No Matter What Happens

As I ran down the hallway, headed toward the kitchen, I realized how selfish I was being by wanting to save my parents and Colt, too. But if there was a way I could save them all, then shouldn't I at least try?

"What can I do to help?" I asked when I walked into the kitchen.

Stellan chuckled but said nothing.

I rolled my eyes.

Both of my parents' eyes nearly bugged out of their heads and my mother nearly dropped the plate she was holding when I asked. Then she gave my father a look that I didn't miss. At that moment, I knew I was going to have to watch sounding like an adult, but it had been a long time since I was a child.

"That's okay, honey," Mom said, recovering herself. "Go ahead and have a seat. Dinner will be on the table in a minute."

"Maybe you should offer to balance their checkbook, too," Stellan teased, sitting down beside me.

"Stop it," I said, coughing to cover it.

My father's head snaped up. "What was that, Jellybean?"