LOGINI can hardly believe it. Before my friends can say anything else, I squeal and throw my arms around them both, jumping up and down. Liam and Brian and the twins are the one major thing I’ve missed dearly since leaving Bo’Arrocan, and to find that they’re finally considering living in Ordan full time
“On schedule, believe it or not,” I reply. “The Bo’Arrocan branch is finally running smoothly, and the Ordan location just graduated its first class of seniors. Six of them got full scholarships to prestigious art schools.”“That’s amazing, Iris.” Alice squeezes my arm. “You’ve created something tru
IrisFive Years Later…“Fifty years of marriage, and they still make each other laugh like that,” Arthur says, appearing at my side with two glasses of champagne. He hands me one and clinks his against it, and we watch as my parents twirl on the lawn, my mom throwing her head back at something my fa
“Gee. Thanks,” I manage to laugh weakly. “I’ll see you all next week.”“You most certainly will not,” Arthur, Hunter, and Alice all say in unison, making me roll my eyes.Outside, Arthur’s car is waiting, parked haphazardly half on the curb. He must have driven like a maniac to get here so quickly f
IrisEight months later…“And that’s why the colors on this side of the color wheel are considered ‘cool’ colors,” I explain to the class of children sitting in a semicircle around me. “They remind us of water, ice, and the sky.”I’m demonstrating on a large color wheel chart when a sharp pain rips
And through it all, Augustine’s breathing grows slower, shallower.Then, quietly and calmly, she goes.Her hand turns limp in mine. The steady beeping of the heart monitor flatlines. The doctor steps forward, checks for a pulse, then shakes her head.“Time of death, 10:47 AM,” she says quietly.I br
I try to think through the fog of panic. “There’s… There’s a playground right next door. He likes to go there. And there’s an ice cream shop down the street that we visit sometimes. But I really don’t think he ran away.”“We’ll check all those places,” the officer promises. “In the meantime, it woul
Iris“And you said you last saw your son approximately two hours ago?” the officer asks with his pen poised over his notepad. The red and blue lights from the police cars flash across his face, illuminating his grim expression in the fading evening sun.“Yes,” I reply, my voice shaking so hard the w
Iris“That’s beautiful, Mia,” I say, crouching down beside a small girl with pigtails who’s painting what appears to be a purple cat with wings. “Is that a flying cat?”She giggles and shakes her head. “It’s my cat if she was a dragon. Her name is Mittens.”“Well, dragon-Mittens looks very fierce,”
Of course he isn’t here. When I actually need to speak to him, he’s conveniently absent. “What about my mother?”“She’s in the sitting room, sir.”I thank her and make my way through the house. Sure enough, I find my mother in the sitting room, reading a book. She looks up as I enter.“Arthur,” she







