She was actually quite nervous by the time they entered the nursing home. A tall, white-haired gentleman she knew didn’t belong at Shady Lane strode toward them with a confident gait.

“Dr. Hillman.” Sebastian shook the other man’s hand. “I’m Sebastian Montgomery, and this is Charlie Ballard, Francine’s daughter.”

The doctor turned, then held her hand in both of his. “It’s so good to meet you. I’ve just left your mother in the lounge. She’s an absolute delight.”

“She certainly is,” Charlie agreed.

The white hair made the doctor appear older, though his features were unlined and his strong hands lacked even a hint of age spots. Rather than speaking to Sebastian, who’d called him, Dr. Hillman focused on Charlie. He cleared his throat, as though switching to professional mode. “I arrived early, so we’ve been getting acquainted. I did a cursory examination and I’m pleased to be able to tell you that her original surgeon was quite competent.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” More than glad, actually, both for her mother’s sake...and because it was one less thing Charlie had to feel guilty about.

“Her pinkies are very elastic, but I wouldn’t recommend putting in a new joint. She wouldn’t see a quantifiable increase in usage. I’m afraid there’s not much to be done with her other fingers, either. Even with another operation, she wouldn’t gain any strength in her hands. I’m sorry, Ms. Ballard, but everything’s been done for your mother that can be done.”

“What about pain medication?” Sebastian had set his box on the counter, his face grave, the line of his lips flat. “Can we alleviate her pain?”

“She’s already on pain management. There are other meds, but the results will be about the same. I’m afraid the pain will never be completely eradicated.”

“But there has to be something.” Sebastian’s jaw flexed, and Charlie knew that the doctor’s analysis was hitting him harder than it was her, because her expectations were so much lower.

She reached for Sebastian’s hand and held on tight as Dr. Hillman said, “She’s quite resilient. Many patients at her stage are confined to a wheelchair. She’s good with a walker, and her pain level isn’t debilitating. She has admirable tolerance.”

“Admirable tolerance?” Sebastian’s fingers squeezed Charlie’s almost painfully, and an edge grated in his voice. Clearly, he wasn’t used to not being able to fix something.

“I’m sorry I don’t have better news for either of you.”

“Thank you for coming to meet with her,” Charlie said. A house call from a renowned surgeon was more than could be expected. But Sebastian had managed it. “It means a lot to us.”

Sebastian finally seemed to shake himself, an actual tremor she felt through their clasped hands. “I appreciate your dropping everything to come by.”

Dr. Hillman nodded. “I was happy to do it.” The doctor shook their hands again before striding out the front door.

A nurse trundled the meds trolley past them, smiling politely. Charlie nodded in return.

“We’ll get a second opinion,” Sebastian said through gritted teeth when the nurse was out of earshot. “Something has to be done. Dr. Hillman’s record said he was the best, but we can’t leave it at that. Tell me more about the pain meds, Charlie.”

“Mom could take stronger drugs, but they’re highly addictive and the body builds up a tolerance to them eventually. The side effects can be worse than the pain, and she doesn’t want to start down that road.”

He closed his eyes briefly, then nodded once, a muscle still flexing in his jaw. “I understand.” But as he picked up the box, she wasn’t sure he truly did. Helping people make their lives better was Sebastian’s calling. Not being able to help her mother—just as he’d been unable to help his parents—had the potential to hurt him. Badly. “Let’s go see your mom.”

She held on to him one moment longer. “Thank you for everything. Even if we can’t find any other ways to make her feel better, you’ve already made such a big difference for her.” And for me too.

“We’ll find something.” His face was determined. “For all we know, the ankle guy I’ve contacted might come to a different conclusion.”

Charlie already knew how deeply Sebastian cared for the people who mattered to him. His friends, his foster parents. And now her mother. Though she was worried he was going to end up disappointed by the doctors he was bringing in, she couldn’t dim his hope.

“So,” she said as they headed down the hall toward the lounge, hoping to shift his mood back to the smiles he’d been giving her earlier, “what’s in the box?”

She’d asked him the same question a half-dozen times since getting in the car. And he hadn’t so much as cracked. “Are you this impatient with your own presents?”

“I’m killer at Christmas. Mom and I have a deal that we only spend twenty dollars, but if you get freebies, like buy-one-get-one-free, then the free one doesn’t count against the twenty bucks. Something from a thrift store like Goodwill is okay too. We don’t care if it’s used.”

His mouth was still tight, as if he couldn’t let go of the failure with the doctor, but she could tell that he was trying to shake it off. “Sounds like a lot of fun.”

“It can take an hour to open all the little gifts we buy each other.”

“What about birthdays?”

“Same thing. Twenty dollars.” With his hand in hers, she led him down the hall.

“When’s your birthday?”

She sidestepped a man in a wheelchair, giving him a brief pat on the shoulder. “Hi, Kurt.” Then she answered Sebastian’s question. “December. I’m a Sagittarius. What about you?”

“April. Aries.”

She couldn’t remember whether Sagittarius and Aries were complete opposites or a perfect match. She’d never been into astrology. And no matter what the stars said, nothing was going to ruin the beautiful connection she and Sebastian were building.

“And your mom?”

“January.” She could almost see him planning ahead. But December and January were long past her deadline for the sculpture, long past the point when she would be moving out of his guesthouse and back into her own home.

But she didn’t want to think about the end.

Not when every new day gave her hope that there wouldn’t be one.

* * *

Frustration simmered through Sebastian’s veins as they entered the lounge. Francine, wearing a pretty flowered dress, was seated in her usual spot on the sofa.

He felt helpless, just like every time he’d walked into his parents’ home only to find them totally blitzed. Again. For five long years after he’d moved into Susan and Bob’s crowded but caring household, he kept returning in an effort to get help for his parents. And it had torn him up every single time, especially when nothing he tried to do to help them worked.

Damn it, Dr. Hillman should have been able to fix Francine’s hands, do surgery, prescribe a treatment—at least give her some damn pain medication that worked without getting her hooked or having terrible side effects.

“Charlie, Sebastian.” Francine held out her gnarled fingers, her smile so big and sweet, despite the lines of age and pain on her face.

“Sebastian brought you a present, but even though I’ve been pestering him, he won’t tell me what it is.” Charlie slid into the chair next to her mother and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“You’re such a little girl when it comes to presents.” Francine’s wrinkled face glowed with fondness. “I am too.” She grinned up at Sebastian. “What did you bring?”

Sitting next to her, he also kissed the soft, paper-thin skin of her cheek. “You’re as bad as your daughter,” he said, keeping his tone light. He wouldn’t take his frustrations out on either of them. Instead, he’d do more research. He’d find another doctor.

He’d do something.

For now, he simply pulled a penknife from his pocket and slit the tape along the top, then pulled out a second box.