“Well,” Miss Ev said. “What is it you want? I don’t have all day, Violet.” She dropped back into her chair and drummed her fingers on the desk littered with a can of Tab, an ashtray, a cigarette pack, a lighter, and a book of crossword puzzles. Her nails were long, filed to points and painted candy-apple red.
“See, the thing is,” Vi began, “I’ve been studying habitat.”
“Habitat?”
“Yeah, it’s the environment an organism lives in, like an animal or a plant, it’s where they live, it’s got what they need to—”
“I know perfectly well what a habitat is,” Miss Ev said. She reached for the pack of cigarettes on her desk, shook one out, and grabbed the yellow plastic lighter. A flick of her thumb and a flame jumped to life, igniting the Pall Mall. She blew the first puff of smoke in Vi’s direction, as if hoping to make her disappear.
Vi nodded and smiled. “I knew you would.” She turned, looked out the row of windows to the front lawn. In front of each window hung a bird feeder. Miss Evelyn believed that watching the birds was far more entertaining than watching television, and often said so. The woman loved her birds. She had bird sweaters. Bird coffee cups. A bird calendar. Bird pictures were hanging up all over the office. “That’s what makes you the perfect person to help oversee my project.”
Vi pulled out the folder she’d carried over and laid the papers out on the desk. “A bird garden,” she said. She pointed down at the drawing that Eric had worked on so carefully last night. “Bushes, flowers, and plants specially picked out to provide good habitat. We’ll have a birdbath, maybe even a fountain. Some benches to sit and watch the birds. Nest boxes and birdhouses. I was reading about purple martins, they live in colonies. I thought we could build a big house just for them. I found a picture in a book in Gran’s library.”
Miss Evelyn leaned down and looked at the sketches and notes through the haze of her cigarette smoke.
“We’d do it right in the front yard here, so you could see it all day.”
Miss Ev’s mouth twitched in what Vi thought might be the beginning of a smile.
“The patients could help clear the area, build the garden beds, do the plantings. They could make birdhouses and feeders. But I figured that since you’re the big bird expert, you should oversee the whole project. Gran’s too busy. And besides, she doesn’t know much about birds.” Vi smiled. “And Gran and I thought the new nurse could help too.”
Miss Ev frowned. “Patty?”
Vi leaned closer, spoke in a low voice, like they were good friends sharing a secret. “Patty’s new, and Gran thought maybe this project would be a good way for her to get to know the residents. That it might help her… fit in.”
Miss Ev sat stone-faced, not saying a thing.
“So, will you do it?” Vi pointed out the little label at the bottom of the drawing, the icing on the cake: EVELYN’S BIRD GARDEN.
“If I can find the time,” Miss Ev said, which, Vi understood, was the closest she’d ever get to a yes.
“Great! Hey, is Patty around? Maybe I could talk to her, take her outside and show her the area? Tell her about it?”
Miss Ev picked up the phone, punched a button, said, “Send Patty to see me. Yes, now.” She hung up.
There was a rapping at the window. Tom’s face was peering through.
“Go back to group, Tom,” Miss Ev said through the glass.
“Please, Miss Evelyn. I need calamine lotion and they won’t give me any. Please. Have mercy.” He was tearing at his hairy arms.
“You go on outside, Violet,” Miss Ev said. “I’ll send Patty out to you.” She pushed a button on the phone and barked, “Will someone please get down here and retrieve Tom. You’ve got to stop letting the patients wander like this!”