Page 125 of When a Soul Cries

“Pretty much whatever I eat now, as long as I cut it small.”

I watched the baby slap both palms against the tray impatiently.

“She got a name?”

Sol paused.

Her expression softened instantly as she looked at her daughter.

“Halo.”

I repeated it in my head first.

Halo.

Then I looked at the little girl.

“Hey, Halo.”

Her big brown eyes landed on me.

I smiled.

“So that’s your name.”

She stared at me for two seconds before banging her hand against the tray again.

I laughed. “Damn. Nice meeting you too.”

Sol laughed with me, and this time it lasted longer.

“She doesn’t care about you. She wants those potatoes.”

“That’s cold.”

“She gets it from me.”

“I believe that shit.”

Sol gave me a look before scooping up a small bite.

Watching her feed Halo changed something in the room.

Her entire face softened around that baby. No matter how tired she was, no matter how much shit she had been carrying, she smiled every time Halo opened her mouth for another bite.

Then I noticed Sol wasn’t eating.

“Where’s your plate?”

“I’ll eat.”

“When?”

“After she does.”

I stood, fixed one myself, and set it in front of her.

Sol looked up.