Every few minutes I glanced into the front hall to see if anyone approached, then slumped back into the chair, sat for a few minutes, rose and paced again and then glanced back into the hall and started the whole cycle over again. Quintus had sent word this morning that Aurelius and Adeo had arrived the previous night, but by the time I reached town, they were away from the bishop’s house and I had to wait. This time when I ventured into the hall and looked through the open portal, my heart stopped. Was it? I squinted. It was surely Aurelius, but where was Adeo? A young man walked beside him, but I couldn’t see my son. As they approached, my heart restarted wildly, and I ran out the portal and down the short lane towards them. The man – no longer a boy, of course, after six years – walking on Aurelius’ left was our own Adeo, nearly as tall as his father. When he saw me coming, he opened his arms and smiled, and I slammed into him, laughing and crying at the same time. Quickly, though, I leaned back to get a good look at him, my hands on either side of his face.
