[He says, abruptly: ] You’d know if you were giving me a headache. [He wouldn’t be here, he means.
He’d be anywhere else, doing anything else. He’s here. He gets to work with undressing Eddie’s wound, takes in the damage as he cleans it, re-bandages it. He doesn’t say a word about the knife shaped burn; doesn’t ask if it was Billy or Jem. Knowing won’t help. It won’t change anything.
When he’s done, he feels an old paternal protectiveness. Can’t help taking Eddie back in his arms, holding him to chest, and feeling so immensely sorry that he couldn’t shield him from any of this. He’s failing. He’s not trying hard enough. He’s letting himself become too distracted. ]
no subject
He’d be anywhere else, doing anything else. He’s here. He gets to work with undressing Eddie’s wound, takes in the damage as he cleans it, re-bandages it. He doesn’t say a word about the knife shaped burn; doesn’t ask if it was Billy or Jem. Knowing won’t help. It won’t change anything.
When he’s done, he feels an old paternal protectiveness. Can’t help taking Eddie back in his arms, holding him to chest, and feeling so immensely sorry that he couldn’t shield him from any of this. He’s failing. He’s not trying hard enough. He’s letting himself become too distracted. ]