it.â
Rory filled in the blanks to keep the awkwardness at bay. âVanessa loves vintage stuff, and sheâs agreed to hold her estate sale in conjunction with our rummage sale here at the church. If you volunteer to help out, Iâm sure you might find some cool items.â
âI donât need anything,â Kandi said before turning away to talk to another girl.
But Rory saw the way she sent a kohl-eyed glance back at Vanessa. âI think sheâs warming up to you,â he whispered to Vanessa.
âRight.â Vanessa shook her head. âReminds me of myself at that age.â
âI imagine you were cute at that age.â
âI was a real pill,â she replied. âAll gangly legs and messy hair. And braces.â
âI wore braces,â he said. When he spotted Miss Fanny, he nudged Vanessa toward where the older woman sat holding court. âI want you to meet someone.â
Miss Fanny looked up at Rory with a wide smile, and then her gaze moved to Vanessa, her hands going to her mouth.
âMiss Fanny, this is Vanessa. Your neighbor.â
âHello,â Vanessa said, her eyes moving from the woman in the chair to Rory, a questioning look in her eyes. âItâs nice to meet you.â
âYou look like your mama,â Miss Fanny said. âShe was a pretty woman.â
âYou knew my mother?â Vanessa asked, her words caught on a breath of surprise. She sent Rory another glance, this one with a tad of accusation coloring it. He didnât remind her that heâd mentioned this to her.
âI sure did,â Miss Fanny said before Vanessa could argue the point. âWe were good friends back in the day. Artists, you know. Sensitive and so sure we could save the world with words and colors. I live right next to your house. I wish I could talk to her over the fence one more time.â
Vanessaâs eyes went misty. âMe, too.â Then she gave Rory an expression full of pain. âItâs good to see you. I...I think I need to find the ladiesâ room.â
âDown the hallway,â Miss Fanny said, pointing. After Vanessa hurried away, she lifted her eyes to Rory. âI didnât mean to upset her.â
âSheâs still grieving,â Rory explained. âIn more ways than one.â
âGrief never really goes away,â Miss Fanny said, eyeing the hallway. âI could go and check on her.â
âI think sheâd rather be alone right now,â Rory said. âIâll send someone in if sheâs not out soon.â He checked his watch. âI need to bless the food so we can get started.â
But he took one more glance toward the ladiesâ room. Would Vanessa come out, or would she sneak out the back door and go home?
* * *
She should go home.
Vanessa blew her nose and stared at herself in the mirror, her gaze moving over the fresh flowers on the vanity and the picture of a mother and child walking along the lake centered on the wall over an inviting wooden bench. When she heard someone coming in, she threw the tissue in the trash and pushed at her hair.
Kandi stood behind her with big eyes wide with questions. âSo...your mother died?â
Vanessa put on a brave face. âYes. Sheâd been sick for a while.â
âMy mom died in a bad wreck. Her birthday is Friday.â
Vanessa turned to face the girl and noticed her vivid green eyes. âIâm so sorry to hear that.â
âI was young,â Kandi said. She shrugged and leaned over the counter, her black polished nails raking through the tufts of spiky hair around her face. âI donât really remember much about her.â
Right. A ten-year-old would remember a lot of things.
Vanessa figured Kandi remembered way more than she needed to. âDo you have pictures of her? Things that might help you remember?â
Another shrug and then a swipe at dark red lips. âI have two pictures.