My Stepbrothers’ Plus-Sized Obsession

A SINGLE TEAR

MELANIE

“Is something wrong?”

I don’t know why I ask him, I’m not even sure why I care.

This is a temporary situation.

Once my mother gets back, I could get her to lend me some money and be on my way.

I do not need to get any closer to them than I already have.

So why does my heart do several flips in my chest when he shifts his gaze off the road and onto me?

“Hmm,” he murmurs.

“You didn’t have breakfast. We should stop somewhere so you can have something to eat.”

I blink twice, visibly shocked.

Xavier’s right brow raises, as if surprised by my surprise.

Really? Is that what made him look like his entire life force was being sucked out of him?

“I’m not hungry right now,” and it’s the truth. I can’t remember the last time I had breakfast.

Brandon made sure I only ate once a day for several months, and that was only in the evenings.

I doubt my stomach would be able to hold a meal this early in the day.

It’s barely 12pm.

“We could eat when we get to Westfield, after we’ve seen Brandon.” I continue, looking outside my window.

“Yeah, no.”

“Xavier…”

“You and I know that after seeing his face, the last thing you’ll want to do is eat. We will stop by a nice place, and you’ll get something to eat before we see him. Alright?”

I shrug.

Not that there’s any winning over him. He’s going to do what he wants anyway.

I’m silent for the rest of our three hour drive to Westfield.

Just as he said, Xavier drives into the parking lot of Haven, one of the best restaurants in Westfield.

I had only ever seen it in movies and on social media. I never dreamed I'd one day walk into it.

“It’s the big place on TV!” Penelope squeals. She takes off her headphone and peeks her head out the window.

From the corner of my eye, I can see Xavier flash her a warm smile.

“Let’s get you and mummy a big happy meal before we go see daddy, okay?”

“Okay!”

She jumps into his arms when he opens her door for her, and something in my chest tightens.

It’s going to really hurt her when we have to leave, but it’s for the best. She’ll understand one day, when she’s much older.

With Pen in his left hand, Xavier opens my door with his right. He holds his hand out to me, and I take it.

He squeezes my fingers tight, but I slowly manage to pull my hand away.

If he’s displeased by this, he doesn’t say it.

“Did you know this place is strictly by reservation?” I ask him as we walk in, the ambience is far more amazing than it looks through a screen.

“You’re an Alistair,” he says with a cocky grin.

“There’s nowhere you can’t walk into.”

I want to tell him I’m not an Alistair. I was a Law, then I became a Kingston. Contrary to what he thinks, I’m a nobody.

We’re greeted by a waiter who regards us with a strange look on his face, until Xavier shows his ID card.

The man studies his face for a brief second, before his eyes twinkle in realization.

He bursts into a big smile and becomes ten times more polite than he was.

Xavier, on the other hand, leans into his chair and stretches both hands out to the table. He looks at me with a grin on his face, as if saying “I told you so.”

Must be nice.

“I’ll have a salad, please. Just greens, and…”

“Absolutely not.” Xavier cuts in.

I frown at him.

He looks up at the waiter.

“Listen man, don’t get that, okay? She’s going to have some of your amazing steak. I saw the reviews, you’ve got some good looking ones.”

Xavier winks at the man, and he…blushes?

“Yes…yes we do.”

“Amazing! That, and some mashed potatoes, with your finest mocktail. You can add something really sweet on the side, your finest desert. She has quite the sweet tooth.”

“I don’t…”

I try to protest, but he continues.

“You have that down, don’t you?”

If Brandon could hear the things Xavier ordered for me, he would have a heart attack and die on the spot.

It all sounds so delicious, I can already feel my mouth water.

I haven’t had a full meal in months. I doubt I’ll even be able to remember what food tastes like.

“And I’ll have the Lobster Themidor, but without the shellfish. You have great substitutes, don’t you?”

The waiter nods and goes on a listing spree of different fishes, most I’ve never heard about before.

Xavier finally picks one.

“What’s the deal with shellfish?” I ask.

He leans close, and whispers into my ear, “I’m allergic.”

Oh.

I say nothing, and watch Pen go on and on, picking whatever tickles her fancy on the menu.

I don’t even know what half the meals she points at are, but she seems excited, and Xavier is delighted to indulge her.

Half an hour later, our table is filled with all kinds of delicacies.

One bite of the steak almost brings tears to my eyes. Xavier watches me closely, not taking his eyes off me for a single second.

When I chew and swallow, he sucks in a deep breath, as if relieved.

Does he think I am incapable of swallowing food?

I’m determined to enjoy this meal, to bask in it, and tattoo this day into my memory forever.

But Mother Universe, my biggest foe, decides to take it away from me.

One second, Penelope is swinging her legs under the table, using her tiny fork to stab a piece of the buttery fish.

The next second, the fork slips from her little fingers and falls into the plate.

My brows furrow, the music in the background drowns away.

Pen doesn’t make a sound, she just…freezes.

My food refuses to go down my throat.

“Pen?”

Her eyes widen in pure terror as her hand flies to her throat.

“Pen!” I scream, rising up to my feet.

Xavier is right beside me.

My heart is pounding against my chest, conquering the ringing in my ears.

Pen isn’t breathing. Her chest rises in frantic and heavy jerks, but she can’t…she can’t seem to get the air down to her lungs.

“Call an ambulance, now!”

Xavier’s voice echoes behind me.

Pen falls to the floor, and I fall beside her. Her head is on my thighs as she clutches the collar of her pink dress, tears gathering in her eyes.

“Stay with me. Stay with me.”

Tiny white hives begin blooming across her jawline. She tries to raise her hand, to touch me.

I take it and squeeze it hard, a wave of cold, paralyzing dread crashing over me.

But she’s taken away.

The medics rush into the restaurant, and they pry her from my cold shaking hands and place her on a stretcher.

Xavier’s hands come around me. He lifts me off the ground, but my knees can’t hold my weight.

His hands come around my waist, keeping me standing.

“Let’s go behind them.” I can barely make out the words he says.

“She’s going to be fine, Mel. I promise.”

A single tear falls from my right eye.