Page 224 of Knot What I Expected

“I’m like a nature spirit with magic. I can communicate with nature.”

“Like trees?”

“Sort of.”

“Can you turn into a tree?”

“No.”

“Okay, but can you talk to trees?”

“Sometimes.”

“Do trees talk back?”

“Sometimes.”

His mouth drops open. He whips toward me.

“Mommy! Did you know trees can talk?”

I take a sip of tea.

“I do now.”

He turns immediately to Justin.

“Can you breathe fire?”

“Yes.”

“Can I see?”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because we're sitting at a wooden table in the middle of a forest.”

I bite my lip.

Okay. Fair answer.

“After?”

“No.”

“Tomorrow?”

“No.”

“Uncle Sparky⁠—”

Justin closes his eyes. Rowan chokes on his beer. Wreck starts laughing. Gia covers her mouth.

I lose it right along with them.

“You told him to call me that,” Justin accuses Rowan.