Max perks up at the mention of food. "Pizza?" he asks hopefully.
"Yeah, buddy," Torch says. "Pizza's coming. You like pepperoni?"
Max nods enthusiastically.
Torch orders, then turns to me. "Do you want to shower or do anything while we wait? Get settled?"
The thought of a hot shower after days of quick washes in gas station bathrooms is almost enough to make me cry. "That would be amazing," I admit.
"Bathroom's all yours. Towels in the cabinet. I can watch him," he offers, nodding toward Max, who's now exploring the living room with cautious interest.
I hesitate. I haven't let Max out of my sight in days. But he seems comfortable here, and Torch is his father. This is why I came, isn't it? To give Max a chance at having a dad?
"Okay," I agree. "Just...call if you need me. He's pretty easy-going, but he's in a strange place."
Torch nods, looking nervous but determined. "We'll be fine. Take your time."
I grab clean clothes. The last of my clean clothes, I realize, and head to the bathroom. It's surprisingly nice, with a large shower stall and fluffy towels.
The hot water is heavenly. I stand under the spray, letting it wash away days of travel grime and stress. Only when the water starts to cool do I finally step out, feeling human again for the first time in days.
I dress in jeans and a t-shirt, both showing signs of wear. My hair is a tangled mess, but I manage to comb it through and pull it back in a fresh ponytail. The woman in the mirror looks tired but better than she did an hour ago.
When I return to the living room, I find Torch sitting on the floor with Max, helping him stack blocks that must have been in one of our bags.
"Higher!" Max demands, and Torch adds another block to the teetering tower.
"It's going to fall if we go higher," Torch warns.
"Higher!" Max insists.
Torch places another block, and the whole thing comes tumbling down. Max dissolves into giggles, and to my surprise, Torch laughs too.
"Told you, buddy," he says, ruffling Max's hair.
The doorbell rings, and Torch gets up to answer it. He returns with a large pizza box and a two-liter of soda.
"Let's eat in the kitchen," he says, leading the way.
The kitchen is simple but functional. Torch grabs plates while I get Max settled in a chair, using a cushion to boost him up to table height.
"I've got scissors for his pizza," I say, digging through my purse. "To cut it into small pieces."
Torch nods, watching as I cut a slice of pizza into toddler-sized bites. Max dives in immediately, sauce quickly smearing around his mouth.
"Slow down, buddy," I caution. "It's not going anywhere."
For a few minutes, we eat in silence. The pizza is delicious, or maybe I'm just that hungry. I try to pace myself, but it's hard when it's the first proper meal I've had in days.
"How long have you been sleeping in your car?" Torch finally asks.
I swallow a bite of pizza. "Three nights."
His expression darkens. "And before that?"
"We had an apartment, but I lost my job when the medical billing office downsized. I couldn't make rent." I focus on helping Max with his sippy cup rather than meeting Torch's eyes. "We stayed with a friend for a while, but she has a studio, and her boyfriend moved in, so..."
"So, you've been living in your car with my son," he says, his voice tight.
