Mission day always arrived with a cloud of tension and apprehension hanging heavily over me. Elijah had mentioned two women and his grandmother, but I was uncertain whether any of them were the grandmother. The anxiety of not knowing if one of them was Michelangelo's woman only added to my stress.
Valerie and I lay in the bed which had become our shared space. She sensed my unease, and I had just finished discussing the invasion plans and inspecting the weapons with the guys.
Afterward, I had lunch with Valerie and Elijah. Elijah had gone off to play, leaving Valerie and me to rest for a moment. I was due to leave in twenty minutes. The night before, Valerie had cried extensively over her mother, and I had almost insisted that Aunt Cecilia stay with us.
“What’s wrong?” Valerie asked sof
