Page 108 of Longing for Liberty
Jeremy and I looked at each other, and his face mirrored the strange, freaked-out way I felt.
“What?” Mom asked. “She’s a nice lady.”
“It’s not that,” I said. “And I’m sorry about Lena. It’s just…” I shook my head, and Jeremy spoke up.
“The idea of anyone cheating and getting divorced, not having kids, and talking about it so freely is really strange now. All of that is taboo in the State.”
The other three glanced around at each other until Aidan spoke. “What the hell did they do to y’all in there?”
“Man.” Jeremy lifted a hand from my leg to rub his face. “We have so much to tell you.”
* * *
Aidan slowedas he pulled into a neighborhood of brick and stone row houses. I leaned forward, my hand pressed to my chest as my eyes wildly scanned. We turned a corner and saw three kids, much taller than I imagined, standing on the walkway with a dark-haired woman.
“Oh my God!” I yelled, tears already coming. “Stop! Let me out!”
“Hold on just a dang second.” Before Aidan could pull into a spot or fully stop the car, Jeremy wrenched his door open, and the two of us tumbled out, running. I was sobbing at Summer’s grown-up face, equally in tears, and I nearly ran her over as I grabbed her and wrapped my arms around her.
“Mommy.”
And just like my mom and I had, we cried, clinging. “My sweet girl.”
“Don’t leave me again.”
“Never,” I cried. “Oh, Summer. I’m so sorry.” I finally released her and looked at her face, touching her cheeks, then her hair as she let out a small laugh. “You have braces!” I’d missed so much.
“You’re pretty.” It wasn’t Summer. I looked next to us where Rainey stood with short, light brown hair, her dad’s big brown eyes, and her signature pointy chin.
“Rain.” I let Summer go, already seeing Jeremy coming for her, and embraced Rainey. She let me hold her and didn’t cry or let go until I did. Then she studied my face.
“I remember now.” She smiled and I smiled back, tears still streaming.
“I can’t wait to watch you play soccer and ride your skateboard.”
“Calcio,” she corrected me. “Not soccer.” It sounded like cal-chee-oh. I repeated it, and she nodded, giving me the ‘a-okay’ sign with her hand.
I gasped when I saw Asher out of the corner of my eye. Almost eight years old now. He had such a serious face for a little boy, still with that shock of red hair and light freckles. Rainey held out a hand to beckon him over.
“Ashy is a little shy, but you have to know where to tickle him.”
She reached out and dug her fingers into his waist, making him flop to the side and yell something in Italian, to which she yelled back in Italian, both of them laughing. I watched in awe. My children, speaking a language I didn’t know, pointing out ticklish spots that I had never learned, and my heart was suddenly so full it was overflowing. Yes, I had missed so much, but they were still kids—my kids—and we had the rest of our lives to make up for the past six years.
I wanted this. I wanted to learn Italian as fast as possible. I wanted to learn every single ticklish spot that any of them had now, and hear exactly what cuss words Rainey preferred to say, and have comfortably quiet moments with my shy boy.
He was watching me now. I waved and smiled. “Hi, Asher. I know this is all very strange, but I’m so excited to be here with you. I heard you like chess?”
Jeremy crouched down beside me, taking a knee and grinning at Asher, who looked back and forth between us.
“I used to play a little chess,” Jeremy said. “Do you think you can beat me?”
Asher nodded, self-assured, and we both laughed. “You’re probably right,” Jeremy said. “Can you show me your set?”
Asher led his daddy into the house, and I swiped another tear from my cheek as I stood.
“I am Sofia.” The dark-haired woman stood before me.
“Oh, hello. I’m Libby.” I reached out a hand, but she took me by the shoulders and kissed the air on one side of my face, then the other. Ah, I’d have to get used to that. Aidan put an arm around her shoulder and led her into the house. Everyone else spilled inside, except my mom, who stood in the doorway.
