He's Sorry, Too

Tyson

Mae bit her lower lip. We’d made no plans. There was a reception of sorts for the family, but Mae did not want to commit to stay. She was still on the fence about her mother’s recovery. She was more pragmatic than her younger sister.

“I want to see Mom,” Hayden chimed in.

Mae sighed with resignation. “We’ll stay, but I might wait outside.”

“You can’t leave me alone,” Hayden hissed.

“I’ll be here,” a male voice said.

The three of us spun around to find Patrick standing directly behind us. “I didn’t think you were coming!” Mae exclaimed before throwing her arms around him. “I’m so glad you did.”

“I thought I better,” he said, giving me a hard look.

We had yet to speak. He did help move Hayden and Mae in, but we said no more than a few words to each other. Mae and Patrick were still trying to find a new normal for their relationship. I was doing my best to stay out of it and avoid making the matter worse.

“Mom’s coming over,” Hayden hissed.

Mae’s face paled. I immediately reached f