Page 71 of Time To Learn

“Sometimes, I just miss your dad something fierce, and then I come here.” She jerks her chin at the journal resting only millimetres away from my hand. “I sit down and pretend that he’s on a trip, and then I write him a letter. I tell him about my joys and my sorrows. All the small and big things happening.”

“I miss him, too,” I whisper, my breath hitching.

She smiles gently atme.

“I know. He was taken from us so soon—too soon—and not a day goes by when I don’t wish he was here. But…” She sniffles as she takes a shaky breath. “He’s not. Writing those letters to him help lessen my heartache. Tonight, it was particularly bad, though.”

I dab at the tears falling on my cheeks.

“Where do you find your strength, Mum?”

The kettle switches itself off, and she turns around to grab two mugs before she answers.

“I have you and Ailith. I have the farm, the horses, and Sally.”

At the sound of her name, Sally raises her head from her place next to the Aga stove. I turn my head to smile at the soft expression in Mum’s eyes as she walks towards me. She puts down the mugs before she turns around to fetch some teabags and the kettle.

“Everything on this soil—here where our home is—feeds my strength, Laura,” she sighs as she sits down. “It’s in the air, the earth, the water around us. I know you don’t care much for the legends and myths, but…” She gives me a pointed stare. “I believe in them. I believe that some kind of the old magic still lives here, and every little bit of that magic helps when I’m feelinglow.”

I nod, even though I don’t understand her at the sametime.

“Don’t you feel thesame?”

Her question throws me for a moment.

“I don’t know,” I answer on a small shrug, dunking the teabag to bide my time. “I do know I feel at peace here. As if I belong,” I concede on a small frown. “I’ve always felt thatway.”

Mum removes the teabag, a slight frown marring herface.

“I’m glad you feel that way, but…” She blows the steam rising from the mug, and I wait patiently for her to gather her thoughts. “But I wonder if this place is enough foryou?”

My eyes widen in surprise.

“Of course it’s enough. I’m happy here. I can’t imagine ever leaving.”

“Are you sure that’s your heart and not your head talking rightnow?”

I shake my head at her, getting a tad annoyed at her crypticways.

“You confuse me, Mum. My heart and my head are one and the same in this matter—they want the same things, but, given the choice, I’ll follow my head. Not wherever my emotions lead me. I did that once before, and look where that gotme?”

Mum sighs as she sits back in herseat.

“You’re so stubborn.”

“Takes one to know one,” I counter atonce.

“Now, don’t do that, please.”

I blink innocently ather.

“Don’t dowhat?”

She sighs and shakes her head, clearly aggravated withme.

“Don’t turn this around on me, changing the subject likethat.”

Crap.