“Yoda needs to go out. How about we take him for a walk, then come back for the dishes and the tour.”
“Your house, your rules.”
They enjoyed the breezy walk with the landscape lights glowing, the stars shimmering. When they rounded back, the kitchen was whistle clean.
“Well, my God!”
“I wanted you to see. If I don’t get to the cleanup right off, someone else does. Now, let me show you the solarium from inside.”
* * *
The weekend flew by, and with nothing more than what Sonya had come to feel was normal for the manor. Welcoming fires in the hearths, open cabinet doors.
Though the hands on the clock read three again, she heard nothing in the night, and no disturbances on the third floor.
She learned—maybe—how to make a chicken and potato dish in a single skillet, and pleased Winter.
And since the whole deal, start to finish, took under an hour, she thought she could handle it in a pinch.
At the door on Sunday afternoon, her bag at her feet, Winter embraced her daughter.
“Cleo will be here in a few days. Next time I visit, I bet I have her mom with me.”
“I hope so.”
“Your aunt misses you. Is it all right if I bring her up sometime?”
“I love Summer, you know that. Of course it is.”
“Good, that’s good. Tracie gets no points from me, but she did you a favor, Sonya. Because you’re happy.”
Taking Sonya’s shoulders, Winter rubbed gently. “As happy as I’ve seen you in way too long. And you were losing that zip before you booted Brandon to the curb.”
Shakira’s infidelity song, “Don’t Bother,” sang from the phone in Sonya’s pocket.
“Oh, I agree.” Winter laughed with it. “My girl will be just fine.”
“I think you and Clover would’ve gotten along.”
“Enough that however strange it is, I like knowing she’s watching out for you. You take care of yourself. You’re my favorite daughter.”
“You drive safe, and text me when you get home.” They hugged hard, swayed with it. “You’re my favorite mother.”
“Bye, sweet doggie.” Bending, she gave Yoda rubs and kisses. “And you tell the guy you’re dating I expect to meet him the next time I’m here.”
“I will. And, Mom? I love knowing you and Dad had magic.”
“The magic made you. Stay happy.”
Sonya watched her go as Yoda danced in the doorway and whined.
“I know, but she’ll come back. And if I visit there, I’ll take you with me. But we’re good here.”
She looked down at him as they both stood in the open doorway. She felt spring creeping into the air.
“I was going to wear you out with a game of tug—though that takes some doing. Then I was going to work until I had leftover chicken for dinner. You know what?”
Obviously riveted, he angled his head and stared up at her.
“Screw work. It’s Sunday afternoon. I’m going to grab a jacket—don’t need more today—and that ball I bought last time I was in the village. We’re going to take a walk, and play ball. When we’re done with that, we’re going to come in and snuggle right up with a book—unless we feel more like a movie.”
She bent down. “What do you say to that?”
Since he raced in circles, she decided he felt fine about it.
“You hang on a minute.”
She got a jacket, the little red ball.
They worked on fetch—he resisted bringing the ball back—in the slushy snow.
As they played, the shadow moved across the window. Watching.
Glancing up, Sonya shielded her eyes with the flat of her hand. On impulse, she raised her other in a wave.
And saw the shadow move.
She had no doubt in that moment, it waved back.
“All right then,” she said aloud, and nodded. “Okay.”
When she heard a bang, she looked to the third floor. She watched the windows in the Gold Room fly open, slam shut.
Yoda let out three snapping barks.
“I agree,” Sonya told him, and shot up a middle finger.
Deliberately, she turned her back to the windows, threw the ball for Yoda again.
“Watch how much we give a tiny damn about you.”
By the end of the fetch session, the windows stopped banging, and she’d managed to train Yoda to not only bring the ball back, but drop it in her hand.
“Such a good boy, such a smart boy. You deserve a treat.”
In full agreement, he swung into his happy circles before racing her back to the house.