Page 36 of The Shell Collector
Maeve mused at her intent thought on the subject. “No polish.” She wiggled her toes again, adoring the laughter that it brought on like a light switch. “Naked toes.”
“Naked? What?” She covered her mouth like the wordnakedwas naughty. Perhaps it was, in some contexts. Better to leave that one alone. It had been a long time since she’d been around young children. My, what a treasure. The real kind. Human, breathing, learning, loving. Maeve loved the delight these innocent minds came up with. “I don’t paint my nails.”
“Not your fingers either?”
Maeve extended her hands, showing her. “No ma’am.”
“I’m not a ma’am. I’m just a little girl.”
“Oh you most certainly are. Ma’am isn’t about age; it’s about respect. I respect you, Hailey.”
Hailey sat taller. “Wow. That’s really good, right?”
“Very good.”
“Mommy paints my fingernails and toenails. Sometimes we go to the fancy place with the shaky chairs. It feels good, but it takes so long.” She brushed her hand across her brow. “Hours!” She dropped her hand and the drama. “Is that why you don’t have yours painted?”
Maeve slowly shook her head. There’d been a time when she dressed up her nails for Jarvis, but it had been a constant battle against nature. Then one day as she rushed to repair the chipped color before they went out, he’d said to her,“Couldn’t you be doing something better with your time? I really don’t care whether your toes are decorated.”
It had struck her as so odd. Offended at first, she couldn’t believe he’d have so little appreciation for her attempt to look her absolute best for him. Then he’d pulled her into his arms and said,“I love you just the way God made you. You don’t need to add one single thing.”
She could still remember how much that had meant to her. She loved him even more that day for it.
Maeve looked at Hailey. “Sometimes things are perfect the way they are, even if they aren’t perfect. What do you think?”
Hailey pressed a finger to her lip, truly considering this. “Your nails look so pretty and shiny.”
“I’m sure that’s from the sand.”
“That’s crazy.”
“No, not really. Think about it. Sand is coarse. Actually, it’s teensy leftovers of rocks and minerals.”
“That doesn’t help your toes shine.”
“Actually…” Maeve took three pieces of sea glass from her pocket and held them out for Hailey to see.
Hailey straightened to a stand. “Wow! They look like diamonds and rubies. What are the green ones, Mommy?”
“Emeralds.” Amanda glanced over at Maeve.
“Where’d you get them? At the jewelry store?”
“Nope.” Maeve shook her head. “They are sea glass, and they come in even more colors than that. I found them right out there on the beach.”
Hailey stretched taller as her body tensed with excitement. “Really?”
“Yes ma’am. Which one is your favorite?”
She mulled over the options before finally picking up a green one.
“Years and years ago, that was part of a broken glass bottle.”
“Like trash?”
“Yes, actually it was. This color could be as old as three thousand years ago but most likely is from the 1940s to the ’80s, when soda became popular. They used to bottle lemon-lime soda in bright-green bottles. That broken piece of glass starts out sharp, but when it’s in the sand, the water pushes it back and forth, wearing away all the sharp edges. Eventually, all the ridges smooth until it becomes frosted like this one.”
“That’s why your naked toes are so shiny like they are painted?”
