The bread tipped precariously, and salt spilled onto the floor as Anna whirled around. Cassie’s breath hitched. She’d waited for this moment for fifteen months. Heart pounding in her ears, she took two wobbly steps toward her daughter, then fell to her knees and grabbed Birdie’s shoulders.
“Birdie, you talked!” Cassie wrapped her arms around the little girl and began to cry. Over Birdie’s head, she saw Bobby stagger and fall onto the couch, then drop her head into her hands.
Cassie shot to her feet, hesitant to leave this amazing moment with Birdie. “Bobby, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Bobby waved a hand, dismissing the question. “Don’t worry about me. I’m just happy for Birdie.”
Anna put an arm around Bobby and asked Birdie, “Who’s Alina? Is she a friend from the park?”
“No,” Birdie said, her voice a touch rusty from disuse, but sweet. “She’s my new friend but not from the park.”
“Where did you meet her, then?” Cassie kept one nervous eye on Bobby.
“Here,” Birdie said. “Right here on this couch.”
Bobby made a choking sound, and Cassie frowned. “Bobby, are you sure you’re okay? Do you need some water?”
She caught Nick’s eye as he moved toward Bobby, and he nodded. “I’ll get her a drink.”
He returned with a glass of water and sat on the other side of her. “Are you sure you’re fine? You do look pale.”
“It’s the shock of hearing her talk,” Bobby replied, refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.
“Well, you were right, Bobby. She just needed time,” Cassie said. She gave her daughter another hug. “Oh, I’ve missed your little voice.”
Birdie giggled. “Alina said I had to talk, so I did.”
“Well, whoever this Alina is, I like her.” Cassie’s smile fell away as the name clicked into place. Alina. The same name Bobby had written letters to begging for forgiveness. The same name she’d called Cassie when she was having one of her episodes.
“Alina?” Bobby repeated, then muttered a few Ukrainian words. Cassie’s brows furrowed as she stared at her grandmother.
“Mom, Nick, do you guys think she needs to be checked out?”
Before anyone could answer, Bobby snapped, “I’m fine. I told you.”
An awkward silence fell over the room as Bobby closed her eyes again. Birdie looked up at Cassie. “Is Bobby mad at me?”
“No, darling, I think she’s just having a rough day.” Cassie spoke low so as to not upset her grandmother again. “Maybe she needs some dinner.”
“Good idea,” Anna agreed. “Come on, everyone, let’s eat while it’s still warm.”
Cassie watched in surprise as Bobby let Nick help her up and walk her to the kitchen. Normally, Bobby scoffed at offers of assistance, but today, she leaned on his strong arm and let him guide her. She saw Nick covertly checking Bobby’s pulse as he guided her and when he gave her a calm smile, she relaxed.
Cassie approached Anna, busy at the stove dishing up bowls, and leaned close. “Do you think Birdie heard us talking? She must have, right? It’s not like Alina is a common name.”
“Of course that’s what happened.” Anna rolled her eyes. “Although if she’s been listening to you and Bobby, who knows what kind of absurd things she thinks? Here.” She thrust two bowls into Cassie’s hands. “Bring those over. And the salad, too.”
“Right,” Cassie said, letting the jab slide off her back. It was a very logical explanation, and it was the one she wanted to hear. Birdie heard the name and created an imaginary friend to go along with it. And if it helped her talk again, who cared about the technicalities? After more than fifteen months of silence, Cassie had her daughter back, and that’s what was important.
“This looks amazing,” Nick said. “My take-out dinners can’t compare to home cooking.”
Bobby remained quiet as she ate. Birdie receded back into her silence, and Cassie felt so overwhelmed with relief that Birdie had finally spoken that she could hardly think, so it fell on Anna to keep the conversation flowing with their guest.
“How are you liking the house, Nick?”
“It’s great. I was in an apartment previously, so it’s nice to have a yard now. I’m thinking of getting a dog.” He gave Harvey an affectionate scratch behind the ears.
He told them of his plans to renovate the small house, and Cassie listened but kept her attention focused on her grandmother and daughter.