9. Jess
Later that day, Jess fussed with her dress in the mirror as she got ready for dinner at the McKinnon’s.
She and Glory had spent the day scrubbing the kitchen and trying to get the refrigerator into decent shape. They had stopped only for a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich at midday and then kept going until they were out of gas.
Their efforts had not been in vain. The kitchen was obviously still worn and dated, but it was clean and usable again. Tomorrow morning, Jess was planning to break it in with pancakes to surprise Glory.
The teen had been incredibly helpful, her cheerful energy making Jess feel hopeful and upbeat in spite of the onerous task they’d been up against. When Jess turned on the old radio and beach tunes came out, Glory had started an impromptu dance party and drawn her mother into it.
In the years since Glory had started running with the popular crowd at school, Jess had felt her slowly pulling away. It meant the world to feel closer with her again.
Once they were done with the day’s cleaning, they had each showered in the modern downstairs suite. Glory had dressed right away and told Jess she was going to be out on the porch brainstorming paint colors. She looked lovely in her flowing white cotton dress, as if she had been born ready to have dinner with family friends on Driftwood Key.
Jess, on the other hand, was realizing that her entire wardrobe was designed around either volunteering at the school and library in cold weather, or attending fundraisers.
The cute sleeveless dress she was wearing now was a dark plum color, and she worried that she looked more like she was going out for dinner in the evening than having a casual supper at home with friends.
“It’ll have to do,” she told herself, adding a pair of whimsical beaded earrings to soften the look.
“You look awesome, Mom,” Glory yelled to her as she headed outside.
“Thank you,” Jess replied. “And you look just beautiful. I know everyone will be so excited to meet you.”
They had chatted about the McKinnons throughout the day while they were cleaning. Glory seemed to remember some of the stories Jess had told about the various family members up over the years, but hadn’t realized they were all part of her foster family.
“Do you think she made a strawberry shortcake?” Glory wondered as they got into the car.
Jess had told her about some of the McKinnon family traditions, including Mary’s famous homemade strawberry shortcake from the strawberry plants she babied into growing in the back garden.
“Well, Mary is older now,” Jess said. “She might not tend her strawberry patch or bake as often as she used to.”
“Too bad we didn’t bake something for her,” Glory said.
“Well, they told us just to bring ourselves,” Jess said. “And our kitchen wasn’t up to baking until a few minutes ago. But I was thinking we could stop at the florist shop on the way and get some nice flowers, so we aren’t arriving empty-handed.”
“Good idea,” Glory said.
They arrived in town a few minutes later and parked outside the sweet little flower shop that was kitty-corner from the grocery store. The store was situated inside a two-story wooden house, with flowering vines crawling up to the second-floor porch and wrapping around the columns.
“It’s so cute,” Glory enthused. “Like something out of a fairy tale.”
“I know,” Jess said. “Liberty said the same thing when we came here to buy the flowers for her wedding. The owner is great. Her name is Joanie.”
They headed inside, sending the bell over the door jingling. Just as Jess remembered, the interior of the shop smelled incredible. Dramatic arrangements of tropical flowers covered the huge island in the center of the space, and a ceiling fan spun lazily above it all, spreading the warm air and sweet scent.
“Hello there,” a familiar woman’s voice called out from the counter. “Thanks for stopping by. How can I help you?”
Jess moved past the built-in shelves and accent tables displaying candles, hand-painted cards, gift items, and cute succulents in pots that had Let it All Hang Out or Driftwood Key painted on them.
“Well, my goodness,” the lady said when Jess made it back to the counter. “It’s lovely to see you again. Jess Steele, isn’t that right?”
“Goodness, you have a wonderful memory, Joanie,” Jess said, truly impressed. “I remember you because of all the help you gave us in a pinch. But I never expected you to remember me.”
“Well, when you came in here looking to deck out a wedding in less than a week, I was surprised,” Joanie said, pushing her glasses up her nose. “But you really knew your stuff. And that was a real stunner.”
“I love flowers and gardens,” Jess said, shrugging.
“You have a greenhouse back home, right?” Joanie asked.
Jess bit back the instinct to say not for much longer and instead just smiled.
“My daughter Glory and I will be spending the summer right here in Driftwood Key,” she told her. “We’re headed to the McKinnons for supper right now, and thought we’d stop for a pretty arrangement.”
“Mary McKinnon,” Joanie said softly. “That woman is a saint. Drove my son to basketball practice every day for months when I broke my leg all those years ago. I didn’t even ask for help. She just showed up.”
“She was my foster mom for a year,” Jess shared. “I’ll never forget the time I had with her. It made all the difference after my mom passed.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry to hear about your mom,” Joanie said with a sympathetic smile. “But I can’t think of a better person to care for a grieving child than Mary McKinnon.”
Jess nodded, feeling unexpected tears prickle her eyes. She hadn’t cried over her mom in forever. Glory grabbed her hand, like she had read her mother’s mind.
“So, what kind of flowers do you think Mary would like?” Glory asked.
“Well, everyone loves our big tropical pieces, but I have something special I think Mary would adore,” Joanie said, coming out from behind the counter and leading them to the back corner of the place.
She pointed to a small arrangement on a table. It had a large piece of mossy bark as its base. On the moss, a few tiny, pale purple orchids were growing. It was delicate, almost magical, and absolutely just right.
“This has a natural look to it,” Joanie said. “It’s beautiful, yet it feels like if you were very lucky you could happen upon it outside.”
“She’ll love it,” Jess decided. “What do you think, Glory?”
“It’s perfect,” Glory said. “Like some kind of fairy garden. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Thank you,” Joanie said with a big smile.
They headed back to the register and Jess looked at the little bulletin board while she waited for Joanie to ring her up.
There was a sign-up for flower arrangement classes and a photocopied page with cute pictures from a lady who was finding homes for kittens.
There was also a Help Wanted sign.
“You’re looking for help with the shop?” she asked Joanie.
“I sure am,” Joanie said. “I love this place, but I’m not getting any younger. It’d be nice to have a few days off each week.”
“I was thinking about looking for a job once we got settled,” Jess said nervously. “Though I haven’t worked outside the home since I was in my twenties.”
“Mom has an associate’s degree, and she volunteers at the library and practically runs the home and school association fundraisers,” Glory said quickly. “She’s great with people and she loves plants and flowers.”
Jess turned to her in surprise, and Glory winked.
“Sounds like a pretty good resumé to me,” Joanie said. “I’d be glad to interview you, though I know you’re running off now.”
“I’m free anytime other than tonight,” Jess said.
“Why don’t you swing by tomorrow after nine?” Joanie suggested. “We’ll have a nice chat and see if it feels like a good fit.”
“Thank you,” Jess said, almost unable to believe what was happening. “That would be great.”
They headed back to the car, Glory gently cradling their purchase in her arms.
“Wow, Glory,” Jess said, stopping before she got in. “You were amazing. How did you think of all those things to say about me on the spot like that?”
“You’ve always been a fierce girl boss,” Glory said, shrugging. “You just never got paid for it.”
“I’m glad you think of me that way,” Jess said, a little delighted at the idea of herself as a fierce girl boss.
“Of course I do,” Glory said. “You were also the best reader of all the moms that visited kindergarten, but I knew she wouldn’t care about that.”
“I just picked the best books,” Jess said, smiling at the sweet memories of all those happy little faces when she read silly books to them. “You made sure of it.”
“Guess I’m a fierce girl boss, too,” Glory said, grinning.
They got in the car and Jess took a deep breath before pulling out of the spot.
“Are you excited?” Glory asked. “Nervous?”
“It’s been a long time,” Jess said. “But I’m really excited.”
They drove on in peaceful silence as the close-set houses of the town gave way again to larger homes. After a few more minutes, Jess turned up into the McKinnon’s deep driveway.
Memories washed over her like the tide rolling in.
There was a big garden between the house and the drive—the same garden where she and the others had helped Mary weed and harvest flowers and vegetables. And Jess was pretty sure she saw some strawberry leaves peeking out.
A tire swing still hung from the old gumbo limbo tree by the backdoor. In her mind’s eye, Jess could still see little Anna laughing her head off while Jess pushed her.
“It’s all the same,” she murmured.
“Like the first time you saw it,” Glory said quietly.
But Jess didn’t want to think of that sad day. She preferred to remember the happier days that followed, and coming in the backdoor after school.
She parked, and they got out.
“This way,” she told Glory, who had been heading for the front door.
“You want to go in the back?” Glory asked.
“Always,” Jess said, nodding.