Violetta Craft's Arc

Chapter 52 of 65

Saturday morning Violetta pinned pink streamers to the porch rail while Jordie hung a paper number one from the beam. The studio key sat in her pocket, forgotten for the day. Elowen turned one at 6:47 AM. Violetta had counted every hour of the last year, from the NICU to the ear infections to the night she signed the lease on this house. Today over a hundred people were coming, and she had promised herself she would sit with her daughter and not think about seams. Cars filled the drive by eleven. Paul carried a folding table up the steps in a checked flannel, grinning at Violetta like she was still six. "Where do you want it, kid?" He set it under the porch overhang without waiting for her answer. Lymber followed with two foil trays, her golden hair pushed behind her ears. She pressed a kiss to Elowen's cheek and said, "She looks like you did. Same scowl." Jett dragged in a cooler and dropped it hard enough to rattle bottles. Max trailed behind with a wrapped box he refused to hand over until Elowen was in the high chair. Saddie arrived in a blue tank top and shorts, her red eyes bright, and took Elowen without asking so Violetta could greet the door. The front room filled. Jordie's parents. Cousins Violetta had not seen since the hospital. Neighbors with cards. Violetta shook hands and pointed people to the drinks and kept her smile even when a woman she did not know asked what she was designing next. At one o'clock she carried the cake out herself. White frosting. One pink candle. Elowen sat in the high chair in a smocked dress Violetta had stitched at 2 AM three nights running. Violetta lit the candle. The porch went quiet. Jordie stood behind the chair with his hand on Elowen's back. They sang. Elowen stared at the flame with her mouth open. Violetta blew it out for her. Elowen slapped both hands into the frosting and laughed, a real one, loud enough that Max laughed too, and then the whole porch was laughing. Lymber caught Violetta's eye across the table. Her mother did not say anything. She just nodded once. Violetta felt the year land in her chest all at once and then let it go. People left in waves through the afternoon. By six the porch held only family. Paul stacked chairs. Jett bagged trash. Saddie wiped Elowen's face with a damp cloth and handed her back sleepy and clean. Violetta sat on the top step with Elowen against her shoulder. Jordie sat beside her. "She made it," he said. "We made it." Inside, her sketch waited on the studio wall downtown. Monday she would go back to the blue gown. Tonight she rocked her daughter until the porch lights came on.