Three days later.

Cloudcrest City, Westbrook Old Town. A cozy guesthouse.

Out in the garden, where all kinds of lush green plants and bright flowers flourished, Lucky lay sprawled on the ground, tongue lolling. Sunlight warmed his face, and he squinted contentedly, utterly relaxed.

Little Nina, clutching a child's makeup kit in one hand and a tiny powder puff in the other, was busy giving Lucky a makeover with impressive seriousness for

someone her age.

A few feet away, little Mario sat quietly on a wooden bench, head bowed in concentration, twisting and turning his Rubik's Cube.

From the kitchen drifted the comforting aroma of home-cooked food.

James was busy preparing lunch.

Just then, Lorna pushed open the vintage wooden gate at the edge of the yard, glanced around the sun-dappled garden, and then closed the door behind her, sliding the latch into place.

The creak of the gate caught Mario's attention. He looked up.

Lorna walked over and ruffled his hair. "Still working on your Rubik's Cube?"

her. "I can solve all six sides now my fastest time is

was Stewart who had bought the Rubik's Cube for him, and Stewart who had taught him

how good you were getting, he'd be so

stared at her. "Ms. Riley,

well. Maybe he'll

he could be back before winter?" Lorna pressed her lips together, hesitating. "That...I can't promise, sweetheart." Mario's gaze dropped to the cube in

just

dad wasn't overseas on business. He'd

on Mario's face, Lorna sighed softly. "You have to believe in

down at the puzzle. "What

for

even more so because he'd never had a mother by his side, making him especially sensitive to the moods

him

realized something had happened to

Lorna said gently, "Your mom is away on a work trip. She

with her.

okay."

a knot of anxiety in his chest, but there was nothing he could do. He'd already

sensitivity, Little Nina was

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