Gretchen insisted on doing it herself. Her body got tired quickly and she was far from in shape, but her body felt better than her mind. She was anxious to get home but worried about being there. “You’ve all been so wonderful.”

“It’s easy when the patient is as kind as you. Get better, Gretchen.”

Amanda rushed around her car to grab Gretchen’s bag and open the door, then waited until she was seated to slam it shut and offer the nurse a polite good-bye. When Amanda got back in the car, she said, “She was one of the nicest nurses I’ve ever met.”

“I can’t remember her name for the life of me.” Gretchen squinted out the window.

Amanda didn’t drive. “Do you think that’s your memory?”

“No,” Gretchen said confidently. “I think I was here too long and met too many people.”

They laughed, and then Amanda said, “That’s fair. Do you need me to stop anywhere for you on the way home?”

“If I need anything later, I’ll make a list. Right now I just want to be home.”

Amanda pulled away from the hospital into late morning traffic.

The trip took longer than it should have thanks to Amanda’s overly cautious driving, so Gretchen was bouncing her leg with impatience by the time they entered her neighborhood.

“Whose car is in the driveway?”

“The truck? That’s Jax’s.”

“No. I’d recognize that monster anywhere. The other one.”

“That’s your car.”

“Huh.” She scoped out the silver BMW as Amanda parked. She got out of the car and touched the cold exterior. “When did I get this?”

“Last year. Your lease was up, and you wanted to get something fancy. Reward yourself for all your hard work.”

“Nice…” She must’ve had a lot of changes at work if this was the kind of treat she got for herself.

“Go inside,” Amanda demanded. “You’re going to freeze out here. I’ll bring in your bag.”

She took each step up to the front porch hesitantly. She held the rail with a tight grip, haunted by her accident. She couldn’t remember falling, but her body must. She opened the front door and started to cry the moment recognizable scents hit her.

Their home. Her home. This was the first time Gretchen felt like herself, like her life wasn’t just a story being told by others.

“Mama!” Caleb ran toward her, Jax hot on his heels.

“Careful, Cricket. Remember what I told you.”

Caleb listened and slowed down to a turtle’s pace before wrapping his arms around Gretchen’s legs. “Me and Bug will make you better.”

Gretchen hugged Caleb. They stood in the doorway, swaying slightly, and she believed him. “I’ve been meaning to ask…Bug and Cricket?” She shot Jax a curious glance and walked into the house.

Jax shrugged. “He’d rub his legs together as he fell asleep. I called him Cricket, then you said it’s not very nice and asked if I’d like to be called a bug. It all kinda stuck after that.”