On Hummingbird Wings

by Lauraine Snelling

  Adam took her hand as they strolled back to “the project” as he was beginning to refer to it. “You want me to show you how to start the chipper?”

  “Not today.” She stretched her neck from side to side. “I’m not used to this kind of labor.”

  “You want to come sit in our hot tub?”

  “Later, maybe. I have to go out to Allie’s for dinner.”

  “Then we better get back at this.” He studied what they had accomplished. “Why did you say you were doing this?”

  “Crazy, isn’t it? But I guess I just want to surprise my mother.”

  “What if she’s not even going to live here?”

  “Then a renovated yard will bring a better selling price. Like everything else in my life, this, too, is up in the air.” She pulled her gloves back on, twisting her wrists around.

  “Sore?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I found a row of carrots.” Gillian waved one in the air a bit later. “She did plant some things this year.”

  Her joy was contagious, so Adam smiled back at her. And that’s important to you. He pushed the wheelbarrow up to where they were stacking the refuse that would become compost to rebuild the soil. He dug down into the bin that looked the oldest and brought up a handful of rich, black compost. Sniffing it, he smiled at the fragrance.

  “What are you doing?” She had come to stand beside him.

  “Checking to see if the compost is ready.”

  “Is it?”

  He held out his hand. “Nature’s gold. Your mother has the traditional three bins. We use this one, toss the middle one into here, and start over in the first one with all the ground clippings, some horse manure, green grass clippings, kitchen refuse, all the good stuff to make the soil rich. You dig down to the bottom and you’ll find handfuls of earth worms, God’s earth tillers.”

  Gillian stared up at him. “You love this, don’t you?”

  “I do; I think it is genetic.”

  “My mother loved it, too. As did I when we ate the produce and picked the flowers. And since I’ve been home, besides aching in every muscle, I think I’m relaxing for the first time in a long, long while.”

  Adam touched her cheek with a gentle finger. “I’m glad. You better get some aloe on your face or you’ll be peeling in a few days.”

  She tipped her head, trapping his hand between cheek and shoulder. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. You want to come to church with us tomorrow? I was going to take the boat out after, but I can come and help if you like.”

  “I like.”

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Gillian studied the directions Allie had sent her. Finding their Danville house shouldn’t be that difficult. She took the turnoff indicated, and a few minutes later, after only two wrong turns, parked on the street in front a house that looked big enough for a family of ten. “Okay, Winnie, here we go.”

  As she’d driven down the 680, she’d been thinking on the work in the yard—and Adam. Considering how quickly her month was flying by, she had to remind herself that a job might be forthcoming in NYC. She was supposed to be on vacation.

  The tall young woman who came flying down the steps to greet her surely couldn’t be Sherrilyn.

  “Auntie Gillian, you finally came.”

  “Sherrilyn, what happened to you?”

  Long blond hair swung forward to shield her face, then Sherrilyn hooked the fall behind her ears. “I grew some, huh?”

  “Some! Sweetie, you are gorgeous.” Gillian smiled at the blush that suffused her niece’s face. Wrapping both arms around the girl, the two rocked in a hug until Winnie whimpered at their feet.

  Sherrilyn dropped to one knee and extended a hand to be sniffed and inspected before Winnie gave it a lick and glanced back to Gillian as if asking permission. “Can I pick her up?”

  “Winnie loves everyone, so see how she reacts.”

  Sherrilyn petted the little dog and rubbed down her back, all the while murmuring lovey words. Winnie spun in a circle and planted both front feet on the girl’s knee, staring up at her. “Oh, she is so cute. Come on, let’s snuggle.” With the dog tucked under her chin, she led the way into the house.

  “You haven’t been to this house, have you?” Sherrilyn turned to Gillian.

  “Nope. As your mother reminded me, it’s been five years or more since I was in California. Plenty of time for both you kids to get all grown up.”

  “We might be taller, but one of us is not so grown up.”

  “Where is Benson?”

  “Out helping Dad. Mom’s in the kitchen.” She unclicked Winnie’s leash and handed it to Gillian. “The yard is fenced so she’ll be all right.”

  “So, did you win this morning?”

  “We did. That puts us in first place for the league. You have to come to one of my games. Or all of them. I can’t believe you are really here. And with a dog, even.”

  “Can’t beat that, can you?” Allie met them at the archway into the kitchen, gave her sister a half hug, and turned back to her preparations. “So, how does the paint job look?”

  “Wonderful. And Adam helped me out in the garden, so that is looking better, too. But having one room painted just makes the rest look shabby.” Gillian looked around the enormous kitchen with the commercial-size stove set into a bricked-in archway, cherry cabinets, and brushed steel appliances. “Lovely. A room like this might make even me want to cook.”

  “Don’t you have a kitchen in your condo?” Sherrilyn perched on a stool, still cuddling Winnie.

  “Oh, I do, but four or five of them would fit in here. And the view.” She crossed to look out to the backyard where a waterfall ran into the swimming pool. “You have a hot tub, too?”

  “We do. I should have told you to bring a swimsuit.” Allie pulled a tray of dough-wrapped sausages from the oven. “How about putting these into those baskets? The drinks are already outside. Tell Dad that he might want to start the heater. It’s cooling down pretty fast.”

  “We’re eating outside?”

  “Jefferson has tri-tip on the barbecue, his specialty.”

  “Mom, we have to have a dog again. One like Winnie.”

  “We’ll talk about that later.” Allie handed Gillian a tray with cheeses and crackers. “Just put that on the counter out there.” She paused. “Did you bring a warmer jacket?”

  “Nope.”

  “Sherrilyn, go grab Auntie Gillian a jacket off the coat rack. We can’t have her freezing on us this first visit.”

  Oh, we’ll save that for later? Gillian was glad she thought before she spoke. She wasn’t sure if Allie was in a rush because Jefferson said dinner was ready or if she was nervous. So she obediently donned the denim jacket and took her designated platter out the door. Benson, too, had surpassed her in height, and she had a feeling he was not done growing. When he stood up to greet her, she did find traces of the little boy she remembered in his grin.

  “So, I hear you’re a tennis star now.” She accepted his halfhearted hug and patted his shoulder.

  “Ah, don’t believe everything Mom says.” The red in his cheeks deepened.

  “Gillian, I was beginning to think Allie had been making you up.” Jefferson hugged her as if there had not been a lapse of years since the last time he saw her. “Stunning as ever, I see.”

  “Thank you. You all look wonderful. True California tans, blond hair, the works.”

  “Got to keep up the image. Sit down, make yourself at home.” He waved the spatula in his hand across the matching outdoor furniture that looked like tan wicker. “I need to turn the veggies.”

  After dinner the family spent time getting reacquainted. They drew the chairs up near the open fire pit, and while Allie and Sherrilyn fixed the dessert, Jefferson leaned forward. “I was really sorry to hear about the buyout. I probably saw it the same time you did, but I figured you already knew.”

  “Nope, total shock. Never dreamed I’d be out here for more than three days.�
�

  “Do you know what you are going to do next?”

  She told him of her boss’s offer. “But that is all up in the air, too. If this, if that. So Monday I start working at the nursery with Adam. He needs some part time help and thinks I can manage that.”

  “Of course you can, but what a waste of all your experience. You thought of looking for something in San Francisco?”

  “Not really. I promised myself I’d take a month’s vacation and so that’s pretty much what I am doing.” Along with contemplating buying a business.

  “Right, along with redecorating your mother’s house, restoring the yard, and working in a nursery. Sounds like a real vacation to me.”

  “She said she’d come to our games.” Sherrilyn set a tray with plates of apple pie on the table. “Mom is bringing the ice cream.”

  “Do you know how to play tennis?” Benson asked.

  “Sorry, no. Never had the time or the desire to play sports of any kind.”

  “Do you watch baseball?”

  When she shook her head, he stared at his father. “We got to take care of her.”

  Gillian laughed along with the others at her nephew’s concern. “You’ll have to come watch the Yankees play when I’m back in New York.”

  “Don’t say that. I’m praying you’ll stay out here.” Allie set the pie now crowned with a scoop of ice cream in front of her.

  Gillian looked from the pie to her sister. “Thank you, for both.”

  “Both?” Allie glanced over from serving her husband.

  “The pie and the prayer.” Does she really mean that, or is she being polite?

  “Well, if you, or rather when you…” Jefferson corrected himself after a glance from his wife. “When you decide to stay here and if you want an executive position again, I might have some leads for you.”

  Allie laid a hand on her shoulder as she handed Benson his dessert. “See, I told you, we all want you to stay.”

  You told me that? When? Gillian took a bite of her pie. “This is just as good as I remember Mother’s pies being.”

  Jefferson winked at her and made the okay circle with thumb and index finger. How could Allie not be happy with this family?

  “You want to go to church with us in the morning?” Adam asked her on the phone. He called after she arrived home from the dinner with Allie’s family. “Sorry, I should have asked you earlier today.”

  “What time?” She smothered a yawn with a hand over her mouth. “Sorry.”

  “We’ll pick you up at seven forty-five. Dad likes the early service best.”

  “Is this a dress-up church or more casual?”

  “Both.” His chuckle warmed her ear. “No matter what you wear, you always look gorgeous.”

  His compliment made her blink. “Thank you, kind sir.”

  They said good-bye and Gillian rolled over to pet the dog. “That man is getting to me, Winnie. Am I ready for this?”

  Sitting shoulder to shoulder with Adam in church felt just right. His baritone singing of hymns and praise songs made her throat catch. As they left the church, she had no idea what the sermon had been about, but she knew she wanted to repeat the experience. Perhaps forever.

  “So how did he measure up, as a weed puller, that is?” Bill asked after the waitress handed around the menus at the local pancake house.

  “He identified a lot of the dormant plants for me, and we cleared a fair-size area. Hard to believe it has been let go so bad. I was here at Christmas a few years ago, and the garden was lovely even then. I seem to remember lights and pink flowers at the front door, but lights in the garden, too.” She shook her head. “Maybe I am confusing memories.”

  “Dorothy used to string little white lights over the arbor, back in the days when she and Alice were still in the garden club. They dropped out several years ago when there was a tiff over something stupid. Neither of them liked politics.”

  Adam watched his father. More memories. He sure owed Gillian a vote of thanks for this.

  “I think they just got tired of the bickering.” He nodded his thanks for a full coffee cup. “So, are you taking the boat out this afternoon?”

  Adam rolled his eyes. “No, I’m committed to liberating more of the garden.”

  “You do realize this is a monumental sacrifice on his part?” Bill smiled at Gillian.

  “Well, I am grateful. I’m sure once I start work, time will speed up. By the way, which store won the pumpkin award?”

  Bill rolled his eyes. “His did. They had a head start.”

  Adam burst out laughing. “Any excuse is a good excuse. We just tried harder. Did you post the sign-up list for the wreath-making class? We already have ten signatures.”

  “I’m sure Keith did. He’s almost as competitive as you are.”

  “You have leftover pumpkins?”

  “A few. Those pumpkin-potted plants, I dare you to say that one fast”—he grinned at Gillian—“really depleted our supply.”

  “We ran out. Why don’t you put a sign on those left that they are free and include instructions on how to turn a pumpkin into pumpkin pie?”

  “I’ll just put up free and they’ll be gone.” He turned to Gillian. “That old arbor needs some repairs, but basically it is still sound. Do you want it painted white or green?”

  “White. Think I’ll plant pink climbing roses on it. That’s the way it used to be.”

  “Wait until bare root roses come in, in January.”

  Adam watched consternation sweep across her face. What was she thinking? About her mother? Or perhaps not being here. He kept trying to ignore what she had said, about being here for a month on vacation. Surely taking the job at the nursery meant she was thinking of staying on.

  Bill spent the afternoon repairing the arbor, and Gillian and Adam freed more of the garden, even spreading finished compost on the perennials and spring bulbs they discovered.

  “Next Sunday we go out on the boat.” Adam leaned back in the patio chair, stretching his arms above his head.

  Gillian stared at what was left of her manicure. How can I convince him that is not a good idea? “We’ll see. Mother and Enzio should be back by then, so I hate to make commitments.”

  “Heard any more from them?”

  “Not after dropping the wedding bombshell. I do want to give them a reception, or rather, Allie and I do.” She scrutinized the garden. “You said you’d show me how to start the shredder?”

  “I will.” He drained his iced tea. “I wonder when the oil was last changed.” He smiled at her blank look. “It’s a gas machine, not electric. Runs like a lawn mower. I better check both of them. After all, you might have to mow the way the lawn is coming back.”

  “Do you mow year-round here?”

  “All depends on how cold it gets.” He shoved back his chair. “I’ll go check those while you spread more of that compost so we have a bin to shred into.”

  That evening on their way back from running the dogs, Gillian stopped in the front yard. “All those good things happening in the back and I’ve ignored the front but for right around the door.” She snapped a dead-looking branch off the jasmine. “Brittle as can be. What a waste.”

  Adam dug down farther and did the same. “Looks like this one is still alive. Don’t give up on it yet. We’ll spread some of that compost out here, too, and see what spring brings.”

  “It used to smell so sweet.”

  “It will again.” He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to his side. “I hope you’re not so stiff and sore from gardening that you can’t work tomorrow.”

  “Fat chance.” She elbowed him in the ribs gently. She held up her hands, fingers spread wide. “Looks like I’ll have to give myself a manicure. What a mess. Gloves should have protected my hands more.”

  “That’s okay. Manicures are not required to work in a nursery.” He kissed her, a lingering kiss this time. “See you in the morning.”

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Are
you ready?”

  Gillian nodded. “Mrs. Gonzales is coming to let Winnie out a couple of times. I can’t think of anything else.”

  Adam identified points of interest for her on the drive to Pittsburg, but that did nothing to soothe the butterflies cavorting in her middle. Others had told her of the agonies of starting a new job, but she’d not had to suffer through them since she started at the Triple F. Surely they wouldn’t put her on the cash register the first day.

  “You’re being unnaturally quiet.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “John will be handling much of your training since that is part of his job. I’ll introduce you to those working there and show you around the store. If you have any questions, please ask so we can help you.”

  “Right.”

  He parked his SUV and came around to help her out, but as soon as he opened the door, she stepped down.

  He leaned closer and dropped his voice. “We’ve not eaten any new employees for some time. You’re safe.”

  “Funny man.”

  After the initial walk around and introductions, Adam retired to his office to meet with a possible new supplier, and John took over.

  “We’ll start with the cash register, since that is the most intimidating part of the job, unless you’ve worked with one in the last few years?” When she shook her head, he continued. “Everything is computerized now, so our stock is monitored by sales. At the end of the day when we do a readout, we know everything that has transpired that day. And how to order for restocking.”

  She glanced up to see Adam watching them. She forced her attention back to John’s instructions and the location of the cheat sheets.

  “You use the wand to read the bar codes, but it helps if you know the general pricing structure in case bar codes are missing.” He handed her several pages of lists. “We ask that you take the time to study these; it will help you in the days ahead.”

  “I see.”

  When they took a break for lunch, Adam appeared with takeout from the Taco Bell. “I forgot to tell you to bring a lunch.”