“They’re from the garden at Tides,” Andie said.
Addie held them to her nose, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. “I do love fresh flowers.” She put the jar gently on the table under the window then turned back to Andie. “It was nice of you to bring them, dear, but I have to go.”
“You do?” Addie had acclimated fabulously to Tall Pines, and she now had a very busy schedule of games and crafts.
“Yes. There’s a card game, and I don’t want to be late.” Addie pushed past her on her way to the door.
“I’ll walk down with you, Mom.” Andie fell in step beside her mother. Addie had seemed so pale and fragile just a few months earlier, but now she appeared determined and independent. The change was good, though Andie did feel a little put out that her mother preferred to play cards rather than visit with her.
They ran into Emily and Sadie on the way. Sadie was seated in her wheelchair because she couldn’t walk far distances.
“I’m not going to the card game ifshe’sgoing,” Sadie said, giving Addie the evil eye.
“Mom! That’s not nice. Why would you say that?” Emily rolled her eyes at Andie over her mother’s head.
“She stole my sweater.”
“No, Mom. It was actuallyhersweater. We went over this before.” Emily referred to an incident where Addie’s favorite sweater had ended up in Sadie’s room. Andie didn’t think anyone stole anything. The two women were just confused.
Sadie scowled at Addie. “Well, she went to the dance with Tommy Sullivan, and he was supposed to be my date.”
“He asked me!” Addie said.
Sadie pushed on the left wheel of her chair to turn it. “I don’t care. We’re going the opposite way from these two. Those Millers are bad news.”
“Mother, you know that’s not true. Remember I told you that Andie is helping me with the house? If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be able to keep it.” Emily looked at Andie and shook her head. Funny how things could change. It was only a few days ago that Emily was suspicious of Andie and Addie, and Sadie was the one sticking up for them.
Sadie looked at Andie out of the corner of her eye. “She is? Well, maybe she’s nicer than her sister there.”
“Mother,” Emily said.
“What?” Sadie looked up at her.
“Addie is Andie’s mother. Remember you and Addie were friends when you were girls?”
Sadie and Addie scowled at each other.
“No,” they said at the same time.
“Of course you remember,” Andie chimed in. “You told me how much fun you used to have playing at Sadie’s house when you were a girl.”
“Okay, I guess that was sort of fun.”
“And you said you were inseparable when you were teens,” Emily said to Sadie.
Sadie’s face softened, and a light flickered in her eyes. “Remember we could stand up in that big fireplace?” she asked, referring to the giant fireplace that was part of the old kitchen at the Thompsons’. It had been part of the working kitchen back when the house was built, and the family was smart enough to keep it intact when they’d modernized. Andie had seen too many old houses where people covered up the antique features.
“Yes, that was fun.” Addie’s face lit up with the memory. “And your room was in the turret. I always loved your bedroom.”
Sadie looked pleased with the compliment. “Your house was great too. Remember how your mom used to bake those cookies for us?”
Addie nodded. “And we used to play hide and seek in the two-seater.” Addie referred to the old outhouse that used to serve as a bathroom before indoor plumbing.
“Are you going to the card game?” Sadie asked, apparently forgetting how she’d refused to go if Addie was going in the first place.
“Yes, shall we go together?”
Sadie nodded, and Addie walked alongside her as they continued down the hall. Apparently they were back to being the best of friends.
