“The brain swelling is coming down adequately, and they’ll let her wake. However, even if there’s no neurological damage, she’ll be in the hospital for a while, then need a stay in rehab after that. Quite simply, she’s taken too much damage and will require treatments she can’t get at home.” Grayson’s gaze darkened.

Hawk grunted. He turned his gaze toward Aric and lifted his eyebrows.

“That’s the question, yes,” Grayson agreed.

For a minute, there was quiet.

Grayson smiled at him. “You know, back when I was Aric’s age, my mother would read to me every night.” The psychologist was watching the lake as he continued, “I remember Goodnight, Moon. And Red Shoe, Blue Shoe and…”

Hawk felt a tiny bounce, and Aric’s wary expression disappeared.

Grayson glanced over and nodded. “Ah, your mom likes to read to you, too.” And he continued with a rambling, easy discussion of things his mother had done with him. The doc never asked a question, just…talked.

With Aric on his lap, Hawk could feel the tension come and go in the little body. The kid reacted to a lot of what Grayson said. But…if Hawk was reading things right, it seemed like Kit was a damned fine mother.

Or she had been before she was sucked into the PZs. What about then, Grayson?

Before Hawk could think of a way to ask that, the doc glanced at him, then Aric. “Now Hawk, his parents could be mean. His dad hit him. So did his momma.”

Aric’s eyes widened, and he gave Hawk a horrified look and patted his chest.

Grayson leaned forward and set a hand on Aric’s shoulder, capturing his attention. “I know the mean man hit you, Aric. Did your momma ever hurt you?”

Aric shook his head vehemently and scowled at the shrink. Then he flinched, obviously remembering that grownups would hit children who glared at them.

Releasing Aric, Grayson leaned back.

Hawk nodded. That was the question he’d worried about. It seemed as if Aric could go back to his mom when she was able to care for him. Good. It would have broken Frankie’s heart if her friend had turned abusive.

But…what the fuck was Aric going to do until Kit was up to caring for her kid?

The sound of garage doors rising came from Caz’s place this time. And Gabe’s.

Hawk glanced at Grayson. “Sounds like everyone’s home.”

A couple of minutes later, Regan walked out of Caz’s house. The girl had grown since coming to live with Caz last fall.

Grown in other ways, too. For the first month or so, she’d been as timid as Aric was now. She sure wasn’t timid any longer. Spotting Hawk, she came running. “Hi, Uncle Hawk!”