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“But, it’s not e in ht…” Sabina started then faltered

Eunice picked it up froot –”

“Just open it!” Daphne exclai on her toes in excite what the package would hold, hoping it wasn’t poison

I opened it and as the wrapping fell away I saw I held an exquisitely carved, purple glass bottle in my hand

“Your scent,” Perdita stated and my body jolted as my head snapped up

“We asked Josephina, the perfu just for you,” Pauline put in

“No gardenia” Winnie smiled

I blinked at theht to my nose and sniffed

The bottle wasn’t exquisite The scent was Subtle and fresh, almost beachy but with a flowery essence

It was sublime

So sublime, no poison could smell like that

I looked around the faces

Did they… could it be? Did they like enuinely?

“Do you all… like ot confused looks

“But… of course!” Sabina cried

“You’re sweet,” Daphne said

“And funny,” Eunice added

“And you saved a wild bird,” Pauline put in

“You aze locked on hers “Blissfully so,” she finished

My heart leaped

“Do you think?” I whispered

“Your grace, I’ and let me tell you, if he wasn’t blissful before, which he was,” Winnie put in then grinned cheekily “When he tastes that, he will be!”

Holy crap! They liked hed

Yes! They liked o You don’t have long before the fireworks start”

“Oh God!” I cried, set the bottle down and mumbled, “I’ll come back for that”

“We’ll take it to your roo it to ht her ot soft, then she cried, “Just go!”

Perdita slid a thin stick between ers under the cake and said, “The candles are lit in your rooht your cake candles so you won’t get any wax on your beautiful icing”

I stared gratefully into her eyes and gavemoment to do it

Then I whispered, “Thank you,” and she smiled and that smile lit her whole face