Chapter 69

Francis smiled. “They look so happy.”

“Yeah. They do.” Mark cleared his throat. “I’m glad they found each other.”

Something flashed in his expression and Francis held back a sigh. He knew Mark wasn’t going to forgive himself for the way he’d acted before toward the LGBTQ people in town. Or maybe he would, eventually, but that time wasn’t now.

A while later, Francis checked on the Grahams. Henrietta chatted with Aiden on the porch and Charles seemed to be asleep in his chair nearby. Someone had tucked an afghan around him, and Francis smiled at the sigh.

“We’re keeping an eye on his breathing,” Henrietta told him quietly when Aiden excused himself to go see his husband in the kitchen.

Francis sat in the seat he’d vacated and smiled at Henrietta. “How are you feeling today?”

She looked surprised for a second, then she chuckled. “Well, Joel keeps coming out of the kitchen to bring me things to taste, so I’m being well-fed already.”