Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Getting my hands in the soil helped calm the turmoil in my mind. The peaceful exercise of planting flowers along the edges of the sidewalk of my new house helped me feel somewhat normal. The cool breeze of approval had, as yet, not materialized.

When I heard the tires of a bicycle coming down the public walkway, I made sure I was out of the cyclist’s way, but the sound stopped beside me, and I looked up. Instead of a bicycle, it was a tricycle ridden by a brown-eyed beauty staring at me from below her oversized helmet.

“Those are pretty salvia.” The child smiled as she pushed the helmet off her face. “Red is my favorite color. Momma’s, too.”

“Thank you,” I said, raising my eyebrows as I returned her smile. “You’re pretty smart to know what these flowers are.”

“Oh, that’s because I help Daddy and Momma at the nursery all the time.” She pointed at some of the other flowers in the bed. “Those red and yellow flowers are celosia, and those are impatiens. Hosta would look good under your tree.”

I sat back and studied the child. She didn’t look like she could be much over five years old, although she spoke with the certainty and maturity of a much older child. I looked around but didn’t see anyone with her.

“Where do you live? Who are you staying with?”

Except as guests, children were not allowed in this over fifty-five neighborhood. Before she could answer, two women, one heavily pregnant, rounded the corner.

“Ocee, I told you to wait at the fire hydrant,” the older woman said.

I stood up and wiped my dirty hands on my gardening apron, nerves on high alert.

“I planned to,” Ocee said, “but when I saw her planting her flowers, I had to come say hello. Look how pretty they are.”

“I’m sorry.” The woman directed her attention towards me. Her piercing blue eyes caught me off-guard, and I was more tongue-tied than usual. “I hope she wasn’t bothering you.”

“Not at all,” I managed to say without stammering. “She knows a lot about flowers and made a nice suggestion to help me out.”

I glanced at the pregnant woman, who was bending slightly at what waist she had left.

“Would you like to sit down for a few minutes?” Despite the anxiety I felt when I was around strangers, I couldn’t ignore someone in need. I gestured toward the slab of cement the housing developer called a porch, where I had put a couple of rocking chairs and a small table to make it look inviting.

“Thank you,” she said. “I didn’t know we would need to chase after my wayward child when we left Mom’s house, and now I’m a bit tired.”

The older woman took the younger woman’s elbow and led her to a chair.

“Are you okay, Mae?” She squatted beside the chair.

Mae smiled, and the family resemblance between them shone through. I was curious about where Ocee’s deep brown eyes and almost black hair came from since the two women had the bluest eyes I had ever seen, and Mae’s hair was strawberry blonde. The other woman had a thick shock of silvery gray hair adorning her head.

“Let me get y’all something to drink,” I said. “I have fresh-squeezed lemonade, water, and iced tea.”

“Oh, no.” The older woman stood up. “That’s not necessary. By the way, I’m Tam Murphy. I live around the corner.”

“I’m Janice Halston. My hands are kind of dirty, or I’d shake your hand. Please let me at least get Mae a glass of water. You’re welcome to sit down, too.”

“May I have some lemonade?” Ocee had left her trike and helmet at the edge of the sidewalk and followed us to the house.

“Ocee.” Mae shook her head. “You’ve already pushed almost all of my buttons. Sit there and hush for a couple of minutes, please?”

I watched the child’s eyes fill with tears as she plopped on the ground and leaned back against one of the porch columns, her arms folded across her chest.

“It’s no trouble,” I said. “She can be my guinea pig. It’s the first time I made homemade lemonade instead of using a can.”

Mae smiled, but it was a strained smile.

“That’s sweet of you, Ms. Halston,” she said. “You’re kind to let me rest here a moment.”

When I reached the kitchen, I inhaled deeply and wondered what I was doing as I washed my hands and took off my apron. It was out of character for the new me to invite people to visit, much less offer them refreshments.

I pulled a tray out of the cabinet and filled two glasses with water and one with lemonade. I put a few Oreos on a napkin for good measure. When I returned to the porch, Ocee was standing between her mother’s knees with her hands on Mae’s belly.

“Aaron, Mommy really needs you to come out of there,” she said as I opened the screen door. She looked at me and smiled. “My baby brother is being stubborn. He needs to be born already.”

“I’m sure he’ll come when he’s good and ready,” I said. “Why don’t you sit back down, and I’ll give you your lemonade and a few cookies, if that’s okay with your mother?”

I glanced at Mae as Ocee sat with a big grin on her face. Mae nodded, so I set the glass of lemonade and a napkin with two cookies on it in front of Ocee. I handed Mae and Tam each a glass of water.

“Your name sounds familiar, Ms. Halston,” Mae said after taking a long drink of water. “May I ask what you do?”

“Mae, now look who’s being rude,” Tam said.

My heart was pounding as I considered answering Mae’s question. For me, it was a loaded one, fraught with danger.

“Please, call me Janice,” I said. “I’ve worn many hats over the years. Among other things, I’m an artist, a musician, and a writer. I used to teach at some of the local schools as well.”

“Wow,” Tam said. “That is a lot of hats. Have you hung them all up?”

“For the most part.” I hoped it would be the end of the conversation.

“I like to draw.” Ocee used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. “And I want to learn to play the piano, but Daddy says we can’t afford it. So, I’ll just stick with the recorder Grams gave me for my birthday.”

“Speaking of Daddy,” Mae said, “he’s supposed to pick us up pretty soon. We need to get back to Grams’ house. Come help me up.”

Ocee and Tam each took one of Mae’s hands. I held the rocker still while she struggled to her feet. She winced, and Tam’s face blanched.

“Sweetie, are you okay?” Tam leaned close to Mae.

“I’m fine, Mom. I promise. He’s sitting low, and sometimes when I stand up, he rebels and pokes me.”

I followed the small family to the sidewalk, where Ocee put her helmet on and climbed back on her tricycle.

“Thank you for the lemonade,” she said. “May I come see your garden the next time we visit Grams?”

“You’re welcome to come see it any time you want.” The little girl didn’t make me feel as threatened as most adults did. But neither did her mother or grandmother.

She grinned and took off toward the fire hydrant at high speed.

“Ocee, you wait right there,” Tam yelled after her. “Don’t get out of our sight again, or you won’t be allowed to ride that thing anymore.”

Ocee waved over her shoulder, and the other two women groaned in unison.

“Janice, thank you for your hospitality.” Tam extended her hand. I only hesitated a moment before shaking it. The firm grip of her hand surprised me. She held my hand a moment longer than I expected, and I wondered if she sensed the same connection I had.

“You’re more than welcome. Mae, good luck with the baby. I hope he comes soon. Y’all take care.”

I watched as they slowly walked down the sidewalk to meet Ocee, who was doing donuts on her trike around the fire hydrant.