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North bellowed in outrage.
“They’re a lot,” John-Henry said with another smile. “I don’t blame you.” He waited a moment, and when Theo didn’t say anything, he added, “I’m glad Auggie picked this place; I’ve been trying to get Ree to try it for years, but he hates the name so much.”
Theo managed to smile back, like that was an answer.
Something, though, must have shown through the mask because John-Henry frowned. “I know the last few days have been a lot. If you need anything, I hope you’ll tell me.”
“We’re fine. We’re going to be fine.”
John-Henry watched him for another moment. Then he smiled, nodded, and carried his food back to the tables.
The girl called another number, and this time, North stomped to the counter as he shouted over his shoulder, “Because if I wanted my phone to smell like your sweaty balls, I would have done it myself.” His gaze swiveled to Theo, and he snapped, “You need a wheelchair or something? Why the fuck are you still up here like a weirdo?”
Fortunately, he didn’t wait for a response. He collected his food, went back to the table, and after unloading one of the trays, immediately started trying to smack Shaw in the face with it.
The girl called the number, and this time, a beat too late, Theo realized it was his. He carried the tray to the tables in the back. He still felt like he was floating, like his head had been cut off. He wondered if anyone could tell. Maybe North had been right; maybe he did need a wheelchair.
But he managed not to fall on his way back, and he slid into the seat next to Auggie. Auggie flashed him a quick smile and grabbed the box of chicken tenders, which he set out for Lana, along with her mac and cheese and her drink. She tried to unwrap the plastic fork herself, and Auggie, laughing, took it from her. Theo kept seeing them waltzing around the living room. He kept seeing the look on Auggie’s face.
“I know you’re still working on identifying who took Leon,” Tean said, “but does this mean—I mean, do you think everyone’s safe? We know Ambyr wasn’t behind the attack on Theo and Auggie, but someone came into their home and tried to kill them.”
“And someone tried to kill us,” Jem added, “in case anybody forgot.”
“How could we forget?” Emery muttered. “You’re still in my fucking guest room.”
“No work talk,” North said.
“I think we’re close,” John-Henry said. “Really close. The attacks all go back to the Cottonmouth Club, and Dalton is sure he can identify the man who took Leon. If he’s telling the truth about Ambyr putting them in contact, then she’ll be able to corroborate the identity. Once we have this guy, whoever he is, I think we’ll be able to pressure him into identifying more people involved in this operation, whatever it is.”
“Human trafficking,” Shaw said, and perhaps for the first time Theo could remember, his face was dark. “We’ve seen something like this before.”
“No work talk,” North said again, more loudly.
“That seems likely,” John-Henry said. “But we won’t know for sure until Dalton gives us our guy.”
“No work talk,” North said, “or are you mother—” He stopped with a glance at Evie and Lana. “Are you deaf?”
“North was deaf once,” Shaw said. “I had to repeat everything for him. Oh my God!” He let out a delighted laugh. “You guys were there!”
The conversation broke up again. Auggie bent down to ask Lana something, and she was pointing to the mac and cheese—lately, mac and cheese had been a touchy subject, because apparently there was only one correct kind, and it came out of a box. Auggie nodded as he listened. The smile was still there, barely a tracing on his mouth. He was so young, so resilient, so full of life. Happy in spite of everything he’d been through. His face, Theo thought. Why, God, did it have to be his face? But somehow, because he was Auggie, he was still here, his smile lopsided now but still making everything better, every moment of Theo’s existence better.
He leaned over and whispered, “I love you.”
Auggie craned his head, startled, and then the corner of his mouth crooked up. “I love you too.”
Theo sat back. His heart was thudding in his chest. It hadn’t been the right thing. That hadn’t been the right thing to say, not at all. Lines from the play ran through his head.Much Ado About Nothing, didn’t that seem to fit? Benedick saying,I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?And Benedick saying,The world must be peopled.And Benedick saying,I am not as I have been.
Clutching his shirt, Theo fanned himself. He was sweating, he realized. And the lights were too bright. And he suddenly was sure he was going to be sick. Part of him was aware that Tean was watching him, a worry line between his eyebrows. Shaw was watching too, and then, for some reason, he started to grin.
Theo tried to swallow. He tried to take a deep breath. Nothing was working. He caught Auggie’s arm in one hand, and Auggie looked over again. This time, concern tightened his eyes. “Theo, is everything—”
Trying to keep his voice low and steady and not-freaking-the-fuck-out, Theo said, “Marry me.”
Auggie stared at him. The plastic fork drooped in his hand. “What?”
“Please. Please marry me.” Too late, Theo remembered to add, “I love you.”
Across the table, Shaw made a noise like that was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard.
