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He greets me with a hug and kiss on the cheek, then gestures to Blue, who’s now trundling across a log that borders the flower bed as though it’s a balance beam.
“Some little critter you and the boys brought home,” he says. “Never knew these things were quite this cute up close. Never had the chance to meet one.”
“It’s a first for me, too,” I say, as I crouch down and open my arms.
Blue hurtles toward me, and I give him a sad hug, hoping for some comfort.
I get a little… but not enough.
My shoulders feel heavy as I stand back up. “How are you and Gigi doing? I’ve missed you guys.”
“We’ve been making do without our sunshine. Now she’s back though.” He reaches out to hug me again, and I lean against his bony shoulder.
“Thanks, Grandpa. Is Gigi inside? I owe her a chat. I promised to catch up with her last week, before running off.”
“Oh, she’s inside alright, excited as all get out for your return. She made blueberry muffins, and I think she’s brewing up a pot of tea. Now, would you look at that? What’s he doing?”
Blue gallops toward the boulder at one end of the garden bed. He jumps up onto it, then off, kicking his legs out to the side.
Grandpa Ray laughs. “He’s a little show off, isn’t he?”
“He sure is.” I’d laugh, too, but my soul’s so heavy that even the adorable antics of a baby goat can’t eek genuine mirth out of me.
I leave Grandpa Ray to enjoy the show on his own and make my way to the house. The back patio door’s open and I slip inside, spotting Gigi at the stove. She hears me enter and speaks without even turning round.
“Is that my baby, finally home?”
“I’m home, Gigi.”
“Took you long enough! Your brother and Cole stopped by forty-five minutes ago and I’ve been on the edge of my seat since then, waiting to give you a big hug.”
She carries a pot of tea to the table and then sweeps me into her arms and rocks me back and forth.
“My baby girl. You’ve been gone too long. Barely home from Italy and off again. I want to hear everything.”
We settle in at the table, and for the next hour, I sip chamomile tea and nibble muffin and do my best to fill her in. There’s a lot of ground to cover, from my accidental swim in the Venice Canal to the white marble sculptures I got to ogle in Rome’s piazzas.
My grandmother’s my biggest fan when it comes to my travels. She likes to vicariously experience things through my stories, and I usually love dishing out the details and showing photos. But today, my head keeps going back to Sunrise Ranch.
So, after showing her a photo of a particularly impressive fountain, I set my phone down and tuck my legs up so I’m sitting cross-legged on the chair. The posture reminds me of all those hours I spent sitting on the polished wooden floor of the pavilion, next to Cole.
“Did Trent and Cole fill you in on the ranch we visited?” I ask.
“They sure did. Briefly. Sounds like a quirky place. No cell service, no internet… my goodness!” I
nod. “That was wild. I mean, for five whole days I didn’t even know what sort of chaos was unfolding out here in the real world.”
She twitters and holds her teacup up to her lips. “Ah, this world’s not any more real just ‘cause it’s busier. Good to get out of the hubbub now and then, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, definitely. It was a different pace out there. Most nights we all sat around this big fire pit. No television, no phones, no radio playing, just sitting around, and looking up at the stars.”
She nods. “Peace and quiet is good for the soul. When we get busy, we tend to forget what’s important. Like each other. Friends, family, love. Now, tell me, what was the teacher like?”
“She was great. The real deal, not a fake like I was afraid of. I’m excited to write for her. I gathered up lots of quotes and stories for my articles.”
I sip my tea and think about Skye for a minute. “She was very even keeled. Like nothing could ruffle her feathers. Even when I told her that Blue chewed a hole in the yurt wall—”
“What now?”
