44. CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
On the other side of the glass, the world was painted in oranges, yellows, and reds.
The air had chilled to a pleasant crispness that enlivened Effie’s spirit and reminded her of going back to school.
On her side of the glass, the solarium did its job keeping the heat and humidity in for the myriad of plants she’d brought in so far.
Theo had built the structure for her, its entrance off the back side of the carriage house.
The sunlight poured through the windowed roof and had the waxy leaves of the monstera reaching for more.
Effie brushed her fingers along the spiky crown of a yucca and through the unfurling buds of the lemon tree she’d potted in the corner.
She looked up in time to see Issa swoop through the air from the window on the second story.
Theo had managed to create a shed roof for the solarium that met up with the back window of their apartment, so Issa could fly between the two when it was left open.
Effie sighed contentedly as Issa perched on her shoulder.
Theo’s voice rang out from the doorway to the carriage house, “You coming?”
Effie smoothed a finger over Issa’s head. “I’ll see you later?” As if in response she flew to her new perch amongst the fronds of young palms with a squawk that sounded an awful lot like joy.
Effie joined Theo at the door. His arm found its home around her shoulders and she reached up to lace her fingers with his. They walked the twenty paces to the front door and continued into the chatter that emanated from the kitchen.
Though it might have made more sense to move their family breakfasts to the dining room, they opted to get a bigger table for the breakfast nook instead.
Everyone was already in their seats, Hope with the baby nestled in the crook of her arm rocking the infant as though she’d been doing it her whole life.
Brayden chatted with Dorothea who sat beside him telling a tale with her hands.
Hazel demanded croissants that were not on the menu given that it wasn’t Effie’s turn to cook while Lilah and Vivienne whispered secrets to each other next to their mother.
Pamela brushed behind Effie, placing a hand on her daughter’s back, and kissed her lightly on the cheek.
“Morning, love.” She continued on for coffee as Effie and Theo rounded the table.
He pulled out her chair for her and took his seat beside her. His eyes widened at the food before him. “Louisa’s omelets?” he said excitedly.
Effie’s sister beamed at the inherent compliment as she placed more on the table. “That one has turkey sausage and spinach for you,” she chimed.
Theo brought his hands together like a prayer and bowed in gratitude .
Effie caught Grams’s eye, a twinkle of warmth behind the wrinkles. She smiled back, wondering if Grams’s heart was as full as her own.
This was the good stuff. The stuff that had made her.
Effie looked past the table and the piles of food to the cross on the wall and the two portraits hung beside it.
One of a man in greyscale by which all others were measured. The other in bright watercolors of a woman who’d loved her family more than anything.
Together, they represented the forces that made Effie’s world go round, that showed her what it meant to feel safe, loved, and hopeful about her life.
The other force that made her world spin sat beside her. A man who had her heart, who kept her safe, and made her feel womanly and adored. He was hers, equal and opposite.
She knew now what Theo meant when his gut had said yes to her. It was a certainty she couldn’t shake like the Thatcher women flocking together, she and Theo were meant to be. She knew it like she knew the sky was blue.
Theo’s brow twisted in curiosity at Effie’s stare. “What?”
“I love you, Theo,” she said.
“I love you too.”
With that, Effie settled into a lifetime full of love, sweet lemonade, and salted caramel truffles.