When he had gone down the stairs and crossed the garage, he stood at the back door, not knowing whether to go in or to knock. A breeze wafted the scent of roses across the space to him. He turned to look over his shoulder, and Cricket waved at him.
“Hey, good evening.” She smiled.
She was wearing a cute floral sundress printed with roses, and red sandals. Her brown hair was twisted up on top of her head and held with a bright red rose clip. Surely, he wasn’t just imagining that beautiful, clean smell that got stronger as she neared.
“You sure look pretty tonight,” he said.
“Thank you.” Her smile grew even wider, seeming to light up the whole garage. “You clean up pretty good yourself.”
“I do my best with what little I’ve got to work with,” he chuckled. “I didn’t know whether to knock or not.”
“No, just go on in. Judging from all the cars and trucks parked along the road, we’re not the first ones here.” She brushed past him and opened the door.
He motioned for her to go on in ahead of him and then followed that enticing scent through the back door. Nadine was in the kitchen, swiping her finger across the icing on a cupcake, and she just grinned when she saw them coming into the house.
“Busted!” she giggled. “Just remember, when you get to be ninety-five, you can do whatever you damn well please.”
“Nadine Betterton!” Lettie shook her forefinger at her sister as she came into the kitchen. “That’s the third cupcake I’m having to set back.”
“It’s my birthday, and besides, I’ll have those three for my midnight snack tonight.” Nadine slapped her finger away. “You’ve made too much food anyway.”
“Where do we put presents?” Cricket asked.
“We’ve got a table set up in the living room,” Lettie answered. “I’ll take them if you two young’uns will guard this woman and keep her from ruining anything else.”
Bryce handed over his gift but wasn’t sure how he was going to guard Nadine without hurting her feelings.
“Are we the last ones here?” Cricket looped her arm in Nadine’s and pulled her toward the archway leading into the living room. “If so, it might be time to cut the cake and start eating. You sure look pretty tonight. Blue is definitely your color. I hope I look as beautiful as you when I’m eighty years old.”
“Eighty nothing! I’m only thirty in my mind,” Nadine laughed. “And you know very well that my birth certificate says I’m ninety-five, but thank you for the compliment.”
Cricket was absolutely awesome, Bryce thought, and he couldn’t wait to go fishing with her the next evening. For that matter, he already planned to spend as much time with her as he could in the coming days and weeks.
“Hey, hey,” Nadine called out, “the gang is all here.”
“And all ninety-five candles are on the cake. Amos, will you help me light them?” Lettie asked.
“Be honored to help, but only if you’ve got the fire department on standby,” Amos laughed.
“Amos and his wife, who passed a few years ago, owned the bookstore before Jennie Sue bought it,” Cricket whispered as everyone watched Lettie and Amos light all the candles.
Amos reminded Bryce of the late Mickey Rooney. He was short, had a smile that covered his round face, and by golly, Bryce liked the man before he even said a word because he’d worn bibbed overalls to the party.
When they’d finished, Nadine stepped up behind the table. “Okay, Lettie, now you have to help me blow them out. You could have bought a couple of those candles that are shaped like a nine and a five. You didn’t have to put one for every year.”
“Oh, no!” Lettie shook her head. “You’re the one who’s lookin’ a hundred smack in the eyeball. You blow them out, and you better hurry because the ones in the middle are about to burn to the bottom. They’ll ruin the icing and that’s your favorite part, so don’t take another second to make your wish.”
“I’ll remember this when you need saving from the aliens.” Nadine took a deep breath, started at one end, and blew out every one of those candles.
A tall man with just a rim of gray hair around his head started the “Happy Birthday” song in a deep baritone, and everyone else joined in. Bryce paid particular attention to Cricket, who had an alto voice and carried a tune very well. Was there nothing this woman couldn’t do?
When the song had ended, Amos and the tall guy helped Lettie remove all the candles, and then Nadine cut the first piece.
“I like a corner because it’s got the most icing,” she said with a smile. “I believe in having dessert first because life can be short. Not that I know anything about that business of it being short, but I do like chocolate cake. The rest of you feel free to enjoy all those finger foods that Lettie has worked on for a week, and please eat it all, or she’ll make me have it for breakfast, dinner, and supper until it’s gone.”
“Tables are set up in the backyard,” Lettie announced. “Thank goodness it’s a decent night and not too hot.”
Cricket wasn’t a bit shy about loading her plate with finger foods, so Bryce did the same.
“This is some spread,” Bryce said. “I was expecting cake and punch.”
“Not at this house. Lettie and Nadine love to entertain,” Cricket said. “And they’re offended if you don’t eat hearty.”
“Well, I sure wouldn’t want to offend anyone, especially my landladies.” He liked these people. They were like the country folks he had grown up around.
The tall guy who’d led the “Happy Birthday” song fell into line behind Bryce and introduced himself. “I’m Frank Bartell, the pastor at the church that most of the folks here attend. I’ve been meaning to get down to the drugstore and welcome you to Bloom, but this has been a busy week. We’ve already had a funeral, and two members of my congregation are in the hospital in Sweetwater. But welcome, and I’d love to have you join us on Sunday.”
“Thank you, sir,” Bryce said and then turned to face Cricket. “Is that where you go?”
“Yep, been going there my whole life. Lettie took care of me in the nursery,” Cricket answered.
“Can I drive out and pick you up for church on Sunday, and then maybe take you out to dinner?” Bryce asked.
“That sounds great. I’ll be ready at ten thirty. Church starts at eleven,” she said. “Come on outside and sit by me. I need to tell you about today.”
“Lettie said she saw Anna Grace go into the bookstore. Is everything all right?” Bryce asked as they made their way outside, where multicolored balloons were tied to the ends of two eight-foot tables. Framed pictures of Nadine in every stage of her life were strewn down the middles. “Now, this is a party,” he said as he put his plate on the table and sat down beside Cricket.
“Everything is fine, or, at least, I hope it is,” Cricket answered. “I figured someone would have seen her in the bookstore and spread the gossip.” She told him the short version of what had happened that day.
“That’s pretty sweet of you after the way she’s treated you, but I’ve got to admit, it sure takes a load off my shoulders. I was dreading even filling prescriptions for her and her family,” he said in a low tone.