Damn, I’m acing this parenting gig if he’s ready to apologize this quick.
“What are you sorry for? For having a legit concern, or for being a little shit about it?”
He laughs. “Both?”
I set the grocery bag on the floor. “I know you’re worried, but you can’t hide from the world. You have the right to live your life to the fullest. Have an education, do stupid things, fall in love. Okay, that one, not for a long, looong time,” I add quickly.
He looks down, running his hands through the overgrown hair on the back of his head. I need to find out where he can get his hair cut before starting school. “Yeah, like that’s ever going to happen.”
Fuck, I just want to scoop him up in my arms and make it all better. At just fifteen years old, he was handed the shittiest deal.
“I know it feels that way now, Leo, but you’re on the right meds, and your viral load is undetectable. Yes, this is something you’re going to live with for the rest of your life, but having HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was.”
“You’re saying that because you’re my brother, but who’s going to want to give a job to the guy with HIV? How about when I go on a date and have to disclose my status?”
I take a breath and resist the urge to scoop him up in my arms. Instead, I break the space between us and hold his hands between mine. “I can’t promise that everything will always be okay or easy, but I can promise I will always be here for you, okay?”
He sighs. “Do you think it was the right thing moving here?”
“Yeah. I think so.”
I may not have taken Julius’s calls when Leo’s life imploded and I couldn’t see past the next doctor’s appointment or stop researching everything about living with HIV and treatment, but I’d known about Stillwater. When I met Fletcher in Europe years ago, he talked about where he grew up so much that I feel like I already know what it’ll be like to live here.
Small-town living was never my thing. I grew up in LA, and the world always seemed too big and full of opportunities to settle in a small town.
That feeling in my gut when I’m creating a new recipe and know how much of something to add? That’s the same feeling I get about Stillwater. I know I made the best decision for us. I just hope I’m right about it.
“Okay,” Leo says. “I’ll go back to school.” But then he pauses. “Can I…um…not tell anyone about…?”
“It’s your choice to disclose your HIV status,” I say with as much finality as I can because I’ve done my research, and I know he can’t be discriminated against because of it. I will fight with all I have to ensure Leo has the best chance at a normal life.
“I’m going to play Xbox,” he says, turning back toward the room. I really shouldn’t have set up the gaming system on his small TV in the bedroom. I’ll never see him again.
“Take your fill because, after this week, I want to see you catch up with schoolwork. Gaming hours will be supervised.”
“Ugh. You’re worse than a real parent.”
I take that as a compliment as I blow him a kiss and pick up the grocery bag again. Having kids was not on my radar. Hell, I can’t even hold on to a relationship because who wants to date a pastry chef with irregular hours?
Tasty food on demand? Selling point. Leaving the house before dawn some days and not returning until after dinner? Not so attractive.
I make my way down the stairs, pulling the keys Julius gave me from my pocket.
When I get to the door, it’s open.
Shit, have we been robbed?
I go in carefully, trying not to disturb anything that could be evidence. There are three grocery bags on the kitchen island.
Weird.
I hear noise from the front of the building. Maybe the thief is still here and trying to get money from the register. It’s unlikely Julius would leave any cash on the premises over the weekend, so when the thief comes out feeling all pissy because there’s no money and then sees me, they’re going to get extra pissy.
The knife block is nearby, so I reach out for it.
The door opens just as I draw the knife.
“Whoa.” Julius holds his hands up.
