“sure, call”
The phone rang a minute later, and Shiloh answered it. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Cary said.
“I’m glad things are looking up a bit.”
“Yeah.” He still sounded tired. “It’s so much better to talk to the doctors directly. They think she had a heart attack in recovery, so they did emergency surgery to put in a stent. She just needs to heal now. As much as possible. Hey, Shiloh...”
“Yeah?”
“I need to apologize. I’m sorry I put you in that situation yesterday.”
“Cary, no—”
“I wasn’t even thinking.”
“It was fine,” Shiloh said. “Really.”
“No, I’m sorry. I made your life more complicated.”
“No,” she said. “Imade my life more complicated. And I don’t mean last night.”
“I need to remember that you’re a mom now.”
“Yeah, but I can still be yourfriend.” It came out kind of desperate. “Cary, please let me be your friend.”
He didn’t say anything.
“I really liked being someone you would call for help,” Shiloh said.
“Okay,” he said softly.
She couldn’t tell what he was thinking. “Did you get a hotel room?” she asked.
“Yeah. Near the hospital. I slept thirteen hours last night.”
“Good.”
“My mom can’t go home any time soon. I need to find a rehab place for her, while I’m here.”
“How long are you here?”
“I asked for fourteen days’ leave—I didn’t know what I was flying into. I’m hoping to see her through the transition.”
“Well, call if you need anything.”
“Thanks, Shiloh.”
“And call if you’re bored, Cary. Like, I know you have a lot to do. And maybe you have a lot of people here. But... don’t sit alone in your hotel room, worrying—unless you want to. You can come over here and worry. Or I could meet you somewhere.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” she said.
“Do you have the kids tonight?”
“No.”
