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At least he’s eating.
Allie bites her lip and glances back toward where Jude must be. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
I chuckle and step in. “Go.”
She hesitates for a second, then pushes the door the rest of the way open and climbs to her feet. Her eyes dart to Jude. “I’ll be right back.”
Sweet kid.
Even at ten, she can tell Jude needs the reassurance and is sure to give it to him. It’s intuitive for her. No one needed to tell her what to do for him; she justdidit.
Allie moves past me out into the hallway as I slowly approach the open closet. I squat until I can see Jude tucked in the corner behind the hanging clothes, knees pulled up to his chest, staring at me. “You okay, buddy?”
He stares at me for a second, then nods.
I offer him a soft smile. “Good. You get enough to eat?”
He nods again.
“Nana’s a great cook, isn’t she?”
He swallows thickly and nods. “She is.”
Those two words are more than he’s spoken to us since we first found him. After explaining what he was doing there, he’s been practically catatonic. It appears Allie’s constant chatter has relieved a bit of the tension he felt when we got here—though, his current position suggests it’s going to take a hell of a lot more to actually get him to feel comfortable.
I rest my arms on my knees and offer him a smile. “I know you don’t really know Luca and me, or any of the Hawkes, but I want you to understand that you’re safe here and welcome.” I point absently toward the living room. “We even have some gifts for you under the tree, if you want to open them.”
He tenses, fear returning to his blue gaze.
“I could bring them in here so you wouldn’t have to go out where everyone else is.”
His shoulders relax slightly, but he still shakes his head.
“Would you like me to bring them back to our place for later?”
He nods, and despite the tears threatening to well in my eyes, I force another smile. “That sounds like a good plan. We’ll be leaving soon, okay?”
He bobs his head again.
“Are you having fun with Allie?”
Maybefunisn’t the right word, but apparently, I really suck at this talking-to-kids thing, despite having practice with all nine of my nieces and nephews.
The last twenty-four hours, I feel like I’ve been stumbling over, and over, and over again. I’m sure Luca and I have said and done the wrong things a thousand times. I try not to think about what he ultimately did to Jude’s father as I stare at the traumatized boy who has filled my heart with so much I never thought I’d experience.
He considers my question for a second, then nods again.
“Good.”
Allie comes up behind me. “What’s good?”
I push to my feet and let her slip past me, back into the closet. “Jude said he’s having a good time with you.”
Her face lights up, and she grins. “Me, too.”
She settles next to him and reaches out to take his hand in hers, interlocking their fingers and squeezing it tightly. His fingers whiten as he squeezes back.
Thank God.
