Ethan picks up a crumpled paper wrapper and starts folding it into little squares. His voice is so quiet I barely hear him. “Ri, do you think Mama will be happy to see me?”

His hair hangs over his eyes, so I can’t read his expression, but I watch the way his fingers tremble as they fold the paper into neat squares. I put my arm around his slim shoulders and pull him to me. “Course,” I whisper. “She’ll grab you up and squeeze your guts out. Only …” I haven’t told him. How can I explain this to a little boy? “There’s something I gotta tell you.”

He looks up at me, his face tightening. His eyes are round saucers in the moonlight. “She’s hurt, ain’t she?”

I pick up a ceramic shard lying next to my boot and rub my thumb along the smooth surface. “Not exactly.”

“What then?”

I take a deep breath. “They’ve knocked her unconscious.” I meet his gaze now and plow through the rest. “She’ll look like she’s sleeping, but she’s not. She may be hard to wake up.”

Ethan stares into my eyes for a few tense seconds. I wonder if he’ll cry, but his eyes are dry, his face solemn. I keep forgetting all he’s been through.

“Okay,” he says turning toward the hospital. “Let’s go get her.”

An old soul, my little brother.

“There’s no way I can keep you outside,” I say, more of a statement than a question.

He shakes his head.

“Fine,” I say, sighing. “I wish for once I could keep you outta trouble.”

“You need me,” he says, puffing up his narrow chest. I tussle his hair. He’s not even nine. God, what a life for a kid.

A hinge creaks behind us. Our heads snap toward the sound. Across the dirty lot, a door opens. The rectangle of dim light widens as we watch. Ethan’s hand claws for mine. I grab it and drag him closer. Someone’s coming.

“Come on, you silly heads,” the shadow whispers. “Get your tushies in here.”

Betsy. Oh, thank God. I stand, pulling Ethan up. We jog toward the round shadow. I send Ethan up the five metal steps and I follow. When the door shuts, Betsy throws her arms around me.

“Agatha,” she says, her cheek pressed to my ear. “I’m so glad to see you.”

I hug her once, pull back and take her in. Her belly has deflated, leaving a saggy middle that pouches beneath her gown. Her hair blond curls are down, bounding onto her shoulders. I grip her hand. “You came. I had no idea if you’d see my signal.”