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“Come on.”

We walk into the kitchen together, and Chiara stops in front of the island. Neither of us speaks as she reaches towards the urn, only to stop before touching it.

“So one part today?”

“Yeah.” I look at it. “Lander.”

She nods.

“The Hawthornes will all be there.”

Her eyes meet mine. “He'd like that.”

My chest squeezes. “You think?”

Chiara turns towards me. “I know.”

A knock sounds at the door, and we both look towards it.

“Expecting someone?”

I wipe under my eyes. “Jude.”

Something flickers across Chiara's face.

“Ah.”

I narrow my eyes. “What does ah mean?”

“Nothing.”

“Chiara.”

“I've just heard that name a lot lately.”

I blink. “Because he's Damiano's best friend.”

“I didn't say anything.”

“Your face did.”

“My face is beautiful and innocent.”

“Your face is annoying.”

“Go open the door, Nora.”

“You're already annoying me.”

“I've been here five minutes. New record.”

I flip her off and walk towards the door, her laughter following me down the hall.

When I open it, Jude is standing on the porch, wearing a football jersey and a matching ball cap backwards on his head. It's so different from his usual clothes that I stare at him for a moment, trying to work out why he looks so familiar.

Then I recognize them.

Damiano gave him that jersey and cap for his birthday the last time he visited Lander. I remember how pleased he'd been with himself for finding something from Jude's favorite team, and how he'd told me Jude was going to love them.