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

After lunch, the girls gathered their belongings and settled Mrs. Nelson into her wheelchair for the ride home. She seemed refreshed from her nap and nodded encouragingly at Celeste's informative chatter as they made their way out of the park.


Once home, Celeste took Mrs. Nelson into her living room to watch television before dinner. Zoey returned the photo album to the dining room cabinet. As she pushed the album onto the shelf, a loose photograph fell to the floor. Zoey picked it up, surprised to find it was an image of her and her sisters as infants sitting on Mrs. Nelson's lap. Strapped into her wheelchair, she used her good arm to hold them in place. The triplets - even Celeste - were smiling. Zoey remembered Aunt Flory describing the short period before Celeste's diagnosis when she was a bubbly, happy baby. The photo must have been taken before the flat expression had hardened on her face.


Chapter 52