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“You wouldn’t have let me any other way,” he replied.
My cheeks heated as he offered his hand. What was I going to do with this man?
“There you are!” Isra called. “I was about to look up how to break into a locked house!”
“Not so loud,” Levi said gently. “She’s still recovering.”
“Sorry.”
“We brought you food,” Nancy offered. “We can either drop it off or stay.”
“If you let us stay,” Isra added, “I’ll clean for you.”
“Don’t sound so desperate,” Nancy hissed.
“What? I only have you for company. Can I not hope for more?”
Nancy’s eyes narrowed marginally. “Youlikespending time with me.”
“You guys can stay,” I said as I unlocked the door with a smile. “No cleaning needed.”
“I think we’ll still clean,” Isra said. “Whatever happened terrified poor Levi. It must have been bad.”
I winced. “It was more like I had a lapse in my communication. My life was never in danger or anything.”
“It doesn’t have to be in danger for it to be serious,” Nancy reminded.
My gaze fell to my feet. “Maybe.” I pointed to the food in her hands. “I’ll take that and heat it up.”
She turned from me with a raised eyebrow. “I know how to use an oven.”
“If you think we’re letting you do a thing, you’re wrong,” Isra warned. “Come on, Nancy. Let’s start the food before she tries to show us around.”
“You might as well sit on the couch,” Levi told me. “They’re not letting you do a thing.”
“But they’re guests.”
“And you were sick.” His hands landed on my shoulders and he gently coaxed me to sit. “They said you were a part of the family, so you’ll have to get used to them running around your house like they own the place.”
I let out a long sigh and leaned back, arms crossed tightly over my chest. “This feels weird.”
“We’re done,” Nancy said, walking back in. “Now, how about you tell us what you need and we do it for you?”
“That’s gonna be an uphill battle,” Levi said. “She’s very stubborn about accepting help.”
Isra crossed her arms, and I wondered if I was about to getanotherlecture.
“Nothing needs to be done. I’ve been handling my brain lighting itself on fire for over ten years. I can keep my life running while it does.”
Isra looked bewildered. “Brain lighting itself on fire,” she repeated. “Is that an English phrase I haven’t heard yet?”
“It’s her trying to make light of what happened,” Levi grumbled.
“They’re migraines,” I said. “Just migraines.”
“Just?” Nancy asked. “Good Lord, honey. Those things are terrible.”
“And this one was a nine,” Levi added.