Chapter 2

My son settled down on the bed and watched me for a moment, in silence, the same way I watched him.

“Where is mom?” he wondered.

“She’s probably still working. Maybe she had a parents’ meeting or something like that.”

“She would have told you.”

“Maybe she forgot it was today, or it was unexpected.”

“She would have warned you.”

Caught. Mirko was very perceptive for a seven-year-old boy.

“Yes, she would have warned me,” I agreed, and thought for a moment about the inert cell phone inside the breast pocket of my shirt. “But the lines are not working well. I already tried to call her and I can’t get through to her phone. I’ll wait here for her a little longer, and if she doesn’t arrive within a reasonable hour, we’ll go get her.”

“But you’ll have to wake up my sister.”

“It’s a risk I’m willing to take.” I smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek; he put his arms around my neck, and I felt him tremble. I froze for a moment, until I re