Jax did not want to get Amanda anything, but in the name of peace, she would get a cup of strawberry ice cream. “Okay.” Jax left without a second glance at Amanda. She was excited to bring Caleb to see his mother, and that was going to be her sole focus for the day.

Caleb bounced around in his car seat, his excitement adding to his usual hyper state. “Mama,” he screamed for the tenth time in less than fifteen minutes.

“That’s right, Cricket. We’re going to see Mama.” Jax took the exit for the hospital too quickly, and the full-to-bursting bag of ice cream toppled over on the passenger seat. Spoons spilled out on the seat, and a container rolled out, headed for the space between the seat and the door. In a panic, she reached over to save it. She had to slam on her brakes to avoid a collision.

Caleb started to cry instantly, and Jax breathed rapidly to calm her racing heart. She felt the beating in her throat. She returned both hands to the steering wheel and gripped it until her knuckles turned white.

“You okay, Caleb?” Jax looked in the rearview mirror at Caleb, too afraid to turn around and take her eyes off the road again. Spit ran down his chin as he cried. Traffic started moving, and Jax decided to pull over. She parked and put on her four-ways. She hopped from her truck, but by the time she opened the back door, Caleb’s tears had stopped. “You’re okay.”

Caleb nodded and continued to tug at the short arms of his stuffed dinosaur. “Ice cream gonna melt.”

She took a deep, calming breath and let it out slowly through her nostrils. She got back in the driver’s seat after a quick kiss to Caleb’s forehead. She needed the reassurance.

By the time Jax made it to the hospital and found parking, she was frazzled and tired and was going to need more than a cup of ice cream to relax. “Should’ve gotten rum raisin,” she muttered to herself as she walked Caleb to the elevators. The doors opened when they arrived on the third floor, and Jax almost walked right into Wyatt.

“Watch where you’re going, crazy lady.” Wyatt laughed and reached out for a high five from Caleb.

“You stopped by.” Jax was genuinely surprised.

“Yeah, I told you I would. What’s up, bud?” Wyatt flicked Caleb’s earlobe, and he giggled. “What kind of ice cream did you get?”

“Bubble gum.”

“Gross.” Wyatt’s smile faded when he looked back to Jax.

“How’s Gretchen?” Jax said, holding Caleb’s shoulder to keep him from running off.

“Quiet. She didn’t say much other than asking about Carly. A lot of questions, actually.” He chuckled. “She’s probably desperate to hear about anything other than her own problems.”

“What about her memories?”