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“I don’t know. I just had the strangest conversation with Brian. I think something’s bothering him, but he doesn’t want to talk about it.” She gave him a brief recap of their conversation.
“I don’t understand what he was trying to say,” Jim told her. “Brian’s work around here is helpful, but he doesn’t do anything strictly essential. He’s not allowed to work on the equipment, so he can’t make a mistake there. Why wouldn’t I trust him?”
“My point exactly.”
“Maybe he just has a lot on his mind.”
“Maybe.” But Heather wasn’t convinced. She decided she would try to speak to Brian in the next few days.
“Life is complicated at seventeen,” Jim said.
“I think it’s complicated at any age. If nothing else, it’s always changing.” She picked up the cake Brian had forgotten. “Two more employees leaving. Is that going to be a problem?”
“No, I just hired three more from the college. They start on Monday.”
“So you bring them in, train them, then move them on. Don’t you ever miss anybody?”
“Sometimes,” he said easily.
“But you never think about keeping a few on permanently?”
“No. That’s not my style.”
His style didn’t amuse her, at least not under these circumstances. She couldn’t say why it bothered her, but it did. “Sometimes I think you—” The sound of crying cut through the air. Heather looked at the baby monitor she’d brought with her into the hangar and sighed. “She’s awake and she’s unhappy. I’d better get over to her.”
Jim followed her back to the office. “Diane has been fussy these past few days. Is everything all right?”
“Yes. I almost wish there was a problem because then there would be a solution. Unfortunately, all we’re dealing with is her teething. She won’t actually get teeth for a while, but according to the pediatrician, she’s starting to feel some pain. I checked with my mother. She told me that I cried for three weeks straight, although I was fine when the teeth came in later.”
Jim held the office door open for her, then walked inside after her. “You look tired.”
Heather had tried to cover the dark circles under her eyes with makeup, but obviously she hadn’t been successful. “Diane hasn’t been sleeping much at all.”
“You don’t have to come into work if you’re not getting any rest.”
“Thanks. I’ll let you know if it becomes a problem.”
* * *
A week later, Jim knocked on Heather’s door. Even from the front porch he could hear Diane’s cries. He waited patiently, then knocked a second time. Finally, he heard the lock turn and Heather peered out.
When she saw him, she gave a weak smile. “Why did I know it had to be you?”
“You haven’t been to work in three days. I know you’re exhausted and I came by to see if I could help.” He held up two grocery bags. “I brought food.”
“Talk about a prince among men. Come on in.”
He stepped inside. The living room was a little messier than usual, but otherwise it looked fine. He wished he could say the same for Heather. Weariness dulled her eyes. The shadows underneath were darker than he remembered and there were hollows in her cheeks. She wore sweats and a T-shirt, but the shapeless garments couldn’t hide the fact that she’d lost weight—something she couldn’t afford to do.
“So you haven’t been eating, either,” he said.
“I know.” She walked up and down the length of the living room, holding her crying daughter.
“How long have you been carrying her around?” he asked as he went into the kitchen and began putting the groceries away.
“Days. I mean that literally,” she called after him. “I don’t think either of us has slept in the past forty-eight hours. Before that, she was crying for three or four hours straight. I figure I’ve only got another week of this left, but it’s hard to get through.”
Jim paused in the act of sliding milk into the refrigerator. Had that been a break he’d heard in her voice? He quickly closed the door and returned to the living room.
