Page 158 of Halo

My eyes drift toward the hallway where Angus remains outside Grady’s door. “I … kind of want to sit outside his room.” I chuff. “That probably sounds crazy, but … I guess I’m just scared I’m going to lose him.”

Leah shakes her head. “That's not crazy at all.” She grabs two pillows and a blanket from my bed and we settle against the wall outside Grady’s room, our shoulders touching beneath the blanket. Eventually, Leah rests her head against me, and I wrap an arm around her.

Angus settles into the space between us, soaking up our warmth, and within minutes, he’s snoring.

Neither of us says anything else.

We just breathe and exist.

***

I rip open the new box of cereal and fill Grady’s bowl.

He stares at it.

“What’s wrong?”

“This isn’t the right one.”

I look at the box and then back at him. “It’s the same cereal.”

“The other one has the dinosaur on it.”

“They changed the box, partner. That dinosaur was an advertisement for the new dinosaur movie, remember?”

“But I like the dinosaur box better.”

“Yeah, it was pretty cool. But this is the same cereal. Try it.”

He pouts in his chair before sneaking a piece of cereal over the edge of the table. Angus takes it immediately, making Grady giggle. He grabs his spoon and finally starts eating.

“Hey, don't feed the dog scraps, partner.”

Angus lets out a disgruntled grumble from beneath the table.

“Yeah, yeah, you know better.”

“Where’s Mrs. Harrison?”

“Good question.” I leave him to contemplate the apparent betrayal of his breakfast and head down the hall.

The bathroom door is closed.

“You okay in there?”

“Yeah.” Leah’s voice comes through the door. “I’m fine. Give me a minute.”

“You sure?”

“I promise.”

When I get back to the kitchen, Grady has finished his entire breakfast. “Good job, partner.”

He beams, pushing up his glasses. “Is Ms. Harrison going to be my new mom?”

I still, curiously peering down at him. “What makes you say that?”

He smiles knowingly, covering his mouth.