Page 72 of Tides and Tidings

“You can never be serious.” My mom rolled her eyes. “I’ve always told you honesty is the best policy.”

“That was my second guess,” I joked.

She smacked my arm. “You’re just afraid that—” Blythe was almost in earshot so she stopped talking. “All I will say is do it soon.”

“Daddy!” Wren slid down from Blythe’s arms and leaped into mine.

“My Little Bird!”

Being home and with Wren again made me feel like everything was right in the world. I was exactly where I needed to be.

Wren and I chatted softly while Blythe recapped my parents on the weekend.

“It was nice. The plan changed slightly, but I think it was for the better.” I heard Blythe say. My parents turned their attention towards me.

“We’re happy you both had a good time,” Ron smoothed over. “Wren was an angel as usual.”

I stood up and placed Wren down on the steps. “Birdie has a surprise for you.”

Her blue eyes widened as she looked from me to Blythe and then back again. “What is it?”

Blythe dropped her purse on one of the white rocking chairs on our porch and motioned for Wren to follow her. “Come with me!” she turned towards me. “I’m going to need your dad’s help getting it out of the truck.”

“It’s that big?” Our six-year-old sprinted to the truck. “Where is it?” She yelled over to us.

“In the bed. I have to get it for you.” I stood next to her and Blythe. “I need you to turn around and close your eyes. Can you do that?”

She nodded furiously. Wren turned around and Blythe covered her eyes as an extra measure.

I lowered the Jeep on the ground and placed the big purple bow on it.

“Little Bird, are you ready to see your present?”

“I was born ready!” The kid picked that up from a movie we watched last week and hasn’t stopped saying it.

“Open your eyes in 3…2…”

Blythe

“One.” Charlie and I said in unison and Wren turned around.

Never once have I ever seen her freeze like this. Her eyes were wide and her mouth hung open.

Did she love it?

Did she hate it?

I knelt next to her, pulling her towards me. “Are you okay, Wrenny?”

She inhaled sharply and buried her face in my shoulder. I wrapped my arms around her and patted her back. The sweet girl was sobbing into my shoulder. I stood up and attempted to hand her over to Charlie. This seemed like a situation her dad should handle. Wren gripped my neck.

“I want you.” She said through sobs.

I rubbed her back in a poor attempt to soothe her. My eyes met Charlie’s.

“What’s wrong?” I mouthed to him, hoping he could read my lips.

“I don’t know.” He mouthed back.