“You’re both in our prayers, but that’s not why we’ve come. What can we do for you so that you won’t fret about what’s happening at Mama’s house?” Emma asked.

“I can meet your deliveries and let them in anytime you want,” Ray said. “Emma’s got a key. All you have to do is give me your schedule.”

“I’ll gladly take off work to do the same,” Gordon offered. “Whatever you need done, we’re ready to help.”

“We don’t want you worrying about your promise to Mama when you need to be focused on Ava,” Junior added.

Hunt sighed. All of the stress he’d been feeling about that just disappeared.

“That would be awesome,” he said. “Ray, I’ll text the schedule to you. As soon as the painters are finished, a new kitchen stove is due to be put in, then kitchen and bathroom counters go in, but everything is already on order with delivery dates. So all you need to do is be there to make sure they are installed properly, then new faucets go in after that. The only thing that’s not already paid for is installing the new cookstove.”

“We let you down once, Hunt, but that will never happen again,” Emma said. “Trust us. We want this to look as good as you do. I’m just sorry that it wasn’t done for her when she was still here…but we can do it now, for you.”

“Thank you. All of you,” Hunt said, and after quiet goodbyes, they were gone.

He pulled up the schedule in his notes, then forwarded it to Ray. It was a relief to know the schedule wasn’t going to be messed up.

A nurse came in to check Ava’s stats and adjust the IV drip, and then she was gone, too, and once again Hunt and Ava were alone.

He sat back down beside her bed and reached for her hand. He wasn’t expecting a response. He just needed to touch her.

“I’m here, Ava. You and me forever, right?” he said and gave her fingers a slight squeeze.

Between one heartbeat and the next, her fingers curled.

He gasped. Was that an involuntary motion, or did she mean to do that?

Testing her, he slowly tried to pull his hand away, and when he did, she tightened her grip.

“Ava? Is that you?”

She squeezed.

Breath caught in the back of Hunt’s throat.

“Welcome back, baby… Welcome back,” he said, then rang for a nurse and sent a text to her parents.

* * *