“Ash, stop for just a second.” Truman caught his shoulders. “Let me come with you. I can drive. I can hang on to Bruce. That way, you can take care of your mom.”

“I don’t wanna make you do that.”

“You’re not making me. I’m offering. Please.”

Ash blinked owlishly, then bit his lip and nodded. “Okay, thanks.”

They piled back into the van and drove downtown, where they pulled up at a house around the corner from Thorn. The front door opened before they reached the door, and a curly-haired white woman in her fifties waved.

“Hey, Ash.”

“I’m really sorry,” Ash said by way of a greeting.

“That’s all right. Julia and I were just having a little chat, right, Julia?” she said heartily.

The woman who followed her out the door looked a lot like Ash. She was tall, with ash-blond hair and blue-gray eyes, but she looked disoriented, and she was wringing dry, reddened hands.

“Ashleigh, I couldn’t find you,” she said. “You’re out too late.”

“I’m sorry,” he said gently. “I was watching a movie with my friend. This is Truman.”

Julia perked up. She held out a hand to him, and Truman shook it.

“Hi, Truman. Call me Julia. It’s always nice to meet Ash’s friends.”

“Nice to meet you, Julia.” Truman searched for something to say. “You’ve got a great son.”

She smiled. “I agree.”

“Do you want to go have dinner, Mama?”

“I am a bit hungry,” she said. “Should we stay at your house?”

“Nah, let’s go home to your house,” Ash said.

“I like your new couch,” Julia said. “Much more comfortable than the old one.”

“Thanks,” Ash said and held out a hand to her.

“Hi, Brucie bean,” she said, crouching to scratch behind Bruce’s ears. He greeted her enthusiastically, licking her face and putting his paws on her shoulders.

“I’m so sorry, Marjorie,” Ash was saying softly.

“Never mind that,” Marjorie said, waving him away. “No harm done, and it was nice to chat with Julia for a bit.”

Ash closed his eyes and shoved his hands in his pockets like he was preventing himself from doing something. When he spoke again, his voice was choked, though with emotion or regret Truman couldn’t tell. “I really appreciate you being so understanding.”

“Sweetie. There are a lot of people on this island who’ve known Julia a long time. We want to help you. I don’t know why you won’t let us.”

“I’m…I…thanks. I’ve gotta go.”

Marjorie watched them from her front stoop as they walked to the van, and she raised a hand in farewell. Ash was helping Julia into the van, and she was telling him that she knew how to get in a car, so Truman waved back.