“You’ll have to check if they look strong.”
Alfie shifts slightly closer to me.
“Ava’s coming with me.”
Jack’s eyes flick to me briefly. Something quiet passing there. Trust. Gratitude. Something deeper than both.
“Good,” he says. “That makes me feel a lot better.”
“They said my arm might be broken,” Alfie adds, voice wobbling again.
Jack doesn’t miss a beat.
“If it is, they’ll fix it. And then you’ll get a cool cast people can sign.”
That seems to help.
“Can you come?”
Jack hesitates for just a fraction of a second. I can see him choosing his words.
“I’m coming,” he says. “The club have managed to get me on a flight. But it’s not until this evening, so I won’t be there until later tonight.”
Alfie absorbs this slowly.
“But Granny and Grandpa will be there before dinner,” Jack continues. “And Ava—”
He stops himself.
I know exactly why.
Not wanting to assume. Not wanting to speak for me.
“And I will be staying until your dad is here,” I say gently.
Jack’s eyes flick to mine again.
“See? You’ve got a whole team.”
Alfie nods seriously at that.
“I have Ava.”
Jack smiles a little.
“Yes,” he says softly. “You do.”
I feel that somewhere deep in my soul.
Jack clears his throat slightly.
“I’ll call again when I land,” he says. “And Ava will tell me how your superhero bones look.”
“They are strong,” Alfie repeats.
“I never doubted it.”
“I love you,” Jack says.
