I told Mom the next morning, as we sat around table three at the café. It was the Fourth of July, so we would close directly after lunch; Mathias didn’t have to work today either and was home packing for our trip, as we were leaving in the morning. I was so excited to go that I could hardly sit still, even as I dreaded the thought of being away from Millie Jo for a week. I added, “But you can just call my phone too.” “If you remember to charge it,” Mom said, rolling her eyes at me, swiping oatmeal from under Matthew’s chin. She knew me too well. “I’ll do my best,” I promised. “I can’t wait to see the mountains, Mom. It’s our pre-honeymoon, Mathias said.” “I’m so glad you’re happy, sweetheart,” Mom said, smiling tenderly at me; it was the kind of smile that I gave to Millie Jo, specific to mother to her daughter. “You have fun on your trip and don’t worry about us back here. See if you can find some answers about this Malcolm.”
