Nora did deserve some of the credit, Zadie thought. Ever since she’d moved into the old house at six months pregnant, both her mom and her aunt had gone out of their way to make her feel at home. They’d converted an office into a room for her and the baby. They’d hung watercolors and restored an old bed frame they’d found in the shed. Nora had even made a mobile out of gull feathers to hang over the crib.

When the baby came, her mother had cooked meals and changed diapers. She took Wren out in the stroller so Zadie could sleep. Many times, Zadie had thought to herself I couldn’t have done this without her. The truth was, she could have, but she was glad she didn’t have to.

Even though Nora had improved immensely, there were still times when her memory faltered; moments when Zadie would find her standing in the front yard, unable to pull her eyes away from the flocks of geese on their way south. But this time, Zadie knew to hold her mother’s hand until the feeling passed. She was her tether, her anchor. If Nora ever migrated again, they would do it together.

“Seriously, though…” Nora said, “Zadie’s a really good mom.”

Nora, Finn, and Jenna all turned to smile at her. Zadie fidgeted uncomfortably. “Okay, okay. Cut it out.”

But Finn didn’t break eye contact. “I’m proud of you, Sis.”

“Shut up,” she said, then smiled in spite of herself.

“So…” Finn began, her voice low. “Have you noticed anything yet?”

“She’s only three months old, Finn.”

“I know that. But it’s different for everyone.”

Zadie hadn’t noticed anything unusual about her daughter. Not yet. She hoped she had at least a few years before she had to have that particular talk. If Wren did have a gift, she would try her best to embrace it, even if that meant letting her toddler play psychic pranks on her every once in a while.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Finn reached into her purse with her free hand and handed Zadie a package tied up with ribbon.

“But you already got her a present,” she protested.

“It’s not from me.”

Curious, Zadie ripped open the paper to find a tiny green bucket hat with flowers embroidered on it.

“It’s from Joel.”

“You guys have been talking?”

“Online, yeah. He lives in the Dakotas now. I don’t remember which one, and I’m not sure he does, either. But he’s moving to Hawaii next month.”