Page 68 of Hot Tea & Bird Calls (Kissing At Work #2)

Genetically, half of Celene’s DNA came from her mother.

Yet, to Skye, it made little sense to apply that to the whole of a human, especially years past their birth.

Every person carried about—Skye smiled at a moth hiking up the chain-link of the porch swing—thirty percent of their parents, combined.

The rest consisted of life experiences, exchanges with the world, and their environment.

Thus, while it’d be easy to wholly attribute Celene’s demeanor to a parent, Edna represented an incomplete piece.

Like when Skye organized mosaic chips—two tiles may share swirls of the same color, but ultimately, they’d be perceived separately, individually.

Their own unique inspiration to artists and admirers.

Skye’s heels scraped the white wooden panels of the porch.

Two scooters propped on either side of the steps, and crayon drawings on a post; the Vales probably hadn’t gotten a chance to wash it off.

This house differed from Cosmo and Soraya’s two-story just outside Detroit, yet it exuded the same nostalgic atmosphere of never-ending activity.

She’d made a mistake taking the opposite end of the swing with Edna. A person or two could fit between them, and it still felt too intimate. Like they shouldn’t have been breathing the same oxygen.

Skye noted Edna’s hands tightening on a mug dotted with mini pineapples. An empty mug. They’d been sitting out there for that long once their general chat about dinner trailed off.

Maybe Skye zoned out at a point, failing some sort of test to keep the conversation alive.

“Um, so,” Skye murmured, voice two notches above a whisper. “It’s nice to meet the family. Everyone’s been great.”

Edna nodded—more to her knees than at Skye before turning toward her. “I meant no harm earlier. If I’d been prying.”

Skye accepted this with a smile. Pressing hair behind her ear, she said, “I expected more of a grilling, considering how Celene’s engagement ended.”

“I want to grill you. I do.” The wryness on Edna’s face didn’t mirror Celene’s; this one had softer edges and a dose of self-deprecation.

“Many parents raise their children to be autonomous. And Celene reflected that early on. Personally, I loved her coming into her own so soon, but it made raising her a little too easy. Do you understand?”

Not a mother herself, Skye shrugged out an honest, “Not really.”

That received Edna’s modest grin. “Elise would beg me to sign her up for every school musical, every camp, every improv class. Her teachers would call with warnings about excessive talking. I caught her skipping school with some random boy at least three times. And Celene...kept to her studies. Of course, she had her teenage angst, but she was exceptionally well-adjusted.”

“Oh.” Skye sipped at the rest of her cold coffee, fighting a frown. “One sister overshadowed the other.”

“Regarding time management and needing supervision, yes.” Edna’s fingers constricted on the mug, and Skye assumed she did that out of nervousness.

“I’m proud of Celene’s independence; it’s what mothers pray for every night.

What if I had no career or identity to fall back on after my divorce? I get nauseous at the thought.”

The moth fluttered to the arm of the porch swing. Habit told Skye to hold her finger out for it; rather, she remained on course. “I think I understand. My household was a mix of closeness and me journeying off on my own.”

“I read up on your family. The Florentines attract a lot of tourists to Yielding.”

“That’s us,” Skye murmured, gulping coffee and a lump of embarrassment.

“Sitting out here, I’d been trying to come up with a good way to put it.

” Edna glimpsed at a truck trailing down the quiet street, beamed by yellow streetlights.

Her dark eyes returned to Skye’s. “I won’t say I’m not traumatized from how Quinn deserted my daughter.

Celene had been self-sufficient in her youth, so she’s even harder to help as an adult.

How do you tend to a child’s broken heart if they have all the tools at their disposal?

” Meaning that to be rhetorical, her voice got smoother, more professorial.

“Celene may not believe me, but I respect her romantic choices. What keeps me up at night is her finding someone who treats her like I did at times, as her mother. Someone who coasts on Celene’s competence. ”

Skye lifted her legs, causing the swing to sway.

Anything to add some motion, as she’d gotten antsy.

“I can see how her exes would take advantage. Weeks ago, I pictured love like a beautiful stranger showing up and everything’s effortlessly bright, no complications.

” She bit her lip, now charmed by memories of their curt exchanges that keyless night.

“Doing things for Celene makes me happy. I won’t tap her dry. ”

Edna squinted. Shrewd, but the smile seemed real. “Time will tell.”

“I can see how Celene interprets your worry as...” She flattened her feet on the porch to stop the swaying. “Belittling.”

“Agreed.”

If Skye comprehended correctly, Edna didn’t want somebody to baby Celene. Nor tread too carefully about the typical give and take of relationships. So, spoke as boldly as she could, saying, “You want someone in Celene’s corner, since you can’t be, for those times she’s not her strongest.”

Edna imitated a clap against the mug. “That’s what everyone deserves. However, Celene deserves it most because she’s my child.”

Saved by the wail, Theo’s long howl sounded from inside the house. Time to meet with Celene, in case chatting with her father went wayward. Skye rose from her perch, straightening her clothes. She smiled down at Edna, saying, “I’ll be around to prove myself.”

Another one of Theo’s cries came out, louder than the first.

“It’s past that little one’s bedtime.” Edna eyed her thin gold watch in a very Celene-like way. “Oof, and mine, too.”

Skye knew not to offer a hand; Celene’s mother carried herself with the countenance of someone who preferred to get up by herself. “This was nice.” She gestured to the night sky, the yard sprinkled with toys. “Being outside puts me at ease.”

“Well, then I’m glad you joined me.”

Edna stood to Skye’s height. Naturally, she shared some features with Celene, though those Vale genes were nothing to reckon with.

Lines formed around her smile as she pulled Skye into a hug.

Near Skye’s ear, she said, “I like your grandmother’s mosaics, especially her landscapes.

Maybe I’ll take an overdue trip to Yielding. ”

Laughing, Skye hugged her back. “Please do. I’ll give you the family discount.”