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Back The Wilderwomen Save as PDF
Chapters (37)
  1. Copyright Notice
  2. Dedication
  3. BEFORE
  4. AFTER
  5. ONE THOUGHTS ON SUN HATS
  6. TWO TIME FOR CAKE
  7. THREE TWELVE MONTHS
  8. FOUR PSYCHIC KARAOKE
  9. FIVE A SECOND SLEEPING BAG
  10. SIX SIX MONTHS
  11. SEVEN THE EARLY BIRD GETS THE PANCAKE
  12. EIGHT SIX MONTHS
  13. NINE FOLLOW THE MUSIC
  14. TEN THE STARS ARE BRIGHTER IN THE DESERT
  15. ELEVEN SIX MONTHS
  16. TWELVE EVERY STAR HAS A SONG
  17. THIRTEEN PSYCHIC KARAOKE
  18. FOURTEEN ONE MONTH
  19. FIFTEEN A WELL-TRAVELED HAT
  20. SIXTEEN JOEL VS. THE VOLCANO
  21. SEVENTEEN TWO WEEKS
  22. EIGHTEEN HOUSE OF MEMORIES
  23. NINETEEN IF TREES COULD TALK
  24. TWENTY THREE DAYS
  25. TWENTY-ONE SEARCH PARTY
  26. TWENTY-TWO NOT THE SAME ZADIE
  27. TWENTY-THREE WAVES OF SMOKE
  28. TWENTY-FOUR THE DAY OF
  29. TWENTY-FIVE THE SKY IS FULL OF BIRDS
  30. TWENTY-SIX NEST
  31. TWENTY-SEVEN
  32. EPILOGUE
  33. TWENTY-EIGHT A SONG ABOUT A BIRD
  34. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  35. Also by Ruth Emmie Lang
  36. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  37. Newsletter Sign-up

“Will you thank him for me? Actually, no.” Zadie carefully folded the little hat into a triangle. “I’ll do it myself.” She was excited for Joel. The Hawaii patch had been his white whale. She could just picture him now in his wolf shirt and flip-flops, spending afternoons combing the beach with a metal detector and eating fried shrimp. Whatever life he decided to lead next, she hoped he was happy.

“Aww! She’s tired.” Finn beamed down at the baby in her arms. Sure enough, Wren’s eyelids were drooping and she opened her mouth in a silent, pink yawn.

“Naptime,” Zadie said in a singsong voice as Finn passed Wren back to her.

“Want me to take her?” Nora offered.

“No, it’s okay. You guys catch up. I’ll be right back.”

Zadie climbed the stairs to their bedroom. Birds chirped through the open window as she lowered her daughter gently into her crib. The second Wren hit the mattress, however, she started to squirm. Zadie placed a hand on her daughter’s chest and began to hum. The vibration of her voice must have calmed her, because Wren quickly settled.

“Hush darling, hush

It’s almost day”

They weren’t the real lyrics. The real lyrics were too tragic. Their story would be a happy one.

“THE BIRDS ARE SINGING…”

The perfect half-moons of her baby’s eyes slid shut as she melted into sleep.

“I’M HERE TO STAY.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my agent, Andrea Somberg: I feel very fortunate to have you in my corner. Thank you for being my guide through the publishing world.

To Peter Wolverton and St. Martin’s Press, for giving me the opportunity to publish for a second time when publishing just one book had already surpassed my most ambitious dreams.

To the folks at Literary Cleveland: Thank you for welcoming me into your community. In particular, I’d like to thank Matt, Jackie, Sam, Josh, and Jane for showing me what a supportive writing group looks like.

To my extended family, including its newest additions. (Four babies in one year!) And to my mom in particular, who has read the book more times than I have.

To Anigran, who would be telling me “Well done!” right about now.

To Max, for holding the baby while I locked myself away in the other room to work on revisions.

And to my son, Malcolm. I asked you to wait until I’d finished the book before you made your entrance into the world, but you had other plans. It’s okay though, because I love you and I can’t wait to watch you grow up. Oh, and I should also probably thank you for mostly sleeping through the night. You have no idea how grateful I am for that.

Also by Ruth Emmie Lang

ALSO BY RUTH EMMIE LANG

Beasts of Extraordinary Circumstance

ABOUT THE AUTHOR