Clinton took a bite and nodded. “Irene and Ruby told me the same thing when I would come in upset because I couldn’t get some help for a homeless vet. I’m not sure if it was the food or the talking about things that really helped, though.”
“Is Rebecca going to call when she gets to Arkansas so we’ll know that she and the baby are safe?” Anna Rose asked.
“She doesn’t have a phone, but her friend does, so Rebecca promised me that they would let us know when they arrive,” Clinton answered with a sigh. “It’s over four hundred miles from here to where they’re going, and they’re not planning to stop to sleep. Just the trip to Pampa and back exhausted Zoe, so the poor little girl is going to be beyond tired by the time they get there tonight.”
Jorja finished off the last bite of her cake and cut herself another piece. “With Rebecca and her new friend both having PTSD, I need to pray that a whining baby doesn’t trigger their anger.” She bowed her head and closed her eyes.
Taryn hoped that her cousin’s prayers went higher than the ceiling and shot right on upward all the way to God’s ears. Life was going to be lonely without Zoe, but she wanted the baby to be happy and to be in a loving environment.
No, I don’t,she argued with herself.I want Zoe to live right here. I want to watch her grow, help her pick out dresses for her proms, and listen to her give the valedictorian speech at her high school graduation. I want to hold her when she cries over her breakup with her first boyfriend and listen to her fuss when her best friend is mean to her.
She wiped away a tear with the back of her hand and picked up an order ticket from the basket. Glad that it was a plant that just needed pretty paper and a bow, she headed to the front of the shop to get a hydrangea. She had just picked one off a display case when the doorbell jingled, and Kaitlin’s mother, Linda, came through the door with Diana right behind her.
“My uncle, Amos Landry, died last night, and I need a wreath fixed up and taken to the funeral home as soon as you can get it there. The old codger made arrangements to be buried as soon as he could,” Linda said curtly. “Daisies will do just fine. Roses are too expensive. Maybe with some orange ribbons or yellow ribbons.”
Diana patted Linda on the shoulder. “Daisies do seem to be more manly than roses, but just think of it this way: you won’t have to put up with him dropping in to embarrass you when you have guests, like he did last week. His watermelons are good, but holy crap—coming to your house uninvited is downright disrespectful.”
“I know,” Linda said with a long sigh. “That’s what Kaitlin said, too. Amos embarrassed her more than once when he came by the house while she had friends over.”
“I remember,” Diana said in a sympathetic tone.
“Thank you for coming with me today instead of Kaitlin,” Linda said, “Her head cold is disgusting. I will say that, as his only surviving relative ...” She paused and clamped her mouth shut like she had forgotten that Taryn was standing behind the counter.
“It’s my pleasure. I’d stopped by to check on Kaitlin when you arrived to tell her that Amos had passed away,” Diana said. She turned to face Taryn. “Is Clinton here now? I could sure use his big, broad shoulders to cry on.”
“For God’s sake!” Linda’s tone went from grief to ice in an instant. “Don’t pretend that any of us are going to cry. I’ve been waiting and wishing he would kick the bucket for years. I’m going to sell that farm to the highest bidder and buy a beach house in Florida.”
“I’ll do my best, but I always cry at funerals and weddings. Kaitlin and I are both passionate women.” Diana sniffled. “I really could use a strong man’s comfort. And some of that cake that better not have been eaten.” She sniffed again, this time almost pointedly.
Taryn pulled out the order pad and deliberately wrote down Linda’s order wrong just to see if it mattered enough for her to raise a fuss. “Whitedaisies with orange ribbons. Check, credit card, or cash?”
Linda glanced down at the bill. “Don’t you have something a little less expensive?”
“I can do a plant for about half that,” Taryn answered and motioned toward the few pots with green plants that were left in the shop. “We don’t get an order in until Wednesday, so there’s not a lot to choose from. The cheapest one we have right now is a sunset bromeliad.”
“We could go halves on it.” Diana turned to Linda. “I’ve always felt like you and Kaitlin were my second family, and her precious little boys are like nephews to me.”
“That sounds great.” Linda fished around in her purse and brought out a credit card. “Put my part on this.”
“I’ll pay cash,” Diana said.
Taryn tore up the first two orders and made change for each of them. “Still want an orange bow?”
“Yes,” Linda answered, then almost growled, “and get it there before closing today.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Taryn said with a nod. “Anything else?”
Linda pointed her forefinger with a perfectly manicured nail—done in orange—at Taryn. “You were mean and hateful to Kaitlin—but then, I wouldn’t expect anything else from you. At least her children are legitimate. That baby you’ve had at the shop is a ...”
Taryn rounded the end of the counter and stuck her own forefinger right under the woman’s nose. “Don’t say that word. Don’t even think it.”
Linda pushed her hand away and stormed out of the shop.
“That was harsh,” Diana snapped.
“Yes,shewas and totally uncalled for,” Taryn said through clenched teeth.
“I wouldn’t like it if someone called my child a bad name. But then, I don’t plan on having children,” Diana said with a shrug. “You should have some consideration for Linda. She just lost her uncle.” She spun around like one of those little ballerina figures in a cheap jewelry box and marched out of the shop.
