Zoey has no idea what it means to be normal. Everything she touches has a taste, and her father’s identity is a town secret. Her sisters have their own issues. While it's a struggle for Celeste to connect with the world, Ruby, who has a flair for the dramatic, doesn't worry about anything. Orphaned at birth, the fourteen-year-old triplets live with their aunt and mark seasons by the annual migration of captivating birds. Despite an almost idyllic childhood grounded in Aunt Flory's home-cooked food and family values, Zoey struggles with her identity in a community where the Starling family is the subject of gossip. But secrets run deep in the small town, and the triplets aren't the only ones with something to hide. Zoey soon discovers that the truth isn't obvious and different perspectives shape the world. It's always how you choose to look at things that matters most.

Bugs, Weeds, and Water is created by Evangeline Greene, an eGlobal Creative Publishing signed author.

Bugs, Weeds, and Water

A stunning shift in Zoey's view of the world came later that week. In a flash of insight, she suddenly understood what Aunt Flory meant when she insisted there was no such thing as a single truth. 'Just because she'd always believed something didn't make it true.'


Zoey woke to the sound of the wind whistling through the crack in her bedroom window. Last summer, a blue jay had flown into the glass, splitting it down the center. It proved to be a fatal mistake, and the girls had buried it under the magnolia tree, away from Montague's keen gaze. The handyman, Harold Weekes, had it on his list of things to fix but so far hadn't gotten to it.


A storm was brewing outside. Zoey wriggled deeper under the covers, stealing a glance at Celeste, whose face glowed under her nightlight like a pale moon. Ruby's red toenails poked out from her blankets. In the dark, they looked black. Aunt Flory had done them earlier in the evening, painting her own to match.


Chapter 14