I glance at my mom, only she’s not looking at me. No, her attention is on Kyle before she moves it to Chase. “Jackson.”
My heart sinks to my stomach as I watch my mother shift in bed, the sheets rustling as she sits straighter.
“Careful.” Pushing to my feet, I slip my fingers around her forearm, trying to ignore the fact they can wrap around her completely, trying to ignore how light she is as I help her sit up and then put the pillows behind her back so she can lean against them. “Is this okay?”
“Yes, thank you.” Her answer is distracted, all her attention going back to my brother. Mom tucks one gray strand of hair behind her ear as she flashes a smile at Chase. “You came to visit me!”
She always confuses him with our dad. I guess I can see how she would make that connection. With his tall frame, wide shoulders, and green eyes, he looks a lot like him. It’s also in the way he walks and holds himself.
I pull back, my gaze meeting my brother’s. He shrugs almost imperceptibly. We both know there is nothing we can do about this. Not when she’s lost in the past. You can try to correct her, but she doesn’t know, can’t remember, and trying to bring back something that her mind doesn’t possess is equally frustrating for her and us. I remember it from when I was in middle school, before we knew what was really wrong with her. She’d get lost and forgetful, but when we’d try to correct her, she would get resentful and confrontational.
These days we all know it’s best to just go along with it, so I take a step back, my gaze drifting to Becky to find her nibbling at her lip as she brushes her hand against the top of Jax’s head. She’s always been the one who carried most of the weight of Mom’s condition on her shoulders, who her changes affected the most.
“And you brought Matthew.” She extends her hand to Kyle, who takes it without batting an eye.
“My baby boy has grown so big,” she whispers, cupping his cheek.
My heart does a weird flip inside my chest at the expression of pure love on her face. At seeingme.A knot forms in my throat, and I struggle to swallow it down.
“He is.” Chase’s voice comes out gruff.
If Kyle finds it weird, he doesn’t say anything. Chase must have warned him this could happen and he should just run with it.
It isn’t strange for Mom to confuse people. Chase always reminded her of our father, and she’s confused Becky for her sister Gigi. But to her, I was always unknown. A stranger. I thought she forgot about me, that I didn’t live in this alternate reality. Until now.
“I’m seven now!” Kyle supplies with a big grin.
“Are you now?” Mom chuckles at him. “How is school? Do you listen to your father?”
“I do. And school is fun. I have my best friend, Levi. He’s the best.”
That knot grows bigger in my throat as I watch Kyle slide into the chair next to her bed, Shadow sitting at his feet as the two of them chat like long-lost friends.
“I missed you,” Mom says, skimming over his cheek before turning a judging gaze to Chase. “Your father should bring you more often.”
“I’ll do that,” Chase agrees easily. “How are you doing?”
“I’m good,” Mom lies as she lies back against the pillows, the strain on her face evident. “I just want to go home. Please tell me you came to take me home?”
Chase presses his lips into a tight line. “Not yet. I’m sorry.”
“Why not?” There’s an almost whiny note to her voice. “I’m tired of this place.”
“I know.” Chase places his hand over Mom’s. “But we need you to get better.”
Mom presses her lips into a stubborn line. “I’m better! I’m sure Gigi has put you up to this, but?—”
“This has nothing to do with Gigi,” Chase insists. He quirks his brow and tips his chin in the direction of the bowl I left on the nightstand. “If you’re doing better, then why didn’t you finish your lunch?”
Mom rolls her eyes. “I’m not hungry.”
Chase sits down on the bed next to her and grabs the bowl of soup. “Try a little bit, please?”
I think she’ll protest again, but she surprises me when she relents. “Fine.”
Chase feeds her a few spoonfuls of soup, but it’s clear that each swallow is a chore for her, and quickly she gives up, her eyelids heavy as she rests against the pillows.
“Why don’t you try sleeping, huh?”
