“You talk about them an awful lot,” Ophelia said. She smiled at her guest and shrugged. “Feli and Gil. I mean, everyone has someone that they worry about. For me, it’s Jared and Logan and Ian.”

Her guest nodded. “Gil is my brother,” he said, his voice soft. “He… they probably think I’m dead – assuming both of them are alive and well.”

When he looked troubled, Ophelia took his hand. “Believe they are,” she said. In a softer voice, she added, “Among my children, there’s a saying, ‘By believing, we see.’ Just… don’t think the worst – believe that they’re all right.”

He bit his lip for a moment and then sighed. “I will try,” he said, his voice faint. His blue eyes glistened briefly with moisture, then he blinked and he was confident again. He nodded once. “Thank you, Shynia.”

“No problem, Germany,” she said, flashing a sunny smile at him.