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“Oh no!” I get out before I lean over and lose all the food he bought for me.
He’s holding my hair, and I’m not sorry for it. My stomach feels like it’s been twisted. Or maybe turned inside out. I can’t decide which. He’s quiet, watching me after I rinse my mouth. I can see the relief on his face when I finally agree to eat and drink something.
“You look better,” I say, trying not to grin.
“Yeah,” he says. “You can’t afford not to eat. Or lose what you do.”
I shrug. “I’d still like to ride some more.”
“You having fun, baby?”
“This is honestly the best day of my life.”
We stop walking. I can’t even describe the look on his face. It’s almost like this is the best day of his life because it’s mine.
When he brings me to another section of the park, the kiddie area, his laughter booms.
I’m going around and around, up and down, on a ride that resembles a bunch of mini hot air balloons. I’m waving at him like I’m a princess. He’s laughing his ass off while the young woman attendant watches him in awe.
“Can you believe this shit?” he tells her, having a hard time breathing.
“Yeah,” she says, rolling her eyes. “I’m seeing it.”
He’s ignoring her, and it’s pissing her off. She’s pretty.
His laughter fades as we both spin around and around on a massive teacup ride. I’m laughing my ass off now. He refused at first, but after I pouted, just joking around, he gave in.
We walk the boardwalk after. Feeding each other all sorts of food we pick up along the way. By the time we get to where we started, I realize how much we’ve eaten. From amaretto yogurt to a milkshake with cotton candy on it, to seafood—lobster rolls, crab rolls—to pizza. I almost want to grab the sweater out of the bag to hide the bulge of my stomach. It’s tight and uncomfortable, though I didn’t notice it until we stopped talking.
I stop walking, and he does, too. I didn’t suggest all that food. He did.
“You did that on purpose.” I point to my stomach. “All that food.”
He grins. “Get used to it.”
“Get used to you.”
His t-shirt stretches when he shrugs. “It’s not healthy what you’re doing.”
“I know,” I say. “But…I can’t seem to help it.”
“You think you can eat if I stick around?”
He’s being serious, but a grin tugs at my lips.
“Yeah,” I say. “I can eat if you stick around.”
He nods and puts his arm around my shoulder, directing me to a bunch of carnival games. Stuffed animals line the ceilings of the stalls, and the lights are neon because the sun has gone down.
I’m chilled from too much sun and the constant breeze that’s blowing off the water. Lilo hands me the sweater and I slip it on before we continue to walk. He stops at one stall and buys a play.
Four stalls later, he’s carrying a hot pink bear that’s bigger than me, and I’m carrying three smaller stuffed animals. The other ones he won I gave to a bunch of kids crying because they couldn’t win.
Something catches my eye, though. A stuffed mouse with girlish features and a red and white polka dot dress. I know Minnie will love it.
Lilo pays the man. I didn’t even say anything.
“Can I try?”
