Flight Patterns by Karen White

Author:Karen White
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2016-04-15T12:06:54+00:00

chapter 23

In cooler weather, the bees remain in the beehive but don’t hibernate. The queen doesn’t lay eggs but stays in a bee cluster surrounded by her worker bees. They flap their wings nonstop, keeping the temperature in the beehive around ninety-one degrees until warmer weather arrives.

—NED BLOODWORTH’S BEEKEEPER’S JOURNAL

Maisy

Maisy sat on a stool at the counter of the Old Time Soda Fountain next to Becky, looking up at the menu tacked above the scalloped green-and-white awning on the wall in front of them. “I want an ice-cream sundae,” Becky said after about five minutes of deliberation.

Maisy smiled at the young ponytailed girl behind the counter. “Make it two, please. One scoop chocolate and one scoop vanilla, extra chocolate sauce, and just a pinch of sprinkles.” Despite a difference in opinion about many things, Maisy and Becky were always in agreement about their ice cream. “And two Cokes, please.”

She was rewarded with a rare grin from her daughter. Although she was exhausted from a week at work and wanted nothing more than to return to her bed after taking Becky to an early Saturday-morning tennis clinic and spending the rest of the morning running errands, they’d ended up at the Soda Fountain. It was something the three of them had done before Lyle had moved out, which meant Maisy had avoided it for months. But when Becky had asked to go, she hadn’t been able to say no.

When the sundaes arrived, Maisy stuck her spoon into the dome of whipped cream on top and automatically handed the cherry over to Becky. Even though she loved them as much as her daughter did, it had been something her grandfather had done for her and Georgia when they were girls, always asking for two cherries on his sundae so he could share with his girls. If only Maisy could enjoy her treat without hearing Birdie’s voice in her head reminding her how many calories were in each bite.

“Where’s Aunt Georgia?” Becky said with her mouth full.

Maisy sent her “the look” and Becky immediately closed her mouth.

“I texted James that we were here, so hopefully he got the message and told Georgia. But they were touring the Orman House, so they might not make it in time.”

Maisy tried to ignore the look of disappointment on Becky’s face. What was it with near strangers in their lives whose absence only served to make them more mythical? Maisy was the one who’d been there through colic, and nightmares, and first-day-of-school jitters. And two emergency-room visits, with a broken arm and a concussion. Yet Georgia wore the halo, the breastplate of steel earned through annual birthday cards and Christmas gifts.

The door opened behind them, bringing a slap of heat against their backs. Maisy and Becky were too immersed in their ice cream to turn around until they heard the two young voices behind them.

“L-look, Em-mily. It’s B-Becky S-Sawyers.”

Becky stiffened beside her as Maisy turned around to see who’d spoken, too surprised by the blatant meanness of the voice to find her anger.

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