How do we live in a broken world without losing faith in one another or ourselves?
The novel publishes April 7, 2020, and isavailable for pre-order.
You said it, Antonia agrees.
Bill Eichner
Youd think you were born with money in your family, she liked to tease him.
I never had it to begin with, so Im not afraid to spend it, Sam responded.
He was always quick with a comeback.
Workaman
Used to get him in trouble with his dad growing up.
Being fresh, it was called back then.
Oh, the stories he told her.
Therell be no more of that now.
She is keeping to her routines, walking a narrow path through the lossnot allowing her thoughts to stray.
Occasionally, she takes sips of sorrow, afraid the big wave might wash her away.
Widows leaping into a husbands pyre, mothers jumping into a childs grave.
She has taught those stories.
Her beloved Rumi no longer able to plug the holes.
Countless times a day, and night, she pulls herself back from this edge.
Her circle used to be wider.
But she has had to pull in, contain the damage, keep breathing.
No wonder Izzys ringtone for Antonia is church bells.
Actually, all the sisters have followed Izzys lead and assigned that ringtone to Antonia.
The secret got out.
The secret always gets out in the sisterhood.
Our Lady of Pronouncements, Mona said by way of explanation.
Good old Mo-mo, no hairs on her tongueone of their mothers Dominican sayings.
Its because you started going to Sams church.
Its how Tilly used to describe their denomination, to avoid using the wordChristian.
Now she avoids Sams name.
As if Antonia would forget that Sam is gone unless someone reminds her.
Theyre just jealous, was Sams theory about the ringtone profiling.
All your years of teaching.
Youve picked up a lot of wisdom.
A head full of chestnuts.
Thats what the sisterhood would say.
Who now to champion her way of being in the world?
She empties out the ruined coffee and starts over.
The little phone she is carrying in her pocket begins ringing.
She hasnt set special ringtones for anyone, except Mona, who insisted on dogs barking.
Not just any dogs, but Monas five rescues, which she set up on Antonias phone.
Today its Tilly calling.
A few days ago, Mona.
Izzy weaves in and out.
The sisterhood checking in on her.
You take her this morning.
Ill call her this weekend.
The frequency has dropped off the last few months, but it has been sweet.
How are you doing?
Come visit, they all say.
Knowing she wont take them up on it.
She is the sister who hates traveling even during the best of times.
Its beautiful here, Tilly brags.
Why do you think its called theHeartland?
They have an ongoing rivalry.
Who gets spring first, who has the worst snowfalls?
As she chats with her sister, Antonia hears plates clattering in the background.
Tilly cannot abide being still.
What are you doing?
Antonia confronts her sister.
What do you mean what am I doing?
How easily they slip into bickering.
Its almost a relief when Tilly brings up Izzy.
Im worried, Tilly says.
Izzy has been increasingly erratic.
She is selling her house just outside of Boston, or notthey cant be sure.
She is sleeping in friends spare rooms or on their couches while she remodels her house.
But youre selling it, arent you?
the sisters make a run at reason with her.
Itll bring in more money if its perfect.
Perfection takes time, not to mention money, which Izzy is always saying she doesnt have.
Didnt she stop seeing her shrink because she said it was too much money?
But you have insurance, dont you?
I dont want some insurance company knowing Im going to a shrink.
A shrink seeing a shrink!
It would ruin my professional standing.
That bridge was burned a while back, according to Mona.
Izzy is no longer at the mental health practice she helped start.
Even master sleuth Mona isnt sure what all came down.
And shes also stopped the meds she was on, Tilly adds.
Mona says you cant do that with those kind of meds.
Tilly sighs, eerily still for a change.
They had a huge fight.
Those two, I tell you.
Antonia imagines Tilly shaking her head.
Anyhow, sister, screw them.
How are you doing?
Antonias mantra of the last year.
Somewhere she read thatokayandCoca-Colaare the two most universally understood words.
It depresses her to think the ties that bind are so flimsy.
Even silence would be better.
But silence is all she gets when she addresses Sam these days.
What she wouldnt give for his voice coming from the afterlife, assuring her that hes okay.
Published courtesy of Algonquin Books
Related content:
