Page 8 of A Touch of Fire

“Yes. While he is stable, he is weak and will need care with daily tasks such as managing medication, feeding himself, and hygiene care. Are you able to make yourself available at this time?”

Troy blinked a few times, trying to digest the news. “No. I’m in Kentucky at this time. It’s hard for me to get away.”

“Are there any other members of your family that could be available?”

“No. It’s…uh, just us.”

“Are you able to take leave or FMLA?”

Leave? FMLA? What in the hell was happening?

“No, I’m in the military, but I do have leave. I’m going to need some time to organize this all. Do you have a number or a way I can get in contact with you?”

“Yes, let me know when you’re ready and I’ll give it to you.”

Troy grabbed a notepad from the junk drawer in the kitchen and scratched down the number as Matthew rattled it off.

“Additionally, we will need to discuss living arrangements.”

“Right. You said the house needs to be inspected before he moves back in. How bad is the house?”

“I haven’t seen it myself, but I’m told the inspector still needs to see the extent of the damage. It did start in the kitchen.”

Troy sat in stunned silence. His mom’s kitchen was his favorite place to talk with her. Most of his memories were of her in that room, and when he dreamed, he was always in that room with her at the stove. The memories and his dreams overlapped so much he was no longer sure which memories had actually happened and which had not.

She was humming over the sink doing the dishes, wearing a yellow apron with pink flowers and those big yellow rubber gloves. She turned around and smiled at him, pretending to accidentally put soap on her nose before making funny faces and failing repeatedly to wipe it off. She was like that though. Always smiling. Always laughing.

“Mr. Chapman?”

Troy gave himself a shake, blinking to clear his eyes and focus on the paper pad in front of him.

“Yes? I’m sorry. Could you, um…repeat that again?”

“Of course. Is there another property or location I could put down for his discharge paperwork?”

“We have another house on the ranch. It’s been vacant for about a year, or maybe two years ago now. I can’t remember, but it’s loosely furnished. Winterized, I think, so the water and heat will need to be turned on, but um, I don’t think that will take very long.”

Troy rattled off the address as best he could remember until the case manager was satisfied.

“Alright, I think that is all I need at this time, but I’ll reach out and be in touch if we need any further details from you.”

“Wait—how’s Dad? Can I talk to him?”

“I believe he’s resting now, given the time, but I’ll leave a note in the chart for the nurse to see when he’s awake.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that.”

“Thank you, and please let me know when we can expect you to arrive.”

Troy ended the call, clicked the mail app on his phone, and typed out a quick email to his therapist.

CHAPTER6

Three days later Megan sat outside the hospital with her fingers drumming on the wheel of her Subaru. She had fiddled with the radio, first scanning through all of the pop stations, tried a podcast, then watched funny cat videos online but was still so restless she had settled on a calm story she normally used to fall asleep. The narrator’s soothing voice and subtle sound effects of an imaginary train chugging on a track calmed her just enough to stop her from biting her already raw nails. She loved helping people but dreaded talking to them afterward. The gratitude felt awkward, and she never knew what to say.

As if he understood, Levi whined behind her, and she reached around to scratch the soft boxy head. The golden retriever was curled up on some blankets, and though the breed was happy by nature, he kept glancing out the window toward the glass doors, waiting.

Megan had scribbled her number down for Mr. Chapman as he had been secured in the back of the ambulance. She had gotten a call this morning saying he was released, and he asked if she would mind meeting him at the hospital so he could get Levi. Not knowing who he would call, and since she felt sorry for the older man, she offered to give him a ride, which to her surprise he accepted.

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