Page 128 of Halo

Leah and I share a glance and chuckle.

“All right, friends. What do we say to Dr. Crawford for coming to read with us?”

Twenty-two little voices singsong in unison. “Thank you!”

“Thanks for having me.”

“All right, friends, let's line up for specials.”

The room erupts into controlled chaos. I push myself off the rug and fall into step beside Leah as she navigates an untied shoe emergency and a missing sweater.

“Thanks again for coming,” she says, grabbing a granola bar from the stash in her desk.

“Anytime.” I bump my shoulder lightly against hers. “Isn’t this your lunch period?”

“Yeah, but I need to go make some copies.”

“Leah …”

She gives me a sheepish smile. “What?

“You need more than a granola bar. Did you pack a lunch?”

“I … did not.” She snickers.“ I haven’t exactly had much time lately.”

“I can go grab you something—”

“No, no. You don’t have to do that. Besides, I really don't have time.” She turns the granola bar over in her hand. “And I’m not that hungry.”

My eyes narrow. “When’s the last time you ate an actual meal?”

“Probably when you and I grabbed sandwiches the other night—”

“Oh, good grief. That was a snack.”

She chuckles before slowly exhaling. “Everything’s just been … a lot.”

No shit. Leah spent the second half of winter break practically living at Matt and Rachel’s, then went straight back to school last Tuesday without ever getting a chance to come up for air. Since then, half our phone calls have happened while she’s unloading somebody’s casserole dish from the dishwasher or folding laundry. More than once, she’s fallen asleep on me before nine.

“I’m just trying to keep things running over there. Once the baby's discharged, her mom will be in town to help with everything.”

“Where's Matt?”

She hesitates. “He’s tired, too. He just… doesn’t do well with medical stuff. And the dishes, laundry—he tries, but I usually end up doing it again anyway.”

My jaw tightens.

Leah sees this as love—and it is—but she needs to learn to tell these people no. Her family has gotten far too comfortable using that to their advantage.

For now, I keep that thought to myself.

“How is Chloe Grace? Still feeding and growing in the nursery?”

Leah brightens. She loves the name her brother and sister-in-law finally chose. “Chloe Grace is still feeding and growing in the nursery. Can you believe she turns three weeks old tomorrow?”

I shake my head. “How is that even possible?”

“I know. They are talking about possibly discharging her next week.”