Normally, awaking to bright sunshine filled Lina with energy and optimism, but when her head was pounding and details of the previous day were already in the forefront of her mind, she just wanted to keep sleeping.

Phil had woken her twice during the night, once to get her to drink another bottle of Gatorade and a second time because he couldn’t tell whether she was breathing. She was, of course, but it took her thirty minutes to fall back to sleep.

“Mom?”

Lina opened her eyes, squinting up at Logan, who was standing beside the bed, his shoulders slumped and his usual smile missing. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Dad said I can’t be friends with Brian. I invited him over, and Dad said I have to uninvite him.”

She closed her eyes. “I’ll talk to him.”

“He’s never even met him. Why—”

Lina held up her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it. Has he left for work yet?”

“He isn’t going to work today.”

When Lina gingerly walked into the kitchen, Alice was at the stove flipping a pancake, Phil was at the table reading the newspaper, and Katie was sitting across from him reading from her Rumi book.

“I was out of milk, so I came here for breakfast,” Alice said. “What possessed you to fall asleep in a hot tub? Were you drinking?”

“No. It wasn’t intentional.”

“What are you doing up?” Phil was out of his chair and beside her.

“I’m fine. You shouldn’t have stayed home.” She touched his chest.

“I’m going to have to look at your chart and see what kind of aspects you’re under. That was dangerous,” Alice said.

At the mention of charts, her mother’s prediction of infidelity flashed in Lina’s mind. She gripped Phil’s arm. It was Nick. The prediction was about Nick. How hadn’t she seen it?

“Are you okay?” Phil asked.

“I just need coffee. My head is pounding.”

“You shouldn’t drink coffee,” he said. “You’re probably dehydrated. I’ll get you some more Gatorade.”

“I just want coffee. Please.” She let him lead her to a chair.

“Give her what she’s craving,” Alice said. “The body knows better than anyone what it needs.”

“I’m sure alcoholics would love that philosophy,” Phil said dryly. “And drug addicts and—”

“Always ready to argue,” Alice interrupted. “But in fact, I read recently that people use drugs and alcohol to self-medicate. There’s an imbalance they’re trying to correct.”

“So now you’re condoning drug and alcohol abuse?” Phil asked.

“No, I’m just explaining why their bodies may crave it initially.”

“Please stop,” Lina moaned. “My head hurts.”

“Would you really have died if Dad didn’t find you?” Katie asked.