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The next morning, when I woke, she was wound around me like a kudzu vine. Even in sleep, she was tense. I didn’t have time to do anything about it with the boys up and moving around, but I held her snugly in my arms and rubbed her back until she woke, boneless and relaxed.
All day yesterday, she seemed perfectly happy, but I now recognized her manic energy for what it was, a mask to hide her pain.
What would it take to heal her?
I hoped a few hours to herself would help. She didn’t often get time alone. We ate breakfast together, then the boys and I left her in the square and headed off to get our bikes.
By late afternoon, both boys were covered in mud that disguised more than a few scrapes. They were sweaty, happy, and exhausted when we walked into the condo twenty minutes after dropping off the rentals.
Ruby came in from the balcony when we arrived, and her mouth fell open at the sight of us. I chuckled, Jace laughed, and George smiled at her surprise.
She came closer and noted the bear paws in the boys’ hands. “You guys ate with those dirty hands? That’s disgusting!” She screwed up her face.
“Does that mean you don’t want yours?” I held the bag up over her head.
She reached for it, and I pulled it out of her reach. In a flash, George poked me in the ribs, and I dropped my hand.
Ruby grabbed the bag and danced away, laughing. “George! You’re the man!” She yelled.
I grinned at George, then looked at Ruby and smiled at her evilly.
She took one look at my face and backed up. “Oh no,” she warned, holding her hand up. “You stay back!”
“Jace,” I asked. “Doesn’t your mom look like she wants a hug?”
Jace’s mouth tipped up on one side while Ruby gave him her mom eyes.
I continued. “She just looks so huggable to me. What do you think, George?”
George’s eyes skittered back and forth between us.
Ruby smiled a triumphant smile. “George would never do that.” She held up the bear paw as proof. “George is my hero.”
George laughed, then held up one finger. “In medieval times, the lady would grant the hero a kiss.” He paused. “We’ll take a hug instead.”
“George!” She yelled. “Traitor!”
We laughed as she ran through the kitchen towards the front door. If I hadn’t tripped over one of the boys, I would have caught her.
Once we cleaned up, we headed down to the village for dinner.
I held her hand while we walked, pulled out her chair at the restaurant, pressed my knee to hers under the table, and listened attentively when she spoke. The boys and I entertained her by telling her the mishaps and mayhem of our mountain biking adventure, well, some of them. I watched while George warmed up to her, and she relaxed around him.
After dinner, we walked hand-in-hand while George and Jace went off in search of snacks for the movie, and she got quiet.
We found an empty bench at the edge of the square. I pulled her down beside me and cuddled her close. We could see the boys from where we sat as they walked in and out of stores, in search of a treat that would guarantee them the right to pick the movie. The stakes were high. Ruby showed them the trailer for her choice at dinner, and they were not on board.
Jace looked up at George often as they loped along, both with their hands tucked deep into their pockets.
“Tell me about his mother.”
“Now?” I practically squeaked.
She nodded, her face serious and intent, as if she was bracing herself for bad news.
I carefully slid my palm across hers, taking hold of the barometer to the inner workings of her mind.
“What do you want to know?”
