She stepped out of the room and tried to shake off her unease. She had no idea how to be around Gretchen, especially this version of Gretchen. Caleb went zooming past Jax right into Gretchen’s bedroom. She wasn’t fast enough to stop him, and quite frankly she was too tired to care. She had to focus on cooking and making it through the night without losing her patience, which led her to wonder if Amanda had picked up any wine or beer at the store. The next sound she heard was the door slamming, and then Caleb was next to her.

“Mama told me to help you.”

“Okay,” she said, peering over her shoulder and down the hall. Gretchen probably just needed some peace. “I don’t have much for you to do, but do you think you can put the cereal away for me?”

Caleb nodded so seriously that his whole body bobbed.

She unpacked the groceries and checked the cabinets for possible lunch options. She said she would cook, but she probably should’ve known what ingredients she had on hand. Simple comfort food was the answer.

She started a pot of water on the stovetop and walked down the hallway. She knocked on Gretchen’s closed bedroom door. No answer. In a panic, she swung the door open to find the bedroom empty but the bathroom door shut. She knocked again.

“Are you okay?” Jax pressed her ear to the door.

“Fine. I’m going to shower. I’ll be out in fifteen.”

“I’ll have lunch ready when you get out.”

“What are you making?”

“Lipton noodle soup. I know it sounds boring—”

“I can’t imagine eating anything else after being in the hospital.”

She smiled. “That’s what I was going to say. I’ll have it ready.” Jax rushed back to the kitchen, only to find Caleb in front of the television and the cereal boxes still on the floor. “I thought I told you to put those away.”

“I forgot,” Caleb said, never looking away from the screen.

“Sure you did.” Jax did it herself and went back to the task at hand. She lost herself to the hypnotic rise and burst of bubbles in the boiling water for a little too long before emptying a packet into the pot. The soup was done, and Gretchen was still not out of the bathroom. Jax knew she should wait a little longer, but images of Gretchen slipping and falling or having a seizure in the shower poked at her conscience until she went to check on her again.

Her hand was poised to knock on the bathroom door when the door opened.

“I’m sorry,” Jax said immediately, but Gretchen didn’t look at all surprised. She must’ve heard her coming. “I was about to check on you.”

“You don’t have to check on me constantly.”