He kneels down far enough that I don’t actually have to hop, and I’m surprised when he lifts me effortlessly.
“Lean into me going down so we don’t tip backward,” he says, then steps onto the first step.
I wrap my arms around his shoulders and drape myself over his back. He’s so fucking warm, and he’s carrying me down the stairs like it’s nothing for him. Like maybe I’m not a burden. Like maybe all the things my head tells me are lies.
When he steps into the kitchen, Millie is already there, and a fresh wave of embarrassment washes over me that her son is carrying me through the house like I can’t do it myself.
“Good morning, boys,” she says with a warm smile. “I made biscuits and gravy for breakfast.”
My stomach growls loudly, and she smiles again.
Hunter carefully sets me on my feet and leads me to a chair, pulling it out for me so I can sit down.
A minute later, I have a plateful of food in front of me, along with a cup of orange juice and a bottle of water.
I stare at the food for a while, taking it all in.
“Want me to feed you again?” Hunter asks quietly.
I look up quickly, slightly embarrassed that Millie might have heard that, only to realize she’s not in the room anymore. “What?”
“I don’t mind. I actually kind of liked it.” His cheeks turn pink. “I like takin’ care of you.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “You do?”
“So much. Please let me feed you, Theo.”
I can’t take him up on that. I have to be able to do this on my own. If I can’t eat a meal prepared for me by someone else and placed directly in front of me while I’m sitting in a chair I wascarriedto, maybe Iambetter off dead.
“No. Thank you, though. I can do it myself.”
“Sure,” Hunter says, and I find myself watching him to make sure he’s not mad.
When he immediately picks up his fork and starts digging in like it’s been just as long for him as it has for me since he’s had a meal, though, I follow suit.
The food is good, so it’s probably actually phenomenal. Everything is always a little bland when I’m like this. Food. Life.Me.
I wash the bites that I manage to eat down with a few sips of orange juice. It’s cool and refreshing, and it tastes better than any orange juice I’ve ever had.
“Mom squeezes it fresh.” I pause, pulling the glass from my lips. “The orange juice,” Hunter clarifies, pointing to it. “She squeezes it fresh.”
“It’s good. I really like it.”
I look back at my plate, and suddenly it all feels like too much. Too much food. Too much kindness. Too much of everything.
“You don’t have to eat it all,” Hunter says softly. “Are you ready to go see Lila, and then we can come back and take a nap?”
“I don’t want to disrupt your morning,” I say, shaking my head. “Thinking about the animals not having what they need makes me sick to my stomach.”
“The animals are fine, sweetheart. It’s later than you probably realize. I woke up this morning and took care of them already.”
My stomach swoops again at that.Sweetheart.
“Did you?”
“I did.” Hunter gives a single resolute nod. “You were sleeping so good I didn’t want to bother you, but I was also tired, so I got right back in bed when I was done.”
I nod, swallowing hard. “Thank you.”
