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Had anything ever smelled as sweet as baby Joe’s head?
Never.
Even the most fragrant flower in Mazie’s greenhouse couldn’t compare.
I unbuttoned my shirt and settled him in for his feeding.
The phone rang again.
“Miss Daphne, it’s for you,” Belinda called. “It’s Ennis Ainsley.”
“Okay, tell him to hold on a minute.” I situated Joe so he could still nurse and then got up to grab the extension in the family room. “Hi, Ennis.”
“Hey, love. Patty’s not back from shopping yet, so we may be late for dinner.”
“Wow. Is it dinnertime already?” I looked at my watch.
“We’re due at your place in a half hour, which means we need to leave now. She took off after lunch to shop.”
“Snow Creek isn’t that big.”
“You know Patty. She’s got the shopping bug. I expected her back at the hotel by now.”
“I’ll tell Belinda you might be a little late,” I said. “Let me know when you’re on your way.”
“Will do. Thanks for understanding.”
“Patty dragged me out shopping a couple days after I first met her. She’s a born shopper. See you soon.”
I hung up and sat back down, settling Jonah in for more of his feeding. “Belinda!” I called.
“Yes, miss?” She stood at the top of the small staircase.
“Ennis says he and Patty are going to be late for dinner. She hasn’t returned from shopping yet.”
“Okay. Not a problem. Keep me posted.”
“I will. Where’s Brad?”
“He’s in his office with the new bodyguard. They’ve been in there awhile.”
“Okay.”
Jonah had nodded off to sleep. I set him in his bassinet and buttoned up my shirt. Then I walked to the office to let Brad know about Ennis and Patty. I knocked.
“Come in.” Brad’s voice.
I opened the door. The bodyguard stood next to Brad, perusing papers on his desk.
“Hey, baby,” Brad said.
“Ennis and Patty are going to be late for dinner.”
“Oh? I forgot they were coming.”
“I guess you’ve been preoccupied,” I said.
“Just bringing Cliff here up to speed. He comes highly recommended.”
“I’m sure he does.”
“You and your baby will be safe on my watch, Mrs. Steel.”
“Please, call me Daphne.”
“Whatever you prefer,” he said. “I’ll try not to intrude on your day-to-day activities any more than I have to.”
“I understand.”
“Thank you for being so understanding about this, Daphne,” Brad said. “I just want you and little Joe safe.”
“I understand,” I echoed myself. “Will you be staying for dinner, Mr…?”
“Danes. Call me Cliff, Mrs. Steel. Er…Daphne.”
I nodded.
“Cliff will eat in the kitchen with Belinda,” Brad said.
I nodded again numbly.
I hated feeling numb. Numbness made me feel colorless, like those pale-green blooms in Mazie’s greenhouse. One day I’d have to remember to ask her why they were her favorite.
“I’ll let you know when Patty and Ennis get here.” I left the office, closing the door behind me.
I returned to the family room to check on Joe. He was sleeping soundly. Mom and Mazie came bustling in from their trip to the greenhouse.
“Hey, honey.” Mom kissed my cheek. “I’m going to take a quick shower before dinner. Mazie and I did some transplanting, and I’m filthy.”
“Take your time,” I said. “Ennis and Patty are going to be late.”
Mazie was in the kitchen chatting with Belinda. Now, while I had it on my mind, I’d ask her about the pale-green tulips.
“Hi there, Daphne,” Mazie said. “How’s the baby?”
“He’s good. He’s sleeping.”
“Good. I’ll go take a look at him.”
I smiled. Or tried to, anyway. Smiling was difficult after last night’s events. “I want to ask you something first.”
“Sure. What is it?”
“Why are those pale-green tulips your favorite?”
She lifted her brow. “That’s an interesting question.”
“Brad told me, and I just wondered, because to me they seem so…sad.”
“I suppose they do seem a little sad next to the brighter colors. Brad told me the yellow are your favorites.”
“Yeah. They remind me of the sun.”
“So they do.”
“The pale-green ones remind me of the moon, which reminds me of…” I stopped. I’d been about to say darkness. Did Mazie even know about my junior year?
“They’re called green spirit. Maybe it’s the name I like.” She smiled wistfully. “But I like the color as well. I don’t see sadness when I look at them. I see something that reminds me that the darkness has its own beauty.”
I dropped my mouth into an O. Her words spoke to me, offered me something about the flower—and myself—that I’d never considered before.
“When you embrace darkness,” she continued, “and learn not to fear it, you can begin to see it in a different way. After all, only the most beautiful stars shine in the dark.” She laughed. “Am I making any sense at all?”
“Actually, yes,” I said. “I never thought of it that way.”
“Most people don’t. Most people fear the darkness. But the darkness has a lot to teach us. I should know.”
Was that an invitation to ask what she meant? Belinda stood at the counter, ripping lettuce for our salad.
