Farrah’s smile was sad. “I worry about her all the time.”

“So do I,” Rafe murmured, then wished he hadn’t said the words aloud when his parents gave him knowing looks. He hadn’t told anyone how much he’d missed Mercy, but he figured they all knew.

Daisy sighed. “Gideon hasn’t slept well since she went back to New Orleans. He wakes up with nightmares, saying her name. I hope she tells him what he needs to know eventually, because not knowing is killing him.”

No one had an answer to that, and their silence hung heavy over the table.

“So,” Irina finally said, “how goes your physical therapy, Raphael?”

He might have been grateful for the topic change, but the subject of his PT was only slightly more welcome than a discussion of his feelings for Mercy Callahan. “Not bad.”

Sasha finished her part of setting the table and returned to sit beside him. “‘Not bad’ doesn’t sound good. Is Cash beating you up again?”

Farrah looked relieved at the topic change as well. “Who’s Cash and why is he beating you up?”

Irina chuckled. “Cash is Cassius, my youngest son, Sasha’s twin. He’s a physical therapist,” she added proudly. “He works with all the professional basketball players.”

“Not all of them, Mom,” Sasha said with a chuckle of her own. “Just our team.”

“Wow.” Farrah had perked up. “Like who?”

Sasha pouted. “He won’t say. He’s got ethics.”

“No, not ethics,” Farrah teased. “Say it ain’t so.”

“But it is so,” Irina said. “He would never talk about his clients.” She made a face. “Not even to me. And not even about my own son.”

Rafe had to laugh at that. “He told me that you keep bugging him. Give the kid a break, Ma.”

Irina lifted her brows. “I would give him a break, as you say, if my older son gave me information when I requested it.”

“Ooh,” Farrah whispered loudly. “Burn.”

Rafe knew that they were making light conversation to take the focus away from whatever Mercy and Gideon were saying to each other. He guessed he’d have to sacrifice his own privacy to play along. “It’s not going as well as I’d hoped, to be honest.” He hesitated. “I’m not sure how much better I’m going to get and even though Cash keeps a positive attitude, he’s not sure, either.”

Sasha’s face fell. “That sucks, brother.”

Karl’s brow scrunched in concern. “Perhaps another opinion?”

Irina sat up straighter, indignant. “Why? Our Cash is the best!”

“He’s doing all he can, Dad,” Rafe agreed glumly. “I keep doing what he says to do—or trying to. It’s all I can do right now.”

Irina pulled a pan of bread from the oven. “How much longer does he think you need to keep trying?”

“Until I can walk and be a cop again?” Rafe snapped, then sighed. “I’m sorry, Mom. It’s a touchy subject.”

She put the pan on the table then squeezed his shoulder. “Is okay, Raphael. I know you are frustrated.”