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“I’ll need to get a job, Mom.”
“Hmm… but first you need to decide where that job is going to be.”
“I know. And that’s my point.” I sit back, staring up at the ceiling. “I feel like I’m going round in circles.”
“That’s because you are. You need to take your foot off the gas and focus on just one thing.”
“Hunter…” I murmur.
“Exactly. Until you’ve decided what to do about him, it’s impossible to work out what to do about the rest of it.”
She’s right. I know she is. The problem is, I don’t know what to do about him.
“There’s one thing I ought to do, I guess.”
“What’s that?” She frowns at me.
“Get myself a phone. I hate feeling so disconnected.”
I get to my feet, and she releases my hand, looking up at me. “Where are you going?”
“Into town… to get a new phone.”
“Oh. You’re going now?”
“Is that a problem?”
“No, of course not.”
I sense it is, and sit down again.
“What’s wrong, Mom?”
She sighs. “It’s nothing…”
“Do you want me to stay and help this afternoon?”
Her eyes glisten, brimming with tears. “Would you?”
I take her hand in mine this time. “Of course. What do you need me to do?”
Mom wasn’t very specific about the help she needed. I think she was too tired to remember what had to be done, but we worked it out between us and I spent the afternoon doing laundry, tidying the house a little, and changing the sheets on their bed, before I made us spaghetti bolognese for dinner. Mom suggested it, as Dad finds it easy to eat as long as it’s cut up. He still struggled, though, and afterwards, she helped him to bed. She followed him, and although I sat up and watched a movie for a while, I was too tired to stay awake, and came to bed.
I surprised myself by sleeping. It was fitful, my dreams filled with images of Hunter. I woke up once, in a blind panic, fearful I’d never see him again, and it took me a while to close my eyes again. I did, though, and the next time I crack them open, it’s morning.
I stretch my arms above my head, stilling when I hear noises coming from the kitchen. It must be later than I think, but there’s no clock in here and without a phone, I can’t even tell the time.
I need to rectify that, but for now I jump out of bed and head for the kitchen, where I find Mom and Dad sitting together at the table, both nursing cups of coffee. Dad looks so much better today, as does Mom for that matter, and they both smile up at me.
“We were starting to think we’d have to come wake you.”
“Why? What time is it?”
“Nine-thirty.”
“Really?”
Mom nods her head, smiling. “Why don’t you go shower, and I’ll fix us some bacon and eggs.”
