Mitch nodded. He’d heard all about Ken’s wife, Marianne, yesterday, as well as plenty of other details about Ken’s life that would normally take a number of visits to discover. Ken, though, knew next to nothing about Mitch or his life. Had no idea what he faced now with his mother’s health, well, their mother’s health, going downhill like it was.

“Look, about yesterday—”

“How long has she been this way?” Ken cut in. “Confused, I mean.”

“It happened fast.” Mitch searched his memory for a definite sign—something unmistakable to point to and say this is where it all began—but couldn’t find one. There was only before he realized his mom had changed and after. “We’re still getting used to it.”

Ken turned his face back to the window. “And she never said anything about me at all? Not even when you were a kid?”

The longing in his voice was a seedling reaching its green arms to the sky. Hopeful but prepared to be crushed underfoot. Mitch slowly shook his head.

“How could she just let me go?”

Ken’s words seemed to be directed at himself, but Mitch answered anyway. “We may never know the whole story.”

“If only I’d found her sooner. I thought if I could just get here, everything would make sense. I wish . . .”

The road and the silence stretched out before them. Mitch didn’t need Ken to finish telling him what he wished. Mitch knew. It was the same thing he wished. That things could’ve turned out differently.

“Me too,” he said.

Ken glanced over. Mitch had one eye on the road, but with the other he caught a subtle change in his brother’s expression.

Ken sighed. “You’re losing her, too.”

Though the words held a note of painful finality, somehow Mitch found comfort in them. For just a moment, he was not alone.

“I’d like you to meet my family sometime.” Ken drummed his leg with his fingers. “If you want.”

Mitch nodded. “I’d like that.”

As they neared the house, he checked the time: 9:42 a.m. He’d hoped to get out the door sooner, but Bea had been moving slowly. He had to get Ken back to his rental car by noon if he was going to make it to Ponderosa in time to catch his flight. That didn’t give them much time.

The sky was clear overhead, but clouds charged over the ridge of the mountains like an army surging into battle. The temperature had dropped steadily the past three days, and snow threatened. It would drive more animals into the foothills. Had Ken ever been hunting? Did he know anything about running a ranch?

Mitch parked close to the house, and they all climbed out. Rand’s limp seemed more pronounced today as he walked over to meet them. The hard look he’d had in his eyes yesterday was gone.