Page 140 of Wonderstruck

She groaned. “Oh god. Do you think she still makes that cinnamon bread?”

“Only on Thursdays.” I shot her a look.“And, lucky for you, it’s Thursday.”

Her eyes lit up. “Forget breakfast at home.We’re going into town.”

I smirked. “Thought you’d say that.”

We finished brushing down the horses, thebarn filled with the quiet sounds of their breathing and the occasional shuffle of hooves. Outside, the sun had climbed higher, the air carrying the faint metallic warmth of snow beginning to melt. My fingers were just starting to thaw out when we got to the porch.

But the moment we opened the door, theatmosphere shifted.

“Dais?” I called out, spotting her pacingin the living room. She didn’t respond, her hands raking through her curls as she muttered under her breath. Tears streaked her cheeks, her whole body trembling.

“Daisy, what’s wrong?” Rory asked softly,stepping toward her.

Daisy shook her head, her voice caughtsomewhere between a sob and a breath. Then Grandpa walked in from the kitchen,his face like stone. My heart sank before he even said anything.

“We just got a call,” he said, his voice lowand strained. His hands were clenched at his sides, his eyes darting between us.

“From who?” I asked, stepping forward, mystomach knotting.

“Honeywood General.”

The room fell sileant. All I could hear wasthe ticking of the old clock on the mantle and the pounding of my heart in my ears.

Grandpa exhaled sharply, running a handover his red face before blurting it out. “Your dad’s in the hospital.”

My chest tightened.

“They found him passed out on the side ofthe road. An ambulance happened to pass by and got him to the ER. Barely had a pulse when they found him.”

The words hit me like I’d been winded,knocking the air out of my lungs. I didn’t know what to feel. Relief? Anger? Guilt?

Rory moved to Daisy, wrapping an armaround her as Daisy’s knees buckled.She was crying harder now, her breath hitching, and I could hear Rory whispering soft reassurances, though her voice sounded shaky too.

Grandpa stepped closer to me, his eyesheavy with something between worry and anger. “Finn,” he said quietly, his hand landing on my shoulder.

I didn’t give myself time to think.

“I’ll drive us,” I said, my voice steadyeven though my mind was racing.

Grandpa studied me for a moment, thennodded. “I’ll grab the keys.”

Rory looked over at me, her eyessearching mine, and for a moment, the chaosaround us felt like background noise. I nodded at her, silently promising I’d handle it.

As Grandpa left the room, Rory moved toward me, leaving Daisy on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her.

“Finn—” she started.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, grabbing myjacket from the hook by the door.

She didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t push it. Instead, she placed a hand onmy arm, grounding me. “We’ll figure it out,” she said softly.

I wasn’t sure if she was talking about Dador me. Either way, I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat as I pushed open the door.

And in the time we’d been in the house,the sun had vanished.

chapter thirty eight

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