Chapter Seven
Three weeks passed, and Sophie’s concern for her new friend continued to grow. Rather than Paul’s headaches subsiding as she, Claire, and Paul had hoped, they had gotten worse – and lately, the typically genial man had become increasingly foul-tempered, to boot.
The trio were having breakfast on Friday morning when he uncharacteristically snapped at Claire to the point that she left the table in tears.
Sophie was shocked.
“I know you haven’t been well,” she said gently, “but still, she didn’t deserve to be spoken to that way, Paul.”
The usually gentle giant sighed.
“I know. I just… I don’t know what’s wrong with me lately, kiddo,” he confessed as he reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a little bottle to add his customary dose of liquid sweetener to his third gl
