“Thanks.” I backed far enough away so that the only thing I would be able to see was his head and then opened my eyes.
“Here.” I tossed him a washcloth and a bar of soap. “If you want the jets on, push that button on the side. Over on the left, by your hand.”
The look of amazement on his face when the jets came on was priceless.
“Towels are on the heated rack on the left side of the tub. Food will be here in twenty minutes.” I shut the door behind me and then added, shouting, “And make sure you come out dressed!”
I quickly straightened up my room, and not long after the phone rang, indicating that the food was ready. I met the server by the elevator, signed the form, and took the cart from him. “I’ll call when you can come pick it up, okay?”
“Very good, miss.”
Wheeling the cart into the kitchen, I set two places and got out milk, a variety of juice bottles, and two mugs for the hot chocolate I’d ordered. After setting the platters of food on the table, I shouted, “Amon! Breakfast is here! Are you dressed?”
I jumped when I heard his voice right behind me. “I am having a problem.”
“You scared me.” I turned around and found him holding the shoes in one hand and his sweatpants up around his waist with the other. “Are they that loose?” I asked.
To prove it, he let go and the pants slid dangerously low on his hips. There were no white boxers in sight. “Um…Amon? Where are the rest of the clothes I gave you?”
“This is the one I chose. It covers the most.”
“Ah, I see. Then you made a good choice, but I meant for you to wear all of the clothes.”
“All of them?” His eyes roved over my body, still clad in pajamas. “But you do not wear that many.”
“No, not when I’m sleeping, but when I dress for the day I will wear clothes like the ones I gave you.”
“Very well. May I eat first, Lily?”
“Sure. Have a seat.”
While he sat down I uncovered the dishes. Fragrant steam rose as I removed each domed lid. “There. Now you eat while I go get dressed. I’ll bring back your other clothes, too, okay?”
Amon stared at the food with wide eyes, and he could only nod in response.
As I turned to leave, I smiled. My parents would raise their eyebrows when they saw how much food I had ordered for just one meal, but it was worth it to see the look on Amon’s face. He’d requested a feast, and a feast I gave him. One worthy of anyone’s bucket list.
He was now surrounded by eggs done eight different ways, hash browns and skillet potatoes, country ham, apple sausage, maple bacon, biscuits slathered with honey and melted butter, caramel-apple-topped pancakes with whipped cream, crème br?lée French toast, malted Belgian waffles, a fruit platter, and a basket full of croissants, Danishes, and streusel-topped blueberry muffins. If he couldn’t find something he liked among those dishes, then he was past helping.
I dressed in what I called designer casual and smiled as I assessed myself in the mirror. Though my eyes were still bright, I looked much more like the poised, calm, and in-control version of myself. Heading back to the kitchen, I dumped Amon’s clothes on the chair next to him. I put my hands on my hips and laughed as I took in the scene before me. “Which one did you like best?”
“All of it,” Amon mumbled with his mouth full. “Here, Lily. Sit.” He pulled out a chair and took my arm, tugging until I sat down. “Eat.”
I scooped some fruit onto my plate and nibbled on it while he filled his plate again. Halfway done, he paused and looked at me. “Why are you not eating?”
“Too many carbs.”
“What is a carb?”
“Uh, too fattening.”
“You are not fat.” Amon looked me up and down in a way that made me feel slightly uncomfortable. “You are too thin. Eat.”
He picked up a serving spoon and began filling my plate until the plate could hold no more.
“Okay!” I threw up my hands. “That’s enough.”