“I know, Mom. I feel terrible.” Megan’s burden of guilt, already heavy, pressed down with the weight of a giant anvil. She knew how much Daniel wanted to be treated like the “normal” people around him. But Daniel’s “normal” was defined by his condition. All his life, as his big sister, it had been Megan’s job to protect him. Today she had failed. She had put him at risk, and he’d been hurt.

“And this business of his wanting to drive. I know you’ve been helping him study, Megan. But it has to stop. If he spends all that time, gets his hopes up, and then can’t pass the test, he’ll be devastated. If he does pass it, that will open the door to even more risk. He could be killed or kill somebody else. Please say you’ll respect my wishes.”

“Of course I will.” Megan sympathized with Daniel’s need to be independent, but she could hardly go behind her mother’s back to help him. While Daniel was off work, she could look for other ways to fill his time, like maybe taking him to Cottonwood Springs for some shopping at the mall and a good movie. If he wanted to study for his driver’s test, he would have to do it on his own.

“How about I make some chocolate chip cookies?” she offered, opening the cupboard. “That should make everybody feel better. Then later, I can cook some spaghetti for dinner tonight.”

“Your father will like that when he gets home. Thank you, dear. I’ll be working if you need me. The illustrations for the book are due next week and I still have a lot to do.” She turned her wheelchair toward the doors that separated her studio from the kitchen, then paused. “Sorry, I almost forgot. Derek called while you were out. He said he’d call back this evening.”

Megan reached for the large mixing bowl and set it on the counter. “Did he ask you where I was?”

“Yes. I told him you were out.”

“Thanks.” Megan softened two sticks of butter and added some sugar to the bowl. When she glanced around, her mother had closed the doors and gone back to work.

She added the other ingredients, mixed a double batch of cookies, and spooned the dough onto a cookie sheet. While the first batch was baking, she plugged in the Christmas tree lights and tidied the kitchen and living room.

She wasn’t looking forward to Derek’s call. She’d needed some time away, but he seemed determined not to give it to her. As her boss, maybe he felt entitled to keep track of her. Maybe he was just being needy, or maybe he worried about her being with another man.

A man like Conner?

Yes.