The dinosaur Caleb was working on had many colors, all inside the lines. “He must take after you,” Gretchen said as she sat. The soup smelled wonderful and the golden brown rolls called her name. “I shouldn’t eat all these carbs, but I think I deserve them.”

“I think you should worry about getting better, not what you eat.” Jax filled her own spoon with noodles and ate with enthusiasm.

Dinner progressed with little excitement, for the adults at least. Caleb had all kinds of stories to tell from preschool, and he showed Gretchen the frog he’d colored for her. He was so proud that Gretchen couldn’t help but grin right along with him.

“Two artists in one family, and I can barely draw a stick figure. I’m going to get an inferiority complex.”

“You would color with him a lot. Hey, Cricket, why don’t you grab that picture of the octopus you drew with Mama?”

Caleb jumped off his chair and ran to his room.

“You weren’t kidding when you said he was a jumping bean,” Gretchen said with a laugh.

“He’s always going, always talking, always asking about something we know very little about.”

Gretchen knew so little and wanted to learn everything. “Has he been checked?”

Jax stopped collecting the dishes, her mouth agape. “Checked?”

“Yeah. Checked. For ADHD or anything like that.”

Jax placed the bowls in the sink loudly and turned on the water full force. “I wish Dr. Melendez had prescribed me something for pain.”

“Look, I know it’s not easy to talk about, but it is something that needs to be considered.” Gretchen stood next to Jax and lowered her voice. “It’s not uncommon, and it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with him.”

“I know,” Jax said more loudly than necessary. “That’s exactly what you told me the first time we fought about it.”

“I didn’t know—”

“He does, by the way, have ADHD. You were right then, and you’re right now.”

“Jax,” she said, touching Jax’s shoulder gently, “I didn’t mean anything by it. I was curious.”

Jax stared at her hand like the touch was so odd. Gretchen pulled back. “We agreed to forgo medication until he was a little older.”

“Did the doctor suggest that?”

“Jesus Christ. If I have to relive every fight over again, I’m going to lose my fucking mind.” Jax scrubbed the dishes forcefully.

“How do you think I feel?” Gretchen’s ire rose. “You don’t want to repeat a few fights? Well, I don’t want to have to relearn my son’s entire life!”

Jax’s hands stilled in the sink. “I’m sorry.”

“Whatever. I’m asking you simple questions, and all I need are simple answers. If you can’t handle that, then you shouldn’t even be here.”

“Here it is,” Caleb announced as he marched into the kitchen. He stopped suddenly. “Are you fighting again?”

Gretchen’s throat tightened. “No, Cricket, we’re not. Now, tell me about that octopus.”

“Bug said you don’t remember.”

Gretchen shook her head, unsure of how to explain such a crazy thing to a four-year-old. “I hurt my head really bad, and now I don’t remember some things.”