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"It’s a gift" Cupping the unwounded side of his face, I rainedhad to have made quite an i what he’d been through

He merely heldcare

When I had hiood and mollified, I kissed his jaw and et a black eye, Knox?"

"My dad," he rasped, only to turn into ed hiest time

"I made us a picnic," I finally said

He made a sound in his throat; it reminded me of a sob "I know I saw It broke ret "I should’ve just co spot and shown you my eye then"

"Don’t worry about it," I assured hi his hand "We can still eat it now" I led him back to the basket, but when I reached for it, he took it from me

"I can carry it"

I smiled at him "Thank you Do you want to eat at our tree? I think that’s closer than the dock"

He nodded once "Okay"

So alked to the tree and neither of us spoke the entire way It felt strange, leading hi He was never so meek But whatever had happened between hi I had not to ask Not yet, anyway He’d talk when he was ready

We reached the trees and round His eyes lit up when he saw everything up close that I’d brought Meeting rin "Good choices"