Page 64 of Ethan
Micah didn’t say anything for a moment. He looked up at me, thoughtful, then leaned his head briefly against my arm before pulling back.
“You don’t have to give up,” he said. “You can just try again later.”
I blinked. “That’s… oddly good advice.”
He beamed. “I’m smart. Just ask anyone.”
I let out a quiet chuckle. “Okay, Mr. Smart Guy. How are you doing?”
Micah shrugged again. “Fine. I just miss my Grandpa.” He tilted his cup to slurp the last of the cocoa, then wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “Mom said I can go see him soon. But only if someone from the patrol comes too.”
“She’s smart to make that a rule,” I said. “That part of the woods isn’t safe right now.”
Micah nodded solemnly.
“If I’m free, I’ll come with you. Deal?” I told him.
Micah’s eyes widened. “For real?”
“For real. I’ll even bring snacks.”
“Can we get those cheese crackers from the kitchen?” Micah asked.
“Only if you promise not to eat them all in the first ten minutes,” I pointed out.
He held up his pinky. “Promise.”
We pinky-swore, because of course we did. He was still a kid, no matter how many scary things he’d seen lately.
“Thanks,” he said after a moment, voice quieter now. “For the cocoa. And for being nice.”
“Least I could do,” I told him.
We stood there a little longer. I caught a glimpse of Ethan through the curtain, his brow furrowed in concentration as he checked someone’s bandages. My chest squeezed.
“He really likes you, you know,” Micah said softly.
I glanced down at him. “Yeah?”
He nodded. “Yeah. So just go talk to him later, okay?”
“I will.”
Micah beamed, then yawned into his sleeve.
“You ready to head home soon?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Not yet. But I wanna see Grandpa tomorrow.”
“I’ll make sure you get there,” I said. “And we’ll bring extra cheese crackers just in case.”
He nodded solemnly, like this was a sacred pact.
I glanced at Ethan again, then turned and headed for the exit. Maybe I’d try again later. Maybe not. But either way, I needed some air.
I needed space to think. And more than anything, I needed Ethan to meet me halfway.
Chapter 15
