'Seems highly likely.'
The French doors were open, and they could hear music coming from Audrey's room. She'd insisted upon staying for the next two weeks so she could keep an eye out and help with the cooking and cleaning. Elise didn't think it was necessary to mention that she didn't cook and rarely cleaned. It was just nice having Audrey there.
While they waited downstairs for Audrey, David put on his running shoes and toured the front of the house, hands in his pockets, pausing in the foyer to admire the horrendous seventies wallpaper. It was shiny, with streaks of silver and pink.
The music above them stopped. A moment later, Audrey came bouncing down the stairs. 'These are the coolest glasses.'
She was wearing the blue conjurer shades Strata Luna had given Elise.
'I can get a steamer and help you strip this paper,' David said. 'There's also a product called Strip-Ease that works like a charm.'
Audrey adjusted the blue-lensed glasses.
They looked cute. Very retro.
'I can help too,' Audrey said. 'And paint. I love to paint.' She touched the flower in Elise's hair. 'Nice.'
Elise had finally told her everything about Jackson Sweet and Loralie. She'd taken it well. In fact, she'd been fascinated and intrigued. But Elise was holding back telling her that Marie Luna was Elise's half sister. Audrey was young and had enough to absorb right now.
'I'm thinking maybe a traditional color,' David said, still contemplating the wall. 'Say, taupe?'
Mother and daughter gave him a look of horror.
He shrugged, unconcerned. 'Just an idea.'
'Moss green,' from Elise.
'Purple,' from Audrey.
'Where are we going?' David asked. 'I forgot.'
'For a walk,' mother and daughter answered in unison.
Outside, Elise waved to her neighbor, Mrs. Bell, who was sitting on the porch.
The temperature was seventy-two degrees Fahrenheit, with high humidity that wrapped around them like a blanket. The tabby shell sidewalk was wide, allowing them to walk three abreast.
Two years earlier, Elise had taken Mrs. Bell in for cataract surgery. Afterward, when the older woman stepped outside, she kept saying, 'Oh, the colors! The colors!' as if she'd never seen the world before.
Elise felt like that.
The grass was so vivid; the magnolia leaves were such a deep, dark green. The sky, with the setting sun, was so many beautiful shades of pink and orange. And the smells!
The odor of the pulp mill seemed to have taken a detour around the Historic District, leaving room for a true appreciation of the azaleas and grapelike clusters of crape myrtle, and the fragrant honeysuckle.
A few blocks into their stroll, they passed a group of girls jumping rope, the slap of shoes against cement pounding out a rhythm.
Elise and Audrey paused to wait for David as he picked another magnolia blossom-this one for Audrey's hair. While they stood under the fragrant branches, a chant came drifting in their direction:
A nod to the grim reaper Kiss on shrouded bed Faint whisper through marble lips Only playing dead.
