Pulling out of the underground parking, Riley joined the people heading out of the city. The band of pain around his head only lessened when he knew he wasn’t more than ten minutes from the Double D and his family.

Jack wasn’t there when he arrived home, but a text reassured Riley that Jack would be there in time for Lisa and Ed’s fleeting visit. Hayley was studying, the twins were up and causing chaos with toys in the good room that had become more of a playroom, and Max was watching cartoons.

Carol nodded her head toward Max. “Had a bad day today,” she mouthed. “School sent a letter home.”

Riley scooped up the envelope and read the short letter. Very simple and to the point, it explained that Max had fallen at school and that his family should keep an eye out for any changes in Max, warning of dire things like brain damage or broken bones. Riley was instantly on high alert.

Max didn’t feel pain in the same way as other kids did. When Connor or Lexie knocked themselves, they cried and looked for attention. Hayley still sought comfort when she was ill. Max, on the other hand, had fallen off Hatty and quietly stood up and brushed himself down before carrying on like nothing had happened.

Riley took two glasses of water and sat on the floor next to Max, making sure not to get too much into his space. If Max wanted a hug, then he would let Riley know by clambering onto his lap.

“Hey, Max.”

Max nodded, his gaze intent on Tom being chased by Spike in classic Tom and Jerry. Riley was happy to sit and watch, stopping Connor from climbing onto Max. Weirdly enough, Max was cool with Connor and Lexie, not fazed by their boisterous baby climbing. The only time he didn’t want to be around them was when either baby was crying; he would cover his ears and start to rock. Riley held tight to Lexie, who curled into his shoulder and played with his hair.

“You hurt yourself today?” Riley asked. Max didn’t get complicated sentences; communication was best kept simple.

Max nodded again, then with great concentration, he paused Tom and Jerry. He rolled up his tiny navy sweatpants and exposed a grazed knee, then pointed to his ear. Riley made a show of looking at them carefully.

“Poor Max,” he said.

“Tom falls over,” Max summarized. He pressed Play and went back to watching the bright, colorful action. Connor chose to clamber over Riley at that point, and he deliberately moved away from Max and became what the twins loved best: a human climbing frame. His headache vanished as he relaxed to the point where he was nearly nodding off, awkwardly curled on the floor with Connor piling building blocks on him and Lexie sleeping on his chest. At least from this position he could see the screen for Tom and Jerry. What finished him off, though, was when Max crawled over and leaned against his legs, kneading the soft material of his black pants.

Carol poked her head in, smiled, and indicated she’d be in the kitchen.

Riley smiled back; then, slowly but surely, allowed himself to doze.

When he woke, it was to the sight of Jack’s face, laughter sparkling in his blue eyes. Jack. He pressed a kiss to Riley’s forehead and extricated a now sleeping Connor from his position half on and half off of Riley’s belly. Connor woke at the movement and squealed at his pappa, waking up Lexie, which meant Riley got a whole lot of pointy elbows and knees as she scrambled off to get a Jack cuddle.

“You okay?” Jack asked softly between tickling and juggling two active babies. Riley uncurled himself but didn’t move his legs because Max was still there watching the screen.

“Enjoying Daddy time.” He smirked and indicated Max.

“Right,” Jack announced. “Dinner!”

He left the family room with the twins and Riley still didn’t move.

“Dinner, buddy?” he asked Max.

Max looked at him, directly at him, then away, before stopping the show, placing the control on the TV stand, and walking out to the kitchen. Riley took longer, stretching himself out, before rolling over onto his stomach to push himself upright. When he reached the kitchen, the scents of lasagna hit him square and his stomach growled. Lasagna was Jack’s specialty because, in his words, “It doesn’t take long and has meat in it.” Of course, his sauces were from bottles, but the end result was good enough for their family to polish off in one sitting. The twins at eighteen months were eating pasta and usually managed to get their dinner into their mouths and not over everything else. Used to be that Robbie would sometimes join them, but that had stopped since he’d gotten with Eli. So this time was family time.

Carol took her place next to Max and set about helping him. Riley sat in his chair and frowned at the remaining empty seat. “Where’s Hayley?”

Jack answered. “Carol says she thinks she has a migraine or something,” he said with a hint of worry in his voice. “I checked in on her, and she said her vision was a bit blurry. She took some painkillers and water, and she’s asleep.”

“Her best friend is off with a bug,” Carol added.

Riley recalled his own headache; he’d put it down to tension, but maybe he was coming down with something. No time for that. “I’ll check in on her later.”

“If she’s still ill in the morning, we could get a call in with the doctor.”

Riley agreed. He wasn’t going to mention it to Jack at this moment, but he was concerned about Hayley and thought maybe she was overdoing it. She had an active social life, worked hard at school, and was tired a lot of the time. Riley recalled feeling tired when he was a teenager and remembered headaches, but his were entirely down to stealing Gerald’s liquor—a quiet rebellion until he was old enough to drive and could leave the old house to get his own booze.

The twins were in bed, and Max and Jack were reading books together when Lisa and Ed arrived. Lisa looked really well, no longer the brassy blond alcoholic stuck in a loveless, terrifying marriage, who had chased Riley more often than not. Here was Lisa with her natural hair color, a short light brown style, and she was smiling from ear to ear.

“Finally, the wonderful Ed,” Riley teased as he hugged her. Ed for his part hung back and allowed the reunion, only stepping forward when Riley held out his hand. Ed wasn’t as tall as Riley; he was maybe Jack’s height, with curly, dark red hair and smiling brown eyes.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” Riley said with an earnest focus on his words. “I’ve heard a lot about you from Eden.”

Ed shook Riley’s hand. “And you, from Lisa.”

“We’re going to see her tomorrow,” Lisa interjected. “Eden I mean, for lunch. The kids are expecting us back for dinner tomorrow.”

Riley completed all the usual things, made coffee, put out cookies, and by the time he had finished, Jack was back in the kitchen. A second round of hugs and introductions, then it was the four of them discussing the kids.

“Luke came first in the science fair,” Ed said proudly.

In fact, he hadn’t stopped talking with affection and pride about Luke and Annabelle, and all the while, as he spoke, Lisa stared at him with a smile.

After they had turned down more coffee, because, in Ed’s words, neither of them would sleep tonight, it was finally Lisa’s turn to expand on why they’d come to visit. Not that Riley didn’t want them visiting, but he hadn’t seen Lisa face to face in a long time now, and to have her here was both a blessing and a curse. He loved that she looked so well, but he didn’t like that she was a reminder of things he’d rather forget. Every so often she would look at Riley and they would hold a connection, but it didn’t last very long. In those moments she looked nervous and maybe a little scared.

“We’re married,” she announced.

Riley blinked, glanced at her finger, seeing a wedding band next to her engagement ring. He immediately rounded the table, hugging Lisa and congratulating Ed.