James stayed.
He did not announce it. He was simply in the house at breakfast, and at lunch, and in the evenings, and after three days his mother stopped putting his portion aside as a question and started cooking for four people out of habit.
She also stopped looking at the front door every time his phone went off.
On the fourth day Finn messaged asking whether there was any news and whether James wanted to come out to the estate.
She's stable. Home. Wings are a disaster but that's mechanical.
Come to the house? Nothing heavy, just food
Not till the follow-up scan. If her temperature's held by then, I'll come out.
Finn sent back a single thumbs-up and did not ask again, which was Finn.
The follow-up came at the end of the week, and it was good as far as it went.
