Page 102 of The Seven Rings
“It’s Jack. Oh, Sonya, it’s Jack. He looks so…”
“Happy,” Sonya murmured as it all caught in her throat. “Just a little boy playing with his dog on a summer day. A happy boy with a happy dog.”
As she spoke, Jack turned. He looked back at the house, looked at them standing behind the glass. Her heart leaped, her eyes burned when he grinned.
He took the ball from Yoda, rubbed the dog all over and into delirium. Then carrying the ball, he walked to the shed. Turning again, he gave a wave, then walked through the door of the shed.
And was gone.
“He let us see him.” Overwhelmed, Sonya wrapped an arm around Cleo. “He let us see him, and see him happy.”
“It’s a sign, not only that he’s come to trust us, and that’s just huge, Son. Huge. But it’s a sign the light’s only getting stronger.”
“I was thinking along those lines right before I saw him. I did a kind of walk-through, just making sure everything’s perfect for Mom. I thought about the things we brought down, put out, the things we’ve brought in, and how all of that matters.”
She started to open the door, call the pets in. Yoda let out his someone’s-coming bark and raced around the house.
“I bet that’s Mom now.”
“Like I said, perfect timing.”
They hurried to the front, rushed outside just as Winter took her weekender from the car and gave Yoda some love.
“There’s that good boy! Oh, and there are those gorgeous girls.”
She threw open her arms to pull both of them in. “Mmmm! So much better than FaceTime and texts.”
“I’m so glad you’re here! Come inside. Come in. I’ve got your case.”
“I’ve got one more thing.” She pulled a basket out of the trunk. “Bread basket.”
“You baked bread? Oh, smell that, even through the cling wrap.” Cleo took the basket.
“There’s enough if you want to sample tonight.”
“Oh boy, will we,” Cleo told her.
“And plenty to put out tomorrow. Yes, you told me not to bring anything, but I really wanted to, and this was fun. Oh, look at your lawn chairs. They’re… well, magnificent, like the manor.
“Owen built them?”
“He did. You’ll try them out. We’ll get you all settled, Mom, and have some wine.”
Clover greeted her daughter-in-law with Dylan and “Winterlude.”
“It’s still a little jolt,” Winter decided. “But a good one.”
“I’ll take your case up.”
“I can unpack in five minutes, baby, then I’m really here.”
“I’ll put the bread in the kitchen, and pour the wine.”
“Everything’s beautiful, Sonya.” Winter glanced around as they started upstairs. “This, to keep my nerves at bay, is how I picture you and Cleo. Living your lives, doing your work, being happy in this beautiful house.”
“That’s just what we’re doing.”
“I know you love it, and whenever I come here, I see why. And I’m back in my beautiful room. It’s—the vanity. That’s Catherine’s vanity? The one you told me about?”
