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The words pummeled Carolina’s chest. Her heart skipped a beat. “Mamá.”
“It’s too hard. Life’s too hard.”
Carolina could bring her mother some joy. “I found it.”
Mamá waved her hand. There was an ugly bruise on the top of her hand from last week’s IV. “It doesn’t matter.”
She dug into the bag. “Look.”
Mamá sighed, not opening her eyes.
Caro wrapped her mother’s hands around the globe. The lapis was cool to the touch.
Her mother’s eyes went wide. “Poppy’s globe.”
“Yes.”
Mamá hugged it to her chest. “It’s back where it belongs. Thank you. Thank you.”
For the first time in weeks, happiness lit her mother’s face.
This was worth it. And since she’d taken back something that belonged to her mother, it wasn’t stealing—right? She bit her lip. In a house full of antiques, who would miss a globe with a message in Spanish?
Carolina whispered, “So you can always find your way home.”
Her mother crooned and cuddled the treasure like a baby.
“Please don’t…keep it out in the open.” No need to advertise, right?
“Of course.” Her mother’s expression slipped to a sly smile. “I’m so glad I have it back. It should never have gone to those witches.”
“Why don’t I bring it home?” Carolina asked.
“No.” Her mother hummed, smiling like she’d just won an award. “But I’ll make sure no one takes it from me again.”
This was worth it, wasn’t it? Her mother was happy. Maybe she wouldn’t have another seizure.
She swallowed the guilt choking her throat. The globe was home.
CHAPTER TEN
“THE SEIZURES HAVE stopped again,” Dr. Laster said.
Carolina nodded at Dr. Laster and the neurologist. “For good?”
“For now,” the neurologist said. “The combination of radiation and medication seems to be working.”
“I’m glad.” Carolina suspected it had been the globe. For almost a week, Mamá had been seizure-free. Wouldn’t it be nice if the globe could make her mother’s tumors disappear, too? “What’s her prognosis?”
Dr. Laster’s smile wilted. “It hasn’t changed. Eight months at best. If we keep her seizures from recurring, her quality of life will be—improved.”
“Improved. Versus stuck in the hospital?”
Both the doctors nodded.
“If she stays seizure-free until her final radiation treatment next week, she can go home.” Dr. Laster patted her hand.
Home. Carolina sighed. Exactly what her mother wanted. And she did, too. But moving back to Tybee meant she wouldn’t see Sage as often.
Oh, God. She swallowed. What a horrible daughter she was. She was worried about her boyfriend while her mother had only months to live.
“You asked about her going to your opening. If she’s seizure-free, she can go.”
Carolina pushed against her diaphragm. “Thank you.”
“Rosa’s excited,” Dr. Laster said. “She showed me her dress. It’s spectacular.”
Carolina smiled. “Very sparkly.”
Sage would bring Mamá to the restaurant. Carolina needed to hide the globe. He’d seen it at Fitzgerald House. Held it.
He wouldn’t understand why she had taken the globe. And since she couldn’t break her promise to Mamá, she couldn’t explain why the Fitzgeralds had a Castillo heirloom.
She swallowed. Sage had promised to tell her the truth. And asked her to do the same. But this wasn’t her truth to tell. Sage could never see the globe.
* * *
“MRS. CASTILLO, REMEMBER ME? I’m Sage. Carolina’s…” He hesitated. “Boyfriend.”
Mrs. Castillo wore the flashy red dress Carolina had brought from Tybee. She waited in the guest chair, her ankles crossed, her hands folded in her lap. “Of course, I remember. You’re here to take me to her opening.”
“Right.”
Teri, her nurse, helped her into a wheelchair. The nursing staff had suggested it would be better to have her ride to the waiting cab. “Have a wonderful night. If you get a chance, wish Carolina good luck. I wish I could be there.”
“I will.” Rosa waved. “I’m ready.”
Sage pushed Rosa to the elevator. Half the staff called out good luck. A few said they were on their way to see Carolina sing. It was amazing how many lives Carolina and her mother had touched. He couldn’t stop smiling. This should be a fantastic night.
He helped Rosa into the cab and they headed to Fitzgerald House. “I hope you enjoy the food at Southern Comforts.”
