A rather large hole opened up inside him, somewhere between his lungs and ribs. “Everyone” included his parents. The ride home from Ponderosa on Friday had been quiet and pensive. No one had wanted to address the elephant in the room, or rather, elephant in the truck. No one had wanted to repeat the words Dr. Wilson had spoken: “Clear evidence of dementia.” Mitch hadn’t been able to think of much else since. But right now, he needed to focus on his daughter.

He used his coffee mug to gesture at Jeremy. “You could let us help you.”

The oven timer beeped, and Bea rushed over to look inside. “I got it.”

“We could skip church,” Jeremy said.

“No.” Bea pulled two round pans of chocolate cake from the oven. “I’ve got everything planned. Our lunch will be cooked in the Crock-Pot by the time we get back, and the cake will be cooled. All we’ll have to do is set the table and add the frosting.”

Jeremy gave her a worried look.

She pointed at him with a toothpick. “Which I already made.” She poked each cake with the toothpick, then set them on the stovetop. “Perfect.”

Mitch sipped his coffee with a snort. She had a plan, all right. One would think a man should have some say in the goings-on for his own birthday, but what did he know?

Jeremy checked the time on his phone. “Did you want to walk to church or drive?”

Bea wiped her hands on a towel. “Drive, so we can get home right away and set up.”

“Okay. Will you be ready to leave in ten minutes?”

Bea gave Jeremy a withering look. “I am ready.”

Mitch chuckled into his mug. The poor guy hadn’t yet learned that was not the kind of question you asked your wife. At the stricken look on Jeremy’s face, Mitch felt a touch of pity for him and cleared his throat.

“Is there anything I can do while you’re gone, B.B.?”

She turned on him. “You’re not coming?”

“Haven’t been in two years. Don’t see why I’d start now.”

“Because it’s your birthday. Everyone will want to see you. And I thought you and Pastor Frank were friends again. He’s coming to the party.”

Mitch set his mug down and pushed off the counter. “No one will notice if I’m there or not. And we were never not friends.”

“Then why are you still staying home?”

“It’s complicated.”

She gave him a look. How could he explain it to her? He wasn’t too sure himself.

“Fine.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and grabbed her purse from the back of a chair. “But don’t ruin anything while I’m gone.”