He slanted a look down at me. “You okay?”
I nodded. “It’s just... We’ve got to stop meeting like this.”
A wisp of a smile touched his mouth. “My grandfather.”
“And Mom.” Three years ago, after Paris, Trey had come to the airport to pick me up so I could be there for my mother’s back surgery. “Only this time I feel so guilty. I keep thinking if I’d been here... If I’d said something... Maybe Beth wouldn’t have gone running. Or she would have gotten help.”
“Hey.” He put his arm around me. Gave me a little shake. “You can’t blame yourself. Whatever’s going on with Beth, it started more than a week ago.”
I turned my face into his shoulder, absurdly comforted.
“Come on. Let’s get you home,” he said.
Home.
The farmhouse was dark. My parents were at the hospital, Trey said.
“Both of them? But Dad was such a dud when Mom was in the hospital.”
Trey shrugged. “People can change.”
“Not that much.”
“Maybe it’s different when it’s your kid.” He looked up at the darkened house. “Meg said you could spend the night at their place.”
“No.” I’d already texted her. “I’m not waking up her family in the middle of the night.”
And if I couldn’t be with Beth tonight, I wanted to stay here. At least I’d feel closer to her at home.
The floodlights flicked on. Dan came around a corner of the barn, looking like he’d just rolled out of his bunk. Checking on intruders?
“Dan.” I almost hugged him, which would have embarrassed us both. “Hi. It’s me.”
“How’s your sister?”
“I haven’t seen her yet. We’re going to the hospital in the morning.”
“Tell her I said...”
What?I wondered. What could you possibly say?Feel better. Don’t kill yourself.Eat a sandwich, for God’s sake.
“The kittens miss her,” he finished.
That. That’s what you said. “You could tell her yourself.”
He rubbed his jaw with the back of his hand. “She can have visitors?”
“I think so,” I said cautiously. Unless... Maybe she was in the psych ward. Where did they put anorexics? If she were anorexic. “Have you talked to Mom?”
A short nod. “I’m taking care of things until she’s back.”
“Great. That’s great,” I said awkwardly. “Thanks. Really.”
“Let me know if you can use a hand,” Trey said.
“You any good with goats?”
“It’s been a few years,” Trey said evenly. “But yeah.”
