It was a kindness, that was for sure. The girl seemed older than thirteen. Maybe it was her pretty blue eyes. There was an ancient wisdom in them, tinged with a sadness most people probably never noticed. Her slim shoulders also looked as if a heavy weight pressed down on them, even though her posture was good. Perhaps Grace did see things nobody else did. She should probably spend more time on that skill, after Adare got healthy. “I want to help him, but I don’t know how.”

Hope rubbed her nose. “Has he ever asked you to help him?”

“No,” Grace whispered. “Well, I guess he asked me to trust him completely. That’s the only thing he’s ever asked of me.”

“Then maybe that’s what you should do,” the girl said, turning toward the doorway as raised voices filtered through. “Wow. Uncle Dage never yells. He must be super mad.” She stood. “I’ll go out there. Even if they stay mad at each other, they won’t yell with me nearby.” She patted Grace’s shoulder. “Trust him. I can see he’s a good one.” Then she was gone, and she was right, the yelling stopped.

“I can see you’re a good one, too,” Grace whispered.

Her sister walked in with her bags in one hand and deposited them next to Grace. “I don’t know what to tell you, but you know I believe in science. Maybe giving him more of your blood, right into his veins, would help.” Faith kissed her on the head and left quietly.

Maybe. Grace set her chin on the bed and stared at Adare. He was so big, it was weird to see him just lying there. Almost absently, she plucked her digital camera out of the bag and took several shots, trying to get the right angle on his face. Her instincts started to hum. She stood on her chair, finally, with one foot on the bed, and pressed the button. As always, a sense of peace ran through her at getting the perfect shot.

“What are you doing?” Emma asked from the doorway.

Grace stepped down. “Trusting Adare, and in doing so, trusting myself.” She sat and scrolled through the pictures. “Or vice versa. Trusting myself and thus trusting Adare?” She pondered the question. “One of those, anyway.” She looked at the pictures, stopping at the final one and enlarging it on the little screen. “Ah.” She sat back, relaxing, her shoulders finally going down.

“What?” Emma stepped her way, leaning over to look.

“What do you see?” Grace asked.

Emma leaned over her shoulder. “Adare in the bed.” She studied it for a moment. “It’s a good angle?”

Yeah. It was the exact right angle. Grace enlarged the shot even more, zooming in. “What about now?”