Casen is having the hardest time of all of us, obviously.
He hasn't been eating or sleeping.
But he hasn't cried yet.
"Casen, come sit." My dad says. We're all eating dinner. Casen is just awkwardly standing a few feet from the table.
He shakes his head.
"Yes. Come sit down, son."
Casen shakes his head.
"Are you hungry?" Mom asks.
He shrugs.
At 2 am, I'm awoken by my door opening.
I half-way sit up.
Casen peeks through the door.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
He doesn't answer.
"Come in, then. Don't just stand there.
He walks in and awkwardly closes the door behind himself.
"What's up?" I ask.
"Um..." he shrugs hesitantly.
"Do you need something to eat?"
He shrugs.
"Are you thirsty?"
I only ask because I know Cameron always went with him when all the lights were off. They never went to get snacks separately.
"I don't know," he says quietly.
"What do you need?" I ask.
He doesn't answer, but his eyes kinda drift to my bed.
"Casen,"
"Huh?"
"Do you need someone to sleep with you?"
He doesn't answer.
"Come here." I pat the bed in front of me.
He gratefully climbs in under the sheets and lays down facing me.
"Oh my god, Kid," I tease as he tries to get comfortable
He ends up with his face in my chest and his knees bent up.
"Getting comfortable, are we?" I ask.
And for some reason, after four days, this is what triggers the tears.
He bursts into sobs all at once and clings to my shirt.
"Oh. Oh no. Casen, I'm sorry. You can get comfortable however you want. It's okay."
He grabs my shirt and sobs.
I feel terrible.
"I'm sorry, Casen. How can I make it better? How did he do it?" I ask.
Through much coaxing, I manage to get him to show me how I'm supposed to lay. And then he just holds onto me, and I hold him, and he cries. He cries for hours. He cries full heartedly.
