Yellowstone Memories (52 page)

Phyllis shook out one of the napkins. “These new recycled things don’t soak up water worth anything, do they?” she fussed. “Apologies to the environment, but give me the old tree-shredders. At least I could clean my face with those.”

Jersey jolted with unexpected laughter. “I’m with you on the napkins. And lightbulbs.” She rolled her eyes. “Please. I hate these energy-efficient beasts.”

“Don’t even go there.”

Jersey wiped her nose and balled up her napkin, suppressing the urge to fold it in tiny triangles like the Japanese volunteers. “But tell me more about this boy who was with your daughter. What did he look like? Did he say anything?”

“I don’t remember much. But the odd thing is that he looked like you, Jersey. I know that sounds crazy.” She put up a hand. “But he did. You’re not Japanese, but he had some of your features. The chin.” Tears filled her eyes as she pointed. “He said to say hi to you—and he blew a kiss.”

Jersey had been rolling her chair legs to one side while she listened, and the chair dropped with a loud thunk. “He said hi to me?”

“I know, I know. It makes no sense. But that’s what happened. He pulled up his shirt to show me a little scar on his back, the faintest of lines in perfect skin. It was sweet.” Phyllis twisted her napkin back and forth. “All of it. The best dream I’ve ever had.”

“Tell me something.” Jersey’s voice dropped to a whisper. “Was his back straight?”

“Straight? It was just like yours and mine. Perfect.” Phyllis closed her eyes as if trying to remember. “ ‘Truth,’ he said his name was. Isn’t that a funny thing to say?”

“My living truth,” Jersey whispered, turning the
T
necklace over in her hand. “Tadashi.”

She let her breath out. Remembering the green aurora exploding over lake water. “Did he … walk?”

“Of course he walked.” Phyllis looked up. “He ran! Why?”

And Jersey reached for another napkin, covering her tears with her hand.

Jennifer Rogers Spinola
, a Virginia/South Carolina native and graduate of Gardner-Webb University in North Carolina, just moved to the Black Hills of South Dakota with her Brazilian husband, Athos, son Ethan, and second miracle boy on the way. Jennifer lived in Brazil for nearly eight years after meeting her husband in Sapporo, Japan, where she worked as a missionary. During college, she served as a National Park Service volunteer at Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. In between waddling to ultrasounds and homeschooling high-energy Ethan, Jennifer loves adoption, gardening (her first garden!), snow, hiking, camping, and—of course—Yellowstone.

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