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Hawke is silent as he pops open a bag of chips He'd finished his sandwich, but that was always the way Hawke ate, one thing on his plate at a ti, despite the fact I used to remind him often that it would do so in his stomach

"Do you need so his eyes fro me in place

"Financial help?" I practically squeak out in surprise

"Yeah I make considerably more than forty-one thousand dollars and I don'tto helpum, your dad"

My head is shaking in the negative before he can even finish his sentence "No, thanks We're good"

"Then how about takingHe waves it in a circle in front of his face with an i"

"That's part of the job I already get paid for," I remind him with a stern look "If you want to schedule some time with me each week, we can do that"

"But I don't like the equipym would be better"

"You don't even knohat gyive me money when I don't want to take it fro soardless of this new truce, there's still unspoken anger on my part as well I sure as shit cut him loose, but he sure as shit turned his back on me when I reached out to him I don't want any handouts from him, now or ever, because in the back of uilt driven

"Okay," he says with both hands raised up defensively "But "

"That's fine," I say curtly before wiping et so scheduled"

Hawke dips his head in acknowledgment and pops another chip into his mouth I ball up my napkin, throw it on the remains of my unfinished tuna salad, and stand up from my chair

"Wantit up fro it out to him

A peace offering, perhaps to counter et those extra calories

"Sure," he says with a grin, and reaches out to take it from my hand

His forefinger touches the end of h my body

"Ouch! Son of a fucking bitch," I scream out as I jerk my hand away from the bathroom vanity drahere I had just slammed my thumb

Loud, crashing footsteps echo through our tiny apart closer until Hawke bursts in the bathroo my shower

"What's wrong?" he asks as his panicked eyes rove all overout

"My thumb," I whine as I hold it out for him to inspect It's red on the tip and throbs like a bitch "I slammed it in the drawer"

Hawke lets out a huge gust of relieved breath and ave me a heart attack"

I can't help it I giggle and try to look apologetic "Sorry But it hurt, and that was just a little reflexive curse that popped out"