Page 13 of For the Birds

Chapter4

A small crowdhad gathered inside Gardner Sisters Nursery. The afternoon was hot and muggy, and storm clouds were gathering on the horizon. Maeve and Anna, the two employees who’d run the nursery in my sister’s absence, had set out water and lemonade on a serving table at the back of the shop. Ashley had helped me arrange the lettered cupcakes we’d ordered from Dena’s bakery to spell out Welcome Home, Violet, which we’d encircled withcupcakes decorated with piped flowers.

I had to admit that I was nervous. My relationship with my sister had been a roller coaster over the last year. She’d roped Joe into becoming our business partner in the nursery after getting the business into serious money trouble . . . plus she’d used him to try to make me jealous while I was dating Mason. A part of me worried that the peace I’d finally found would be destroyed with her return; the rest of me felt guilty for even considering it. Violet had gone away to save her life, and now I was worried about her comingback.

What kind of monster did that makeme?

Besides, my sister’s health scare seemed to have mellowed her. I hadn’t seen her since April, when I’d gone to Houston to donate my bone marrow for her transplant, but I’d talked to her every week or so. I knew she was nervous too. Nervous we’d all moved on with our lives without her. Nervous her kids wouldn’t remember or want her. Nervous she no longer had a place in mylife.

“How much longer, Aunt Rose?” Ashley asked as we moved toward the front of the store.

The shop was filled with about twenty of Violet’s friends from the garden club, high school, and church, and even a few customers had shown up to welcome herhome.

I glanced down to make sure her face was still clean and her hair was held back in the braids Neely Kate had given her. I wanted both kids to look their absolute best when Violet arrived. “Soon. Your daddy sent a message that they should be here any timenow.”

Neely Kate bounced Mikey on her hip as she walked around the shop pointing out objects and asking him to tell her what they were. She looked over at me and smiled.

“Let’s go see if Miss Maeve needs us to do anything,” I said, tucking Ashley’s hand in mine and walking over to the register.

Maeve stared out the window with an anxious look in hereyes.

“She’s going to love her welcome home party, Maeve,” I said. “I promise.”

Maeve turned to face me. “I hope she doesn’t think I was trying to take over or usurp her position.”

“I know for a fact she doesn’t,” I reassured her. Maeve was Mason’s mother, but she’d become more like a mother to me than my own momma had been. We’d agreed to stay in each other’s lives after my breakup with Mason, but I think it was harder than either of us had expected. “Violet has told me time and again how much she appreciates you filling in while she’s been gone.” I reached over and grabbed her hand, making her look me in the eyes. “And she’s so happy you’re going to stay on, Maeve. She told me so herself. She won’t be able to work more than a few hours a day at the most. She still needs to get her strengthback.”

“I just don’t want to overstep my bounds.”

“You aren’t.”

Ashley pulled free and ran to the door. “They’rehere!”

Mike’s car was pulling into a parking space we’d purposely left open for him. It was close to the door so Violet wouldn’t have as far towalk.

My stomach twisted into what felt like a pretzel, and I suddenly felt Neely Kate next to me, snagging my hand with her free one. I shot her a questioning glance, and she nodded—a silent way of telling me she was there for me, whatever I needed.

I squeezed back, feeling guilty about how this morning had unfolded. What with the kids, a client appointment at the office, and the excitement of the welcome home party, I hadn’t had a chance to tell her about Levi coming with us tonight . . . or about the flyer, which had stuck with me. Bruce Wayne was right—I did like investigating—but maybe if I focused on finding Squawker, I’d be less tempted to get wrapped up in the situation with Scooter.

“We need to talk later, okay?” I said in a hopeful voice. “I’m sorry I’ve been keepin’ things fromyou.”

“You hush now,” she scolded with a soft smile. “You’ve got nothing to be sorry for. I’ve done the same thing. Maybe we can start dolin’ out our secrets little by little so we don’t feel naked from sharingthem.”

I nodded. “That sounds like a goodidea.”

Her smile warmed my chest, and I realized how lucky I was to have two sisters—one by blood and one of my heart.

The door opened and Violet stepped into the opening, wearing white shorts and a red off-the-shoulder shirt covered with white flowers. She’d lost so much weight her shoulder blades stuck out and her cheekbones were more prominent than usual. A white scarf was tied around her head, and when she saw the crowd, she self-consciously lifted a hand to touchit.

Mike, who stood behind her, leaned in to whisper something into her ear as he put his hand on her shoulder. She reached up and covered his hand with herown.

“You take Mikey,” Neely Kate said, handing over my nephew.

Ashley was already wrapped around her mother’s legs as I walked over with my nephew in myarms.

“Welcome home, Violet,” I said, tears filling my eyes. I couldn’t believe how fragile she looked.

She gave me a hesitant look, and it was like something burst inside me. I reached for her, pulling her into an embrace with one arm as I held Mikey with the other. Ashley still clung to Violet’s legs on the oppositeside.

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