All They Need(35)

She forced a smile. “Would you like a hot drink? Something to eat? You must have missed your lunch, rushing to us like this.”

“Something to eat would be good.” He stared at the floor after she’d left the room. He felt bone-tired. Utterly exhausted.

After a long moment he pushed himself to his feet and went to the kitchen to help his mother.



MEL WAS IN THE kitchen cleaning up after making lasagna for dinner when she heard the sound of a car engine in her driveway. She crossed to the sink and looked out the window as Flynn drove her car beneath the carport at the back of the house.

She glanced at the clock—it was a little after six o’clock—then dried her hands before crossing to the door and walking onto the rear porch.

Flynn was getting out of her car. She called to him, “I wasn’t sure if I’d see you again today.”

“I wanted to get your car to you.”

“Hang on, I’ll grab my shoes and come down,” she said, searching for her gardening clogs in the dim shadows beside the door.

“How about I come to you? It’s the least I can do.” He walked to the bottom of the stairs and started to climb.



“I hope you didn’t rush back. Like I said, I didn’t need the car for anything.”

When he arrived at the top of the stairs she saw that he was holding a bottle of wine. He offered it to her, along with her car keys.

“I really appreciate the loan,” he said.

She reached for the car keys but didn’t take the bottle from his hand.

“Mel…”

“If I’d wanted to rent my car to you for a bottle of wine, I would have said so at the outset. But I didn’t.”

“Fine. I’ll drink it, then. Have you got a bottle opener and a straw?” There was a dark undercurrent to his light words.

She searched his face and saw that he was tired and worried. “Come in,” she said, stepping to one side.

He shook his head. “I’ve already imposed on you enough for one day. But I appreciate the offer.”

She reached out and pulled the wine bottle from his grip. “Come in.”

He was silent for long enough she thought he was going to decline. Then he stepped past her, entering her house. She shut the door behind him and waved him toward the kitchen table.

“Grab a seat.”

She collected two wineglasses and the bottle opener while he pulled up a chair. She crossed to the table and slid the glasses and the bottle onto the table in front of him.

“Have you eaten?”

“You don’t need to feed me, Mel.”

“Have you eaten?” she repeated.

“Not for a while.” She grabbed a bag of corn chips from the cupboard, then she sat opposite him and reached for the bottle opener.

“Knock yourself out,” she said, indicating the bag.

He smiled faintly and reached for the bag, tearing it open and taking a handful of chips. She poured the wine and slid a glass his way.

He lifted his glass to his mouth, but after a second he set it down again without drinking.

“My father has early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.”

It was the last thing she’d been expecting him to say and it took her a moment to process his words. “I’m so sorry. How long…?”

“He’s been diagnosed for about a year now. But he’s probably been deteriorating much longer.” He sighed. “He went missing this morning. Just wandered off without telling anyone. That’s why I had to rush to the city.” He rubbed his forehead tiredly.

“But you found him, right?”

“Yeah. He’s okay.”

“How old is he?”

“Fifty-nine.”

“That’s young.”

Flynn nodded. “Yeah. It is.”

“It must be tough on your mom. On all of you.”

He nodded again. He looked so defeated. If he were anyone else—a friend, a family member—she wouldn’t hesitate to pull him into her arms. Instead, she nudged his glass toward him.

“Drink your wine. You look like you need it.”

He swallowed a big mouthful. Then he looked at her, his eyes dark with unexpressed grief. “I don’t want to be the one who takes away his freedom. I don’t want to be his jailer.”

“To keep him safe, you mean?”