“Observant.”
He stood as I set the plate down.
“Where is yours?”
“In the kitchen, I’ll go get it.”
“No.” I blinked at him. “You’re clearly in pain of some sort. I’ll go get it.”
I stared at him for a long moment. Now that had to have been more than five words. He merely nodded and disappeared into the kitchen to get the second plate.
He returned, and we both sat down to eat. It was nice to eat something freshly cooked. #Vanlife had meant I’d been subsisting on peanut butter and jelly and ramen for the past few months.
“This is good.”
Ahh, yes, back to the almost monosyllabic beast.
“I’m glad you like it. It’s been a while since I’ve cooked. Can you tell me some of your favorite foods so I can be sure to make them?”
He didn’t answer. He only evaluated.
“Why are you in pain?” he finally said.
I shot him a look across the table. “I’m not.”
His jaw flexed. “You are. Are you injured?”
“I’m good,” I said as I took another bite, praying he would let this go. I could not have him thinking I was too injured to work.
He remained staring like this was a strategic summit.
“Please, tell me why you are limping,” he said as if asking for something nicely hurt him. But he sounded sincere instead of demanding. And was that concern I saw in his slightly softened eyes? What was happening?
“My knee hurts, but I just tweaked it. I will be right as rain soon.”
We ate in strange, almost polite silence for several minutes. The food was good. He ate like everything else he did, with measured efficiency.
I shifted in my chair, adjusting my leg under the table. The movement cost me. He noticed. Of course, he did. This observant man seemed to notice everything.
“You need medical attention,” he said.
I didn’t look up.
“I need salt,” I replied, reaching for it.
“You’re in pain.”
“It will heal.”
“You could’ve torn something.”
“It’s just a little sprain.” I smiled with the delivery, hoping he would drop this, but no luck
His fork lowered slowly.
“Go to a doctor.” This time, it sounded like a command.
I bristled immediately. “With what?” I asked. “Optimism?”
