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?"

"Yeah!" Mario's eyes sparkled as he looked up at her. "I can solve all six sides now my fastest time is two minutes."

bought the Rubik's Cube for him, and

dad knew how good you were getting, he'd

"Ms. Riley, have you talked to

well. Maybe he'll even make enough to come home

lit up at that. "Really? Do you think he could be back before winter?" Lorna pressed her lips together, hesitating. "That...I can't promise, sweetheart." Mario's

wasn't fooled. Ms. Riley was just trying to make

his dad wasn't overseas on business. He'd become a star in

sighed softly. "You have to believe in

at the puzzle. "What about

froze for

more so because he'd never had a mother by his

him

must have realized something

away on a work trip. She might be gone for

is with

okay."

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

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