and Louise appeared a few minutes later, and soon the four of us were seated around my garden table with cups, sandwiches, and absolutely nothing interesting happening.
Louise pointed toward the fence.
Across the fence, Audrey moved briskly between the house and porch, carrying flowers, wiping down the railings, and adjusting decorations for what had to be the tenth time.
I checked the maple tree. Empty.
Then Louise pointed toward the fence.
“Helen.”
Birds dropped into the garden.
A sparrow landed beneath the feeder. Then another.
Within minutes, the branches above us were twitching with movement. Birds dropped into the garden, pecking at the seed scattered near the boundary before fluttering back toward the trees.
Carol pressed a hand over her mouth.
“Oh, this is terrible.”
Carol pressed a hand over her mouth.
She was smiling when she said it.
The first white railing took a hit. Then another.
Margaret
