Page 96 of This Memory
Gavin was about to say something when I gave him a glare. I turned back to the table to study the wreath made from a wheel. Evelyn had wrapped red and green rope around it and woven a string of small battery-operated lights around the spokes. It looked like a spider web, finished with another giant red bow.
I smiled. “It’s…so unique! You used a bicycle wheel?”
Gavin laughed and quickly turned away as Denny jumped up, and they both suddenly became interested in something on the table at the booth next to Evelyn’s.
“Nice job repurposing this,” I said, trying to find something positive to share with her.
“Thank you! Do you like it? I’ll give you a discount.”
From the corner of my eye, I saw Gavin snap his head over to look back at us.
“I do have a friend who loves to bike; it would make a great gift,” I mused, quickly glancing at some of her other items. There was another ceramic item that I was pretty sure was a snowman. It was almost kind of cute, if you were into holiday horror movies. The way he was holding the broom made it look like he was about to attack you at any moment.
“Do you like the snowmanpiece?”
I jumped when Evelyn reached across me and held it up, offering a closer look. “Um, I’m not a huge fan of snowmen.”
Confused, she set it down. “You love snowmen.”
“Not this year. It must be…the pregnancy hormones.”
Evelyn’s brows pinched in but she didn’t say anything.
“Speaking of the pregnancy, I felt your baby move today.”
“What?” Evelyn gasped, nearly dropping the demonic snowman. “Are you sure?”
Smiling, I replied, “I’mprettysure. It felt like a little flutter in my stomach. I know it happens around sixteen weeks, but I guess some women experience it sooner, some later.”
Evelyn pulled me in for another hug. “How wonderful! So what did it feel like exactly? You said a flutter?”
“It’s like that feeling you get when maybe Denny touches you a certain way, and your stomach feels like butterflies are in there? It was that kind of feeling. Nothing was happening at the time, so I assume it was the baby.”
Evelyn clapped her hands together. “I can’t wait until we’ll be able to feel the baby move!”
I grinned. “Me too.”
A customer walked up, and I stepped out of the way and told Evelyn I’d be back later. She waved goodbye and started chatting with the older woman, who picked up the antler wreath and started raving about it.
Hooking his arm with mine, Gavin rushed us away. “I couldn’t hold my laughter in, and poor Denny said he’s been dealing with this for weeks. He doesn’t have the heart to tell her they’re awful because it’s made her so happy to makethem. He told me I should buy stock in duct tape because Evelyn is using the shit out of it.”
I laughed at that. “If it’s making her happy, then we should be supportive. I do feel bad lying to her, though.”
Gavin looked back. “Oh my gosh, the older woman’s buying the antler wreath!”
A warm feeling spread through me. “Good! That will give Evelyn the confidence boost she needs. She’ll get better.”
Gavin stopped and faced me. “She’s already making Easter wreaths…and Denny said she’s hunting for a real rabbit.”
I felt my stomach drop. “Do I want to know why?”
“Rabbit’s feet. He told her he could buy them for her on Amazon. He’s putting his foot down when it comes to killing Thumper.”
I couldn’t help it; I laughed even louder this time.
As we walked along the booths, I found an adorable crochet of Perry the Moose. The seller had four, so I bought all of them—one for me, Harper, Aurora, and Cadie. Evelyn hated moose, which was weird, considering we lived in Moose Village.
“Have you ever seen Perry on Christmas Eve?” I asked Gavin much later, as we started for the exit.
