“I’m wondering if we need to get a shrink over here to talk to them.”

“I’m sure they’d be all for that,” Adam said with a laugh.

“I called Uncle Kevin,” she said of Big Mac’s younger brother.

“Mom!”

“What? He’s gotten a lot of attention for his work with posttraumatic stress. I wanted his advice.”

Adam leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “What did he say?”

“Why should I tell you? You think it’s a stupid idea.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“I had to do something! I can’t sit idly by and watch my kids suffer while they go on pretending nothing is wrong.”

“Tell me what he said.”

She seemed to sag as she, too, leaned against the counter. “Some of the same stuff Mac did. That we need to give them time and space to come to terms with what happened and how they feel about it. We need to let them go through it in their own way.”

“At what point do we intervene?”

“That was my question, too. He said to give it a few weeks, and if they don’t seem better, he’ll come out for a visit.”

“Did you tell Dad you called him?”

“It was his idea. He asked me to make the call because he can’t talk about it without crying.”

“He might need Kevin, too.”

“I thought the same thing.”

Adam reached for his mom and hugged her. “I know it’s very upsetting, but they’re strong guys with tons of support around them. I have to believe they’ll be okay. Eventually.”

“I hope you’re right. I’m worried about all of them, but Grant in particular.”

“I’m going to see if I can find him.”

“Thank you, honey. It would make me feel so much better to know where he is.”

“That’s why I’m here, Mom.” It wasn’t the only reason, but with all her other concerns, it was the only reason he was sharing with her. “Try not to worry, and don’t wait up.”

“Okay.”

He kissed her forehead and went to grab a jacket.

Long after Grant left the clinic, David hoped he’d done the right thing by giving him sleeping meds. Clearly something big was on Grant’s mind, and adding sleep deprivation to the mix wasn’t helping. He made a note to follow up with Grant in a few days to see if the medication had helped. Maybe by then he’d be looking for someone impartial to talk to about whatever was keeping him up at night.

Victoria, the clinic’s nurse practitioner, appeared at his office door. “Your not-so-secret admirer is here, bearing gifts.” This was said sotto voce with a teasing smile and a wink.