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Tanner’s gaze lowered to his lap.
“I think that’s a great thing to imagine.” I squeezed her extra tight.
Chase emerged from his bedroom, only to go to the bathroom. He returned to his room, and closed the door behind him.
“Why won’t he come down with us?” Khloe asked, sadness in her voice.
“You know how sad you felt watching Moana? Chase feels that sadness, too. Sometimes, sadness makes you very tired. My dad was so sad once that he used to sleep all day and all night.”
“Why was he so sad?” she asked.
“My mom moved very far away, and we couldn’t see her anymore. He loved her so much, and he missed her so much, that he was sad without her.”
“Why did she move away?”
I shrugged my shoulders, anticipating that question. “I don’t know. She wasn’t a very good mom, like yours is. Your mommy would never leave you guys behind.”
“No, she wouldn’t,” Beverly stated, sitting back down at the table.
Khloe curled up into her lap.
“Did I hear Chase upstairs?” she asked.
“Yup. Just to take a piss, and then locked himself in his room again,” Tanner replied bluntly.
“I’m going to bring him some pizza.” I stood and pushed my chair in. “I’ll be back down in a little while.”
“Don’t worry about me,” Beverly waved. “Focus on getting him to eat something.”
I nodded as I went into the kitchen. I slapped a slice of pizza onto a paper dish, and grabbed a water bottle out of the fridge. I knocked on his bedroom door before entering, and let myself in.
“I brought you pizza and water. I’m going to leave it on your nightstand for when you get hungry.”
“I’m not hungry.” His voice was muffled as it was before.
“I know. But you will be later, so it’s here.” I sat on the edge of the bed, lightly rubbing his back that was facing me. “Can I get you anything else?”
I waited in his silence. I leaned over and kissed his cheek. It was wet. I slid under the covers once more, and pressed myself against him as tightly as I could.
“You don’t have to stay here,” he muttered.
“I know I don’t have to. I’m staying until you tell me to leave.”
To that, he did not reply.
“Do you want me to go?” I asked.
“No.”
“Turn around, Chase. Look at me.”
Slowly, he turned over. We laid facing each other, as I caressed his face. “You were there for me while I was going through the worst time. Now, I’m going to be here for you during your worst time. So you can keep trying to push me away, but I’m not going anywhere. I might not be as charming as you were, but I can be just as persistent.”
I saw the tiniest hint of a smirk appear on his face. “I am pretty charming.”
“Of course that’s what you heard.” I rolled my eyes.
“I don’t want to eat; I don’t want to talk about my feelings; and I don’t want to make phone calls to random people to tell them that my father died.”
