Lina sat up and turned on the light, anxiety gripping her. “Is she okay?”

Phil held up a silencing hand as he continued to focus on the phone call. “Look around. There has to be a landmark…Yes…Do you see an address?” He was sitting up and reaching into the bedside stand for a notepad and pen. “Good.” He began to write. “Sit tight. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

“What happened?” Lina asked as he got out of bed.

“Julian left her at a party.”

“Oh my God. Is she okay?”

“I think so. She’s just very upset.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“No. Stay in bed. One of the kids could wake up.”

Lina opened the front door as Shiloh and Phil stepped onto the front porch, her stomach clenching at the pitiful sight of her sister sobbing against Phil’s side. “Oh, Shi,” Lina whispered, her own voice cracking.

“She’s okay,” Phil said as they came into the house. “Just upset.”

“Come on, Shi.” Lina tried to pull her from Phil, but Shiloh wouldn’t release her hold on him.

“He was so mean,” she whispered. “He said I was stupid in front of everyone at the party and then he just left. I was so embarrassed. Why would he do that? Why does he always hurt me?”

“I don’t know.” Phil ran his hand up and down her back in a soothing motion. “But you’re okay now.”

“I’m never going back to him. I know you don’t believe me, but I’m not.”

“It’s late. No decisions have to be made right now. Just get some sleep. You can decide what you want to do in the morning,” Phil said.

“I don’t want to sleep alone,” Shiloh whispered. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“You can sleep with me,” Lina said as she slipped her arm around her. “Don’t worry. Everything will be okay.”

“Maybe we should help her find a place,” Lina said to Phil the next afternoon when he came home from cycling.

“No.”

“I think she’s serious,” Lina went on. “She’s calm and—”

“Let’s not push her into anything,” Phil said. “We have to let her come to the conclusion on her own.” He looked past her to Shiloh, who came into to the kitchen from the family room wearing a pair of Lina’s shorts and a T-shirt, her face makeup free and her hair pulled back in a ponytail. “How are you feeling, Shi?”

She shrugged. “Sad.”

“You can stay here as long as you like. You know that.”

She offered a pitiful attempt at a smile. “Thanks.”

He touched Lina’s arm. “I’m going to shower.”

“Do you want something to eat?” Lina asked Shiloh. “I could make you a sandwich or a salad.”

“I’m not really hungry.” Shiloh looked down at her phone. “He hasn’t even called.”

“What if by not telling her to leave him, she thinks we want her to stay and goes back to him?” Lina asked.

Phil had finished his shower and was getting dressed. “That’s not why she’ll go back to him.”