“Birdie said your name and mine, James,” I say. “And she said it in a whole sentence.”

“I said James,” Birdie agrees.

“Wow, Birdie! That’s great!” James smiles, and in that moment, he looks like the old James.

“Why aren’t you at your house, Henry?” James says again.

“We’re staying with Nana now. I’m sorry you got hurt, James,” I say. “How does your head feel?”

James touches the back of his head.

“I got stitches. But they don’t hurt at all. The nurses said they would itch, but they feel fine. I had a funny dream. I dreamt you told me I could have the Honor Box and we could set it up in front of our trailer.”

“That wasn’t a dream. I visited you in the hospital and told you that.”

I get the wooden Honor Box down from the mantel and give it to James.

“Here. I’ll help you set up the table if you want. Whenever you’re ready.”

“That shouldn’t be too long,” Wendell says. “The doctors are surprised how quickly he woke up and how much better he is. A few hours after you and your mom visited, James opened his eyes. The nurses said it was a real miracle.”

“When are you going back to school?” Fiona asks him.

“I don’t know,” James says. “What happened to me?”

“You got hurt, but you’re getting better.” Wendell steers James toward the door. “Let’s head home now, James. It’s only your first day out of the hospital.”

“How’s your rock doing?” James asks me.

“Good. I’ll tell you all about it next time you come. There’s a lot to tell. But it’s safe there in the field. I also went drilling with Lincoln and he let me do the dowsing.”

“I always knew you were a dowser,” James says, even though I didn’t tell him how the dowsing turned out.

On his way out, James gives Mom a hug.

“I think you sang to me,” he says.

“You’re right. I did.” Mom hugs him back.

“I remember.”

James stops in the doorway. With a hat over the shaved part of his head, you can’t tell that he was hurt.

He might not remember everything, but he remembers the Honor Box and Mom’s singing and the big rock. He’s different and the same.

“It’s good you’re at the top of the hill now,” James says. “The wind is really strong up here and that’ll blow the mosquitos away.”

I watch James walk out the door. I think Miles Morgan would be very happy to hear that even though he got hit by a brick, James is still an optimist.

Chapter 25