“Still.” She turned to Daniella, pulling her into a fierce hug.“I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”
When she let go, Daniella smirked. She angled her head towardCal. “It’s all good. He lived.”
It was hard to tell if Daniella really was fine or hiding thefact she’d been scared behind sarcasm. Now wasn’t the time to poke at her, butshe’d make sure they had a heart-to-heart later. In the meantime, she turnedher attention to Mel. “Thank you for swooping in and taking care ofeverything.”
Mel offered her a soft smile. “I’m still part of the team, youknow.”
She didn’t know what she expected Mel to say, but it wasn’t that.No, she expected a hint of snark or, at the very least, condescension. How wasit that everyone in her family seemed to be throwing her off her game? Maybethe problem was she was already off her game. Unsure what to do with that, shefell back on maternal guilt. “I’m sorry you had to handle this by yourself.”
Mel brought a hand to her cheek. “You’re here now.”
If the gesture gave her a tingle of discomfort, she chose toignore it. Everyone’s emotions were high. Emergency surgery could do that topeople. “I am. Where do things stand? What do I need to do?”
Mel let out a chuckle. “I know you struggle with this, but Idon’t think there’s anything to do.”
She frowned, although it was hard to know if it was the commentor that there really might be nothing for her to do. “Any word on when he’ll bereleased?”
“Tomorrow. They want to keep him overnight to make sure there’sno fever or other signs of infection.” And then, as if sensing the question inAmanda’s mind, she added, “It’s standard practice. Nothing to be concernedabout.”
She blew out a breath, relieved. But still worried. And suddenlyexhausted. “Okay. Good.”
“Have you not even been home yet?”
She looked down at her khaki shorts and hiking boots. “I wantedto come straight here.”
Mel nodded. “Of course. I’m fine staying if you want to go showerand unpack and whatever.”
“Oh, no. I’m not going anywhere.” She looked over to the bed.Daniella had perched herself on the edge and she and Cal appeared to beheckling an episode of JudgeJudy. “Have you both been here all day?”
Another nod.
“Why don’t you two take off and I’ll stay?”
“They’re going to kick you out at nine. We’ve already beenwarned.”
She imagined a harried nurse reading her rowdy family the riotact. “Well, I’ll stay until then.”
“How about we all stay and then you let me bring you home. Iassume you don’t have a car.”
She didn’t. It hit her how she’d pretty much brushed Quinn off.She’d need to apologize. “I can get an Uber.”
Mel raised a brow. “Girlfriend not hovering nearby?”
There was a trace of snark or something similar in Mel’s voice,but Amanda didn’t have it in her to take her to task. Or attempt to explain.Not that she owed Mel an explanation anyway. “No.”
“How about I bring Daniella home and then swing back for you?”
If part of her knew it wasn’t the best idea, it was a part thatdidn’t have the energy to put up a fight. “That would be great.”
Mel grinned as though she’d been given the keys to the candyshop. “Perfect.”
She looked over at the bed again. “He’s really going to be okay,right?”
Mel slung an arm around her, much like she’d done with Cal, andpressed a kiss to her temple. “He’s going to be perfect.”
For just a second, she let herself sink into the comfort of Mel’sembrace. She’d known it to be true in an intellectual sense, but only in thatmoment did the rest of her believe it. “Right.”
Mel released her and turned to Daniella. “You ready to get back?”
Daniella looked Cal up and down and sighed. “I guess.”
The reluctance to leave told Amanda all she needed to know. Todayhad been rough on both her kids. She gave Daniella a hug. “Go get some rest.Are you driving back to Rochester tonight?”
She hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded. “I’ve got themorning crew of kids and I won’t want to get up early enough to get there. Imean, unless you need me.”
“You go. I’ll text you updates.”
Daniella told Cal to stop being so much trouble, then she and Melleft. Since Cal didn’t seem to be in significant discomfort, she took the spoton the bed Daniella had vacated. “How are you really?”
He gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine. I’m sorry I freakedyou out.”
She took his hand and gave it a squeeze. “Freaking out is myprerogative.”
“Where’s Quinn?”
The question caught her off guard. “I had her drop me off.”
“Oh.” Cal frowned. “Did she have somewhere to be?”
“Um, I don’t know. I didn’t ask.”
“Oh. Okay.” He smiled, but his voice conveyed disappointment.
“I mean, she was genuinely worried about you. I think sheprobably didn’t want to horn in on family time.” Only in justifying it to Caldid reality sink in. She’d done nothing to make Quinn feel welcome or wanted.
Cal lifted a shoulder. “I guess I’ve started thinking of her asfamily.”
Leave it to her kid to make her feel two inches tall, but notabout the thing she was already beating herself up over. “Really?”
He sighed. “Not like I think you’re about to get married oranything.”
“Oh, well, as long as it’s not that.” How did this become theconversation?
“I just mean she’s been around a lot and, I don’t know, it’s kindof nice.”
Amanda’s shoulders slumped. She’d been so busy thinking about hertime with Quinn as a selfish thing, it hadn’t occurred to her it might besomething her kids actually liked, valued. Her terseness with Quinn on the ridedown came back to her. She had been selfish, but not in the ways she’d thought.
“Was that the wrong thing to say? I’m sorry.”
She stopped pinching the bridge of her nose and looked over ather son. His color was almost back to normal and, thanks to whatever meds they’dpumped into him, he didn’t seem to be in any pain. And yet, there he was,sitting in a hospital bed, apologizing to her. “I’m
