Page 84 of Letters to Molly (Maysen Jar 2)

Max nodded. “Grandma has some of these in her office but some other kid circled all the Waldos already. These ones are different and waaay harder.”

I smiled, pushing Finn next to an end table so Max could set the books down and they could hunt for Waldo together. “I’m going to make some lunch. Max, help out your dad if he needs something.”

Finn gave me a smile before turning his attention to the first page Max had opened. “We’ll be fine.”

Mom had stepped up these past six weeks. She’d never been one to volunteer to babysit, especially when the kids were still in diapers. But when I’d spent my free hours at the hospital, taking shifts with Poppy and David and Rayna so Finn wasn’t alone, Mom had spent more time with the kids than she had in the past few years combined.

I wish I could say it was for Finn. But I knew Mom. She was doing it for me, and at the moment, I’d take it.

I went into the kitchen and found Poppy, Cole and Kali already making lunch. Bread and cold cuts were laid out on the counter. Kali was slicing up a block of cheese. Cole was setting the table for six.

“I was just going to do this. You guys don’t need to make lunch.”

“I’m happy to.” Poppy smiled from where she was assembling sandwiches. “You don’t have to do everything yourself.”

Except for so long, it had been just me. Even before the divorce, I’d done everything in this house. Laundry. Cooking. Cleaning. Yard work. It felt strange to watch other people work, so I got drinks out for everyone.

“We brought over enough clothes from Finn’s for a while, along with his toiletries. But there might be some other stuff he wants.” Cole set a stack of napkins on the table for us. “Just let me know and I’ll bring it over.”

I nodded, grateful I wouldn’t need to go into Finn’s house and search through his home for personal belongings. “Thanks. I’m going to run out to Alcott and pick up his computer and calendar. He’s going to try and work on the laptop a little bit each day and get into the swing of things.”

“Want me to go over?”

“No, I can do it. But thanks.” I glanced over my shoulder. Poppy and Kali were laughing about something by the sink. They were in their own world, and we were far enough away that I could ask Cole the question that had been on my mind often lately. “Is she okay?”

Cole looked at his wife, his eyes softening. “She’s the strongest woman I’ve ever met.”

“Yes, she is.”

“She’s okay. She just got scared.”

“We all did,” I whispered.

“What she needs right now is to help. She needs to be there for Finn. He pulled her through after Jamie died. You both did.”

“I was there, but Finn was the one who got through to her. He was there at rock-bottom.”

“She wants to be there for him. I know you can do this on your own, Molly.” Cole met my gaze, his light-green eyes pleading. “But don’t. Drop a couple of balls for once in your life and let her pick them up. She needs to balance the scales. She needs to have a chance to be there for Finn like he was for her.”

I nodded, my throat too tight to speak.

I didn’t want to give up control of the juggling act. I didn’t want to hand over something to Poppy. Truthfully, if I handed over one ball, I was afraid all the others would fall. But I’d risk it for her.

“Lunch is ready,” Kali announced, shouting for Finn and Max as she carried over two plates to the table.

“Thanks for cooking,” I told Poppy as she walked to the table.

“It’s just sandwiches. Technically, no cooking involved.”

“It’s still appreciated.”

“I was thinking of making double of everything I do at home,” she said, setting down the plates and taking a seat as Finn and Max came into the room.

Cole lifted the chair at the head of the table and put it in the corner so Finn could wheel his chair up.

Poppy’s happy face faded when she looked at her brother. She saw what I saw. Finn was struggling. He was going to keep struggling because this road to recovery was going to be long and hard. He was a man who loved to work with his hands and be outside, yet he was confined to that chair.

Once he was out of the wheelchair, there’d be intense physical therapy. He wasn’t going to jump out of that chair and say Ta-da, let’s go plant some trees. The doctors said he might have lasting effects from the accident.