by Janet Dawson
* * *
Before they left Berkeley, Lindsey called Flor. “I’m coming over. With Efraín.”
“I’m scared,” Nat said, when they were in the car.
Lindsey reached for his hand. “So is she. But she’ll be so proud of you. You’ve grown into a fine young man.”
“It’ll be okay,” Nina said. “You’ll have two families. What an adventure.”
Flor stood on the front porch of her home in the Fruitvale district. Her husband and children waited with her. Nat walked toward her, staring at her face.
“Mamá?”
“M’ijo, m’ijo.” Flor rushed down the steps and flung her arms around her son. “Mi corazón, mi precioso.”
At first Nat hesitated. Then he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.
The two children ran toward their mother, eyes wide, curious and frightened at the same time. Flor’s husband followed them and patted his wife on the shoulder. Flor released her son and reached for her husband’s hand.
“This is your stepfather,” she said. “My husband, Tony. Your brother, Michael. Your sister, Antonia.” She smiled, beaming like the sun. “This is my son, Efraín.”
Tony’s eyes were moist as he took Nat’s hand. “Welcome home, son. Your mom’s been hoping and praying for so long that she’d find you. Seems like a dream come true.”
“Yeah, I know.” Nat knelt so that he was eye-level with the younger children. “You can call me Nat for short. Because I’m used to Nat.” He looked up at Flor. “Okay?”
Flor nodded. “Nat. It’s fine.”
“I have another sister,” Nat said. “Her name’s Amy. She’s eleven. Maybe you guys can meet her sometime. She loves cats. We have a cat named Moby.”
“We got a cat named Tigger.” Michael tugged on Nat’s arm. “We’ll show you.”
Nat stood and Flor smiled. “You look like your father. Come. I’ll show you a picture of him.” As Nat, Tony and the children entered the house, Flor said, “Lindsey, you and your daughter, you come, too.”
Lindsey shook her head. “We don’t want to intrude. Go, enjoy your reunion with your son.”
“I have something for you. I will be right back.” Flor went into the house and returned a moment later, holding out the pillowcases she had been embroidering all these weeks, with their border of flowers—roses and pansies and daffodils, meticulously stitched in jewel-bright red, purple and yellow.
“You were making those for a friend,” Lindsey said.
Flor smiled. “You are my friend. Even though I doubted you for a while. You returned my son to me. That’s a better gift than anything I can give you.”
“Muchas gracias.” Lindsey took the pillowcases, the white fabric stiff against her hands. Flor said good-bye and went back into the house.
Lindsey’s vision blurred as tears streamed from her eyes. All the secrets were out now. Pandora’s Box was empty of everything, except hope.
“Mom.” Nina put her arms around Lindsey. They stood there for a moment, then Nina stepped back and smiled. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
About the Author
Janet Dawson is the author of ten mysteries featuring PI Jeri Howard, the first of which won the St. Martin/PWA award and other mystery award nominations. Dawson is past president of the MWA Norcal chapter, and works for University of California, Berkeley. This is her first stand-alone novel. Dawson welcomes visitors at www.janetdawson.com.
The Jeri Howard Mystery Series by Janet Dawson
Kindred Crimes
Till the Old Men Die
Take a Number
Don’t Turn Your Back on the Ocean
Nobody’s Child
A Credible Threat
Witness to Evil
Where the Bodies Are Buried
A Killing at the Track
Bit Player
Scam and Eggs (short stories)