“Answer it, honey,” Ethan moved to her side. “He can't hurt you, remember.”
She gave a quick nod, then pulled out the phone. Looking at the caller ID didn't seem to relax her any.
“Mother.”
Brad shot a look at Ethan, who in turned mouthed the word bitch.
“Okay, I'll come now.”
“Problem?” Brad asked her when she'd finished the call.
“My d-dad's had a fall. I need to ring Jany to come in and run the shop, then organize for someone to pick up Billy.”
“I'll get Billy, Macy, no worries there. Newman will stay in the shop until Jany gets there, and Brad will take you to your mom's.” Ethan’s voice was calm.
“Oh no, I can get there myself.”
“No, you're upset, and your hands are shaking.” Brad slid his fingers down her arm and wrapped them around her wrist. “Let's go.”
They walked again, this time faster, with Macy braced between him and Ethan again.
“Where's your car?”
“Round the back of the shop.”
“I'll take Billy home with me, Macy.”
“Thanks, Ethan.”
Brad held out his hand for the keys, then climbed into the small compact, his knees nearly touching his chin. Wrestling the seat back, he turned the key in the ignition.
“Breathe in and out, honey.” He could feel her panic as he headed out of town.
“He must have tried to get out of bed again. He’s done that before and fallen.”
“You don’t know what’s happened, or if he’s now back in bed, Macy, so try not to worry.”
“If it were only that easy. I worry about him from the minute I open my eyes until the minute I close them at night. I wonder if each day is the last one I’ll share with him here in Howling.”
Brad had never been close to his parents, and wondered what, if anything, he’d feel if something happened to them.
“He won’t see my son grow old, won’t know if I meet another man or have another child.”
Brad didn’t know what to say to that. The idea of her with another man or carrying his child caused something to rebel inside him, which was just plain crazy, as he was leaving soon and they’d shared a single night together, nothing more.
“Left here.”
He followed her instructions and soon pulled up outside a tidy two-story brick house. It was nice, kind of homely, with white windows, plenty of trees and flowers, and a big yard. Getting out, he went round to let Macy out, but she beat him to it.
“I got it, thanks.” Her eyes were focused on the front door as it opened.
“Hurry, Macy. I can’t get him back into bed alone!”
The woman standing there was taller than Macy. Blonde and polished, she instantly reminded him of his own mother. Macy ran. Brad hesitated briefly and then followed. There was every chance two women may not be able to lift Mr. Reynolds back into bed.
The doorway was empty when he reached it, and he saw the back of Macy in the hallway, so he followed. Everything was cream. The walls, carpet, and furniture. Gilt-framed mirrors and paintings hung all over the place, and he saw figurines and other knickknacks that also reminded him of his mother.
It was his house on a smaller scale. Immaculate, cold, and presented like a show home.
