Page 21 of Frog

“What? I never worry about anything?”

“You know you’ll turn to stone if you lie like that.”

“What do I ever worry about?”

I arched an eyebrow at him.

“That doesn’t count. Anyone in their right mind would worry about you.”

I chuckled, bent and kissed him, and then let him go, leaning back against the counter and smiling at Carolyn. “So, why doesn’t Micah talk?”

She sucked in her breath. “A little over a year ago, he was at home with my mother-in-law because he didn’t want to go to Tristan’s soccer game with the rest of us, and she had a heart attack and died. It was fast. She had an acute pulmonary embolism, and she was gone in a matter of seconds. Micah called 911, and that was the last time he’s spoken.”

Jesus. “He was with her alone until the ambulance came?” I asked her.

“Yes.”

“And how long was that?”

“Not long, ten minutes maybe.”

“That’s long for a little kid.”

“Too long, apparently. He hasn’t uttered a word in almost a year.”

“He laughs, though. I’ve heard him.”

“Yes. He laughs and cries and sneezes and coughs and…. It’s not physical, it’s not medical… he simply won’t speak.”

I nodded.

“We’ve tried hypnosis, we’ve tried—I mean, my husband and me, before he bailed with the nanny—we tried everything.” Her eyes filled and her breath caught fast and I moved forward, around the island to where she was sitting, and grabbed her off her stool.

I gently pressed her to my heart and patted her back with my other hand. “Any man that leaves his children is good for nothing, you hear me? A man can walk out on his wife, or his husband, and be forgiven, but a man who leaves his children ain’t one. I suspect he will come cryin’ back to you once he figures out that the nanny ain’t a woman but a girl instead. When he comes back, you got yourself a decision to make.”

She clung tight, breathing me in. “God, Weber, I so get why Cy’s in—”

“Lyn!” he barked at her.

“Oh,” she whimpered, “I have not been held like this in forever.”

I tilted her head up so she could see my face. “I am so sorry to hear that. Bein’ held is one of the best parts of havin’ a mate, ain’t it?”

“It should be, yes.” She nodded, wiping at her eyes and stepping back away from me.

“Okay,” I sighed, releasing her. “So now I understand. Micah didn’t save his grandmother, so he feels like he failed.”

“Yes.” She was crying again. “That’s exactly what his therapist thinks.”

“He feels he could have done somethin’.”

She nodded.

“Poor kid.” I exhaled before I turned away from her and yelled, “I’m coming back in there, and there better not be anybody in my bed!”

The squeals of laughter were clear from the other room.

“Jesus, Weber, they’re in love.”