We’re almost three quarters of the way into our drive before I break the silence first.
“What are you doing home?”
Jace lifts his shoulders. “I just wanted to come back, to check on everyone and everything.”
I swallow roughly, nodding, even though he’s looking through the windshield instead of at me. The wipers swish back and forth, clearing the rain from the glass. “How long are you back for?”
“I’m only here for the weekend. I’m heading back on Sunday.”
“Does Noah know you’re here?” I ask as I glance at him.
Jace dips his chin. “We’re going out for drinks tomorrow night.”
“Oh, good,” I say softly, turning my head to look out the window as we pass by more and more buildings as we approach the outskirts of the city. One of the kitten’s adjusts in my lap and I shift my attention down on them. “Do you think they will be okay?”
Jace is silent for a moment. “Who?”
“The kittens.” The grey one pushes the other one and they curl up into a ball together. “I don’t know what’s wrong with them. What if they don’t make it?”
I look up at Jace as he pulls the truck into the first parking spot he finds. He kills the engine, removes the key from the ignition, and turns to look at me. “I don’t know, Will, but we’ll find out, okay?”
Emotion wells inside my throat but I swallow them down as I meet his gaze. “Okay.”
Jace meets me at my side and takes the kittens from me so I can get out of the truck. We’re both quiet as we walk into the rescue center and find it empty, except for the receptionist at the front desk. She takes down the limited information I have on the kittens and it hurts my heart to hand them over to her.
One of the veterinarians walks over to the three of us, holding her gloved hands out for the kittens. “Look at these two.”
“Do you think they will be okay?”
She tilts her head to the side, her eyes drifting over them before looking up at me. “It’s hard to tell what all is truly going on with them, but I promise we’ll do everything we can to make sure they’re okay.”
It’s not necessarily the answer I want, but I know it’s the best she can give me. None of this is new to me. Growing upon a farm, you learn at an early age that sometimes Mother Nature has other plans that are totally out of our control.
Jace guides me out of the rescue after they take the kittens back, and I don’t protest as he helps me into his truck. My hands are folded in my lap with his jacket still around my shoulders. Jace is quiet as he climbs into his side, but after he starts the engine, he glances at me.
“Are you okay?”
Corkscrewing my lips to the side, I give him a quick nod. “I’m just tired.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t push the issue. “If you want to close your eyes, I’ll wake you when we’re at your house.”
I force a tight smile onto my lips. “Thanks.”
Jace’s eyes linger on me for a moment. It’s like I can feel them as I turn away from him. I rest my head between the seat and the door frame and close my eyes. After a pregnant pause, the truck starts to move from the parking spot and the music turns up a few notches.
I don’t fall asleep, but I don’t trust myself to speak. It’s not rational, but all I can think about is those two helpless kittens. They’re exactly where they need to be, getting the help they need, yet I can’t help but wonder how bad of shape they’re in. They both looked rather emaciated on top of the brewing infections.
What if they don’t make it?
Time passes and my mind swirls, obsessing the whole way home before I feel the truck slow to a stop. A lump lodges in my throat and I suck in a deep breath, attempting to shove down my emotions as Jace puts the truck into park.
“Willow.”
Tears burn the corners of my eyes as I slowly turn my head to look at him. I press my lips into a flat line, trying to stop the tears from falling, but they do anyway.
“Hey,” he murmurs, leaning across the center console to cup the sides of my face. His thumbs brush against my skin, catching the tears as they fall. “Hey. What’s going on?”
“What if they don’t make it?”
