You're Family, Aren't You?

Vera noticed a pattern over the next few months. Casey usually came out at night or in the morning and was able to make it through both therapy sessions before retreating. Sometimes he only made it through part of them if he got too distressed. 

She never got to see him but she tried not to let that get her down because she did get progress reports now and then. As long as he was getting somewhere, that was what mattered. 

Kane got more comfortable with her too. After a while he got into the habit of hugging her when she showed up instead of going straight for the food. She had mixed feelings about those hugs. 

On one hand, she desperately needed someone to hug her. On the other, it hurt because it felt like Casey but wasn't. 

When she asked Kane why he started doing that he shrugged and said that he heard hugs were often used as a greeting between friends. He wasn't wrong so she let it go.