The dog is okay.
The whole family.
"And Hadley," Phantom says. "I called Mama Cross from the parkin' lot before I came in here."
I look at him.
"I let her know everything. Hope you don't mind, but she felt like the closest thing to family that you and your boy have besides Nash. She told me to call her with any updates as soon as I had 'em."
I nod because I can't speak yet.
"Eat, sweetheart," he says quietly.
I pick the taco back up and eat.
* * *
Bex puts her quesadilla down halfway through.
She looks at me. "I'm gonna go change my shirt."
She stands up. "Phantom, did you bring me anything to put on?"
Phantom reaches into the second paper bag and pulls out some fresh clothes.
It's one of Marlena's, I think.
It's a soft heather gray, with yoga pants and fresh socks.
"Got it from her go-bag in the truck," he says. "She always keeps a couple in there for the women in case somebody needs somethin'. I figured you needed somethin'."
Bex takes the clothes, goes into the bathroom, and closes the door.
Phantom and I sit and wait.
He looks at the ring on my finger again, and his face does something I've never seen on him.
"Tell me about the ring, sweetheart."
I look down at my hand on the blanket. "It's his mother's."
He nods slow. "Yeah?"
My thumb finds the band on my finger without thinking. "He gave it to me this morning."
Phantom is quiet for a moment, his eyes still on the ring.
"From what I know, his mother was a good woman, from everythin' he ever told me about her. I never met her. He came to us the year after she passed."
I turn the ring on my finger. "He told me about her."
Phantom's voice goes warmer than I've ever heard it. "That's good, sweetheart. That means you got her in this family too now."
The bathroom door opens.
Bex comes out in Marlena's clothes, the bloody shirt is balled up in her other hand.
She looks at Phantom. "I'm gonna take this and burn it."
