Honeysuckle Summer (The Sweet Magnolias #7)(76)

“That’s temporary, I promise,” Raylene consoled her. “Carrie will get her feet back under her. She’ll figure out that you and Carter were both doing what’s best for her. She’ll forgive you, and then things will go back to being the way they used to be between you.”

Mandy heaved a sigh. “I hope so.” She regarded Raylene with a wistful expression. “Do you think I could work in your garden for a while? I know Carrie was supposed to help you, but I need something to do, and gardening makes me feel better. I’ve already yanked out pretty much everything I could in ours at home.”

“Gardening always made me feel better, too,” Raylene said. “Go on out there and weed to your heart’s content. Be careful not to stay outside too long, though. It’s a scorcher today. Take some bottled water with you.”

“I’ll be careful,” Mandy promised, looking happier already. “Are you sure you don’t want to help? It’s not far and I’d be right there with you.”

Raylene hesitated. She had been out twice now with Dr. McDaniels, and it had gone well both times. Did she dare risk it with Mandy? What if she had a meltdown? If she at least tried, though, it would be another step toward her recovery. And Mandy obviously needed the company.

She took a deep breath, then said, “You know, I think I will come with you. Let me get us a couple of drinks and I’ll be right out.”

Mandy’s expression brightened. “Really? You’ll come?”

“I’m going to give it my best shot.”

“Cool. Do I need to do anything, you know, to make it easier?”

Raylene smiled at her eagerness to help. “No. Just having you here should help.” Her expression sobered. “Mandy, if I start hyperventilating or having one of my panic attacks, will you be okay? I don’t want to scare you to death.”

Mandy straightened. “Just tell me what to do.”

“Take my hand and help me back inside. That’s all. I’ll be fine.”

“Got it,” Mandy said confidently and bounded outside, as if the prospect of Raylene having a panic attack was no big deal.

Raylene grabbed two bottled waters and followed her onto the patio, albeit more slowly. She joined Mandy at the edge of the garden, kneeling on the warm ground and carefully pulling the nearby weeds. The sun soaking into her shoulders felt wonderful. The air was steamy, but filled with the heady scent of roses.

Beside her, Mandy was quiet, concentrating on pulling weeds, not flowers. Even though she worked quickly, it was evident how careful she was being not to harm the flowers.

Even though Raylene felt the familiar comfort of nurturing such beautiful plants, she envied Mandy the ability to lose herself in the simple task. A part of Raylene kept waiting for the first wave of panic to hit. When it didn’t, even after a half hour, she told herself that staying any longer would be pushing her luck.

She stood up, eyeing what she’d accomplished with satisfaction. Mandy’s efforts were even more impressive.

“You’re really good at this,” she told the young teenager.

Mandy looked skeptical. “It’s not exactly rocket science. I’m just yanking weeds. No big deal.”

“Any job is worth doing well,” Raylene reminded her. “Be proud of what you do, whether it’s weeding a garden or schoolwork or rocket science. I’m going in to start dinner. Laurie will be home soon with Tommy and Libby. Would you like to stay?”

Mandy’s expression brightened. “Can I?”

“If it’s okay with Carter, of course you can.”

“I’ll call him as soon as I come inside and wash up. I need a little while longer to finish.” Suddenly she beamed at Raylene. “You stayed out here almost as long as me!”

Raylene grinned back at her. “I know. Pretty cool, huh?”

Back inside, she started on dinner preparations. She put together a casserole of mac and cheese with bits of onion and browned hamburger. She cringed at the thought of all the cholesterol involved, but it was the kind of comfort food kids Mandy’s age still loved. With a salad, she could pretend the meal was reasonably healthy.

She’d just put the casserole into the oven to bake, when Mandy came into the house with a piece of trailing vine in her hand and a worried expression on her face. “I pulled this out, but then I realized it has these amazingly sweet little flowers on it. Is it a weed or not?”

Raylene stared at the honeysuckle with a bemused expression. She’d never noticed any in the yard before, not when she’d visited Sarah as a kid and not since she’d been back. It was usually hard to miss because it could take over in no time.

Honeysuckle had been the bane of her existence in Charleston, left over from the home’s previous owner, and coming back no matter how many times she thought she’d rid the garden of the last of it. Its sweet scent and tenacity had eventually overcome her distaste for the disorder it created.

“It’s honeysuckle,” she told Mandy. “I have no idea where it came from. I’ve never seen it in the yard before.”

“Blame me,” Carter said, walking into the kitchen in time to overhear.

She stared at him incredulously. “You planted it? Who does that?”

He shrugged. “You talked about it being in your garden in Charleston, and then I happened to find some growing over the fence in our yard. Even though you acted like it was this huge annoyance, I thought I’d heard something in your voice. I thought maybe you actually liked the battle.”