They all settled into the car.

Ryker said, “And I tell her the day I spend all my money on a private plane is the day you have me committed.”

“Oh, pooh,” Nicola said, playfully slapping the back of Ryker’s seat.

Andrew pulled away from the airport and merged onto I-95. They made small talk, Nicola’s sense of humor as salty as ever. It was what had attracted her to Ryker in the first place. A smart, good-looking woman who could make a sailor blush was a dream come true for his brother-in-law.

Hopping off the highway and making their way to Route 302, Ryker got serious and asked, “So tell me, how is she? Whenever I talk to her, she says she’s fine, but she doesn’t sound fine. I think she won’t use Skype because she doesn’t want me to see her. Easier to keep up the lie that way.”

Nikki sat forward, her head between them. She said, “I long ago gave up asking their mum about her. It’s like talking to the fucking old Berlin Wall. I know she dotes on Ryker, but she can be a real prig when it comes to Katy.”

Katy.

Ryker and Nikki were the only people in the world she allowed to call her that.

Andrew drew in a deep, tired breath. He’d known they were going to have this conversation before they got to the cabin. Being the bearer of bad news was never fun.

“She’s not good,” he said.

Nikki covered her mouth, eyes wide. Ryker sat up straighter in his seat.

“How bad?” Ryker asked.

“Look, it’s not life and death now. Not like before. But she’s been real sick. Her immune system is shot to hell. I’m not sure she even has one. The new treatment is a horror show. She had it almost two months ago and she’s still suffering from the aftereffects. The doctors are giving her the summer for her body to kind of recharge and recover. But when we get back in September, she has to go through it all again.”

Ryker asked what was involved in the treatments, and Andrew told him about the needles, each one large and filled with what was essentially poison. His brother-in-law’s permanent smile turned into the very rarest of frowns.

Andrew said, “I guess the one good thing you can say about it is that it’s not chemo.”

The word hung over them like a suspended nuclear warhead. They all had been through Kate’s struggles and knew what chemo meant. It meant last chances, organ transplants, and so much worse.

“How is she holding up mentally?” Nicola said. “The poor girl. She’s already been through so much. It has to be wearing her down. Wearing you both down.”

She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze.