Redhawk Caldera What does the future hold?

Towhee was no healer, though if Amalia had dosed herself safely, then surely it hadn’t done any permanent damage. She pursed her lips, considering the woman’s concerns, and tried to think of a way to share her optimism without totally invaliding said concerns.

I wouldn’t assume the worst until you give it the old college try, she said.

Part of her wanted to crack a joke and wink, yes, even about her grandson’s sex life. But she didn’t know Amalia well enough to know how she’d take something like that. Besides, this was a vulnerable moment. Instead, she fought back her smile as she momentarily gazed out at the caldera’s inward slopes.

You know what I’ve learned, after living the better part of a decade? she asked, orange gaze swinging back to meet Amalia’s green. Never say never. I know it’s a tired old saying but it’s the truest fact I know.