He hesitated. Was she saying she didn’t need him there or letting him off the hook? He gambled and went with the latter. “I’m fine with hanging out with Thomas.”
Her face relaxed. “Okay. See you whenever.” She started the truck.
“Good luck,” he finally blurted as she shifted gears and, waving, drove to the highway. He didn’t think she’d heard and regretted not saying it earlier. When the truck turned onto the highway, he went back inside to start tidying up.
Luca had no idea kids could take so long to get dressed and had stifled his impatience by giving the kitchen an extra clean, assuming Kai—and her parents—might appreciate the extra effort.
When Thomas was finally ready, Luca attached Amigo’s leash to his collar, tucked two water bottles into a small knapsack he’d found in the bungalow and they headed out. The sun was already strong, and with the possibility of thunderstorms later, Luca doubted the walk would be a long one. Still, he welcomed the chance to explore some of the area with Thomas and, at the same time, indulge in some daydreaming about Kai.
* * *
IN SPITE OF the heat, crowds had started to gather an hour before the official start of the ceremony. Kai was grateful for the ball cap she’d found on the floor of the rear cab of the truck—Luca’s or her father’s?—and her sunglasses. She’d taken only what she needed from her camera bag, which she had left in the truck. The zoom lens was heavy, and perspiration had soaked her blouse as well as the camera strap less than half an hour after she’d started taking a few preliminary shots of the crowds, the podium and the arrangement of wreaths. Fortunately, there were no other media people present, except for a team from The Lima News.
When the city dignitaries and military representatives began gathering, Kai spotted Brian Boychuk among them and waved as they mingled to chat before assembling near the podium. She snapped a round of photos of the group. A school bus pulled up, disgorging an elementary student choir and Kai noticed Robyn. Miss Munro, Thomas’s teacher, along with Jane Patterson, were herding the choir into its place to the side of the monument steps.
When she joined them to take a few pics, Robyn called out from her place in the choir row, “Is Thomas here?”
“No, he stayed behind at the farm with Luca.”
Robyn’s face fell. Her mother walked over to Kai. “She was hoping he’d come. Apparently yesterday he said he wasn’t sure.”
Kai lowered her camera and stared blankly at the other woman, who added, “Of course, we heard that through Robyn after Thomas left. They had a great time together, by the way.”
The few seconds of processing Jane Patterson’s words were swiftly followed by regret that she hadn’t arranged for Thomas to come. She hadn’t even asked him if he wanted to, deciding—assuming—that he’d prefer to be at the farm with Amigo and Luca. Mentally kicking herself, Kai almost missed Jane’s remark about Luca and had to ask her to repeat it.
“He seems like a lovely man,” Jane said. “How much longer is he going to be staying at the farm?”
“Um, I don’t know. I mean, we haven’t discussed that.”
“Oh?”
Something in the pitch of that “Oh” riled Kai. She pretended to adjust her camera strap to hide what she knew was a red face. When she didn’t reply, Jane went on to say, “Just that, well, Mike was hoping he might find a new golf partner.”
Kai raised her head at that. “I doubt golf is Luca’s game.” Then, feeling bad for her snarky tone, added, “Actually he’s leaving for New Jersey this afternoon, and I’m not sure when he’ll be back.” She smiled, hoping to compensate for her brusqueness. “And my parents are coming home tomorrow.”
“Oh. That’s nice for your folks. I’m sure Thomas will be thrilled, though I bet he’ll also miss Luca.”
“I guess.”
“Robyn says Thomas really likes him.”
Kai nodded, saying, “It sounds like they’re getting ready.” She gestured to the military band tuning up in the background. “I’d better go.” She swung around and snaked her way through the crowds, thicker now and congregating at the base of the monument.
The conversation with Jane irked her. She hated getting information about Thomas thirdhand. It made her feel she’d failed somehow. Despite her efforts to look after him and do all the necessary tasks involved—the laundry, the cooking, the daily checking of backpack for school work—it seemed her actual communication with Thomas didn’t measure up. Apparently, another child—and maybe even Luca, almost a stranger—had better luck getting through to her nephew.
Kai let out her anger in a long exhalation. Had she been away from work so long that she couldn’t handle a bit of stress? Her retort to Jane and self-pity about her care of Thomas were simply symptoms of the anxiety she was feeling over Luca. Yesterday she’d been elated about his promise to return to the farm as soon as possible. But despite her cheerful face this morning, today felt different. Scarier. The unknown somehow trumped the anticipation of his return.
By the time she reached the position she’d staked out yesterday, her worries had given way to the demands of her job. Every nerve was focused on what she was seeing through the lens of her camera as she began to shoot picture after picture. She darted in and out of clumps of people, strollers and seniors perched on walkers, her mind gathering snippets of information as she clicked away. The tears rolling down the cheeks of an elderly man in a wheelchair, proudly wearing his World War II uniform. A young woman, dressed in black, clutching a toddler and dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. And there, on the far side of the monument platform, a small boy saluting, his other hand held by a tall, straight-backed man staring solemnly ahead.
Kai zoomed in. Thomas and Luca.
* * *
LUCA KEPT HIS eyes fixed on the flag panels of the monument, barely registering the voices emanating from the microphone, attuned only to the comforting pressure of the small hand in his.
Their walk to the glade had been curtailed by the heat and a lack of interest from Thomas. He’d lagged farther and farther behind, and even Amigo’s enthusiasm had flagged by the time they reached the woods; he’d sought out the first patch of shade they encountered and sank down, panting. Luca had suggested a water break and then, noting Thomas’s flushed face beneath his cap and Amigo, now settling in for a nap, added it might be time to head back.
More cold drinks and a face wash at the farmhouse, with Amigo sprawled under the kitchen table, told Luca he needed to come up with another agenda for the day. Unsurprisingly, the ceremony at the monument had been his first thought. It had been lurking at the edge of his mind all morning anyway. When he mentioned it, Thomas’s immediate smile proved that it had been on his mind, too, and Luca was sorry he hadn’t considered that the boy might be interested in going. They left Amigo sleeping in the kitchen and reached the monument moments after the speeches started.
When Thomas reached for his hand, Luca knew he’d made the right decision. The speeches ended, and as the mournful lament of the “Last Post” rang out, Luca looked down to see Thomas salute with his free hand. He stared ahead, blinking back tears as the faces of Lopez, Murphy, Kowalski, McDougall and all the men in his squad filled his heart.
* * *
LUCA WAS BUOYED by his impulse to go to the ceremony. Kai had joined them and accepted their unexpected presence without comment, which he’d appreciated. He’d treated Thomas to a fast-food lunch on their way back to the farm, where they waited for Kai’s return. She’d had notes to make and some fact-checking to finish.
Thomas and Amigo were playing Frisbee on the lawn when the pickup finally arrived. Luca had already stowed his bag in his SUV and reminded Thomas that he was leaving for a few days, adding in response to the boy’s sober expression, “I’ll be back.”
Kai’s sudden hug as he was climbing behind the wheel had been a bonus.
&nbs
p; After leaving Lima, he’d decided to drive the whole eight hours in one shot. That way, he could arrive home late in the evening and plead fatigue to postpone any discussions with his mother about his future. It also meant he could be back at the farm and with Kai sooner. He’d spent most of the long drive picturing his return, taking her into his arms. Following through with a kiss this time.
But the porch light was on when he turned into the driveway of his childhood home, and Isabel rushed to the front door. They embraced, and his mother led him into the kitchen. She insisted on staying up while he nibbled on the snack she’d prepared, sitting opposite him at the table. “I was afraid you might be bringing that dog with you.”
“I left him at the farm.”
“Tell me about this farm.”
Luca set his sandwich down. “Mother, I’m beat. Do you mind if we continue this conversation in the morning?” He made his way up to his third-floor bedroom feeling as if he’d just come home from term break at boarding school. At least tomorrow he’d have the excuse of visiting the Lopezes to cut short his visit home. And after that? Imagining the reunion with Kai kept him awake most of the night.
Next morning, he awoke to the aroma of waffles. That special breakfast had always been his welcome home and was one of Isabel’s few culinary feats. Sitting at the table in her recently renovated kitchen, Luca wished he were in the Westfield farmhouse with its outmoded appliances and cupboards that didn’t close properly. He could be having breakfast right now with Thomas beside him, Amigo underfoot as usual...and Kai. Kai.
When Isabel brought a second cup of coffee to the table for each of them, Luca girded himself for the inquisition.
“So,” she began, “this farm. You mentioned that the woman who brought that dog here was helping out while her father was having rehabilitation for a stroke?”
Luca gripped the handle of his mug. “Her name is Kai. And the dog is Amigo.”
“Oh, yes. Kai. An unusual name, isn’t it?”
“I guess so.”
“And you wrote a few days ago that the planting you helped with was finished?”
“Yes.” He had a bad feeling about where this was going.
“So I take it your help is no longer needed?”
No avoiding this one, Rossi. “Well...”
She tilted her head. “Well?”
“I suppose you could say that. Mother, I think you’re really asking me about my plans, right?”
“Exactly.” Leaning back in her chair, she folded her hands on her lap and waited.
“To be honest, I don’t know my plans. But I do know what I’d like to do in general.”
“All right.”
He was impressed at her patience, a rare trait in Isabel. “Okay. Here it is. City life is good. The busyness is energizing and there are a lot of opportunities. But sometimes I feel lost in the crowd. People in Lima are low-key, compared to city dwellers. I like meeting someone I know when I go to the supermarket or the hardware store. There’s a peacefulness and calm in the countryside unlike anywhere else.”
“And that’s why people have country homes. To get away from it all. Temporarily.”
Luca inhaled slowly. “I’m talking about the possibility of living in the country full-time, Mother. Not on weekends.”
“What would you do in the countryside, Luca? What kind of work?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’d like to put my engineering background to some use.”
“But you can do that in New Jersey. You have a ready-made place of employment right here in your hometown.”
He heard her exasperation, and he steadied himself for the argument he’d had many times with both parents. “I don’t want to join the company. I’ve never wanted that, and I never will. You’ve got to accept that.”
“So you’re content to just let my brother and his family run it? Take it over?”
“Yes, I am. They’re doing a fine job, aren’t they?”
She bit her lip, averting her gaze. “They want to buy out my shares,” she said, her voice wobbling.
Luca gave her some time before asking, “Does that really matter, Mother? You haven’t had anything to do with the company for years. Even before Dad died. You—”
Her rush of tears stopped him.
“Your father...gave everything to the company! His...whole...life,” she sobbed. “He...he would be heartbroken if he heard you speaking like this.” She dug into her pocket for a tissue.
Luca waited for her to blow her nose and calm herself. “I’m not so sure about that.”
She tucked her tissue away, eyes narrowing. “What do you mean?”
“His devotion to the company was all for you, Mother. I’m sure he had other dreams about how he wanted to live his life before he took the company job.”
“We were lucky he had that job offered to him, Luca. Your grandfather was a difficult man to work for.”
“I’m not willing to make that kind of sacrifice.”
“But your family is here.”
“Newark’s not that far from Lima, Mother, straight across the country.”
She was silenced by that. Luca finished his coffee, wondering how to extricate himself from another futile conversation about his future.
“Your father would want you here, to look after me.”
Luca marveled at her persistence. “Guilt isn’t going to do the trick this time.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“That last time I was home, before Dad had his heart attack. All three of us had a big argument after I told you I’d reenlisted. I realize now I should have given you both some indication before I actually came out with it, but I didn’t know how my reenlistment would affect him. I’m sorry I couldn’t get home in time for the funeral. I really am. I’ve been haunted by that these past three years.” He paused, waiting for the moment to pass. Waiting for her to reproach him.
But she surprised him instead, reaching out to take his hands in hers. “That was an awful day, Luca, and I know I didn’t help things. I’m sorry. But the argument had nothing to do with Frank’s heart attack. Nor did your reenlistment. Yes, he was upset about it. But not because it meant you weren’t coming back home to work for him. Because he was so afraid for you. That’s what worried him. As for his heart attack, he’d been having heart problems for years. He was in complete denial about how serious those problems were. His...his death had nothing to do with you.”
Luca peered down at their locked hands, blinking away the tears that suddenly welled up. He looked across the table at his mother, seeing something in her he’d missed all his life. Vulnerability.
“Thank you for that,” was all he managed to say but realized at the same time, that he couldn’t possibly leave right away.
* * *
THE NEXT DAY, Luca was driving into Elizabeth city limits. It didn’t take him long to find the redbrick bungalow where Lopez had grown up. He parked his SUV on the street, walked up to the front door, took a deep breath and rang the bell. A gray-haired woman, short and on the plump side, opened it.
“Mrs. Lopez? We spoke on the phone this morning. I’m Luca Rossi.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
IT WAS APPROPRIATE that rain fell the very day after Luca left the farm. A sunny day would have been a challenge, given Kai’s mood. She would have had to force herself to be cheerful, whereas now she could blame every sharp word to Thomas or Amigo on the weather. Not that they themselves were immune to Luca’s absence. Thomas was whiny and cranky; Amigo, listless. The weather, too, stifled the Westfield household like a blanket on a hot summer’s night. On top of all that, she was exhausted from spending most of yesterday afternoon and last evening selecting and editing photos and emailing it all off before midnight.
The one bright spot in the day was
standing inside the new bus shelter with Thomas. Of course, they could have waited in the pickup as they usually did on rainy days, but he refused, pointing to the shelter. His eyes were shining as he stood inside with her, his fingers moving across the new coat of paint, the window and every nail he’d helped hammer into the frame. Kai enjoyed watching him, sensing his pleasure wasn’t only at his accomplishment, but also at the memory of working with Luca.
When the bus came, she murmured, “He’ll be back soon. You’ll see.”
His solemn eyes searched hers for proof of this claim, but he simply nodded, his lips pursed. Wanting to believe.
And that was the belief Kai clung to all day. The weather cleared after midmorning just as she finished tidying the bungalow. She’d given it a thorough check for anything Luca might have left behind. Not that he’d had much with him to begin with. She stood at the front door for a few minutes, remembering when she’d sought comfort from him after her phone call to Thomas’s teacher and his instant response, wrapping her in his arms. That day plus the day he arrived seemed so long ago now, the time filled with all those differences of opinion—petty misunderstandings—and the roller coaster ride of getting to know another person. Especially one as perplexing as Luca, his moods and thoughts as changeable as the weather. Like her own, she admitted, which further complicated matters.
The rumble of a car engine brought her back. She closed the bungalow door and stood on the porch, watching her parents’ car pull up in front of the garage. Relieved that she’d left Amigo napping on Thomas’s bed, Kai went to greet her parents.
Her mother was helping Harry out of the passenger side by the time she got to the car. They hugged while Harry was half in and half out of his seat, prompting a grumble that made both Margaret and Kai smile. While Kai was pulling the walker out of the trunk, she noticed her mother nervously scanning the yard.
“Amigo’s up in Thomas’s room, Mom.”
“I thought he was gone. Didn’t you say that that Luca fellow was leaving?”
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