I expected he would tire of my brush-offs and distracted conversations, but the trips out to the farm continued. Sadly, the visits were basically repeats of a little banter with me shooing Vance away before he got close enough to see what was really going on.

One afternoon, things went sideways when Pa had a meltdown and started tearing the kitchen apart. Emptying everything out of the fridge and cabinets onto the floor, only to get distracted halfway through sorting it all. His rabid attention fastened on taking the cabinet doors off because he thought they were hanging crooked. Fearing the house would be completely destroyed, I forgot about Boss. Fortunately, Vance brought him home after I was a no-show.

I met Vance and Boss in the yard and started rambling off my apologies before he could get out of his car. “Sorry! I got busy helping the kids with their homework.”

“No problem. I already told you I don’t mind.” Vance went to close his car door, but I grabbed the top, earning me a curious look.

“I have a lot to get done,” I explained and then glanced over to Boss. “Homework?”

“Yep.”

“Go get to it. I’ll be there in a minute to help you.” I waved him off and he ambled into the house. It was a cool winter day, but my forehead was damp with sweat.

“Your dad around?” Vance eyed Pa’s diesel truck.

I dabbed the sweat away with the back of my hand and stared at the truck to hide the truth. “He’s sick in bed.” It was sort of the truth.

“He’s sick a lot,” Vance commented with a hesitance in his voice. “He . . . he doesn’t have . . . cancer, does he?” He cringed in a manner of pity.

Cancer was like a curse word that no one dared say, fearing the word itself could conjure the disease.

“No.” I gave my head a firm shake. “Nothing life-threatening,” I declared, although the words tasted of uncertainty as they passed my lips.

Raleigh walked up behind me and tugged on my shirtsleeve. Once I leaned down, he whispered in my ear, “I can’t get the feed bin open.” Poor guy was still shaken by what was happening in the kitchen.

I met his watery blue gaze. “I’ll be there in a sec to help you, okay?”

My timid little brother nodded, stole a quick glance at Vance, and hurried inside the packhouse. I turned to Vance as the front door of the house opened.

“You got an hour before twin pickup!” Charlotte yelled from the porch before revolving back inside like a cuckoo clock. She was good at keeping me on schedule if nothing else.