Page 61 of Noble Neighbor
Oliver gave her creation careful contemplation. “It’s a crime to eat it.”
This time she laughed out loud. “It’s meant for eating, Oliver.”
His gaze moved from the cake to meet hers. “Want me to carry it for you?”
She shook her head. “I’ll manage, but you can clear a path for me. I’d hate to take a header while it’s in my hands.”
Oliver chuckled and moved back a few steps before lunging forward, brandishing a mock sword. He followed that smooth move with an exaggerated bow. “Noble neighbor at your service, Lady Sunny.”
She returned his grin, affecting a curtsy before grabbing the handles of the tray, lifting. “Lead on, Sir Oliver.”
True to his gallant word, Oliver cleared the path, and she took a moment to pause at the edge of the front veranda and just look.
Kenzie had begged for anAlice in Wonderlandtheme. It was her favorite story to read and had been for years, and Sunny thought it eerily symbolic, what with the Hatter’s 10/6 tag and Kenzie’s birthday — hertenthbirthday — being October sixth.
Their yard was a wonderland. Oliver, Frank, andClement had helped with the backdrops, working tirelesslythe last couple of days while she labored over the cake. Trestle tables beneath the shedding oaks competed for the most colorful award. Rows and rows of multi-colored paper lanterns interspersed with large Alice-themed playing cards swayed above. Frank made life-sized cutouts — Alice, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, White Rabbit, March Hare — and set them out, alternated with signposts and quotes from the story. Clement and two friends manned a photobooth.
It was magical.
How could she ever repay the Armstrong men for their contribution?
Her eyes stung, and she blinked furiously to clear them.
She had a cake to present. One careful step at a time, she cleared the porch, took a deep breath —no crying today, girl— and followed Oliver.
Just before reaching the table, he lit the sparklers. Kenzie’s face, when Sunny placed the colorful cake before her girl, was worth every painstaking moment spent on it.
Her daughter was speechless, her eyes wide, filled with wonder as she simply stared until the sparklers burned out and the happy birthday singing had stopped.
She finally moved her gaze, and Sunny swallowed hard when her firstborn’s beaming dark eyes met hers. “Thank you, Mommy. It’s perfect.”
“You’re welcome, Kenzie.”
Their gazes locked and held for a long moment. Why did she think Kenzie saw a lot more than her ten years should permit?
“All right, all right,” Frank boomed. “Time for tea, time for tea.”
Kids swarmed about, taking their seats around the tables. Sunny reached for her tiny digital camera stuck in her pants pocket.
Oliver removed it from her hand. “How about I take a couple of you and our birthday girl? Go, scoot in beside Princess Kenzie.”
Refusal on the tip of her tongue, Sunny faltered. A picture of Kenzie … and her? She had none. Not anymore.
It’s okay. Enough time has passed.
“Sunny?”
Her gaze flew to Oliver’s questioning one. “A pictureof us sounds perfect. Thank you.”
He took a couple and added Molly when she rushed up. Slightly dazed, Sunny stepped away from the bustle and leaned against the rough bark of a tree.
God, what rabbit hole hadshefallen into? Where was the caution? The hyper vigilance of the last years … was it truly over? Were they okay? Had she done enough?
A few of the banked tears from earlier found an escape,and Sunny squeezed her lids shut, angrily swiping at her cheeks.
No crying today, remember?Even your own mama would not recognize you. Y’all safe, Sunny-girl.
Itwasokay. Shehaddone enough.
