“Adam and Evan will be here soon. I won’t be alone.”

“I’ll be here, too,” Ned said from the doorway.

“If you’re sure,” Linda said.

“I’m very sure. Go on home, hon. I promise I’ll still be here in the morning.”

“That’s not funny,” Linda said, sniffling as she bent to kiss him one last time.

“You kids take your mother home. Make sure she eats and sleeps.”

Grant and Janey did as they were told with Joe tagging along with them. On her way by, Linda hugged Ned. “Call me if anything changes.”

“Ya know I will, gal. I’ll stay ’til the boys get here.”

Linda patted his arm and went with the kids.

“Whew,” Big Mac said when they were alone. “How’s a man supposed to get a minute’s peace with all that hovering?”

“Don’t try to fool me. Ya love all the attention.”

Big Mac snickered and then winced.

“Gave us a helluva scare today.”

“So I hear. It’s all a blur.”

“Let’s hope it stays that way. Not worth remembering.”

“Perhaps you can help me fill in some of the blanks.”

“I don’t wanna talk about it. Worst thing I ever seen.”

“Not about the accident. I’m having these vague flashes of memory. Something about you and a woman. . .”

Ned looked up in time to see the glint of devil in his old friend’s eyes. Even though he was relieved to see the spark of life, he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about Francine. “Ya didn’t remember yer own son was home from Lala Land, but ya remember that?”

“Funny how the brain works, huh?”

“I still don’t wanna talk about it,” Ned huffed. Damn if he couldn’t feel his face getting red.

“Aw, come on. I almost died today. Least you can do is toss me a little bone.”

Ned choked back a burst of temper. “Don’t go playin’ that ‘almost died’ card.”

“Come on, it’s me. We don’t have secrets. Least I didn’t think we did.”

“I ain’t tellin’ ya nothin’, ’cuz ya got the biggest mouth on the island. It’ll be all over the docks by morning.”

“I swear to God I won’t tell anyone.”

“Since ya owe God a few favors right ’bout now, I’ll hold ya to that. Nothing much to tell. We had dinner. Big whoop.”

“Tell that to someone who wasn’t there that summer she left you for Bobby Chester or who hasn’t watched you avoid her for thirty-two years.”

“Doncha need to rest up so ya can walk yer baby girl down the aisle?”

“I wouldn’t miss that for the world, and you know it, so don’t try to change the subject.”

Frustrated, Ned ran a hand over his wild white hair. “What’d ya want me to say?”