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“Everyone needs someone to talk to.”
“Who do you talk to?”
“Elora. It’s not always comfortable or easy, but it does help.”
“I’ll think about it. Sofia told me about a group of women who meet up once a week to talk about their kids they’ve lost.”
“That might be good for you.”
“Maybe.” She takes her eyes off me and fiddles with the stem of her wineglass.
“I’ll even go with you if you want.”
Her eyes dart to mine, and her face goes soft in a way I have never once in my life witnessed.
“I’ll let you know,” she whispers, and that’s as good as I’m going to get for now. “I think I’m going to take a nap.”
“Sure.” I push up to stand, then help her up.
“Let me know when you’d like to have dinner. Elora and I will be heading out of town in a week or so to go to Wyoming, and after we leave there, I want to take her to New Orleans for a couple of days.”
“I will after I speak with your sisters this evening.” She eyes me, and I start to wander toward the door. “I’m glad you found her.”
“Me too.”
“Tell her I said hello.”
“I will.” I leave after saying goodbye to Jane, going to my car. When I’m almost there, I dial Elora’s number just to make sure she’s still home since, lately, she’s taken to exploring the area around the building, going a little farther each day. She claims that she’s afraid to go too far for fear of ending up lost and hasn’t been brave enough to take the train, even with me, but I have no doubt that she will eventually.
“Hey,” she answers, the background noise of the city loud enough that she has to shout slightly. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Were you?”
“Yeah, I passed by this art shop, and in the window, they had a photo of a boy with a deer. It made me think of your story about when you were in camp.”
I smile at that. “Where are you?”
“Umm, I think between 9th and 8th Street.”
“I’m two minutes away since I was almost home when I called you. I’ll swing by and pick you up.”
“I don’t mind walking.”
“I know, but I want to pick you up.”
“Is everything okay?”
“All good. My mom said to tell you hi and that she wants to have dinner soon.”
“Really?” The relief in her voice makes me realize how badly she’s been hoping to make some sort of connection with my family.
“She’s going to talk to my sisters this evening and figure out when we can all get together. I told her that we’re heading out of town next week, so if it doesn’t happen before, then we’ll do it when we get back home.”
“Okay,” she says softly as I spot her on the street, standing near a storefront, with her hair up in a bun on top of her head and wearing one of the simple summer dresses I had the salesgirl at Nordstrom pick out for her. Even if she doesn’t feel like she fits in quite yet, she looks like she belongs in Manhattan.
“Look to your right,” I say as I double park, and she turns her head my way, a smile ghosting her lips. I get out to meet her on the sidewalk, dropping a kiss on her soft lips before walking her to the passenger door.
“I like this dress on you,” I tell her, skating my hand across the tops of her thighs as I buckle her in.
