Jax marched up to Gretchen’s room. She was on a mission, but her bravado deflated when she saw nothing but an empty bed. She stepped back into the hallway and spotted Amanda walking toward her. “Where is she?” she said with a thumb pointing into the room.

“Therapy, like she is every day at this time. You would know that if you hadn’t suddenly stopped visiting.” Amanda blew into her tea to cool it off. The steam billowed around her mouth.

“I have to be careful about missing work. When will she be back? It’s my lunch hour.”

“Soon. I’m glad you’re here, though. We have to figure out what we’re doing once she gets out of here.”

Jax had been trying her best to avoid this very conversation. “Did Dr. Melendez say when that was going to be yet?”

“Not yet, but it could be any day. She’s walking and moving with only a little pain, and her speech is improving. What are we going to do?”

“I’m here because I need to tell Gretchen I’m bringing Caleb by later. I don’t have time to plan our lives.”

“You need to make time,” Amanda said, her eyes going back to her tea.

Jax was so distracted by her growing anger that she didn’t notice Gretchen until she was walking into her room. Amanda practically pushed Jax out of the way to get in the room before her.

“How was therapy?” Amanda said.

Jax barely heard Gretchen’s response before she started talking. “I have to bring Caleb by. You can’t keep avoiding him.”

“Bring him. I never told you not to.”

Jax stepped back in surprise. “But after the first time, I didn’t think you were ready.”

“You didn’t think I was ready. You never asked. You just assumed. Bring him by after dinner. I miss my son.”

“Why didn’t you say something?”

“When? When you were rushing into the room or rushing out? Or should I have said something when you never came back?”

Jax felt properly chastised. “I handled this wrong, and I’m sorry. Will you be too tired after dinner? You get cranky when you’re tired.”

Amanda snorted.

“I’m cranky now.”

Jax feared for her well-being if she didn’t leave soon, which meant her job would have to be pushed aside again. “How about I go get Caleb now and stop for some ice cream on the way. Rocky road from the place across town, not the one right around the corner whose chocolate ice cream tastes like white.”

“Great,” Gretchen said. “You know my order and make sure you get strawberry for Amanda.”