21. Jillian
TWENTY-ONE
Jillian
The bell above the shop door chimes, and I look up to see a familiar face. Sabrina grins as she walks over, followed closely by a woman I don’t recognize and a little girl with dark hair.
“Sabrina!” I smile, genuinely pleased to see her. “This is a surprise!”
Jamie, sitting on a beanbag behind the counter with his handheld game, perks up when he hears me.
“Hi! I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by.” Sabrina gestures to the tall woman beside her and the little girl clinging to her hand. “I brought my sister Elsa and my niece, Maddie.” She leans closer like she’s about to tell me a secret. “The truth is she made me do it. She wanted to meet you.”
Elsa smacks Sabrina on the arm. “You were not supposed to say that.”
The little girl giggles at them.
I walk around the counter, extending my hand to Elsa. “It’s great to meet you.” She’s tall and now that I know who she is, it’s easy to see the similarities between her and her brother. “And this is Jamie.”
He comes to stand next to me with his little hand out to Elsa, who grins at him.
Sabrina high-fives Jamie. “So good to see you again.”
He smiles at her and looks at Maddie with curiosity.
“And you must be Maddie.” I bend at the waist to talk to her. “I’ve heard lots about you. Your uncle Elliott is crazy about you.”
She grins. “You have so many pretty flowers!” Not even the missing front tooth can take away from her beauty.
“Thank you, Maddie. Why don’t you pick out some flowers to take home with you? My treat.”
Maddie’s eyes light up, and she turns to her mom. “Can I?”
Elsa chuckles, giving her a nod. “Go ahead, sweetheart. Pick your favorite. Just one.”
I squeeze my son’s shoulder. “Jamie, do you want to show Maddie the flowers?”
He hesitates for a moment and then walks up to her. The two of them wander through the displays, Jamie quietly pointing at different flowers.
Sabrina lunges herself at me with open arms. “Hugs!”
I barely have time to brace myself as she holds me tight and sways me from side to side like a lifelong friend who hasn’t seen me for a while.
Elsa tugs at her sister’s arm. “Oh my goodness, Sabrina, let the woman breathe.” Elsa laughs at her sister. “Sorry, she’s like an untrained puppy.”
Their banter is good-natured and it’s easy to see this is their MO. Elsa as the big sister being the composed, more reserved one, and Sabrina trying to be the brat of the family.
Elsa shakes her head at her sister before turning to me. “So you’re the famous Jillian. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
A blush creeps up my neck and into my face. “Famous? I don’t know about that.”
Sabrina’s grin widens and she waggles her eyebrows.
I laugh. “So you came here to check me out.”
“Oh, of course not.” Sabrina’s voice is pure innocence, but her eyes sparkle with mischief. “Total coincidence. Elsa absolutely didn’t come to the bakery and drag me here so she could see for herself who’s keeping Elliott so busy.”
I cross my arms with a grin of my own. “I see. You both just happen to need flowers today?”
“Absolutely.” Elsa nods with an exaggeratedly serious expression. “Flowers. Yes. That’s what we came here for.”
A laugh bubbles out of me, and I shake my head, loving that they included me in their banter. “So flowers with a side of sisterly investigation? I have the perfect arrangement for that.”
They both laugh, unashamed.
Sabrina shrugs. “Maybe a little snooping.”
“Fine, I’ll allow it.” I laugh along with them. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this kind of easy, playful banter with other women. Probably since college. I’ve never had a big circle of friends, and without siblings, I’ve never experienced their kind of closeness. Sheila is the closest thing I have to a sister. “Investigate all you want—I mean, what kind of flowers are you looking for?”
“Is there a flower for gossip?” Sabrina asks .
“Actually, yes. The cup and saucer vine, but I don’t have any of it.”
“You’re joking,” Elsa says.
“No, not at all. It’s a vine with beautiful purple flowers that look like a cup. They spread like crazy, hence the association with gossip. It needs hot weather, so not ideal for New York.”
Maddie comes back holding a sunflower nearly as tall as her. “Jamie picked this one for me.”
I smile at them. “Excellent choice. If you take good care of it, it will last two weeks.”
It’s then I notice Angela slinking closer, taking extra time to finish the arrangement she’s been working on. I raise an eyebrow at her and she takes the vase she’s been working on into the refrigerator case.
I turn to the sisters. “All right. Go for it. What do you want to know?”
Sabrina opens her mouth and Elsa stops her. “No. We’re not here to interrogate Jillian.” She turns back to me. “We wanted to stop by and say hello. I know you’re busy, so we won’t take more of your time.”
“It’s fine, really.”
Sabrina nudges her sister, then turns back to me with a grin. “We came here to ask if you might like to join us for a little girls’ night sometime. Dinner, drinks, maybe some shopping if you’re up for it.”
The invitation catches me off guard in the best way possible. I haven’t done anything like that in a long time, but the thought of it—of being part of their circle and having fun with a group of friends is a much-needed escape. “I’d love that. Is it okay if I bring my friend Sheila along?” I don’t want to leave her out.
“Of course. The more, the merrier,” Elsa says.
Sabrina winks. “Good. I want to pick your brain about edible flowers. I’ll text you about it tonight. And make sure you’re ready for some sisterly bonding when we go out.”
I’m filled with lightness. For a moment, surrounded by Elliott’s sisters, his niece, and Jamie, I catch a glimpse of what it might be like to have a big, loving family. To be part of something bigger than my little corner of the world.
I walk them to the door, Jamie at my side.
They both hug me as they say goodbye. “I’ll text you soon. And, by the way, Jillian,” Sabrina adds, her tone a little softer, “I’m really glad Elliott met you.”
The sincerity in her voice tugs at something deep inside me, and I find myself smiling. “Thank you, Sabrina. I am too.”