“Sorry, I just have to make sure…” I fumble with the phone and slide my thumb across the screen. “Mom? Everything okay?”
“I hate to bother you,” she says in a rushed voice. “But Dad’s in the hospital. He fell and…”
“I’ll be right there.”
Jenson puts his hand on my shoulder. “I haven’t had anything to drink. I’ll drive.”
* * *
All six of us pile into Brayden’s truck, and Jenson drives us to the county hospital. We don’t speak much on the way.
We find parking easily and jog into the lobby where the receptionist directs us to the wing where Dad is.
I know this place inside and out. I’ve been here far more often than I’d ever have liked, but never like this. My father’s never been rushed to the hospital in all of his months of treatment.
“This can’t be good,” I mutter to Jenson.
“Let’s find out first,” he says as we exit the elevator.
Mom’s pacing the hallway when we reach the room.
“Colt.”
I wrap my arms around her.
“What did the doctors say?” I ask her.
She pulls back, putting on that calm, reserved face she uses a lot when she talks about my father’s condition.
“They said the disease has spread. There’s nothing more they can do.”
Behind me, I hear my cousins’ muted gasps. But my gaze never leaves my mother’s as grief slices through my body. My father’s not old. He’s in good shape. Yes, he smoked, and Christ is he paying for that now.
“But he stopped smoking…and they said that as long as he didn’t go back…” I grasp for a reason.
Her eyes fill with tears. “The doctor’s in with him now, going over options. But you know your dad…he just wants to enjoy what time he has at this point.”
“A vacation.” The words come out of my mouth without me thinking clearly. “He’s always wanted to go to Boulder. Remember?”
She smiles. “I do. He always thought Boulder would be so exciting. Are you saying…”
“Let’s go to Boulder. As soon as he gets out of here.” I’m already heading for my father’s room. “I’ll go tell him now.”
Chapter Nine
Skylar
It’s nice here in Boulder. Peaceful. I spend the days at the campground alone. Mom made it clear that we aren’t supposed to get close to anyone.
My brothers are able to play sports with the other kids and still keep their distance emotionally, but it’s different with girls. They ask questions, and they want to bond. When anyone asks where I live, I change the subject. I don’t evenknowmy new address.
And I don’t want my father to find us. But I hate being homeless and having to be constantly on alert. It’s exhausting. Plus, we don’t exactly fit in here.
This place is full of expensive motor coaches instead of tent sites. We’re staying in the only bare bones trailer on the property, one that’s reserved for seasonal staff members.
Uncle Sid was able to secure it for us for as long as we need it. To repay him, Mom insisted on helping out in the park offices for a few hours each day. So far, we’ve been here a month. I thought I’d be bored out of my mind, but the mountains are gorgeous, and the air feels so good. I go on long hikes with my mom. We chat about everything, and it’s nice.
But our time here is about to come to an end.
