My chest fills with warmth. Clo investigates her teacup and tries to dunk his head before he gets shooed away. He settles for sitting on her shoulder and grooms her hair. I could stare at herall day with messy hair, sleep in her eyes, and a serene smile on her face.
So beautiful.
“Thank you for taking me there,” she says absently, eyes drifting to the slowly rising sun. “That means more than you’ll ever know.”
“Glad to.”
“I can’t help but think we were too late.” Her voice turns hoarse with emotion. “A month ago, they could’ve been reunited. What a cruel twist of fate.”
I reach over and take hold of her hand. “That’s one way to look at it. Or you could look at it that you found him just in time. He’s alive, though old, and will get to know his daughter and granddaughter. That’s something, honey.”
A smile tugs at her lips. “I like when you call me honey.”
“Good to know.” I wink at her. “Is there anything we need to do before your mom gets here?”
She sits up and nods. “Call your mom to take the house off the market. At least until we figure out what’s happening with Grandpa. Mom wants to bring him home, but then I don’t know what her plans are.”
Before finding Amos, I’d held out hope Nora would stay here with me. But now that her long-lost grandpa is in the picture, I wouldn’t fault her for wanting to go to the city to be with him if that’s what her mother decides.
“Dad and I could build a temporary wheelchair ramp,” I suggest, words tense. “For Amos.”
“Oh, I didn’t even think about that,” Nora says absently. “How long do you think it’ll take Mom to get the legalities sorted?”
I’m quiet for a moment as I ponder her words. “Don’t know. I’d imagine they’d be in the business of reuniting families, not keeping them apart. Your mom seems tough and capable. Ifshe’s anything like you or your grandma, I think she’ll handle it just fine.”
The quicker Sandy gets Amos here, the quicker she might get Nora out of here. That becomes a real fear, and it clings to my back like rabid squirrel. I can’t shake it off or ignore it.
We don’t speak again until the sun fully comes up. Then, I abandon my empty mug and take hers from her. Once I pull her to her feet, I clasp my hand around hers. I take her on a walk around my house as I point out different plants and ideas I have for future flowerbeds. When we make it to her grandma’s cottage, we stop by the strawberries in the backyard. They’re ripe for picking and smell sweet. I kneel down to pluck a few off the vines, dust them off on my T-shirt, and then offer her a handful.
“Breakfast.” I smirk at her. “Well, pre-breakfast. I’ll make you some eggs and bacon shortly.”
She eats the strawberries and smiles. “These are berry good.”
We share a laugh and then I pick a few more for her. The strawberries are good, but the company is even better. Clo has found his way over to the birdbath and is happily splashing all around.
I wish this could be our morning every day.
Maybe one day it will.
Nora handles the bird business in the aviary while me and Dad tackle wheelchair ramps. We’re making two so Amos can go out the front and back. I’m grateful for Nora’s help with the budgies, especially since we have so many more to look after. They’ll need homes soon, but we can only do so much at a time.
Mom was a little sad to take the “for sale” sign out of the yard, but she was thrilled to know the reason why.
After we finish up for the day, my parents leave.
“Want to grab lunch at The Budgie Café?” I ask after we’ve both showered off our filth.
“The answer to that question is always yes.”
Twenty minutes later and we’re sliding into a booth. Lo and behold, Grandma Dot is working. Her gray hair is pulled back in a severe bun that “gets rid of crow’s feet” and her smile is wicked as she approaches.
“Well, I’ll be darned,” Grandma Dot says as she ruffles my just-fixed hair. “My grandson actually brought a girl for me to meet.”
I groan and shake my head. “We came here for food.”
“Nonsense. You came to show off your lady.” Grandma Dot gives Nora a playful push. “Scoot on over, doll. I need meet the girl who has my Elias smiling like that.”
Nora peeks over at me beneath her long, dark lashes and her cheeks turn pink. I’m busted. I can’t help but stare at her every chance I get. She’s easy on the eyes and I like watching her face light up when she’s happy.
