls. I awoke in
the morning looking forward to going back to sleep. The thought was
both thrilling and concerning at the same time.
The community college was
closed for the day, and I was glad I told Mr. Vernor I would work.
Edna was like a pit bull with a bone when it came to getting to the
bottom of issues, and I was glad to have an excuse to be out of the
house.
Clipping a few lilies from
their base, I took them downstairs. An old ceramic pitcher sat in
the middle of the kitchen table, which now served as a
vase.
The silver pail sloshed
with warm milk as I opened the back screen door. Avery was in her
stall, and the chickens were fed. I grinned, wondering what was up.
Edna bustled around the kitchen, making my favorite
breakfast—pancakes with both peanut butter and chocolate chips
sprinkled throughout. We hadn’t had these since
Christmas.
“Wow, Ed … thanks.” I
grinned.
“What’s on your agenda for
the day, Sunny?” She filled her mug, placed the coffee pot back on
the stove, and leaned against the counter.
“I have to work, but I’ll
be back before four. You’re getting your nails done,
right?”
“I didn’t know if you
remembered, but yes, Sally is expecting me … unless you have
something else to do.”
“Nope.”
The silence
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