Page 109

Before I can change my mind, I grab the phone and answer.

“Hello.”

Silence.

I swallow and look up.

Jude is watching me.

His eyes meet mine from across the table, but he doesn’t say anything.

Then I hear my mother’s shaky breath through the phone.

“Nora?”

“Mamma.”

My voice cracks and tears stream down my face.

“Oh, thank God! You answered. Are you okay?”

No Why have you been ignoring me?

No I’m angry with you.

Only concern.

I smile through my tears.

“I’m…” I take a deep breath. “I’m breathing.”

It’s all I manage to say.

I hear the smile in her voice when she answers.

“Good. One breath at a time, right, tesoro mio?”

I nod even though she can’t see me.

“Right.”

CHAPTER 12

Jude

It’s ten a.m. The stables are clean, all the animals are fed and I’ve already spent an hour training with Indigo, so I tell Joe, my helper, to take care of the fences while I walk over to Nora’s home.

When did I start calling it that?

I guess since the day I carried her through those doors.

The sky is the kind of clear blue only July in Lander can produce, and I notice the peach trees are carrying a lot of fruit this year as I cross over to her property.

I decided to go riding today and show Nora the trail Damiano and I used to take when we were kids, and the hidden treehouse we spent way too much time in.

I think it will help.

Well, I hope so.