Miss Dottie gave Junie a reassuring smile. “Sometimes, adults say things they don’t mean, sweetheart. I was having a rough day, and I took it out on poor Clove. I’m sorry if I scared you.”

The tension in Junie’s little shoulders eased, but she wasn’t quite ready to let go of her new friend. She looked at me, then back at Miss Dottie. “Promise?”