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“How you feeling, buddy?” I asked as I turned so I could watch my son devour his meal
“Look, Daddy,” he said as he proudly held up the so see this movie?”
“Maybe,” I hedged as my stomach churned I knew I needed to explain to Matty why he’d be spending much of the next six months in the hospital, but I had no idea how to do it I could feel the tears threatening all over again so I turned around and stared at the cars flying along the Interstate By now, I should have been used to the feeling of not knoas going to happen…it had become a way of life for us But all I wanted was for my kid was to have a normal life Play dates, birthday parties, a house with a yard, a dog…and I couldn’t give him any of that
Hawke pushed out through the restaurant door, a bag in one hand and a cup in another He practically ripped open the driver’s side door He shoved the bag atthe key into the ignition and starting the car I held the bag onsto, I tried to hand the bag to Hawke but he pushed it back at me and muttered, “Eat”
I looked at him in surprise “But-”
“Just shut up and eat, Tate,” Hawke snapped
“Oooh, he said a bad word,” Matty called from the back seat
“Eat your lunch, okay, Matty?” I h I couldn’t take my eyes off the man next to me who had yet to look at me When he finally did, I felt my throat close up at the flash of softness I saw as he quietly repeated his order for me to eat The hardness returned almost instantly, but I didn’t focus on that Instead, I opened the bag and did exactly as he said
I ate
Hawke’s ehout the drive north We had to stop several o to the bathrooet a read on hias station, he bought Matty some ice cream and when Matty saw a children’s play area in a park across the street froas station we stopped at, Hawke pulled the car up to it after we’d gassed up and Matty and I had played for al back in the car to continue on our journey
We’d stopped for dinner an hour earlier at a truck stop that had a restaurant attached to it, but when I’d only ordered a ser, fries and even a piece of pie I’d tried to offer him money to pay for both Matty’s and my meals, but he’d shot me such a dark look that the protest had died in my throat