Katie was debating how to get his attention without being totally rude to her uncle, who was celebrating his birthday, when her father suddenly pushed back his chair. “We have to go.”

“We haven’t had the cake,” Jeanie said. “Let me—”

“Sorry, no.” He looked at Logan and then Katie. “Let’s go.”

“Why couldn’t we have cake?” Logan asked as soon as they were outside and headed towards Phil’s car. “I—”

“Have either of you heard from your mother?” he interrupted, staring down at his phone.

“No, why?” Katie frowned.

“My phone is dead. Call her.”

Before she could make a call, Katie’s cell phone was ringing. “It’s Grandma. Should—”

Her father snatched the phone from her hand. “Alice, what’s going on?”

Lina’s mind was in a fog as Nick ushered her out of the elevator and into a waiting area at Baltimore Medical Center’s Shock and Trauma Center.

“Are you sure this is right?” Lina asked as she looked around the empty room.

“Yes, she’s right through those doors.” He nodded towards metal swinging doors.

“Where is everyone?”

“We’re probably the first to arrive.” He led her to a chair and she sat down beside him.

“What did they say?” She knew she had already asked him, but she couldn’t remember his answer.

“She’s in surgery. There’s internal bleeding. Several broken bones. Possible head trauma.”

“I feel sick.” She leaned forward, hugging herself.

He ran his hand up over the top of her back. “This is one of the top trauma centers in the country. She couldn’t be in better hands.”

The elevator doors opened and Alice and Adele, followed by Phil, were coming into the room. “Any word?” Alice asked, her face drawn in concern.

Lina’s eyes locked with Phil’s, the other occupants in the room fading away as she found her way into his arms. “I’m so scared.”

“I know,” he whispered, his breath warm against the side of her head as he wrapped his arms around her. “I’m here, baby. I’m here.”

“I don’t think she’s going to die,” Katie said as she stared into the flames kicking up in the fire pit. “I just don’t have that feeling, you know?” She was sharing a lounge chair with Matt on her backyard patio, wedged between his legs as she leaned back against his chest. “I think I’d have a feeling.”

“Yeah.” His arms tightened around her. “You probably would.”

“You know that weird connection my parents have? The one my grandma told me about?”

“That they’re soulmates or whatever?”