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“So…I can sleep in your bed if I feel like it?”
“Always.”
“And you’ll bring me olives?”
“Yep.”
“Okay.”
“I’ve put two cereal bars and a snack box behind your desk. And your lunch is in the chillers if you want it. It’s Fish stew in the canteen.”
“Ugh.”
“Yeah. Not quite picking food.”
“You don’t have to make me lunches.”
“I like making you lunches. I like being useful. And looking after you is kind of…my new favourite thing.”
“How’s the smoking?”
I hadn’t smelled smoke on him. Not for days.
“Good,” he said in the quietest voice. “But I broke that blue thing of yours. It just fell apart. I didn’t dare tell you, but I’ll buy you a new one.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled one out. A green thing that had once been an octopus. I placed it gently into his hand.
“Here.”
“Thank you.”
“Welcome.”
I picked up my fork. Shoved it into the egg. Carefully licked the hard metal.
Nice. Salty. Good.
Toast. Dip. In mouth.
My mouth was dry, but I could do this. Because Ben was here. And because I had things to do. I needed to talk to Mabel. I needed to hear the rest of Finn’s story—I had questions. And I needed to…
“You only have two pillows in your bed. That is a crime.”
“Is it?” He grinned.
I shoved the piece of toast into the avocado then into my mouth. Chewed carefully.
“Yes. Have you not seen the beds in this place? Each bed has, like, six pillows. And scatter cushions.”
“Housekeeping hate those scatter cushions.”
“We all do, but it makes the beds look inviting. Makes you want to just throw yourself onto the bed and relax.”
“True. My bed is more of a place where I stumble over my own feet and face plant with exhaustion.”
Yeah. I knew the feeling.
“I’m going to go get pillows. And scatter cushions. Because if I’m going to stay with you, we need to up our game. Make it homey. We need at least four more pillows.”
