Page 124 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“Thanks for entertaining them, Miss Mildred,” I said cautiously. “It looks like they had a wonderful afternoon.”

“Somebody had to watch them,” she said gruffly.

I quickly checked the kids’ faces to see if her change in tone and demeanor had hurt them, but they were still beaming.

I glanced around the room. “I’m going to find Maeve and let her know I’m taking you guys home.”

“Can we come back to see Miss Mildred again?” Ashley asked quietly.

“Of course,” I said. “But you might not get to make cupcakes the next time. This was a special thing.”

“I’ll find something else for them to do,” Miss Mildred said. “I got a copy of the key to the art supply room, so we can raid it when nobody’s lookin’.”

“Hey!” Mikey shouted. “I want to be an artist!”

“She knows,” Ashley said with a sigh. “You told her and everyone else about twenty times.”

“No harm in lettin’ people know who you are,” Miss Mildred said with an indulgent smile.

Ashley shrugged, then said to me, “Nana Maeve put our cupcakes on a table in the back. Can I go get them?”

“Sure, but do you know where Nana Maeve might be?”

“I think she’s down there.” She pointed down the hall by the front desk.

“Do you need help getting the cupcakes?”

She shook her head. “Nana Maeve put them in a box. I can carry it.”

“Okay. I’ll meet you back here in a minute.”

I planned to take Hope with me to find Maeve, but she begged to stay with Miss Mildred so she could hear another of the older woman’s funny stories. I’d never known Miss Mildred to tell a funny story in my life, but it didn’t take much to entertain an almost three-year-old.

I headed down the hall, following Maeve’s voice coming from an open door. I stopped outside the entrance and peered in. Maeve was standing, speaking to a middle-aged woman sitting behind a desk. But when she saw me in the doorway, she cut herself off and smiled at me. “Rose! Back already?”

“I am. I found the kids in the living room, and Ashley is getting their cupcakes. Thank you so much for encouraging me to let them stay.”

“Oh my!” Maeve said, excitement dancing in her eyes. “The residents loved having them here. The director and I are talking about bringing more children next time. Do you think you’d be open to the kids coming again?”

I leaned into the doorframe. “After seeing how much fun they had and how it changed Miss Mildred’s attitude, of course they can come. I’m going to have to drag them out of here today.”

I said goodbye, then found the kids assembled in front of Miss Mildred. She was talking to all three of them, holding Ashley’s and Hope’s hands while they stared at her intently.

“You be good for your momma,” she said to Hope. Then she turned to Ashley and Mikey, “And your aunt. She ain’t your momma, may she rest in peace, but your aunt loves you as much as Violet does.” She swiped a tear from her cheek. “And if you’re good, maybe she’ll let you come back.”

Miss Mildred’s gaze drifted to mine, and for a split second, there was pleading in her eyes.

My chest tightened as I took a step toward them. “Well, here’s some good news: Nana Maeve is making it so you can come at least once a month, and other kids are gonna come too.”

“Awe they gonna steal Miss Midwed?” Hope asked. “She’s ouws.”

“Of course no one’s stealing Miss Mildred, because she’s a person and not a possession,” I said. “And Miss Mildred can spend time with whomever she wants. So if she wants to spend time with you, then lucky you.”

“Yay!” Mikey and Hope cried out in unison, while Ashley smiled.

“But now we have to head home because Aunt Neely Kate has Liam, and we’re meeting her at our house.”

“And we have to see Muffy,” Hope said, her head bobbing. “She misses us.”

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