“You’ve got them,” he said softly.
I nodded.
He came closer, slow, careful, like he was approaching an injured animal. Like he wasn’t sure if I’d bolt. What was worse, I hated the fact that he wasn’t wrong. I wasn’t even sure I wouldn’t run.
“How bad is it out there?” I asked before I could stop myself.
His mouth flattened. “It’s… loud.”
Jake made a low sound that was almost a growl.
Archie’s gaze flicked to him for a split second, then back to me. “You don’t have to go back in there,” Archie said. “Jeremy’s keeping them contained.”
I glanced up and realized that Jeremy had slipped out but I hadn’t seen him go. The doors to the hall were closed.
“Contained,” Jake muttered.
Archie ignored him. “Bubba’s on his way,” Archie added, voice gentler. “Rachel too.”
My head snapped up. “Rachel?”
He nodded once. “I called her. I told her you needed her.”
My throat went tight again.
I didn’t know what to do with the fact that Archie had thought of Rachel. That he’d been willing to involve her. That he’d made space for something that wasn’t about him.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
His eyes held mine. Dark. Steady. There was something in them I couldn’t name—anger, maybe, but aimed outward, not at me.
“We’re going upstairs,” Archie said after a beat. “Game room. Jeremy’s bringing dinner trays. We can take the cats up with us, or open the door and let them have the run of the house.” He paused. “Might be better to keep them with us for now.”
Because my mother was out there. I didn’t want to let them out of my sight. “I can’t eat,” I said automatically.
Archie’s mouth twitched like he didn’t believe me. “You will,” he said, low, like an instruction. Then, softer, “Even if it’s just a bite.”
Jake stood. “I’ll carry her,” he said abruptly, then looked like he wanted to punch himself for saying it.
Archie’s eyes narrowed. “She can walk.”
“Icanwalk,” I said, because the two of them deciding things about my body was starting to feel a little too familiar for today.
Jake’s face tightened. “Sorry,” he muttered. “Just?—”
“I know,” I said quietly. I did. I knew he was trying to help. It just… hit wrong with everything else piled on top of me. “Can you help with the cats though?”
Blowing out a breath, Jake gave me a smaller smile. “Absolutely.”
Archie offered his hand.
Not grabbing. Not pulling. Just there. I stared at it for a second too long, then placed my hand in his. His fingers closed gently. Warm. Steady.
Jake picked up my phone from the bench without asking and handed it to me like he was silently reminding me to keep my lifelines on me.
Then Jeremy appeared with a cat carrier.
“Miss Frankie,” he said, calm as ever. “Would you like them upstairs as well?”
