Chapter 68 Deli
Deli
“Where’s your mum, kiddos?”
Penny pointed down the hallway at the same time Kieran squeaked, “She’s soooo beautiful, Auntie Deli!”
Auntie Deli. Her heart felt like a thing with wings.
Blair was sitting in a cushy armchair, removing the last large curler from her hair. She found Deli in the mirror and grinned.
“Dude. Andrew might pass out up there when he sees you.”
Blair laughed. “That would be a little bit funny. The tartan’s on the bed.”
Deli grabbed the folded swath of Andrew’s clan tartan she was going to weave into the archway. “Where is the blushing groom?”
“He’s off with Will.” Blair met her eyes in the mirror, a bit sheepishly. “Have you gotten to meet him yet?”
“Oh, have I ever.” An insta-blush flushed her chest at the memory of William staring down at her sans clothing on the floor of his family’s pub. She tested the strength of the women-talking-with-their-eyes thing.
Blair made an eek face. “It wasn’t mine to say.”
Deli sighed. “I know.”
“He drives Lachlan crazy.”
The longer she’d been in Fearnhall, the stronger Deli’s intuition had grown with the cottage garden’s potential poetry. It was almost like the flowers whispered to her, and each time she cross-checked with the book from Aunt Mo, she had already known.
When Lachlan told her he was gathering ash wood, it had nearly knocked her down.
With me you are safe.
She hoped Blair didn’t see the slip in her smile. “Yeah, that became clear.”
“Will’s always been such a wee brother. But he’s harmless. He’s actually a lot of good fun if you get the chance to pal around. You might think he’s a hoot. Just don’t let Lachlan see.”
Deli’s heart gave little skip. “Why not?”
Blair rolled her eyes. “I imagine he’d be quite jealous.”
“Um, there’s a lady at the door,” Kieran announced from the hallway.
Deli blanched. She’d begged her mother to wait in the car.
“Who?” Blair asked.
“It’s Lolo,” Kieran stated.
Deli felt like roots grew through her feet.
“Who?” Blair asked again.
“My mother.”
“Huh?” Blair’s voice trailed after her as Deli booked it down the hall.
Lorraine ran her finger through a thin coating of flour on the countertop. “There you are, Delilah.”
“Mom, you promised you’d wait in the car.”
Blair came into the kitchen with her warmth swirling around her feet like morning mist.
“Hiya! Are you Deli’s mum? I’m Blair.” She held out her hand.
“Laurie,” she replied with a sugary smile. “Are you the bride to be?”
Penny leaned against the doorway and gave Lorraine a judgmental look. “Did you actually just walk into our house, or are you taking the piss?”
Deli loved Penny the watchdog.
“Young lady, that’s well enough. Off with you.
” Blair shook her head as Penny went down the hall, but she was chuckling under her breath.
“Sorry about her. Born fiery, that one. I do hope she never loses it, but it can make for awkward hellos.” Blair didn’t realize Lorraine wasn’t laughing.
“Mo didn’t tell me she and Deli had family in town! ”
“Yes.” Deli’s mother looked like she had smelled something foul. “Deli’s grandmother is here, too. We didn’t realize there was a wedding this weekend. Though we did pack something formal—just in case.”
“Oh, you have to come!” Blair clapped her hands together. “Please!”
“If you insist.”
Deli snatched the keys from her mother’s hand. “Let’s go.”
“So dramatic.” Lorraine laughed, looking to Blair to join in. It was Blair’s turn not to.
A small voice said, “Bye, Lolo.”
Lorraine stared at the child in the hallway with saucer eyes. “What did you say?”
Kieran walked over and handed Deli’s mother half of a peeled clementine. Her face drained of color.
“Bye, Lolo!” they repeated as Lorraine retreated to the car.
Her mother rode quietly, cradling the orange in her hand.
“My dad used to split a clementine like this for me and Maureen to share.”
Deli shuddered at the memory of Kieran calling her Delilah—asking questions on behalf of an imaginary friend named Cal.
“Huh.”
“Yeah,” her mom said as she turned the citrus over and over. “Huh.”