Arthur
I may not be in the throes of rutting season anymore, but Bree still smells magical. There’s a sour note to it now, but it’s all her.
She wakes up in the middle of the night gasping and hurries to the bathroom. When she returns, she has deep bags under her eyes, like this event has sucked all the life out of her. She crawls back in bed and I encircle her with my arms, trying to show her I’ll always be here for her.
When morning finally arrives, I let Bree and Bennett keep sleeping as I find my way into the kitchen. Hopefully she has something I can cook up for breakfast.
Jack is sitting up on the couch, looking out the window. He turns his head and offers me a halfway smile.
“Is she doing okay?” he asks.
“I don’t know.”
Picking through the refrigerator, I finally find some eggs and breakfast sausage, along with a big carton of orange juice. There are also hash browns in the freezer, so I set about cooking all of it. I’ll buy her more groceries later today.
Jack sits down at the table while I prepare the food, his shoulders hunched forward.
“What do I do?” he asks suddenly, his expression pleading. “How do I… how do I fix this, Arthur?”
I’m surprised by his question. I didn’t think he was truly interested in repairing anything.
“Being here is a good first step.” I flip over the potato shreds in the pan, then turn the sausages. “I’m glad you came.”
“I had to.” Jack’s gaze drifts to the hallway. “What about her? She hates me now. For good reason.”
“If I know anything about Bree, it’s that she doesn’t hate you. But she seems afraid.”
Jack’s shoulders hunch. “Fuck.”
“You’re going to have to let her come to you, I think. Just be there for her. Show her she can trust you.”
He nods in understanding, and I leave him to chew it over.
Soon, Bennett and Bree both emerge from the bedroom. Bennett yawns, stretching his arms high over his head.
“Smells good in here,” he says as he takes a seat at the table.
Bree peers into the kitchen. “What are you up to, Mangelli?”
“Cooking all your food.” I give her an apologetic smile. “I’ll replace it when I go grocery shopping.”
She purses her lips. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Just let me, okay?” I leave the stovetop to approach her, putting my hands on her shoulders so she has to look me in the face. “I want to take care of you.”
Her eyes glisten, but then she shakes her head to clear it away. “Thank you,” she whispers, and I pull her into a tight hug.
“Go sit and I’ll feed you soon,” I say, kissing her once on the forehead before sending her away.
I don’t care what Jack wants. Now that I’m back at Bree’s side again, I’m never leaving it.
Fifteen
Bennett
I’m glad it’s Saturday so we can all spend the day with Bree, if we so choose. Jack has remained at the apartment, too, staying quiet and keeping to himself. After breakfast, Arthur draws up a grocery list, for which he asks Bree’s input. She didn’t say it, but I can tell she hurts physically, too. She clutches her belly often, as if we can’t see.
While Arthur’s gone, I take her over to the couch and flip on a movie. Jack sits in the nearby chair as we watch. It feels good and right to have Bree under my arm, and the sourness in her scent fades as she relaxes. All I want is to make her happy, to keep her at my side, to make sure she has everything she needs.
