plane. It’s a private one with lots of room and a very attentive staff.”
“Rich clients, huh?”
“Something like that. What can I do for you?”
“Have you talked to Kaylynn?”
His sister? “Not recently. Been a little busy, why?” More to the point, why would his dad even ask that question? Last time he was home, Kaylynn had had no interest in talking to him.
“Just curious. She’s so focused on getting through her last year of college that we don’t see her very much.”
“She hasn’t moved out, has she?”
His father chuckled. “No, she’s still here. At least when she’s not with a friend who lives on campus.”
“So, what’s going on with her?”
“I’m not really sure anything’s going on with her. Just thought I’d see if she’d talked to you.”
“You know how we left things, Dad,” Gavin said, his voice rough.
“Yeah, I know. I’m only slightly ashamed it was you who confronted her boyfriend and not me. But since I have to live with her, I can live with that shame fairly easily.”
Sadness gripped Gavin, even as his lips curved into a small smile at his father’s words. He wanted to make things right with his sister, but she shunned him every time he tried. She was still angry with him for chasing off her scummy boyfriend. A fact he hated but didn’t know what to do about. If he’d had to do it all over again, he’d do exactly the same thing. “How’s Mom doing?” he asked.
Thankfully, his father allowed the change of subject. “She’s great. Still volunteering at the homeless shelter and reading to vets in hospice. I don’t know how she does it.” His voice roughened before he cleared his throat.
“She does it for Uncle Jordan. It’s his legacy.” His mother’s brother, Jordan Standish, had died of liver cancer after serving his country for thirty years. One year after retirement, he’d passed away, but not before establishing the Standish Literary Foundation for terminally ill vets. Gavin’s mother had been one of his first recruits.
“I know. Jordan was a standup guy, but it tears her up every time she goes over there.”
This wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation, and Gavin figured it wouldn’t be the last. “Just keep praying for her. She knows how you feel.”
“Course she does. I tell her as often as possible.”
“Maybe she needs you not to be so vocal about it. Maybe she just needs you to support her. In silence.”
“Maybe so, son. I don’t want to talk about all that. I’m just making sure you’re okay. You need anything?”
“Nope, I’m good.”
“Went by your house the other day. Cut the grass and trimmed up the edges so your neighbors won’t complain or sic the HOA on you.”
Gavin pressed his fingertips to his eyelids. How did he get so fortunate to be born into the family he called his own? “Thanks, Dad, I appreciate you.”
“I know you do.”
“I probably should sell the house and just get an apartment, but when I got out of the Army, I thought I’d be spending more time at home and wanted a yard.” For a dog. The dog he hadn’t gotten yet.
“Things are different when you do contract work.”
Gavin huffed a laugh. He’d never told his dad what he was doing, just that he was opening his own security business.
“Now, if I could just get your sister to see how awesome I am,” his father was saying, “we’d be in business.”
Gavin laughed. “She knows, Dad, she’s probably just busy.” But he made a mental note to text her and tell her to pull her nose out of her books—or whatever she was doing—for a few minutes to acknowledge her parents. He hesitated. “She’s not seeing that jerk again, is she?”
“No way. I checked on him and he’s serving time in the local prison for distribution.”
“Well, well, he finally got caught, huh?”
“Someone tipped off the cops and he got swept up in a raid.”
Gavin narrowed his eyes. “Someone tipped them off?”
“Yeah, craziest thing.”
His father paused and Gavin frowned. “Is everything really all right, Dad?”
“Yeah, yeah. Everything’s fine. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“Good to talk to you too.”
Sarah groaned and cried out. Gavin squeezed her hand while the nurse checked her vitals.
“I’ve got to go, Dad,” Gavin said. “We’ll talk soon.”
“Sure, of course.”
“Tell Mom and Kaylynn I love them.”
“Will do.” His dad hung up and Gavin turned to Sarah.
The nurse looked up. “She’s still out,” she said, “but those nightmares are brutal. Wish she’d let me give her something to ease