Jason released her and wiped his eyes. He kissed her on the cheek and then went to his wife. Sam and Jason clung to one another. After a few minutes they released each other and Jason went silently to Luca. He gave him a slight hug, meant to say “I forgive you and you’re still welcome in my life.” It was a nice gesture, nice Jason didn’t kick him out—though Gigi would never have stood for that. But he shouldn’t have to forgive Luca; none of this was Luca’s fault.
Gigi took Luca’s arm in hers. “Come with us,” she said. “Samantha, Jason, you two stay as long as you need to. We’ll be waiting for you at our house. We’ll get the guest rooms ready.”
“You don’t mind us staying with you?” Sam asked, her voice sounding beaten.
“How on earth could I mind having people I love under my roof. It’s the greatest gift you could give me,” Gigi said, and she meant every word.
“Thank you, Gemma,” Sam said, wiping her eyes.
“Take as much time as you need. The kids and I will be at the house. It’s too cold out here for the young and the old.”
“Yes, far too cold,” Avi said solemnly as she pressed herself against Gigi. She hadn’t stopped crying since she arrived. Even now, tears streaked her innocent face.
Gigi put an arm around her youngest granddaughter and, together, they started up the trail that led to our home. Lisieux and I followed, but Luca did not. Gigi must have sensed he wouldn’t come without being told to.
She turned and said in her most forceful voice, “Luca, now. It’s not an option.”
Luca hesitated a second longer and then followed us up the trail. Lisieux and I walked together, all of us in silence, Jackson loping beside me with his head bent low. Even he seemed to understand how awful the day had been.
When we reached the fork in the trail, Jackson stopped and stared down the trail to the beach. He began to growl and the hairs on his back rose slightly. I stopped and watched. I was afraid before. Now I was too miserable to be afraid. Luca caught up and stood beside me. Together we studied the path. Wind blew, leaves swirled, there was nothing else to be seen.
Jackson relaxed and wagged his tail, as if he wanted to go to the beach.
“Now is not the time,” I said quietly, staring once more at the empty trail surrounded by woods.
We climbed the hill. As we neared the house, my sisters and Gigi went toward the door while I lagged behind, wanting to make sure Luca came with us. He was moving far slower than the rest of us. As he reached the top, he raised his head and peered directly at the spot on the stones, the spot where the handprint was. He went toward it. I kept up with him. As he got closer, his face drained of color and his eyes became unreadable.
I didn’t ask him what was wrong; something about his expression told me he wouldn’t be able to answer. I followed his gaze. The singed handprint was there, exactly as it had been yesterday, but next to it was another print—a larger one. I stepped closer. It wasn’t burned into the stone. It wasn’t burned at all, it was …. I went to touch it. Luca’s hand grasped my wrist.
“It’s ashes,” he said.
“Ashes?”
He nodded, his jaw clenched tight.
“Who could …?” my voice drifted off, Thomas’s face appearing in my mind. I felt sick. “He was here,” I said, tasting fear.
Luca started for the kitchen door. “What if he still is?” he said, jogging forward and pulling open the door.
My sisters were each flopping into a chair at the kitchen table, Jackson curling up in his bed, and Gigi was hanging her keys on the pegboard.
“Did you lock the door?” Luca asked with a sense of relief.
Gigi said, “I grew up in Manhattan, so I always lock the door. It doesn’t matter how many times my son and granddaughters make fun of me, that’s one habit I won’t change.”
“That’s good,” I said quickly. “It’s a good habit.”
She peered at me with curiosity.
Gigi came toward us; she placed a wrinkled hand on Luca’s face. Ordinarily, his face was at least five shades darker than her pale hand, but in that moment they were remarkably similar.
“Forgiveness,” Gigi said.
Luca and I both stared at her. Did she know?
“In time, you will forgive yourself.”
“Maybe,” Luca said.
“What is it?” Gigi asked, staring up at him.
“I’m sorry, I have to go,” Luca said. “I have to be with Aunt Sam and Uncle Jace. They’re my family. I need them and they need me.”
“They will be here in a few minutes, I’m sure,” Gigi said, trying to convince him to stay.
“Then I’ll meet them on the trail,” Luca said as he stepped away from Gigi and went out the door. He avoided my eyes.
Was he lying? I never knew him to lie before, even when it meant telling me a truth that sounded like a lie.
Gigi was right. Sam, Jason, and my dad would be on their way back. They’d meet him on the trail and keep him from doing anything stupid. He simply needed a minute alone to think and he needed his family. I’d give him that time.
Twenty-Five
I sat at the kitchen table, anxiously waiting for my dad and Luca to return. It had been only fifteen minutes since Luca left, but it felt like hours. I shouldn’t have let him go. I should have insisted that he wait to meet his aunt and uncle here or I should have gone with him.
The day was darkening, like yesterday, a storm was rolling in early. Unlike yesterday, the temperature was already near freezing.
“When will Dad be here?” Avi asked, with the same worry I felt.
Gigi pulled Avi’s hair away from her face. “Soon, very soon,” she said in a soothing voice.
“It would be nice if they were here now,” Lisieux said, leaning against Gigi.
Gigi placed an arm around Lisieux.
My leg bounced with nervous energy as I stared out the window, waiting for them to appear in our yard.
I thought of the ashen handprint. Did I really believe Thomas was involved in any of this? That he burned down Luca’s house and left an ashen handprint on the side of my house, right next to the one of the ghost child? How would he even know where the ghost child’s print was? Luca believed Thomas was in the yard on Sunday night, the evil surrounding him causing Luca to feel his presence. It didn’t make any sense for Thomas to do any of that. Though, neither did asking me on a picnic when he had no food.
I shivered.
We all looked up when we heard voices in the garage. Avi jumped up from the table and ran to the door. The rest of us followed. Dad, Sam, and Jason were coming toward us.
Avi launched herself at Dad; he caught her midair and stumbled backward. Jason helped keep them both from tumbling down. Avi started to cry as Dad held her. She clung to him like her little life depended on it. He returned the embrace, glancing at Gigi. She nodded slightly, as if to say, “It’s okay, she’ll be okay, but she needs you right now.”
“Where’s Luca?” I asked as they came closer.
“Isn’t he here?” Sam said in a voice of tired concern.
“He left to check on you,” I said, feeling blood drain from my face as fear washed over me.