Page 153 of Property of Whiskey

She isn’t looking at him.

She’s looking at Kaylee.

Her breathing goes shallow.

“They sang them wrong. In the blue room.”

Royal crosses half the distance between them. “Hey.”

“Blue room?” Someone asks. “She’s always talking about that blue room.”

Royal goes still. “You remembered the wrong hymn before.”

Cider nods once, eyes locked on Kaylee. “I know.”

Her voice drops. “She heard it too.”

Cider backs up. “No.”

Royal stops instantly, hands dropping loosely to his sides.

“Okay.”

Her eyes stay fixed on Kaylee.

“I know that.”

The room goes quiet enough that I can hear old pipes knocking inside the walls.

Kaylee pulls the blanket higher. “I don’t know you.”

Cider shakes her head. “No.”

Something raw crosses Royal’s face. Fear, pain, helplessness. Enough that I almost feel wrong watching it.

“What do you remember?” he asks.

Cider presses both palms against her temples. “I don’t know.”

“Cider.”

“I said I don’t know!”

Royal stops pushing.

Becki moves beside him.

Not toward Cider.

Toward Royal.

Her fingers thread through his.

He holds on.

Sophie approaches Cider slowly enough that she can see every step.

“Hey.”