Punning with Scissors by Becky Clark

Author:Becky Clark [Clark, Becky]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Published: 2021-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Georgeanne rang Hugh’s doorbell until he answered. She held up a pot she carried with oven mitts. “Chicken pad Thai stew with Grandma’s dumplings. Comfort and protein, that’s what you need,” she said, pushing past Hugh.

Gin danced around their feet in the foyer. Hugh reached down and stroked her velvety ear.

“Now you come on out here and sit yourself down while I get your food ready. Soup’s no good cold, now, is it?”

Hugh didn’t answer, but slumped into a chair at the kitchen table. Gin leaped into his lap. She barely fit, but he put a protective arm around her so she wouldn’t fall. She gave him a dainty lick on his cheek.

Georgeanne opened cupboards and drawers until she found everything she needed. She ladled soup into a bowl. “Is this bowl microwave safe?”

Hugh barely answered and Georgeanne hoped his grunt meant it was, in fact, safe.

She zapped the soup and placed it and a spoon in front of Hugh. She gently shooed Gin off his lap so he could eat. “Croutons?” When Hugh didn’t answer, content with staring into space, Georgeanne shook some Grape-Nuts cereal on top of his soup. “For crunch. Everybody likes a little crunch.”

She stepped back, out of his view, and stared at him staring across the room. She followed his gaze, but couldn’t ascertain if he was just unfocused or there really was something captivating on the far wall.

Gin looked up at Georgeanne and they shared a moment of concern.

Georgeanne made sure Gin had fresh water, then gave her a treat from the bag Quinn had left on the kitchen counter. She poured Hugh a glass of water.

He began staring at it instead of the far wall.

Georgeanne pulled out a chair and sat close to him. “Listen, Hugh. I get that you’re not hungry. Or maybe you just don’t like my soup, and that’s perfectly fine. But I am not leaving here today until you drink that entire glass of water. Dehydration can do terrible, terrible things to a person. And whether you like it or not, you are still a living, breathing human and I want you to stay that way.” When he didn’t respond and just kept staring at the water, she picked it up and handed it to him. “I mean it, Hugh.” Her voice was soft, but sturdy. She held it closer and closer to him until he finally took it from her.

He took a tentative sip, then a couple of gulps before setting it back down.

“Excellent.” Georgeanne held out the spoon. “Now eat some soup.”

Hugh closed his eyes and shook his head, ever so slightly.

“Maybe later?”

He opened his eyes and lifted his shoulders in the tiniest of shrugs.

It satisfied Georgeanne. “Finish your water.” She sat there eyeballing him until he picked up the glass again and sipped. She nodded and smiled before returning to the pot of soup she’d brought. Even though she was fairly certain he wouldn’t answer, she asked, “Do you have any small Tupperware I can

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