Sarah stopped feeling sorry for herself the second she heard Tommy's voice. Or his feminine voice. But she'd know it anywhere even if he hadn't announced who he was. Parents couldn't have a favorite child. But you could have a favorite sibling. And while she loved all her brothers and sisters, it was Tommy she felt more in tune with. She could babble, and maybe he would understand her, and maybe he wouldn't, but he'd be able to follow, she felt. And even Rachel couldn't do that. Not totally.
"Come in!" He'd be able to open the door faster than she could hobble to it. But she did push herself up to stand. Working out the light pain she felt in her knee, to keep it from locking up on her later.