By the time five p.m. Wednesday rolled around, I was a jumble of nerves, an over-rehearsed mess, and a jittery bundle of energy who had consumed far too much caffeine. I’d spent the day creating and then revising (and revising again) my PowerPoint slides, and now that it was time to actually set up the portable projector I used on the rare occasions when I was invited to give talks, I couldn’t even get the cords into the jacks.
Santi took over for me and told me to go sit in the Cozy Nook, have something decaf to drink, and take a few deep breaths. I nodded and did as I was told. Mika was busy helping Lucille and Saul set up the refreshments, and Dad was keeping Sawyer busy with chalk on the sidewalk out front. When things got started, they would take Sawyer to my house since he wasn’t gr
