Chapter Fifteen

Sedona The Next Day

L una was up early. Her body was still on East Coast time. She checked her watch. It was five a.m. She couldn't get back to sleep, so she powered up her laptop and did a little more digging for information about the two Americans who'd been killed in a boating accident. She swiped through website pages. Finally, three weeks after the accident was first reported, and in very small print, a headline read:

Boating accident victims identified as Brendan Nelson and Eileen Lovecraft.

There was nothing else. No cause of the accident, and this time, it didn't mention they were Americans. Maybe the tourism board didn't want bad publicity and kept it on the down-low. She didn't remember any news coverage in the States, but then again, she hadn't been looking. She went back to the Minnetonka local news website to see if there were any updates. Zip. Zilch. Zero. It was so peculiar. She sent a text to Anthony with what she'd discovered. He replied with a frowning emoji and a question mark. The question mark reminded her of her earlier drawing. Were they related? She knew there was still nothing she could do, so she closed her laptop and shuffled into the kitchen to make coffee. The sun was beginning to show its face, and she took her mug of java and retreated to the back patio, where she could watch the colors of the day emerge.

A sense of peace flowed through her. So much had transpired over the past few weeks. This was her opportunity to hit the reset button. She closed her eyes and felt the sun wash over her face. It felt good. Warm. Safe. It was as if the canyon whispered, "Welcome home, daughter." She wondered—could she live here? Not without Chris. Not without her family. For now, she was tied to North Carolina, but she promised herself she would make more frequent journeys to this magical land.

She turned when she heard footsteps approaching. Gail had a mug of coffee in her hand. "This is delicious. I guess having a café is a plus when it comes to making the perfect cup of joe."

"I put a dash of allspice in the grounds." Luna winked.

Gail took a big whiff. "Ah, that's what it is. It's subtle."

"Yeah. Just like me." Luna laughed. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"Not at all. I'm usually up around six, but the aroma of the coffee beckoned me."

They clinked mugs. "Here's to a fabulous day!"

Gail went back into the kitchen, put the morning pastries on a tray, and brought them back outside. "I made an appointment at the spa for tomorrow afternoon. I figured we'd do Bell Rock, then more art shopping, and then have a leisurely remainder of the day."

"Sounds divine!" Luna sipped her coffee and tore off half of a muffin.

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Gail spoke. "Thanks for turning me on to Bad Sisters . Brilliant! I can't wait to binge the rest of it."

"I find I'm watching more international shows lately. They're more authentic. Ellie, Chi-Chi, and I were discussing this the other day. I just wish I could figure out how to cut the cable cord and just go to streaming, but the idea makes me a little nervous."

"What do you mean?" Gail asked.

"FOMO."

"Fear of missing out? But why?"

"Old habits. I turn on the TV for local news and weather. I haven't figured out how or if I can do that if I cut the cord."

"Hmm. I get it. Robert rigged something up for us so we can get the local news and major networks, but we don't have the other nine hundred stations nobody watches. Well, I guess some people do, but I don't have kids, and I don't care about every sport known to man or woman. And my Spanish isn't good enough to sit through a telenovela."

"Exactly! Maybe Robert can explain how I can do that at home."

"I am sure he can help. It's good to have a techno wizard in the house." Gail chuckled. "Although there are times when he's in the studio twenty-four-seven, and I don't see him for days." She raised her eyebrows. "Sometimes that's not such a bad thing, either." She chuckled. "Don't get me wrong. I love Robert to pieces, but too much togetherness can get on your nerves."

Luna smiled. "I don't have that problem with Chris." She sighed. "I love my freedom, but it would be nice to see him more than every other week. And now, with the new job, and the custody battle, who knows how often I am going to see him? I work most weekends."

"Honeybunch, I am sure the two of you will figure it out."

Luna nodded. "I have a feeling we will." Then her mind went back to what she had discovered earlier. She got up. "Be right back." She returned with her laptop and showed Gail the small notice identifying the victims of the boating accident.

"Oh, honey. I'm so sorry." Gail wrapped her arms around Luna. "At least you know now."

"Yeah. It still doesn't make me feel any better." She sighed.

"I know, sweetcakes. I know." Gail stood. "Come on, let's shower and get ready for our artsy adventure."

Luna smiled. "Good idea."

Later that morning, they began their mission in search of authentic holiday ornaments, starting with Celebrations Navidad. Gail introduced Luna to the shopkeeper, and Luna explained where she was from and handed him a brochure for the Stillwell Art Center.

"Yes. I am familiar with it." He spoke in a soft voice. It was hard to tell the man's age. His skin told of many long hours spent in the sun. His hair was a mix of black, gray, and white and pulled back in a braid that went down his back, past his shoulder blades. Luna tilted her head toward his back. "I used to have one of those until a couple of weeks ago. How long have you had it?"

"Many years." His eyes also told of many years of experience. Some good. Some bad. The man was not much for conversation. He was a listener. Luna could tell from her years of social work. There were talkers, and there were listeners. Although being a listener wasn't always equivalent to being understanding or comprehending.

Luna carried on. "Would you be interested in having some of your ornaments on display at Stillwell? Ellie is showcasing authentic indigenous art. Her intention is to bring more awareness and discoverability to this vast array of talent." She swept her arm, indicating the items hanging in his shop. He said nothing. Yet. "Each artist's work will be hung in the atrium. You can see the photo in the middle spread." She waited for him to open the brochure and say something. Still, nothing.

The man looked at her as if to say, "Continue," so she did. "There will be a placard in front of the displays, and people can have the opportunity to buy them."

He stared down at the brochure. "Yes. Thank you. How many items do you wish to exhibit?"

"Five or six different pieces, but also some inventory to sell."

He looked up. "I do not mass produce these items. Each is one of a kind."

"Oh, I understand. What I meant was if someone wants to purchase one, we can fill the spot with another."

"I see." He studied the photograph again.

The suspense was driving Luna nuts. She held her breath. She didn't want to be too pushy. Then she wondered if he wanted to be paid in advance, so mentioned it before it became a question. "We will gladly pay you upfront."

"What if you do not sell all of them?" Again, he spoke softly and slowly.

Luna responded with a lively reply. "Well then, all of my friends will be getting Celebrations Navidad Christmas presents."

He smiled. Finally. "How soon do you want them?"

"Not until November. Will that work for you?" Luna held her breath again.

He squinted, as if he were calculating something in his head. "I shall sell you twenty-four pieces. That is all I could manage. We get very busy over the holidays, and I am already working on items." That was the most he had said thus far. "Come back later, and I will give you an invoice." He nodded and retreated to a room in the back.

Luna and Gail gave each other a bug-eyed look. They shrugged in unison and quietly left the store.

"Isn't it curious that someone who makes such joyful things seems so somber?" Luna observed.

"There are many people like that around here. I think they carry a lot of old wounds. Wounds from the past, maybe in this life or one before," Gail said solemnly. "Remember the cliff dwellings and that chilling vibe you got?"

"Boy, do I." Luna shivered.

"It's an interesting dichotomy. The locals are very peaceful and spiritual people, and yet they often seem to be carrying a burden, something that they don't share or discuss."

"Ellie and I were talking about the Lumbee tribe when she got the idea to showcase indigenous art. They were only recognized as a tribe in the late fifties, yet they still are not recognized by the federal government, so they can't get a casino license."

"Bureaucracy," Gail huffed.

"I think it's politics for sure. But other casinos also don't want competition," Luna explained.

"As if there isn't enough money squandered on gambling. That is one of the things that will always bring in cash. Look at the billions the lottery brings in!" Gail paused. "For a very short time, Robert and I lived in Henderson, outside of Las Vegas. We thought being near an airport and entertainment was the way to go, but the energy in the atmosphere was way too much. You could feel it. I know you know what I'm talking about. Maybe it doesn't affect people who grew up there. They're used to the frenzy. But for people like us, well, we needed less delirium. We were leaving LA, which has its own unique delirium, and when we stumbled onto Sedona, we knew this was exactly where we should be."

A gentle, warm breeze drifted around them, setting off the tinkling of wind chimes, to confirm Gail's words.

They moved from one shop to another, searching for items. Luna noted all the skeleton-inscribed pieces. "It's kind of creepy for a holiday decoration, don't ya think?" She handled one of an owl, with a skeleton painted over it.

"It's the Mexican influence," Gail replied. " Día de Los Muertos. Day of the Dead."

"Yes. November first and second. I always light candles to honor my relatives who have passed on, but I never used skeletons." Luna cringed. "I suppose I should know all about this, but a girl has her limits. Especially when it comes to creepy stuff. I don't mean to be disrespectful or anything, considering I believe the spirit lives on. I guess I prefer to remember loved ones with skin on their bodies and recognizable features."

Gail laughed. "Good point. Shall we?" She gestured for them to move on to another shop.

Luna stopped abruptly.

"What is it?"

"That laugh. I know that laugh." She immediately turned in the direction the sound was coming from. She turned and raced toward the figure, who disappeared behind some foliage.

Gail was several steps behind. "Luna! Where are you going?"

Luna tried to keep up with the man, but he got into his car and drove off before she could see his face.

"Luna! What is going on?" Gail was huffing to catch her breath.

Luna was also breathing deeply. "I . . . I could have sworn that was Brendan's laugh."

"Oh, sweetcakes." Gail put her arm around Luna. "I know it's been a big shock, but he's gone." She turned Luna to face her and looked straight in her eyes. "I know you want to believe he's still alive, but you saw it with your own eyes this morning."

Luna heaved. "Maybe I'm losing my mind."

"Doubtful. He's been on your mind, so it's only natural you'd draw similarities. Come on. Let's get some lunch. How about Oak Creek Brewery?"

They took their time heading to the restaurant. Once they were seated, Luna said, "I could use a beer right now." She checked the menu. "I think I'll have the Steamboat Rock BLT."

"Ah. Bacon! Never met a slab I didn't like." Gail chuckled. But she could tell Luna was still rattled by that haunting laugh.

"Don't you think it's kind of strange that we were just talking about the Day of the Dead, and then I hear Brendan's laugh?" Luna asked.

"That's what I was talking about. Maybe he was sending you a message. He was laughing, right?"

"Right."

"Come on. You of all people. How many times have you said to ‘pay attention to the signs'?"

"A zillion." Luna stared into her empty mug. "Even his gait was like Brendan's."

"I'm going out on a limb here, but I didn't see anyone or hear anyone."

Luna gave her an odd look. "Do you think I imagined it?"

"No. But I think maybe it was a message, and you should take it at that." Gail reached across the table and grabbed Luna's hand. "It's okay. Wherever he is, he knows you cared about him and you miss him."

"And there is nothing I can do about it," Luna replied.

"Exactly. So try to shake it off and think of hearing that voice as a good thing. It was a message, just for you."

Luna's eyes filled with tears. "Sometimes I think I'm losing it."

Gail's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, ‘losing it'?"

"A few weeks ago, I felt haunted by something I couldn't put my finger on. I tried meditating and drawing and came up with a question mark. Then my brother had my old dresser delivered. It was almost like a wave of... well, that's just it. A wave of I don't know what. Not necessarily a bad wave. Fog. Fog is probably the best description. Like I've been in and out of a fog."

"Hormones?" Gail asked.

"Could be." Luna shrugged. "I don't remember ever having fog PMS."

Gail chuckled. "F.O.G.P.M.S. Fear of getting PMS!"

Luna had to laugh. "I think it's everyone's fear. Especially men. They certainly don't want to be around when it's happening."

Gail signaled for the check and asked, "Ready, Freddy?"

"Did you know that expression came from a mid-twentieth-century comic strip called Li'l Abner ? Al Capp, the cartoonist, used it throughout the series, until it was revealed that Freddy was the local undertaker." Luna paused. "Hmm. More death stuff."

"And you know this because . . ."

"My brother. He finds all sorts of old stuff restoring old pieces of furniture. He bought a dilapidated highboy that was filled with newspaper cartoons. Filled, as in hundreds of them."

"That's kinda cool. What did he do with them?"

"Sold them to a collector, but not before he read through a bunch of them." Luna remained pensive.

"What now?"

"The death thing."

"You are going to have to stop this." Gail was trying not to lose her patience.

"Sorry. You're right. Why am I so obsessed with this Brendan thing?"

"Because it was a shock. Our minds do strange things when we are shocked. You oughta know."

"Yep." She linked her arm through Gail's. "Let's check back with, with—what was that artist's name?"

Gail gave her a blank look. "Ha. Neither of us bothered to ask. Some team we make!"

"Well, we know where he is," Luna said brightly, as they made their way back to Celebrations Navidad.

The older man was still behind the counter at the store. He looked up and nodded. No smile. No facial expression. Luna couldn't help but wonder again why a man who made such fun pieces of art would be so sullen. No one at Stillwell was like that. Sure, there were some with idiosyncrasies, like Johnny Can-Do, who didn't want to be seen in public. But he had a good reason. His face was scarred. And then there was Jennine, who, well, idiosyncratic was not necessarily an apt description. Man-crazy was more to the point. Luna supposed man-crazy could be considered a unique characteristic. But then, it was really a matter of perspective. To each his own .

The women silently and gingerly approached the counter as if they were entering a church chancel. Perhaps they were. It was this particular man's sanctuary.

According to science, everything has its own unique energy. An electromagnetic field of neurons, protons, electrons, and quarks interacting at various levels and vibrating in a manner that cannot be discerned by the naked eye. In Sedona, those vibrations were amplified. You could feel so much of the energy. It was almost palpable.

Luna was the first to speak. "Hi again."

He nodded and handed her a sheet of paper. She looked it over. It listed all the items he would provide, the prices, and delivery date. "May I put it on a credit card?" she asked.

He slid the electronic box toward her. She swiped the card and paid the 600 dollars for the ornaments, plus 42 dollars for shipping and handling. "Do you have something in particular you'd like included on the placard?" she asked.

He handed her a postcard with the name of the shop, address, and a brief description.

"Thank you." She searched the bottom of her tote and found a paperclip that she used to attach the card to the invoice. She didn't know what else to say and so held out her hand. "It was nice meeting you." She wanted to say his name, but she still didn't know it.

He shook her hand. "Elan."

Gail stifled a laugh. "Elan" meant friendly .

"Nice to meet you, Elan," said Luna.

"Thank you, Luna Bodman. Peace." He turned and retreated to the other room.

This time they scurried out. Luna could tell Gail was holding something in. "What?"

"His name means friendly."

"Oh stop," Luna said. "Wait here a minute." She turned and went back into the store.

"Elan?"

He came out. "Hello, Luna. What can I do for you?" This time, he was smiling.

"You can tell me why you were so dour earlier. I mean, not that it's any of my business, but you make so many pretty things."

"Many people come here to steal my ideas. I know a cactus is not original, but my cactuses are mine, and you came from another art center."

"I totally understand. I am so sorry you got that impression from me. Us."

"No. I was tired. My grandson kept us up all night. While you were gone, I looked further into Stillwell Center. It is an honor you are considering my work to be on display."

"Whew. Well, it will be an honor to have your pieces on exhibit. I promise to send you photos."

"I would like that. Thank you." At this point, his facial expression had turned to pleasure, and he smiled.

Luna extended her hand once again. "Thank you, Elan."

She was practically skipping out the door when she bumped into Gail.

"I thought I was going to have to come in and rescue you."

"I got him to smile," Luna said in a singsong way, and curtsied.

"Luna, you lunatic. You crack me up. You were not going to leave until you got that man to smile."

"Well, yeah. Especially when you told me his name meant friendly ."

They linked arms again and made a few more stops before they returned to the car. "I think Ellie will be happy with what we found today. The artists seemed to be very enthusiastic." Luna stopped. "I just got an idea."

"Uh-oh." Gail sighed.

"No. It's good. I think Ellie might be able to swing it—what if she invited the artists to come to Stillwell? She always does events, and this would be another way of showcasing their art. They could speak about it if they wanted. The event would get so much publicity."

"Girlfriend, you are a genius. Do you think Ellie will go for it?"

"I believe she will. It will cost a little for transportation and hotels, but Stillwell will get a ton of exposure. It would be a win-win for everyone." Luna checked the time. It was almost six in Asheville. She decided to phone Ellie.

Ellie's voice was always soothing. "Hello, dear. How are things in the Southwest?"

"Great! We spoke with five artists today. All showed interest. In fact, I've already purchased two dozen pieces. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, Luna. I trust your judgement. That's why I sent you."

"They're handmade holiday ornaments and retail for around twenty-five dollars. They'll arrive end of October."

"That's wonderful, Luna."

"So, Ellie, I got this crazy idea. I know, I know, most of them are crazy."

"I never said that, dear," Ellie responded. "But go ahead. Tell me."

"What if we, I mean you, invite the artists to come to Stillwell. We could hold an event where people can meet the artists. Unless you think our resident artisans would be jealous. You know, that someone else is getting attention."

"That would be foolish on their part. It's an opportunity for everyone. I think it's a splendid idea, Luna. We can work out the details once we decide what other pieces we'll feature."

"Fab! Thanks for this, Ellie. I am having a wonderful time here."

"Well, make sure you come back." Ellie chuckled.

"Absolutely! We'll talk soon. Tell Cullen and Chi-Chi ‘hi' for me."

"I will. Have fun. Bye."

Luna was beaming. "Yay! She went for it. This is going to be so cool." She stopped. "Maybe we can get Ellie to buy you a ticket, too? After all, you have been helping me curate. And you can stay with me and Wylie."

"I don't want to impose," Gail said flatly.

"Impose? Puh-lease."

On their way back to the B&B, they stopped at the Safeway supermarket. Gail had a list of items from Robert and needed a few things for them to nosh on at the B&B.

"I'll grab some fruit," Luna said, and headed to the produce department. She was looking through the melons when she heard that haunting laugh again. "Get a grip," she whispered to herself. When she looked up, she saw the back of a familiar head moving toward the rear of the store. Those tight black curls. The height matched, too. And he was wearing the same dark green shirt as earlier. Luna shook her head. "You have got to stop this." She took a deep breath and fidgeted with a few casabas. When Gail caught up to her, she noticed Luna's face was pale.

"You okay?" Gail touched Luna's forehead with the back of her hand. "You look like you might faint."

"Must be the heat. I know, it's a dry heat. Yeah, yeah." She wasn't about to tell Gail she'd had another Brendan sighting. It was getting out of hand. "I'll be fine. Just need some water."

"Okay. You wait here." Gail went to the refrigerator section where they kept cold beverages and grabbed a Gatorade G2. She figured Luna could use the electrolytes, even though the sugar wasn't necessarily the best thing, but this new version of the thirst quencher had less than the original formula. One of the many things Gail had learned since she'd moved was to be aware of what she was putting into her body. Her life was so rushed in LA, she rarely ate healthy meals. Now she was more conscious about maintaining a healthier lifestyle. She shrugged. "One of these won't kill her." She dashed back to where Luna was waiting and handed her the bottle. "Drink up."

"Thanks." Luna gladly took the bottle and gulped the drink down.

"You okay now?"

"Fit as a fiddle," Luna lied. She was still rattled, but she was intent on talking herself into a sense of calm.

Their conversation quickly turned to what to do for dinner. "How about steaks on the grill, salad, and some hash browns?" Gail suggested.

"Oh, yummy! Is there wine?"

"Is there wine?" Gail scoffed. "Baby, I got all kinds and colors."

"And this is why we're best friends." Luna had finally shaken off her sense of dread. Maybe there really was something to replenishing your body with electrolytes. She always went for the caffeine.

She paid for the groceries, and they got back into the car. First, they stopped at Gail's house and dropped off the supplies for Robert. Gail went out to the patio and noticed the small red light was on, indicating there was an active session in the studio. She went back into the kitchen, wrote a note, and put the perishables away.

Luna waited out front with Max. He was going on a sleepaway with them tonight. Robert was busy, so Max was lonely.

All three piled into the Jeep and headed to the B&B. Max was so happy, his tail was beating like a drum against the back seat. Luna turned. "Happy, boy?" He opened his mouth and yowled. His voice was as big as he was. Luna kept petting his head, as she and Gail sang along to "Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now" by McFadden and Whitehead.

When the song was over, Gail sighed. "I loved the music of the late seventies and early eighties. Stuff you could sing and hum. Feel-good music."

"I couldn't agree with you more. But don't get me started." Luna was about to tell her how she and Brendan would debate who were the best artists, but she stopped herself. She had to make a real effort to get him out of her head.

Next up was "She Works Hard for the Money." The two friends wailed and banged on the dashboard, with Max howling in the background. When the song was over, they were laughing so hard, the tears were rolling down their faces. Good tears. Happy tears.

Once they reached their destination, they unloaded the groceries, Max's bed, and his bowls. Luna unwrapped the meat and salted the steaks. "Gotta let 'em rest for a half hour."

"If you say so." Gail grinned. She dug out a corkscrew and opened a bottle of pinot noir. Then she made a small platter of cheese and prosciutto. "Do you know how long I've waited for our grocery store to carry this stuff?" She waved a slice in front of Luna. "On the one hand, Sedona has gotten quite crowded since we moved here. But on the other hand, we finally have a much larger assortment of goodies."

Luna whipped the dried ham from Gail's fingers. "Never wave a slice in front of me unless you want me to steal it." Max groaned.

"Oh no, sir. You don't get any of this." Gail wagged a finger at him. She opened one of the containers and gave him a large chewy. "Here you go. This is your antipasto." He happily took the chewy and went to the door. "He likes to eat al fresco." She let him out onto the patio. "We put the stucco walls up when we started the renovation. We wanted privacy, and we didn't want to annoy the neighbors with construction noise."

"It's lovely. Don't tell me you laid all the stonework, too."

"I drew the plans and hired someone to do the groundwork. I was busy with the interior."

"What about all the plants?"

"Most of them were already here, so I just had to doll it up a bit."

Max was sitting in a shady area, enjoying his treat. "Shall we join him? The temperature should be tolerable. Unless you want to stay near the air-conditioning?"

"No. Outside is fine. I'm good." Luna picked up the tray and napkins, and Gail grabbed the wine and glasses.

They settled outside and enjoyed the sound of quiet. Luna wondered, "Does quiet have a sound?"

"Or like, if a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?" Gail tossed back.

"Well, it reverberates." Luna served herself some cheese and prosciutto. Gail poured the wine.

"To reverberating!" Gail held up her glass.

"And quiet!" Luna replied.

Gail lit the grill, while Luna made a salad and started working on the potatoes. They were bopping and weaving to the music of Earth, Wind & Fire. Max got out of the way and settled on the cool tile in a corner of the kitchen.

Gail picked up the platter of meat. "Rare?"

"Of course! It loses all its nutrients if you cook it too long."

"And this is why we're friends." Gail laughed as she returned to the patio and plopped the thick sirloins on the hot grate.

Their timing was in sync, and everything was ready within the next fifteen minutes. They decided to eat inside and watch Jeopardy! , each trying to outguess the other. When the question was Known for "Boogie Wonderland," they both dropped their forks.

"Weren't we just dancing to that a half hour ago?" Gail flinched.

Luna chuckled. "We were, indeed. This kind of stuff happens to me all the time. The TV talks to me. I actually keep a journal every time it happens. I'm trying to establish a pattern."

"So what do you think it means?" Gail picked up her utensils and resumed consuming the juicy beef.

"I really don't know, except I think it's a reminder to pay attention."

"Pay attention to what?" Gail asked, holding her suspended fork filled with mesclun greens.

"Pay attention to what's around you? See if it relates to anything you're doing. My ex-boyfriend Michael made fun of me. He kept saying it's just a coincidence. But my response was, ‘How many coincidences can one have in a day?' A week? A year? He couldn't answer me. So I broke up with him." Luna sniggered.

"You did not. I mean you didn't break up with him because he couldn't answer your question."

"It was part of the whole ‘Luna/lunatic' thing. He tried to convince me I was a bit off, and not in a funny, kind of nice way. Now, to be fair, I know I'm different, but I'm not off . I figured if he had no interest in pursuing the possibilities, then I was wasting my time."

"I know what you mean. It's difficult to have a debate with someone who has already made up their mind."

"Exactly. It's like trying to push a string." Luna wiped the juice from her lips. "He was an arrogant dude."

"When did you date him?"

"Right after college. I was attracted to his brilliant intellect. He may have carried a wealth of information, but I could go to the library for that. I didn't need someone to belittle what I believed in."

"Sounds manipulative." Gail took a sip of her wine.

"Very controlling. At one point, he tried to convince me I should see a therapist."

"Ha! That's funny, considering you majored in psychology."

"Well, according to him, psychology is playacting. Only psychiatrists really know how the mind works."

"I take it that was his profession?"

"Yep. He was a resident at the local hospital. That's how we met. I was working with some kids who were in the system."

"How long did that relationship last?"

"About five minutes," Luna said with a straight face. "Seriously, about three months. Even Cullen didn't like his attitude, and you know he's pretty mellow about most people."

"True. How is he doing?" Gail dug into another helping of potatoes.

"Great. He and Chi-Chi have developed a nice relationship. I should say that he's in love."

"Oh, good for him," Gail cooed. "I always liked him, not as in like-like, but he's a good guy. I enjoyed it when he visited us at school and would take us out to dinner."

"He's a good sport. And he loves Chris. They're pals. They went to a car show together a couple of weeks ago. Cullen is thinking about adding classic-car restoration to his repertoire."

"I would love a classic car!" Gail squeaked.

"So would Chris. He had his eye on a 1959 red Thunderbird."

"Oooh. I like the sound of that."

"I thought you would." Luna grinned. "Personally, I prefer the robin's-egg blue."

"That's nice, too."

"He really seemed genuinely interested, so I suggested maybe it could be a project for him and Carter. Carter's twelve. It could take about five years to refurbish one, and then Carter would be able to drive it. Chris thought that would be a great motivator."

"Very good point."

"I'm full of them." Luna laughed and helped clear the table and do the dishes.

They decided to turn in early. Luna's jet lag was waning, and she wanted her body to be in the right time zone. Plus, they were scheduled to get up before the sun and head out to Bell Rock.