Indecision was a common problem for him. When too many things were on his plate, he became anxious and ultimately did nothing. The thought of acting swirled and tangled with the other responsibilities he was charged with. Talk to Becca, talk to Jessi, finish the budget reports for the library, schedule reading groups for the children’s department, follow up with the local university regarding some student internship thing... The more he thought about the list, the tighter his chest became. A workout was what he needed. If his niece wasn’t in the guestroom, he would have put on his sneakers and gone to the gym. A couple rounds on the heavy bag and he would have been able to focus his mind on a solution.

“Uncle Johnny?” said a small voice from behind him.

He twisted around to find Becca in her pajamas and satin bonnet. Her face, a mirror image of her mother’s, was tired and pinched with anxiety. “Hey honey, what’s up?”

She stood there, wringing her hands at the waist, before circling the couch and asking, “Can I use your phone?”

“Sure,” he said, pulling his phone from his back pocket. “But you might want to give your mom another hour. I think her plane just landed.”

“I’m not calling her,” Becca said in a solemn voice. “I want to call my dad.”

John hesitated before handing the phone over. “Yeah?”

“He’s not answering,” she said. “I thought that if I could use your phone...”

Jessi had made it clear to him that he was not to speak ill of Allen, but John was finding it difficult to stay mum when the man couldn’t even make an effort. He couldn’t deny Becca, he would have to let her find out for herself. “Here,” he said.

She dialed, and they waited through each ring, until finally, Allen’s voicemail indicated he would not be taking calls that evening. John let out a breath and silently cursed his brother-in-law. A simple “hey, honey, I can’t talk right now, but can I call you back later?” would have worked. To say she looked defeated was an understatement. Her brown eyes watered, but in the same stubbornness she shared with her mother, she did not cry. “He’s busy,” she said with more diplomacy than was necessary.

“Call your mom.”

“But you said—”

“I know, but you need to talk to her,” John said softly.

Becca tried again and successfully reached her mother in three rings. The phone’s screen lit up with Jessi’s beaming face. “Is that my little pumpkin?” she asked loudly.

His niece’s tears receded as a smile spread across her face. “Hi, Mom, are you in Sweden yet?”

“Just got to my hotel, baby,” Jessi said. “I’ve already bought you a flag, a soccer jersey, and a Viking helmet. Is Uncle Johnny there?”

“I’m here.”

“Johnny, I got you a bottle of elderflower schnapps.”