“Of course, honey. Whatever you want.”
Chapter 40
Josh sipped coffee as he stared into his backyard, which seemed much the same as it did every morning. The sun had risen a couple hours ago, casting his yard in shade. Last night’s rain had darkened the flower beds’ soil and dampened the cushions he’d forgotten to bring inside. Weeds seemed to have sprung up overnight. Twigs littered his lawn.
The storm had passed but evidence of its visit remained.
Josh drained his coffee, then glanced at the time. He had to leave in twenty minutes for his first tour. He set the empty mug in the sink, grabbed a fresh mug, and filled it, adding a generous splash of cream. Then he headed down the hall and turned into his bedroom.
Maggie slept on her back in the center of the bed, the sheet pulled to her chin. The sun filtered through the curtains, giving her skin a translucent glow. Her lashes were spiky from crying, the remnants of makeup smudged like shadows beneath her eyes.
He hated to wake her. As long as she slept she was blissfully unaware of last night’s revelation. It had been late when she’d fallen asleep on the sofa, exhausted. But his family would know something was up if she didn’t return home to her daughter soon.
He sank onto the bed and caressed the soft skin of her inner wrist. “Maggie? It’s morning, sweetheart.”
She stirred. Her eyelids fluttered, then opened. Her gaze fixed on him, flickering with confusion. Then reality settled over her features, the hazy memory of last night as palpable as a spring fog.
“I slept here?” she croaked.
“It’s okay. I texted Mom last night and told her about your migraine.”
Her hand found her forehead.
He’d given her ibuprofen when they’d gotten home. “Feeling any better?”
“Um, yeah.” She was speaking only of the headache, of course. The rest of her pain was less treatable and no doubt more debilitating. She sat up in bed. “Time is it?”
“After nine.” He handed her the coffee.
“Thank you.” She sipped the brew. “I can’t believe I slept so late. You have to leave soon, don’t you?”
“I have about twenty minutes. Unless you want me to go with you over to Mom and Dad’s. I can call Big D and—”
“No, don’t do that. My mind is clearer this morning. I can handle it. Besides, your parents would wonder why you weren’t working.”
That was true.
“I don’t know how to handle all this. I still can’t believe it.”
“You don’t have to do anything. Just take one minute at a time. One hour at a time. Give yourself a chance to breathe.”
Sounded familiar. After Ethan’s death she’d spent months just getting from one moment to the next. They all had. She sent him a wry look. “We’re back to that, huh?”
“And we’ll get through this together. Just like last time.”
***
The minute Maggie walked through the door, Zoey ran over and embraced her. “You weren’t here when I woke up this morning, Mommy.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. But I’m here now and we’ll have a fun day with Mamaw and Papaw.”
“Papaw made Mickey Mouse pancakes, but they were burnt.”
“Only on the bottom,” Brad called from the living room.
Zoey scurried to where he waited on the floor with a copy ofHow to Catch a Mermaidand squirmed onto his lap. “It’s okay, Papaw. Sometimes mistakes happen.”
Becky stepped from the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. Her brow furrowed as she homed in on Maggie’s face. “Feeling better, honey?”
