Page 66 of Praying for Thunder

Until that moment, I’d never thought about where Rosa’s body was. I hadn’t thought about a lot of things because of the safety blanket I’d had with Dio and Ani.

When I didn’t say anything, Rya showed she was beyond her years. “Don’t she have a headstone?”

Not moving, possibly in too much pain, I was quiet when answering, “I don’t know.”

Her shoulders softened. “That’s sad.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

As if that was life, and I’d better get used to it, she now asked, “How ‘bout ‘cha Ani?”

Air drifted from my lungs. I’d been so busy surviving I hadn’t thought about where the Titans put her remains.

“Oh.” Rya peered down to watch her toes move dirt from the wooden step. “Want to see my mama’s grave? Maybe it don’t matter which one ya visit, as long as ya do, and pay your respects.”

“Okay.”

Ryannon’s mama had been buried in a graveyard behind the church. It appeared to have had only one visitor in some years. Only one grave was tended to.

The tombstone read:

Lessie Stannon

A wife, a mother, a treasure forever missed

Thinking of Ani, I asked, “How did she die?”

Rya placed the flowers next to others. I think she went there every day. “Daddy said it was an accident.” She came to stand next to me. “Was ya Ani’s death an accident, too?”

I couldn’t move. I’d thought seeing Rya would make me feel better, like last time, but it only reminded me of how screwed up my life was.

Soft fingers slipping into mine pulled me from heavy thoughts. Not even as tall as my shoulders, she peered up. “If ya want, I’ll pray for ya, Thunder.”

How can someone so small have such power? How can a little girl, barely strong enough to throw a pebble, be so brave? Wonders of the world, I guess, but she easily guided me away from the grave. Her little hand in mine, she guided me into the church, to the pew, then to my knees…

Next to me, also on her knees, she pointed to the man on the cross. “That’s Jesus.” Jesus sounded like Jay-sus. “He protects little boys and girls.”

I stared up at the man with long brown hair and thought of… “Dio looks like that.”

Dark eyelashes circled those incredible golden eyes. “Who’s Dio?”

“Someone who protected me.” My throat tightened.

Her bottom lip helped guide her exhale to move the bangs in her eyes. “He can’t protect ya no more?”

Instantly, I became so tired. Had I made a mistake to cut our ties?

So young. I was so young and lost.

Rya didn’t question my silence. “Okay, then. I’ll pray for him, too. Maybe someday he’ll find his way back to ya.”

A spark of hope ignited in me. “You think that’s possible?”

“Anything is possible if ya believe, Thunder.”

For the first time in almost a year, my lips turned up into a smile. I had no idea how to find the place—realm—where Dio and I connected, but hope is powerful and had me knowing I would, someday, figure it out.

“See?” She poked my cheek. “I bet ‘cha didn’t even believe that could happen.”