Page 119 of Seen Knot Heard

Blake

The tires crunch over asphalt as I pull the SUV into the hospital parking lot.

A quick check of the review mirror reveals Quinn sitting silently in the back seat, her small hands buried in Sprinkles’s fur, and my heart sinks.

Sadie had called yesterday, requesting to see Quinn. I spoke to her doctor afterward to confirm that my sister was in the right mental space for an emotional visit before asking my niece if she wanted to see her mom. The question had killed Quinn’s sparkle, and while she agreed to go, she’d clung to me the rest of the night.

When I pull into a spot and park, Holden turns to me. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come, too?”

My hands tighten on the steering wheel. “I think that would only set Sadie off. But we might both need a hug when we come back to pick you up.”

He reaches out to squeeze my arm. “Done.”

I peer out of the windshield at the entrance to the hospital. “Should we have told Chloe you were coming to see Grady today?”

Holden shakes his head. “You saw how she was last time. She had a full breakdown. A lot has happened to her, and now she’s had a setback. She needs a few days of peace first. We’ll bring her next time.”

“Yeah, well, keeping her in the dark isn’t much better,” I mutter. “She’s been off ever since that laptop arrived.”

“She was wearing her frog onesie when I checked on her this morning. She only does that when she needs comfort.” Holden’s brow furrows with worry. “We should replace the blankets on her bed with new ones that hold our pheromones, because the current ones obviously aren’t working anymore.”

I exhale, pushing down the restlessness that comes with the feeling that we’re sneaking around behind her back. That’s just the anxiety speaking from my upcoming visit with my sister. “You’re right. Want us to pick up pizza on our way back? We can all take it easy tonight.”

“Sounds good.” He turns back toward Quinn. “Make sure he gets two buckets of the cookie dough, okay?”

She nods, her expression far too serious for her age. “Okay.”

With a final moment of hesitation, Holden climbs out and strides across the parking lot to disappear through the sliding doors.

A quiet sniffle comes from the backseat.

I twist to face my niece, searching for the right words to soothe the worry in those sweet brown eyes. Eyes so much like mine that it hurts. “Hey, princess, it’s going to be okay. Your mom…she’s trying real hard to get better for you.”

The lie tastes bitter, but I force a smile. What else can I say? That Sadie’s broken beyond repair? That she’ll likely let Quinn down again and again until there’s nothing left to break?

No. Quinn deserves better than the ugly truth. She deserves a childhood untainted by the failures of the adults around her.

My knuckles pale as I grip the steering wheel. No matter what happens with Sadie, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces. To shield Quinn from the fallout.

With a steadying breath, I put the car in gear and pull out of the lot.

The drive to the rehab center passes in virtual silence.

At first, I try to coax Quinn into telling me about her unicorn detective’s latest adventures, but when it becomes clear she doesn’t want to talk, I let it drop.

Pulling into the parking lot, I cut the engine and turn to face Quinn, who fidgets with her dress as she stares at the facility.

I force a note of levity into my voice. “Ready, princess?”

Quinn’s hand shifts on the Newfoundland’s head. “Can Sprinkles come in with us?”

“No, he needs to stay in the car.” I reach past her to pet Sprinkles between the ears. “But he’ll be here to hug when we return, okay? We won’t stay long.”

Quinn’s bottom lip trembles, but she unbuckles her seatbelt before her small hand grasps the door handle. I’m out of the SUV in an instant, rounding the vehicle to help her out. Her tiny fingers lace with mine, squeezing tight.

Together, we walk toward the entrance, the automatic doors sliding open with a hiss.

I approach the front desk, Quinn’s hand still clasped in mine.

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