“First,” he kisses me gently. “You need to try to eat but notforceyourself,” he adds firmly. “Whatever that was earlier on the phone can't happen again. Don't eat until you make yourself sick. It's no better, and it's why I don't force you to eat, Sage. I only ask you to try, and if you say you're full, I'll believe you. I'm sorry for before.” He tucks a hair behind my ear.
I nod in response, stealing a kiss from him.
He studies me for a beat before leaving for the food.
An unsettling feeling washes over me, but I tell myself that I’ll be fine if I eat and that nothing will change after eating this. However, my mind races with every comment I receive under my pictures about my body. Every article about me, picking apart my weight, pound by pound.
When Liam walks back in, the scent of the Jamaican food we got smells amazing, but I don’t have an appetite for anything.
Liam doesn’t serve anything on a plate and picks from the takeout containers instead, but I don’t move to try anything. I know he’s waiting for me, but I can’t bring myself to do it.
“Try some.” He serves some plantains on a plate. I tear off a small piece, and the minute I try it, my mouth waters, but I still don’twantto eat.
I eat the rest of the plantains in silence, and Liam places a soft kiss on my cheek. “I have another surprise for my will-you-be-my-girlfriend gesture.”
I turn to him with a smile, and he steals a kiss. “What is it?”
“I’m not telling you.” He kisses me again, and I shake with a laugh. “Finish eating so I can give it to you.” He gestures to the food, and I feel my face fall.
“I get rewarded for eating now?”
“No, I told you. It’s a part of my be-my-girlfriend gesture, but I’ll give you another reward if you want one for eating.”
I muster up the courage and have a spoonful of rice before turning to him. “Give me a hint.”
“No.”
I bite back a smile as I study him. “There is no other surprise, is there?”
He shrugs, but I see the way he bites his cheek so as not to smile. “Finish eating, and I’ll show you.”
I can’t tell if he’s lying or not, and I don’t eat much, but I pick a bit at the food.
“How's your mom?” I ask softly before turning to Liam. “Have you gone to visit her recently?”
He's been pretty open about her, but only when I ask. I'm still not sure what she's sick with, and considering it clearly takes a lot for him to open up, I haven't asked.
“She's good.” Hesmiles,and I swear I hold my breath at the sight. “She's been having a lot of good days.”
“That's so good to hear!” I smile over at him, and he leans forward to plant a soft kiss on my lips.
He gestures to my food, and I try a little more. He must be satisfied because he only asks me to eat all of the rice he serves me and doesn’t tell me to have more when I leave some. Instead, he says, “Good job, baby,” and kisses me slowly before pulling away to take the food down.
I'm lying on his stack of pillows when his phone starts ringing, and it’s someone named Capri. I walk out of the room with his phone, and just as I round the corner, Liam reaches the top of his steps.
“Do you need something, beloved?”
“Someone’s calling you.” I hand him his phone, and he rolls his eyes, but when he sees who it is, his brows furrow as he brings it to his ear.
“What's up, Pri?” The furrow in his brows deepens before a panic covers his face. “Okay, slow down.”
“Is everything okay?” I whisper, but it sounds like they are yelling on the other end, and he rushes past me before I follow him back into the room.
“I'm on my way.” He hangs up before disappearing into his closet.
“What's wrong?” I peek into his closet from the bed as he pulls his hoodie over his head.
“It's my mom.”
