“Maybe she needs you not to be so vocal about it. Maybe she just needs you to support her. In silence.”

“Maybe so, son. I don’t want to talk about all that. I’m just making sure you’re okay. You need anything?”

“Nope, I’m good.”

“Went by your house the other day. Cut the grass and trimmed up the edges so your neighbors won’t complain or sic the HOA on you.”

Gavin pressed his fingertips to his eyelids. How did he get so fortunate to be born into the family he called his own? “Thanks, Dad, I appreciate you.”

“I know you do.”

“I probably should sell the house and just get an apartment, but when I got out of the Army, I thought I’d be spending more time at home and wanted a yard.” For a dog. The dog he hadn’t gotten yet.

“Things are different when you do contract work.”

Gavin huffed a laugh. He’d never told his dad what he was doing, just that he was opening his own security business.

“Now, if I could just get your sister to see how awesome I am,” his father was saying, “we’d be in business.”

Gavin laughed. “She knows, Dad, she’s probably just busy.” But he made a mental note to text her and tell her to pull her nose out of her books—or whatever she was doing—for a few minutes to acknowledge her parents. He hesitated. “She’s not seeing that jerk again, is she?”

“No way. I checked on him and he’s serving time in the local prison for distribution.”

“Well, well, he finally got caught, huh?”

“Someone tipped off the cops and he got swept up in a raid.”

Gavin narrowed his eyes. “Someone tipped them off?”

“Yeah, craziest thing.”

His father paused and Gavin frowned. “Is everything really all right, Dad?”

“Yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine. I just wanted to hear your voice.”

“Good to talk to you too.”

Sarah groaned and cried out. Gavin squeezed her hand while the nurse checked her vitals.

“I’ve got to go, Dad,” Gavin said. “We’ll talk soon.”

“Sure, of course.”

“Tell Mom and Kaylynn I love them.”

“Will do.” His dad hung up and Gavin turned to Sarah.

The nurse looked up. “She’s still out,” she said, “but those nightmares are brutal. Wish she’d let me give her something to ease them.”

“She was very clear she wanted nothing more than the antibiotics and whatever it took to keep her fever under control, and that’s all we’ll do unless her life is in danger.” He kept his tone mild, but he was sure the woman heard the thread of steel in the words.

“I understand. Her fever’s holding steady at a hundred four, though, so I’ll admit I’m concerned.”