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Angelo puts one arm around my shoulders and the other underneath my knees before lifting me from the car as if I’m made of paper-thin glass.
“I can walk,” I say.
He smiles at me. “I know, but I like to take care of you.”
Heidi pushes the front door open wider to let us through. “Welcome home, Mrs. Russo.”
“We’re not going back to addressing each other formally, are we?” I ask with good humor.
She winks. “I always wanted to say that.” Addressing Angelo, she continues, “The room is ready. I prepared a special meal to celebrate.” She throws a conspiratorial glance at the kids. “With chocolate cake for dessert.”
A chorus of excited cries follows. Johan doesn’t join in, but he watches with a shy smile and one hand shoved in his pocket. It’s a perfect imitation of Angelo’s stance. Does Angelo realize how much Johan looks up at him? There’s no denying the admiration and eagerness for approval in the boy’s eyes as he looks at his uncle.
The kids run behind us as Angelo carries me up the stairs. Instead of turning toward my old room, he goes into his.
“Is this a permanent or a temporary arrangement?” I ask.
“The room?” He lowers me onto the bed. “This is as permanent as it gets,cara.”
Sophie hops onto the other side of the mattress and hands me a drawing. “Look, Sabella. I made this for you to say welcome home.”
I take the sheet of paper with the drawing of a woman, a man, and four children standing next to a big house. The sky is filled with fluffy blue clouds and red flowers push up from the grass.Welcome homeis written in neat capital letters on the top. My chest warms. This is so different to the drawings she used to make of only her and me.
“Thank you,” I say. “This deserves a frame and a special place on the dresser.”
She bounces over and kisses my cheek.
“Careful.” Angelo catches her around the waist. “Sabella has broken ribs, remember?”
Sophie sucks air through her teeth. “Does it hurt?”
“Only when I sneeze or laugh, so don’t tell jokes.”
She giggles.
Guillaume brings his hands from behind his back and dangles a macaroni necklace in my face.
“This is so pretty,” I say, taking the necklace. “Is it for me?”
He bobs his head up and down. “Heidi helped me to make it.”
“Can I put it on?”
He nods enthusiastically again.
I pull the elastic over my head. “How do I look?”
He tilts his head. “Very pretty.”
Étienne thrusts a bunch of immortal flowers at me. “This is from me and Johan. He showed me where to pick them.”
“Oh, I love flowers.” I take the bouquet of bright yellow blooms and inhale their scent of honey and fresh hay. “We’ll have to put them in water.”
“Can I get you anything, Sabella?” Johan asks.
“I’m good for now, but thank you.”
“’Cause you just have to say.”
