章 110: Chapter 110

He looked uncertain.

“Joe?”

He stuffed a corner of his sandwich into his mouth, and I knew it was an attempt to keep from revealing something. I took his shoulder in a gentle grip and urged him toward the love seat.

“Sit.”

He sat.

“Now, swallow, and tell me what’s bothering you.”

He sank back into a corner of the love seat, chewed industriously, and finally swallowed. “Will you come back?”

“Yes. I have to come get you, don’t I?”

“And you won’t wind up dead like Ma?”

“Nope.”

Miss Priss jumped onto the love seat beside him and nudged his arm until he raised it so she could nestle against his side.

“O-okay.”

“Joe.” I waited until he met my gaze. “It’s going to be okay, I promise you.”

He released his death grip on the bear, took a piece of roast beef from his sandwich, and offered it to the cat. Miss Priss accepted it and ate it in one dainty bite. Joe watched her for a moment, then looked at me with a determined expression on his face.