Page 59 of Kylan

“Up for a visitor?”

“Of course.”

“How are you feeling?” I asked as I came in.

“Okay. Still tired, somehow.” He put his hand to his stomach. “I don’t know if I’m hungry or if I feel sick.”

I noticed then that his glass of water was now half-full, and I was glad he’d managed to drink some.

“It could be a bit of both,” I suggested, sitting on the edge of his bed. “And maybe a bit of anxiety and worry.”

His big blue eyes met mine and he nodded, his hands fidgeting in his lap.

I slowly put the back of my hand to his forehead. “Your temperature has come down, which is good. Marek’s made you some soup. He’s bringing it up now.”

This surprised him. “Soup?”

I nodded. “Veggie soup, to make you feel better.”

He got a little teary. “Oh. That’s so nice.”

I slid my hand over his. “I meant what I said before, Ky. We love you. I’m sorry I made a mess of everything before. I never meant to hurt you. And don’t worry, Marek ripped me a new one for that.”

He gave me a shocked smile. “He did?”

“Oh yeah. And I deserved it. When you’re feeling better and you’ve rested enough, we’ll sit down and talk about everything. I just want you to know that you’re safe here and you’re welcome here, no matter what you decide to do.”

“Decide? About what?”

“About whether you want to be with us.” I frowned. “I shouldn’t be discussing this without Marek?—”

“Discussing what without me?” Marek asked as hecame in. He was holding a tray with soup and bread, more juice and fresh water.

I stood up so Marek could slide it onto the bed beside Ky.

“I was just telling Ky he’s welcome to stay here for as long as he wants until he’s feeling better, and that he wasn’t under any pressure to make any decisions.”

“Good,” Marek said. Then he helped Ky sit up against the headboard and spoon-fed him some soup. “Is that okay?”

Ky nodded and smiled at him. “It’s really good.”

My heart felt so big it could burst. And, if I was being honest, a little tender that he hadn’t readily agreed to being with us.

Even though I’d just promised him there was no pressure...

“I’ll leave you two to talk,” I said quietly.

Ky’s eyes shot to mine. “No. Please stay.” He patted the far side of the bed. “Please stay with us.”

NINE

KYLAN

Going backto Leon and Marek’s place had been the right thing to do. We needed to clear the air. We needed to talk.

And I needed to feel safe while we did that.

Andsafewas with them.

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