“Char probably wants pizza. Or Italian in general. You game?”
“Does anyone ever actually turn down cheese and pasta?”
“The place around the corner has a killer baked ziti.”
“Sounds good. And whatever dessert Charlotte recommends. She seems to be the expert.”
“That she is. Alright. I’ll go relay that. Take your pill.”
A girl could get used to this being taken care of thing.
It wasn’t really something I had any experience with. I mean, my mom fussed over us when we were little and sick. But it didn’t last long, as the stress of their work and the extortion really just decimated her emotionally.
As an adult, well, I just never had anyone around when I wasn’t feeling well. I wasn’t sure I’d accept their help even if I did.
Why, then, was I so comfortable with it from Christopher?
I was still wondering about that, and enjoying not only the pain-numbing effects but the slightly floating sensation in my head from the pain medicine when the kids came back into the apartment some time later.
“Can I go see her? And give her this?” Charlotte asked.
“Okay. But knock, in case she’s sleeping.”
“I’m not,” I called back.
Two seconds later, Charlotte was bouncing into the doorway, only to stop short when she got a look at my face.
“Oh.”
“Just some bruises,” Liam, following his sister, said. Though his own face tightened. “She’s alright, remember?”
“Looks worse than it is,” I assured her. Even if it was a lie. “What is that?”
“It’s a kiwi bat stuffy,” Charlotte announced.
“She insisted,” Liam added with a head shake as he pulled a normal pillow out of a bag.
“They make you feel better,” Charlotte declared.
“Oh, that’s even softer than it looks,” I said, taking it from her.
“See? She likes it.”
“I do. Thank you.”
“She’s not done yet,” Liam said, even as he started emptying his bag onto the dresser. He’d opted for practical things: toothbrush, paste, hairbrush, floss, and a loofah.
“Well, she can’t work. She needs stuff to do,” Charlotte insisted. And then she gave me three books, a crossword puzzle, and a coloring book with a fancy marker set.
“This was all so sweet, thank you. You too,” I said, looking over at Liam.
“She’s not done,” Liam said, handing his sister another bag he was holding.
“Uncle Chris doesn’t have a soft blanket. So, we got you one.” It was printed with little ducks. “And a sweater because they keep it too cold here. It’s girl winter all the time.”
It was kind of chilly, now that she mentioned it.
“She just wants it to be seventy-three year-round,” Liam said, looking disgusted.
