They took the long way around, beside the little lake with its floating water lilies. They stopped for a while and sat beside the water.
“It’s so peaceful here by the lake,” she said quietly. “You know, it’s hard to believe he’s gone.”
Molly talked a little about how she felt. Would they ever see Linorio again? The sadness, the sorrow and the times that would never be again. After a while, she said they should be getting back. As they walked, they talked about the trees and where they originally came from. They laughed at the Baobab tree, the upside-down tree, they marveled at the huge Moreton Bay Fig, and soaked up the exotic perfume of the early blooming magnolia trees.
Jonathan tried out some more of the features on his new Merlin camera. He zoomed in on the delicate flowers and a tiny bird perched high in a branch. He panned out for a panorama of the trees and to capture the clouds building in the distance. But while they walked and talked, behind the shield of the camera lens, a spark ignited in Jonathan. He was thinking and making plans, big plans. He felt the spirit of his parents rising in him.
He was going to go and look for Linorio.