Cora and I stare at him as he takes almost all the pancakes I cooked.
“I comfort eat, okay?” he says defensively, and we leave it at that.
I cut a bite of pancake and then lift it to her mouth. She opens and takes it. We watch each other as she chews, her eyes broadcasting her devastation.
“Is this weird for you? I mean, having to look after someone,” she asks as she wipes her mouth with the back of her hand.
“I wouldn’t do it if it were anyone else.”
“Now, tell me why I believe that,” Sebastian interjects, already through his first pancake and onto the next.
She eyes me as I continue to feed her, but we don’t say another word to each other as she and Sebastian discuss plans for handling Delaney’s funeral. At one point in the conversation, I wipe away a stray tear that falls from her eye, and there is no way I can miss the hurt behind them.
There is so much pain, and I hate that it’s there.
She hides her physical pain from the injuries she received last night and gives Sebastian the excuse that her face is red because she stumbled and hit the wall when she found out about Delaney. She’s believable when she says it, even though I know it’s not the truth. And Sebastian doesn’t comment on it as they make plans to go to funeral homes tomorrow.
Once she’s eaten a single pancake, she tells me she’s had enough, so I start cleaning up the kitchen. A few minutes later, my phone rings. When I see it’s Reon calling, I step out of the room to answer it in private.
“Yes?” I say in greeting.
“How is she?” he asks.
“You know what happened?”
“No. Soren grumbled something about you announcing you’ll be marrying her, and I put two and two together when Rylas showed up dead,” he says.
I go to the bathroom, find my shirt, and finish getting dressed.
“How did you handle it?” I ask.
“Handle what?”
“Falling in love with Lilith?”
“Surprisingly, loving her was the easiest thing I have ever done. The issue was the outside world. Are you telling me you love her?”
“Yes, I do. I love Cora.” A small gasp comes from behind me, and I turn to find Cora there. “I have to go.” I hang up immediately and meet her shocked gaze. It’s the truth though. No denying it, she is it for me. “You heard all of that?”
“Sebastian went home. Do you have any strong pain meds? My ribs hurt,” she says, ignoring my question.
And I do just that as she climbs back into bed.
FORTY-FIVE
CORA
It goes on replay in my head over and over again, hearing those words, as Arlo hands me a glass of water and a couple of pills. He watches me as I drink and swallow. His dark hair is unkempt, yet somehow still looks fantastic. Then he announces, “I’m going to visit your mother today. They called and said she was doing well on her antibiotics. And that she ate all that chocolate you left, so I’m going to take her more.”
I’m shocked by his offer. No one ever helps with my mother—it’s always been me. For so long, it’s just been instinctual to handle it all myself, as if it’s stitched into the fabric of who I am. The idea of someone else stepping in feels foreign… almost wrong. But he doesn’t say it as if it’s an obligation or something he’s doing out of pity. His voice is steady and confident, leaving no room for protest. It’s not just the words. It’s the way he says them, as if he’s already decided and as if helping me isn’t a burden but a given.
“I can go.”
“No, you can’t. Your mother is healing, and so are you. Rest. I’ll be back later with food.” Arlo leans down and, ever so softly, presses a kiss to my forehead before ordering, “Sleep.”
“You pay for her care, don’t you?” He pulls back and says nothing. But the look on his face tells me everything I need to know. He does.
“Sleep,” he repeats.
