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Phillip

The scentof yeast and fresh-baked bread hit me full force as I stepped into Jeremy’s house.

He was hard on my heels and greeted the scent with a, “What the fuck?”

“Uncle Jer said a bad word.”Thaddeus was right there by the front door, apparently ready to tattle on his favorite uncle.

His only uncle?

Huh.

I hadn’t gotten a rundown of Marcie’s husband’s siblings.

This is what you’re focusing on?Seriously?

“Uh, Marcie?”Jeremy leaned over to untie his shoes.

I plopped onto the bench by the front door to do the same thing.So much easier than sucking in my stomach and trying to do it bent over while standing.

Jeremy’s defiant words circled in my mind.Generous.Kind.Attractive.Sexy.Who the hell found a fat guy sexy?

Okay, that came out wrong.Some people really didn’t see body type in their attraction factor.Some people were specifically attracted to overweight people.Something about survival of the species.Or something.My doctor in LA recommended a couple of articles about self-esteem but, me being me, I’d gone down a rabbit hole to see what random people thought about fat and skinny people.

Not supposed to use the word fat.

Right.Overweight?Curvy?Something less pejorative?That was the idea, anyway.But shaming myself for my weight was my coping mechanism.A way to keep people at arm’s length.If they didn’t get close, then they couldn’t hurt me like Hank did.

I hadn’t told Jeremy about the suicide attempt.Nearly…but I hadn’t been able to get the words past my tight throat.Because his kindness overwhelmed me.His anger on my behalf.The righteousness that Hank was…wrong.

Part of me wanted to believe Jeremy.And part of me continued to look at myself in the mirror and hate what he saw.

“Hey, munchkin.”Jeremy tousled Thaddeus’s hair.

“He’s not a munchkin.”Raphael put their hands on their hips.“He’s a boy.Munchkins are in Oz.”

I blinked.I was pretty certain Jeremy did as well, given his stunned expression.Funny—I figured he’d be accustomed to such proclamations from the obviously bright Raphael.I smiled.“I saw that movie when I was a kid.Scared the bejeebers out of me.I didn’t watch it again for years.They always played it at Halloween.”They being the powers that be in our little town.For reasons, I wasn’t entirely clear on, they alternated between The Wizard of Oz and Old Yeller for our once-a-year secular movies.I didn’t think either were good choices—but no one ever asked me.

“You were right to be scared.”Raphael pointed at me.“Uncle Jeremy will protect you.”With that pronouncement, they flounced out of the room.

“Well, okay, then.”Jeremy pressed a hand to my shoulder.“I’ll always protect you.Be it from foe or friend.”

“You mean from your nibblets.”

Thaddeus had also bolted out of the room.

“Jeremy, is that you?”Marcie’s disembodied voice came from the kitchen,

He rolled his eyes.“Yes, Marcie.”

“Great.Come help.”

We exchanged a look.

I bent over to unclip Wally who’d been waiting patiently.I was always hesitant to just let him run around in Jeremy’s house.Especially with kids running around as well.

Wally waited and watched as I straightened.

Figuring he might be thirsty, I indicated he was free to go.