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“Max… I need you to hear me on this. You did nothing wrong taking a few days for yourself. It’s good for Caden to have that time away from you. Remember when Mom and I went to London when you were in high school, and we left you with Gramps?”
“The time I broke my wrist skateboarding?”
“Right. How do you think we felt being across the pond when you were in the ER? I’ll tell you—it was terrible. We felt awful that we couldn’t be with you. But you were with the next best person with Gramps, and he took wonderful care of you until we could get there.”
“Yes, he did,” Max said, smiling at the memory of two days off from school with his Gramps tending to his every need.
“When you look back, do you think about how we weren’t there when you broke your wrist?”
“I haven’t thought of that in years.”
“Exactly my point, and just think, if we hadn’t been away when Charley fell off the mountain, she might never have gotten together with Tyler. That would’ve been tragic.”
“For sure.”
“Do you understand what I’m saying to you, son? You must forgive yourself for not being there today. You left him with people who love him. And not for nothing, I found I was a better father when I had a little time away to appreciate my ten hellions.”
Max laughed. “I’m sure.”
“How’s Lexi?”
“She’s great.”
“I thought she might be with you when you got here.”
Max winced at the reminder of how he’d rebuffed her offer to come. “I didn’t think Caden would be receptive.”
“Aw, Max. You gotta remember who’s in charge.”
“Him, right?”
Linc laughed. “Not hardly. In a day or two, when your boy is on the road to recovery, get your lady here to support you both. He’ll come around.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
“He will. He doesn’t know her yet, so he’s threatened by her. Once he gets to know her, he’ll see that nothing that really matters will change if she’s part of your lives. That’s what’ll matter to him.”
“You sure about that?”
“Maxwell, if there’s one thing I know a thing or two about, it’s kids. And yes, I’m sure.”
They parked in a huge garage and made their way inside to the pediatric ICU. Having the boys in that unit spiked Max’s anxiety. His dad led him right to Caden’s room. Seeing his little boy in a hospital bed receiving oxygen through the thing in his nose had Max’s knees buckling.
Linc’s hand on his back propped him up.
Max stepped up to the bed, delighting in the way Caden’s eyes lit up when he saw him.
“You’re here,” Caden said.
“I’m here. Sorry it took so long.” He leaned over to kiss his forehead and breathed in the distinctive scent of his hair as relief flooded him. “How are you feeling?”
“My side hurts bad, and they said my lung collapsed. I’m not sure what that means.”
“It’s like a balloon when it pops.” Max stroked his hair, filled with gratitude to be talking to him after imagining the worst-case scenario for hours. “But they fixed it so you can breathe.”
“Chase got hurt, too.”
“I heard.”
