You stay. And he stays too. Have them come to us. Lochlan is doing his thing where he makes the decisions for me. I'm already mentally packing, wondering what the weather will be like in Lucerne mid-autumn. Wonder if they get spooky for Halloween.
It's not Lucerne- I can almost hear Caleb's voice in my...oh, he's reading my thoughts again.
(Fuck off, Diabhal.)
Goodnight, Neamhchiontach.
That will cost four times as much, I point out to Lochlan, who loves a tight fiscal ship.
Darn. His mouth curls up on one side. Summon two groups, make it eight times.
You're awful.
I need you both here, not stuck on the other side of the world during this bullshit.
What if they can't come right away? What if he slides away worse? I am panicking now. We're not experts. This is bigger than we are. We are out of our own league here. We have been reduced to weeks now, instead of months. Ben is regressing so quickly now. He says he's just tired.
They will. Money talks, Peanut. He gives me that reassuring wink that is all teenage-boy bravado and ignorance, probably.
I'll find out.
That's my girl. Now let's get some sleep. Ben, do you want a hot bath before bed?
Yeah. That would be good.
I'll run it. Lochlan head to the bathroom and I hear the water begin to run to fill the giant tub.
Can I join? I look to Ben.
I would hope so. Ben smiles and he looks like old-Benjamin, briefly.
We'll fix things. I promise, Benny.
He nods. I know, he says, like a child suddenly. All the trust in the world. It's a familiar feeling to parent him, to take care of him because when he needs us, it's completely.