The Resurrection of Wildflowers (Wildflower #2)(6)

“Which one?” I look around for it.

“It’s right there.” She points to it on the coffee table. “I had Georgia pull it for me, but never picked it up.”

Scooping up the book, I sit down and curl my legs under me. I balance my plate on the arm of the couch and open the book.

When I start to read, she smiles.

I take a mental picture of this moment, knowing it’s one I’ll cherish forever.





CHAPTER 5





SALEM





“Mommy!”

Seda runs straight for me when I open the door to the brownstone.

I crouch down, catching her just as she launches herself at me. “My girl,” I breathe, inhaling her scent. She smells like grass from playing outside mixed with her watermelon shampoo.

“I missed you so much, Mommy.” She cups my cheeks in her soft hands. “Is Grandma okay?”

“She’s all right.” I put my hand over one of hers. “But she doesn’t have much time left with us.”

“When can I visit? I miss her. I made a drawing for her. I’ll show you.” Then she’s running off, presumably to locate the drawing.

I stand up, just in time to see Caleb walk out of the kitchen and lean against the archway. “She’s talked about your mom non-stop.”

I blow out a breath I didn’t even know I was holding. “I’ve tried to explain to her, but I don’t think she fully grasps what’s happening.”

“She’s five,” he reasons, tossing a rag over his shoulder. “Are you hungry? I’m getting ready to put leftovers away.”

“Starving.” Seda comes running back to me with a piece of printer paper.

“Look, Mommy.” She holds it up. “See that’s grandma in her bed,” she points at the stick figure with yellow hair, “and that’s my brother. He’s an angel and he’s waiting for her.”

I grind my teeth together, so I don’t burst into tears. Caleb and I have made an effort to talk about Thayer and Forrest with her. She knows that Caleb is her dad, but that she has another one too who was sad when her brother passed and wasn’t capable of being in her life because of it. It’s a whole complicated situation and trying to explain it to her in a way she understands is hard at times.

I put her in swim safety lessons as a baby too. I wanted to make sure she knew every tool she could use in case anything happened.

Reaching for her, I pull her into a hug and rest my chin on top of her head. “Yeah, baby girl. He is.”

Her little arms wrap around my neck—well, they’re not so little anymore, but I think I’ll always see her that way. “He’ll make sure she’s okay, so you don’t have to cry, Mommy.” She holds my cheeks, looking into my eyes with ones the color of Thayer’s. Warm and chocolatey. “Crying isn’t bad,” she repeats back to me what I tell her all the time, “but I don’t like it when you’re sad.”

I kiss her cheek. “I’m not sad, baby. Just so proud of you.” Standing, I hold on tight to her drawing. “Mommy’s hungry. Do you want to sit with me while I eat?”

“I want to draw some more before I go to bed.”

I laugh when she runs off. Clearly, I missed her more than she did me.

Caleb’s already plating some of the dinner he made and popping it into the microwave.

“I could’ve done that.” I grab a soda from the fridge.

“I know.” He braces his hands on the counters, his muscles flexing. “How’s your mom doing?” His voice is low so Seda can’t overhear.

I shake my head, sliding onto the barstool. “Not good, which is expected, but she’s talking and still getting around somewhat on her own—mostly because she’s stubborn and tries to refuse help every chance she gets.”

Caleb chuckles, pulling the plate out of the microwave and setting it in front of me with a fork. “Sounds like Allison.”

“I promise once all of this is over, I’ll be out of your hair.” I can’t help but look around the kitchen, the cabinets I picked out when we remodeled, the polka dot cannisters for flour and sugar I chose for a pop of whimsy.

Caleb rolls his eyes at me, grabbing a beer. “We’re still friends. We’ll always be friends. And,” a shadow flickers over his face, “even if that idiot comes back into the picture, I’ll always be in Seda’s life. You can’t take her from me, and neither can he.”

“Calm down,” I tell him, forking a piece of meatloaf. “We’ve talked about this. I would never do that to you. Seda loves you—you might not be her father by DNA’s standards, but you are her dad by all the ways that count. I understand more than anyone that DNA doesn’t make a father.”

Caleb’s head lowers and he looks at me from beneath his lashes. “Thank you.”

The one and only thing we argued over during the divorce was Seda. Caleb was terrified that I’d take her from him and he’d never see her again. I could never be that cruel. Caleb stepped up to the plate, for me, for her, when Thayer was too lost in his grief for me to reach. I wouldn’t only be punishing Caleb if I took her away, I’d be hurting her.

“I’m sorry,” he adds, running his fingers through his blond hair. “I guess with you back there, it has me feeling uneasy.”