by Liz Talley
“I’m sure your father didn’t mean that. Sometimes when we’re hurt, we say things we don’t mean.”
“She don’t love me.” The sadness in Sophie’s words made Eden literally clutch her chest.
“That’s not true. Sometimes mommies don’t do the right things, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love their babies. Your mama loves you even if she can’t always be with you.” Eden wasn’t so sure that wasn’t an out-and-out lie. Some mothers loved only themselves. Some mothers were so damaged, so weak, so selfish, that they couldn’t see beyond the end of their own nose. Kids be damned. Eden knew that firsthand and she accepted that her own mother had a demon on her back and, perhaps, some undiagnosed mental conditions. But a seven-year-old shouldn’t have to grasp the concept.
“My body don’t work,” Sophie said, her words even more slurred than normal.
“No, baby. That’s not true. I know you don’t understand adults sometimes. I don’t understand them myself, and I’m one of them.”
“You be my mommy.”
Oh crap. Not what Eden wanted to deal with today. Or any day. “We’ve had this conversation, Soph. Remember?”
“You and Dad kiss.” Sophie was the smart cookie.
“Oh, honey. Your daddy and I like each other. A lot. But that’s a bit of a . . . uh, jump. Um, how was school today? Other than getting a boyfriend?” Eden knew she was avoiding the question that had been nagging her. She’d tried to live in the moment and not think about where her relationship with Nick was going. Maybe they wouldn’t go anywhere but where they were now. Would that be so bad? They were happy. Sophie was happy. What they had totally worked for both of them. But what would happen when Eden enrolled in UNO at the end of the summer? Could she give up dancing at Gatsby’s for being a full-time student and part-time nanny for Sophie? And how could she afford that? The money she made a Gatsby’s was significantly more than what she made being a nanny.
And there was her dream of stage and stardom.
She’d not planned on Nick or Sophie. Her eyes needed to remain on the prize, and if she took them off to settle for being . . . She wasn’t even sure what she’d be settling for. Everything was as clear as the muddy river that flowed through New Orleans.
“Okay,” Sophie said, finally answering the question Eden had asked about school. The child sounded troubled, so Eden found Taylor Swift on the radio and turned it up. Rolling down the windows to let some cool air in, she started doing the snake, trying to get Sophie to laugh.
The phone rang. Nick.
“It’s your daddy,” Eden sang.
“Hey, girls,” Nick said, when she answered. “I got a surprise for you.”
Sophie finally turned her face from the window. “A surprise?”
“Yep. I’m bringing home dinner. Chef Serina made shrimp empanadas. Your fave, Soph.”
“That’s all?” Sophie asked.
“Nope, but I’ll tell you more over delicious shrimp empanadas.”
“A hint,” Sophie begged.
“What did she say?” Nick asked.
“She wants a hint,” Eden clarified.
“Okay. You’ll have to pack your bags for this one.”
Eden widened her eyes as she looked back at Sophie. The child’s eyes danced and her crooked smile was back.
They hung up with Nick and spent the last ten minutes of the drive home trying to guess the surprise. Eden thought they were going to Paris to the opera. Sophie swore they were going to Disney World. Or Lake Tahoe to see Rhoda.
They were both wrong. Way wrong . . .
As they finished an early dinner, Nick finally let them in on his surprise. “Okay, okay. Stop with the guesses. Here’s your final clue. It’s only four hours away. There’s a town square and a big Easter egg hunt this weekend.”
Oh. No.
Sophie shrieked, “Morning Glory! Morning Glory!”
Eden gripped the edge of the table, looking at Nick like he had grown horns out the side of his head. And the thing was, he looked so pleased with himself. He had no clue.
“I know how much Sophie loves your stories about your hometown, and since I have a business meeting in Jackson, I thought it would be fun to go see this huge Easter egg hunt and spring picnic firsthand. I got us a room at Polk House thanks to a last-minute cancellation.” When he lifted his gaze to look at Eden, the pleasure in his eyes ebbed. “Eden?”
“You booked a room at Polk House?” she said weakly, scrambling to gather up the panic, the shock, and the horror leaking from every pore of her body.
His brow lowered. “It was either that or the Morning Glory Motor Lodge. The pictures of the B&B looked nicer.”
Eden swallowed. “Uh, I’m not sure—”
“Yay!” Sophie clapped her hands, which was a hard feat for the child. “I’m gonna find pink ones! Or the gold one. I’ll win a hundred bucks!”
“You’re not happy,” Nick said to Eden.
“I’m just surprised is all.” Eden was usually good at shuttering her emotions. She’d had lots of experience, but Nick could read her as easily as she’d read the same three nicked-up Little Golden Books as a child. She didn’t want Nick and Sophie in Morning Glory. In her hometown, she was silent Eden who stood behind a register at Penny Pinchers ringing up ramen noodles, or the beleaguered daughter who changed her fractious mother’s diapers in a falling-down house in the bad part of town. In Morning Glory she’d been nothing special. A no-good Voorhees . . . even if she’d been deemed better, deserving of the charity people handed out with sympathy in their eyes.
No, she didn’t want a surprise trip to Morning Glory.
“I can cancel it. I thought you’d be happy to see your friends. Rosemary and Sal, right?” Nick said, his face plaintive.
“Right.” She managed a small smile. “I do want to see them.”
“I wanna go,” Sophie whined, shoving her plate too hard away from her. A saltshaker fell, spilling white specks all over the gleaming oak table.
Eden’s gaze met Nick’s. He’d been trying to please her, but he didn’t know that she didn’t want to be that Eden anymore. He couldn’t understand being ashamed of a past. Nick was handsome, accomplished, rich, and adored.
“Eden?” Nick prodded.
“Sure. Let’s go. I need to settle some things with my sister anyway, and Sophie will love the Easter egg hunt and picnic.” She could keep him away from her mama. The town was charming, and people were usually friendly. It would be fine.
She hoped.
“You sure?” he asked, ignoring Sophie who looked to be on the verge of tears.
Eden nodded. “Sure. It’ll be fun.” She might or might not have choked on the last word.
Nick smiled. “Great. I can’t wait to see where our Edie grew up.”
“Yay,” Sophie said, concentrating hard on her clapping.
“Yay,” Eden echoed with no clap at all.
Two weeks later, the overcast sky couldn’t dampen Sophie’s enthusiasm as they passed the Morning Glory city-limit sign, but it reflected Eden’s mood perfectly.
And that worried Nick.
He’d first hatched the idea of taking Eden and Sophie to Morning Glory when he’d talked to some investors in Jackson about a restaurant deal they wanted to make with Parran Z. Since Morning Glory wasn’t far from the city and he’d already heard the story about the Easter egg hunt three times that week, he’d thought it would be the perfect treat for his daughter. Susan had called to say she couldn’t make it to town for Sophie’s eighth birthday next week, something that had nearly destroyed his daughter . . . and the half cup of leftover fondness he had for his ex. Susan had a job interview in New York City at a premier restaurant with a recurring guest spot on Good Morning America. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she’d said. And though he got that, she’d hemmed and hawed on whether she could fly down after the interview to spend time with Sophie. She’d get back to him on the possibility. Those were her exact words. Like it was a business tran
saction and not her daughter’s birthday.
Thing was, Susan wasn’t a bad person. She was just a shitty mother.
“Look,” Sophie said, trying to point at a big blow-up Easter egg sitting on a used-car lot.
“That’s the Crabtrees’ place. They have two daughters—Gracie and Camille.” Eden looked back at Sophie.
“Gracie?” Sophie asked, and Nick chanced a glance back to see his daughter craning her neck to look out the window. “I like that name.”
“She’s about your age,” Eden said before jabbing a finger. “Turn here.”
The town was a typical small town. He’d sort of expected butterflies to be flitting about as bluebirds draped a welcome sign across the shady town square, but it looked perfectly normal if not a little dressed up with daffodils and tulips dotting the landscape around the square. An old courthouse anchored the spring-green square, and small businesses huddled close around, sporting big whiskey-barrel planters full of spring cheer and signs advertising Easter-hunt specials. A few small white tents sat hodgepodge on the grass, marking territory for the big hunt the next day.
“Well, this is it,” Eden said, spreading a hand in a ta-da motion. “Not much to see, but it’s home I guess.”
“I love it,” Sophie declared earnestly.
Eden finally smiled. “Look, there’s Sal’s pizza place, and that’s my friend Rosemary’s fabric store.”
“Should we stop?” Nick asked.
Eden gave a little shrug. “I could eat.”
He found a handicap parking place near the pizzeria and helped unload his daughter while Eden stood on the sidewalk still looking haunted. He didn’t understand what was wrong with her. The stories about her hometown had always brought smiles and laughter. Her blue eyes had sparkled when she told them about her friends and the old high school with the brick pavers bearing graduates’ names. Wistfulness and pride had seemed to shadow her words. So why was she shutting down?
When they neared a shop called Parsley and Sage, the glass doors burst open. “Eden!”
He jumped back as a lady with reddish hair and a fluffy skirt attacked the woman next to him.
“What are you doing here? Oh my gosh, I’m so happy to see you,” the woman shrieked, hugging Eden, then hugging her again. “And who have you brought? Is this Sophie?”
His daughter’s eyes were wide. “I am Sophie.”
“Of course you are,” the woman said, bending down and giving his daughter a huge smile. Her reddish-brown hair fell into a perfect part, and she wore a headband and a strand of looped pearls. She looked like something out of a movie. “And I’m Rosemary.”
“Hi,” Sophie said shyly while Eden combed down her hair and straightened her collar. She looked a bit mauled by the jubilant ambush.
“And you must be Nick Zeringue,” Rosemary said, straightening and giving him a once-over. He responded to the inspection by stiffening his spine and holding out a hand. The woman ignored his hand and instead reached up to give him a hug. “No need for formalities around here. You’re with Eden, which means you’re family.”
Nick hugged her back because he didn’t have an option. “Nice to meet you, Rosemary. We’ve heard a lot about you.”
“All good, of course,” Rosemary said with a snappy grin. “So what in the name of all that’s holy are y’all doing here? And why didn’t you call me?”
“We’re here for the Easter egg hunt and picnic. Nick surprised me and Soph by bringing us up for it.” Her words held a hidden edge.
Rosemary’s gaze widened slightly, and that made him wonder if there was something he didn’t know about Eden. She certainly was acting strangely. Maybe she had some kind of secret. Was that why she didn’t want him here? Maybe a criminal record? A boyfriend she forgot to tell him about?
No. The very idea was crazy. He knew Eden. The woman wasn’t a liar.
But she might have left something out. She’d done that before—being Lulu, being a virgin. She wasn’t exactly the forthcoming sort.
“We were about to have a late lunch at your husband’s place. Care to join us?” he asked Rosemary, shelving the irrational thoughts.
“I’d love to. Let me tell Lorriane I’ll be back in an hour.” Rosemary hugged Eden again and chucked Sophie on the chin, not even wiping her hand when he knew his daughter’s chin was perpetually damp. Speaking was hard for Sophie and required a frequent mopping of her face. His stock of Eden’s friend went way up.
Sal’s new pizza place had been done in classic Italian style with a side of funky warehouse—red-checked tablecloths, an open kitchen, and exposed brick arches. It was both chic and homey at the same time. Tangy marinara and fresh-baked bread hit his nose, and his stomach responded with a growl.
“Oh, good. You’re hungry,” Rosemary said, waving away the server bustling toward them and seating them in a back corner booth. Two other tables were taken. “We had a huge lunch crowd, but the only people who come in this late are looking for dessert.”
“So you’re stealing Sassy’s business?” Eden asked, helping settle Sophie at the end of the booth. She secured the funny ballerina bib around her neck, brushing away Sophie’s annoyed comment with “No one’s here to think you’re uncool. Spare the shirt, sister.”
“Nah, the Lazy Frog gets all the ice cream and fancy-latte business. Sal does one gelato a week. This week there’s pistachio, and it will make you slap yo’ mama it’s so good.”
“Better not. Betty’s a fighter,” Eden said, a reluctant smile emerging. This was only the second time Eden had mentioned her family, though she’d shared tons about her friends.
The server arrived, casting a nervous eye at Rosemary, and took their orders. Then Rosemary launched into a listing of events for the weekend. That night there would be a country-western band playing on a stage in the square. Tomorrow morning there was a huge pancake breakfast at the American Legion, a 5K run to raise money for a pet rescue, and finally the Easter egg hunt. A charity bachelor/bachelorette auction would follow, leading into the big town picnic. It sounded like something out of Little House on the Prairie. Not that he watched that show, but Caro had a thing for it growing up so sometimes she sat on him until he yielded the remote control.
“Wait, a bachelor auction?” Nick repeated. He was not going to be hoodwinked into—
“No worries. You had to have signed up weeks ago,” Rosemary said with a laugh. “And your reaction is much the reaction of all the single guys in town, but the committee refuses to do away with it. The town’s been hosting the auction since founding. Supposedly it’s how the first mayor scored a wife.”
“Seriously?” Nick asked.
“Back in the day, it was the way you snagged a bride, I guess.”
Nick watched Eden as her friend talked and could feel the strange tension leak out of her minute by minute. Something about Rosemary relaxed her. The anxiety Eden had cloaked herself in the closer they got to Morning Glory started to evaporate, the guarded smiles and terse responses put away in favor of a sparkle in her eye.
“Your sister’s heading up the 5K. She and Henry,” Rosemary said.
“Henry? You’re joking.” Eden looked alarmed.
Rosemary shrugged one shoulder. “They’ve been spotted together a couple of times. You think . . . ?”
Eden shook her head. “No. Surely not.”
“Stranger things have happened. They were in love once,” Rosemary said.
“What’s the deal?” Nick asked as the waitress set down his salad.
“Old news,” Eden said, turning her attention back to Rosemary. “Sunny wants out of Morning Glory as soon as possible. That’s why she’s fixing up Mom’s house. Wants to sell it and vamoose.”
Rosemary didn’t respond. Just took a bite of the warm bread on the table and chewed thoughtfully. “Sometimes what we want most isn’t what we truly need. Maybe Sunny’s finding something she’s needed all along. She’s not had much peace in her life.”
Eden focused on the exposed
brick wall behind them, pausing for several seconds. Finally she said, “She won’t get back with Henry. Sunny’s not the same girl she was.”
Nick wasn’t sure what they were talking about. Again, Eden had only mentioned her sister in passing. Eden’s gaze flickered to him, and she gave him an apologetic smile. “Let’s talk about something else. How’s Sal? How’s the restaurant doing?”
“Great and great,” Rosemary said, licking crumbs from her fingers with an mmm. “The man can cook. I’ve gained seven pounds since the wedding. At this rate I won’t be able to fit into my clothes.”
“Which has been my plan all along,” a man called from across the restaurant.
Sal Genovese wore a stained apron and a mischievous smile. He ambled over and introduced himself to Nick. After that, he and Sal talked restaurant business while Eden and Rosemary told Sophie funny stories about when they were small. Nick would have loved to hear about Eden as a girl, but he indulged Sal, who said he had been dying to run some things by him ever since he learned Eden worked for a New Orleans Zeringue.
He’d have to give high marks to his introduction to Morning Glory . . . That was until they made their way to the exit to find it blocked by someone entering.
An aide of some sort pushed a wheelchair-bound woman wearing a sparkly tracksuit jacket into the restaurant. The woman in the wheelchair was thin as a willow branch with thinning bleached hair and red lipstick that had smeared onto her cheek, making her look on edge if not outright off-kilter. She held a cigarette in one gnarled hand, the other dangling uselessly against the side of the wheelchair.
Eden went stiff beside him when she caught sight of the women.
The older woman glared at Eden. “Your bitch sister’s trying to put me out of my own damn house.”
Eden briefly closed her eyes before opening them and sighing. “Hello, Mama.”
Everything had been fine until Vienna had rolled her mama into Sal’s. Eden had been miserable all the way to Morning Glory, trying to figure out how she could keep who she was from Nick. Okay, so it wasn’t like she was an undercover spy or had a trailer full of kids she’d ditched for dreams in New Orleans. Her secret wasn’t really a secret. She merely didn’t want him to see the pathetic woman she’d been. Not when he saw her as her current self . . . even if she wasn’t quite sure who she was. But it was way better than wearing a cheap T-shirt and ringing up clearance Fruit Roll-Ups at Penny Pinchers.