She’d lost weight in the nine days we’d been here, and I fucking hated that. I loved her as she was, and I didn’t want her to change—especially when it was involuntary.
“Eat something? For me, baby?”
Every time they brought her something to eat, I ended up coercing her to down the pudding, if nothing else.
“I’m really not hungry, Finn,” she told me softly, her green eyes like dewy grass in the morning. They had the power to ensnare me, as well as torture me with guilt. I never saw any hatred or bitterness in those gem-like orbs, even if I deserved to have both sentiments aimed my way.
“Would you like me to bring you some of Mom’s cooking?” Eoghan asked. “I’ve eaten hospital food. It makes shit look tasty.”
“Ew,” she complained, but I saw the twinkle in her eye and knew he’d amused her. Again.
What the hell?
Eoghan was making her laugh while I was making her wrinkle her nose?
Grunting, I watched as my brother patted her arm. “You like Mom’s food.”
“I do.”
“And she’s bored, Aoife,” he told her earnestly. “I’ll bet she’ll make you three square meals a day if you asked her to.” He grimaced. “She hates that she can’t visit.”
“What’s lockdown?”
“When someone is locked down?” Eoghan snarked, and Aoife stunned me when she lifted her arm, and scratched her nose with her middle finger.
“Someone got served a bird,” Brennan hooted, and I turned my head to see my brother walking in, a basket of fruit in his hands.
I almost shook my head at the sight of the gift. Considering the Points were a general down because I was in here with Aoife, it was amazing how often my brothers could find the time to visit.
If we were on lockdown, it wasn’t just because of the drive-by. We’d retaliated. I didn’t know how, didn’t want to know either, but I knew the protocol we had in place.
I’d drafted it my fucking self.
“Hey Brennan,” Aoife said, her tone sleepy again.
Goddammit.
She was sleeping so much it frightened the shit out of me. When I asked the doctors though, they just said she needed the rest and that everyone had different reactions to the anesthetic.
I was about to lose my fucking mind, though.
Every time she dropped off, it scared the shit out of me.
“Can I have some grapes, please?”
My head shot up at that. “You want something solid?”
Her eyes were closed again but she nodded. “Please.”
“So polite,” Brennan teased as he ripped into the cellophane. “Whatever did you do to deserve her, Finn?”
“I don’t know,” I whispered, and I heard the guilt in my voice. Knew my brothers did too.
Aoife didn’t though. Eyes still closed, she smiled. “He kisses like a dream.”
Brennan and Eoghan started snickering. “He does, huh?”
“Oh yeah,” she murmured. “What’s your favorite food?”