Cracking open a fresh can of Canada Dry, she poured the soda over the ice and watched the fizz go crazy and foam up right to the top of the glass. As she waited for things to settle, she got out a sleeve of the crackers and put a two-inch stack on a folded paper towel.

Just as she was topping off the glass again, she heard Vin’s gravelly voice from the living room: “Hi.”

Her first instinct was to rush in to reassure Robbie—but she knew if she made it look like there was a problem, she’d only make things more dramatic than they already were going to be. Picking up what she’d gotten for Vin, she forced herself to walk calmly into the living room.

Robbie’s hair was sticking up in the back as it always did when he got out of bed, and his Spider-Man pj’s made him look smaller than he really was because she’d purposely bought them two sizes bigger than he needed.

Standing just inside the room, he was focused on their guest, his eyes wary, but curious.

God…her heart was pounding and her throat was tight and the ice in the ginger ale was rattling from the way her hand shook.

“This is my friend Vin,” she offered quietly.

Robbie glanced back at her and then refocused on the couch. “That’s a big Band-Aid. You gots a cut?”

Vin nodded slowly. “I do.”

“From what?”

Gretchen opened her mouth, but Vin got there first with an answer. “I fell down and hurt myself.”

“That why you gots the sling, too?”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t look so hot.”

“I don’t feel so hot.”

There was a long pause. And then Robbie took a step forward. “Can I look at your Band-Aid?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Though it clearly cost him a lot of agony, Vin moved the strap of the sling off his shoulder and slowly unbuttoned his borrowed shirt. Peeling the cloth back, he exposed the padding and gauze and tape.

“Wooooooooow,” Robbie said, walking all the way over and reaching out.

“Don’t touch him, please,” Gretchen said quickly. “He’s hurting.”

Robbie retracted his hand. “I’m sorry. You know…my mom’s good at healing my cuts.”

“Yeah?” Vin said roughly.

“Uh-huh.” Robbie glanced over his shoulder. “See? She already gots the ginger ale.” Dropping his voice down to a whisper, he added, “She always gives me ginger ale and saltines. I don’t really like ’em all that much, but I usually feel better after I eat ’em.”

Gretchen went over to the couch and put the crackers on the table next to Vin. “Here. This’ll steady your stomach.”

Vin took the glass and looked at Robbie. “You okay with me hanging on your couch for a little while? Truth is, I’m really tired and I need a place to rest.”