Page 47 of Already Home

Serenity took Violet’s hand and held on to it. She put herother palm close to Violet’s cheek without touching it.

“Your aura is troubled,” Serenity said. “You’re unsure. Butyour future will be happy.” She frowned. “There’s a bump in the road ahead, butonce you’re through that, you’ll be fine.”

Jenna stared, unable to think what to say. All this and notarot cards, she thought, trying to find the humor in the situation. It was thator scream, and it seemed a little early for a full-throated yell.

Serenity dropped her hands and beamed at Violet. “I hope youdon’t mind. I get a sense about people. Tom reminds me not everyone wants toknow what’s going to happen to them. He thinks I should edit more.”

Yay, Tom, Jenna thought.

“A happy future is good,” Violet said. “Thanks forsharing.”

“Just watch out for the bump.”

“I will.”

Jenna wondered how Violet could be so calm and rational. Maybeshe was more experienced with those slightly off the road of normal.

“We were planning menus for our cooking classes,” Jenna saidinto the silence. “We try to have a class every day. During the class we featurecookware or cookbooks. For some, we have the ingredients prepared ahead of time,along with a recipe card. Customers can buy them and re-create the dish thatnight, if they want.”

“That’s very innovative.” Serenity picked up the printed listof classes. “I see you’re doing organic but not vegan.”

“Not many in the community have embraced the vegan lifestyle.It’s tough.” There had been a lot of vegan eaters in L.A., but Jenna and Aaronhadn’t catered to that crowd. Vegetarian they could do, but vegans didn’t eatanimal products of any kind. In her opinion, the world was a sad place withoutbutter. Not to mention cheese. A little sprinkling of the right cheese couldsave almost any dish.

“Have you tried any vegan recipes?” Serenity asked.

“No. I don’t have much experience in that area.”

“You should. Even if you don’t plan on becoming a vegan, youcan try a completely different way of thinking about food. You might find it’sfun.”

Fun. Jenna couldn’t remember the last time cooking had beenfun. Although the idea of trying vegan intrigued her. As she’d never done itbefore, there would be no expectations.

“Why don’t I whip up a few things and bring them by for you totry?” Serenity offered.

“All right.” Jenna did her best to sound more enthused thandoubtful.

She realized she’d failed when Serenity laughed. “I promise thefood won’t be horrible. You inherited your cooking ability from me, Jenna. I’vebeen creating recipes since I was very young. My mother and her mother were alsogreat cooks. In fact your grandmother, who was French, by the way, owned abakery. Her pie crust alone generated three marriage proposals before she wassixteen.”

Her smile turned impish. “When I occasionally go off the veganwagon, so to speak, I confess it’s with a fresh baguette and some cheese.Organic, of course.”

“You’re French,” Violet said. “That’s good to know.”

It was, but somehow Jenna still resented having theinformation. Even more uncomfortable, she wanted to ask questions. To know moreabout her ancestry, even though that seemed like a betrayal of Beth andMarshall.

Serenity flipped her hair over her shoulder. It was a casualgesture, but one that Jenna recognized—mostly because she did it herself.

“I’m not trying to get in the way,” the older woman told her.“I want to get to know you, just a little. And you to get to know us. That’s whywe’re here. Because we miss you.”

It had been thirty-two years, Jenna thought grimly. It suretook them a long time to miss someone.

She recognized the twisted reasoning of being annoyed they’dshown up at all and resenting how long it had taken them to come find her in thefirst place. Probably a defense mechanism, she thought. A way to protect heremotions.

“Getting to know each other is probably a good idea,” she said,her voice neutral.

Beth would be so proud. But in truth, Jenna had no plans toconnect with her birth parents or even like them very much. They were intruders.She already had a mother and father she loved, and for some reason she couldn’tescape feeling that Serenity and Tom were a threat to them.

* * *

Violet found herself anticipating her second date withCliff more than she would have thought. They’d been texting throughout the week.Despite having gotten her number, he hadn’t called. She had a feeling he wastrying to play it cool, which was intriguing. It implied that he cared enough tohave a strategy. Very different for a girl who had pretty much always been asure thing.

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