He stopped next to a tan high-back armchair. “Hello.”

His aunt’s alert blue eyes met his. Her ivory face drawn with worry. “Don’t keep me waiting. Is she okay?”

Every time he walked into the room, his aunt’s first question was about her beloved dog. He nodded. “Peaches is good, but she misses you.”

“She’s not used to being away from me.” Aunt Birdie visibly breathed a sigh of relief and then smiled. “Tell her I miss her too.”

“I will.”

Aunt Birdie was wearing a bright pink-and-yellow-flowered robe while being propped up in bed. Her white hair was swept back in a neat bun. Circumstances hadn’t dimmed her smile as her aged hands resumed moving the wooden knitting needles along the deep-plum yarn. If not for their surroundings, it’d be hard to tell anything was wrong with her.

Taking a seat next to the bed, Ethan couldn’t help but admire her strength. She’d lived through a lot, from not being able to have kids of her own to the premature loss of her beloved husband. She was the only grandmother-figure Ethan had ever known. And he was so grateful she was going to be all right. He couldn’t imagine life without her gentle prodding for him to be happy or her insightful comments about life in general.

“Is she eating?” His aunt continued to quiz him on her cockapoo’s routine. He sat down and proceeded to answer all of her questions, knowing if he didn’t, she’d worry.

“Don’t forget to walk her. At least twice a day. We don’t want her gaining weight. The vet was adamant that she gain no more weight.”

“I’m walking her.” He suddenly felt as though he were twelve as his aunt instructed him on how to puppysit. “I promise.”

“Thank you. You don’t know what a relief it is to know you’re caring for Peaches. I couldn’t stay here and rest without knowing you’re taking care of her.”

“Where else would I be?” Ethan asked, not expecting a response.

“Well, for one, your job. I feel terrible for dragging you away from it.”

“You can stop worrying. I have a lot of saved-up vacation time. So I’m here as long as you need me.”

Aunt Birdie’s gray brows drew together. “And they just let you take all of that time off at once?”

He shifted uncomfortably in the chair. This was a question he’d been dreading. Until now, Aunt Birdie had been thoroughly distracted with urging the doctors to release her.

Aunt Birdie’s hands ceased movement. He knew from past experience that very little kept her from knitting. She could knit without even looking at what she was doing. But now her entire attention was focused on him. He glanced away, not wanting her to read too much in his eyes.

“Ethan James Walker, what aren’t you telling me?”

He didn’t want to tell her. She had her own problems to worry about. However, a lifetime of experience told him when she used his full name, she wouldn’t give up until she got the whole truth.