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I’ve grown dizzy with relief and black dots dance in front of my eyes. I sit down on the bench, press the heel of my hand between my eyes.
“You want to speak to her?”
I sit up. “She’s there?”
“She’s upstairs with Matti. He was pretty upset, Mom.”
“I know, honey. How is he now?”
“They’re reading a book,” she says.
“What book?”
“I don’t know. Hang on.”
I hear her run up the stairs and call out, “What are you reading? Mom wants to know.”
I’ve returned to my car and I sit down in the driver seat, phone against my ear, feeling my breath return to normal.
“Phantom Tollbooth,” she says finally.
“Oh, right! Well, that’s good.”Phantom Tollboothis a good choice. One of his favorites, and the copy he has belonged to Luis when he was growing up. Which doesn’t mean that much to Matti, actually. Still, a perfect pick when he’s upset. “So he’s all right?”
“He’s hiccupping but he’s okay. I think he likes June.”
I just can’t believe what I’m hearing. Matti never goes with strangers, ever. I don’t know whether I should scold him or hug him when I get back. And the fact that he’s not freaking out, let alone calmly reading a book… “Can you put June on please?”
“Okay, one sec.”
Seconds later, June comes on. “Hi, we’re all good here, did you get my messages?”
“Messages? No, I mean yes but I didn’t listen, I was trying to reach Luis.”
“I left a couple of messages, to let you know what was going on—hang on.” She speaks away from the phone. “Yes, Matti? Oh sure, of course.” She comes back on. “I’m being summoned back to reading. We were up to the part where Milo and Tock get arrested. It’s a bit of a cliffhanger.”
“He’s already read it ten times, you know.”
“I meant for me,” she says, and I laugh. It’s such a relief that tears start to roll down my cheeks and for a moment I can’t speak. I wipe them with my sleeve.
“You’re the best, June, you really are. I’m five minutes away. Can you wait till I get there?”
“Of course! I’ll see you later.”
I walk silently up the stairs to Matti’s bedroom. Through the open door I see him sitting on the edge of his bed, right next to June, his head resting on her shoulder. He’s holding an almost empty glass of milk on his lap and sucking on the corner of a plastic toy while she reads to him. When he looks up to me, his eyes are heavy and watery.
“Hey, sweetie.” I kneel in front of him. “I’m sorry I was late.”
“You didn’t—hiccup—come for me.”
“I’m sorry, Matti. I really am.”
“You forgot me.”
“No! I didn’t forget you! I had to work, that’s all. You all right, sweetie?”
He nods and gives a shuddering breath.
“Good.” I turn to June and mouth,Thank you. She smiles.
