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“I found him on the floor near the kitchen door. He was on his way to make coffee when his legs buckled under him. He clunked his head pretty hard on the floor too. I drove him to the emergency room. He’s being tested now. He was pretty weak.”

“I am so sorry. Poor Joe. What can I do?”

“Nothing really.”

“Where’s Cassie?”

“She’s in school right now. She doesn’t know anything about this. She’ll be upset, for sure. She and my dad are close.”

“I’m coming to the hospital,” she announced.

“You don’t need to do that.”

She wasn’t about to let him push her away. He needed her, and so did Grandpa Joe. “I’m coming, end of story.”

“Okay…thanks.”

She hung up the phone, packed up the muffins and told the real Muffin, “Stay.”

Muffy hated being left behind but this time she obeyed and stayed put with her head down as she watched Taylor walk out the door.

She drove to Jamison Hospital on the edge of town and found Coop pacing in the waiting room on the third floor. As soon as he spotted her, relief flooded his eyes and he put out his arms. She walked straight into them, hugging him tight. She was glad she’d come. It was obvious Coop was worried out of his mind. “How is he?” she asked as she pulled away.

Coop shrugged. “It wasn’t a heart attack, so that’s a relief. They are still doing tests, but it looks like a classic case of dehydration. Apparently, he’s being grouchy, which tells me he’s feeling better.”

“That is a good sign. Coop, I’m so sorry this happened.”

“Yeah, well, Dad’s getting up in age. It’s time he realized his limitations.”

“Nobody really wants to do that, do they?”

“I guess not. I’m going to have to be diligent with him. I mean, it’s just the three of us. We’re a unit. And we need to stay that way. Cassie can’t lose—”

He didn’t finish the thought but Taylor knew what he meant. Cassie can’t lose anyone else she loved. She squeezed his hands. “She won’t, Coop. Your dad should make a full recovery.”

Taylor persuaded Coop to sit down. She offered him banana chip muffins and served him coffee from the pot in the waiting room. They sipped coffee, sat together, holding hands and an hour later, Coop got the diagnosis from Joe’s attending doctor. Exhaustion and dehydration. He would stay overnight and they’d take it from there.

“I don’t know what to tell Cassie,” he said.

“Tell her the truth. Her grandpa is doing too much and needs to rest and drink a lot more liquids. He needs to slow down. He has to take his retirement seriously. And if he does all that, he’ll be fine.”

“She’ll be worried.”

“She’s a bright girl. She’ll handle it, Coop. You have to give her room to grow up. You can’t protect her from everything,” she said softly.

He slipped his hand from hers to scrub his face, and then let go a weary sigh. “She’s been through a lot.”

“Of course she has. And so have you. No one is denying that.”

“I don’t want her to have another moment of grief.”

“I get that. Listen, why don’t I stay here while you go pick up Cassie from school later on. You can explain what happened to her. And this way, Grandpa Joe, won’t be alone.”

He turned his wrist, glanced at his watch. “That’s not for another two hours. You don’t have to sit here with me all that time. Don’t you have a gown to work on?”

“It’s almost finished. And I want to see Joe. It’s no imposition.”

Didn’t he know she cared about his entire family? She wasn’t going to let him go through this all alone. He washer guy. Even if he had no clue about her true feelings, she needed to be here. To see him through this. It wouldn’t feel right being anywhere else.