Page 60 of Lemon Pound Cake Club

"They'll be occupied for a while."

"Looks that way."

She reached into her purse. I watched as she quietly took out an old photograph.

The edges were worn and the colors had faded. She handed it to me, and I frowned.

"What is this?"

"You'll know."

I hesitated, then took it. As soon as my fingers touched the photograph, all the sounds around me faded away.

I stared at the image. My breath caught.

"How?"

The word slipped out quietly. I kept looking at the picture before finally glancing up at Miss Evelyn.

"How did you get this?"

She smiled, but it was sad, not triumphant.

"I've been waiting a long time to give it back."

My heartbeat quickened.

"You knew?"

She didn’t say anything, and that told me everything. I spoke more quietly.

"Since the day I moved here?"

Her expression grew gentle.

"I recognized you the moment you stepped out of that moving truck."

I felt a lump in my throat.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because you didn't."

I looked down at the photograph again.

"So why give it to me now?"

She glanced toward Camille’s yard and then looked at me again.

"Some journeys can't be interrupted.”

I was about to ask something else when Simone called out from across the yard.

"Miss Evelyn!"

She looked over her shoulder.

"I'm coming."