“I will.”
They shook hands and Bernard headed home.
Bernard walked to his backyard. One of the neighborhood teens came by once a week to mow his front and backyard for twenty bucks. The greenhouse sat, unused. It came with the house, but Bernard hadn’t done anything with it.
He thought it might be time to put that greenhouse to good use. He’d always wanted to learn to grow vegetables. No time like the present.
Chapter Ten
Rory
Saturday, May 2
RORY GRABBED THEgift he wrapped for his niece. He used lavender wrapping paper with a pink bow. He’d finished the sweater the night before. It took him two weeks to knit it and he loved how it came out. He knew Penelope would love it.
He packed a box of ingredients for a cobbler so he could make it fresh for her birthday. It brought him joy to create whether baking or knitting. Creating was an easier way to show he cared than trying to put things into words.
Rory arrived at his brother’s at noon. Catherine scheduled the party to start at two, but he always arrived early to help.
Penelope opened the door. “Uncle Roro!” She jumped into his arms. He caught her with one arm, holding her gift in the other.
“How’s my favorite niece?”
“Is that for me?” she asked, pointing at the present.
“Yes, it is.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll see when you open it later.”
She tightened her grip as Rory carried her into the living room.
Duncan and Catherine kept a neat house. They’d decorated the living room with off-white furniture, a glass-top coffee table, white bookshelves, and a white TV stand. It baffled him how they kept it so clean with a five-year-old running around.
“Hello, Rory.” Catherine walked into the living room. “We’re so glad you could make it.”
“How could I miss my niece’s fifth birthday. It’s a big day.” He kissed Penelope’s cheek and she giggled.
He let her down to run to the backyard.
Catherine hugged him and he followed her to the table with gifts. He placed his gift among the others and followed her outside to the back porch.
Catherine and his mother decorated the backyard with lavender and pink streamers. Two tables stood in the center, one with a lavender tablecloth and the other with pink. The place settings were of the opposite color from the tablecloth. Each table had a flower arrangement with tulips and violets.
A bounce house and a variety of games filled the yard, all in the same lavender and pink scheme. Would Penelope outgrow these colors? He hoped not. They were a wonderful combination.
“Can I help with anything?” Rory asked.
“Do you have time to make one of your amazing desserts?” Catherine asked.
“It just so happens I brought the ingredients to make a peach cobbler.”
“That sounds amazing. We have ice cream to go with it too.”
“Fantastic.”
Rory busied himself in the kitchen preparing the cobbler. Penelope insisted on helping, so he had her mix the peaches with the glaze to bake after he’d sliced them.
