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“It’d never been this bad before,” Margot said “Come look at this”

Katie and Savannah headed around the tree and through the kudzu to the greenhouse and back wall Now that Savannah was closer she saw that Margot was actually very upset Her fine elegant hands were shaking

“Look,” Margot whispered, pointing to the greenhouse

Every pane of glass had been shattered and all of Margot’s orchids were destroyed The unearthed roots like veins, strewn across tabletops and the floor Dirt like blood, everywhere

“Oh, randmother Occasionally the woman went to New Orleans and played poker, or took a cruise with an “adas back here buried in pots because she didn’t trust banks She’d done it for years before Savannah found out and ain?”

“No” Margot pulled a face “I lost on this last one, I told you that”

“Then ould anyone do this?”

“Because it was here I don’t know” She looked around the wreckage, her face drawn “I understand you hate the idea But I think it’s time”

“No” God, no Anything but what Margot was suggesting “Margot, we can do so up, picking up shattered pottery, knowing she was too late—the courtyard was out of control The boldest of the high school students were drinking back here, and Katie was al cuts and bruises from the roses and broken cobblestones

These plants, the trees, the bushes—nothing had been touched in years Nearly twenty She knew so should be done, but it was hers The idea of soer back here, was unthinkable

Because if they were in her courtyard then they’d be in her hoood ever came of that—pain was an excellent teacher

“I’ll clean it up,” Savannah said, feeling a bubble of frantic energy rising in her throat “I start vacation on Tuesday I can work on it then”

“I’ll help,” Katie chi next to her to help and Savannah winked at her, grateful

“Honey,” Margot said, shaking her head “We both know you’re taking the time off to work on that research for the Discovery Channel There aren’t enough hours in the day”