ALEX

Her eyes snap to me, and I swear my soul leaves my body for a second.

"I mean, I''m...just asking! For context! Pain-level identification!" I rush to exin.

She res.

I press my lips into a thin line.

Without saying another word.

At the red light, I quickly pull up my phone and search for the nearest convenience store. Thankfully, there''s one less than five minutes away.

I park the car a little too hard in my rush.

Athena doesn''t move. She''s hunched over in pain, with sweat still clinging to her temples like she just ran a marathon.

I nce at her,pletely useless, then I turn to her and whisper, "Baby, stay here.......ahh....I''ll get what you need."

She doesn''t fight me on this or the pet name I just called her.

That''s how I know it''s bad.

I grab my wallet and rush out. But as I step out of the car and head toward the store, a terrifying thought strikes me,

What do I even get?

I freeze on the sidewalk like an idiot, then pull out my phone again and start typing:

[ What do women need when they''re in pain from the thing... the monthly thing... bleeding but not dying?]

But autocorrect turns it into [What do women need when they''re in pain from the thing monthly bleating not dying]

What?

I growl under my breath and try again, slower this time:

[What do you buy for period cramps?]

A whole list pops up, pads, tampons, chocte, painkillers, heating pads, herbal tea, dark chocte again, midol,

I''m a grown man who has done so much, and yet this this is the most stressful mission of my life.

I''m terrified of disappointing Athena or worse, making her angrier.

I push open the ss door to the store, and it chimes.

I''m fucking nervous right now. I saw that pads have different types. What if I get

the ones she hates and it makes her even more mad.

I sigh as I step inside the store.

The cashier is a girl. Maybe neen. Possibly fifteen.

She looks up from her phone.

"Hi! Wee!"

Oh God!

"Hey," I say, my voice cracking like I''m fifteen again.

I stand awkwardly in the middle of the entrance, not moving.

She blinks. "Do you... need help with something?"

Yes. So much help. But I can''t say it. I physically cannot make my mouth say the word.

I feel like I''m carrying a deep secret. Is it even allowed to talk about it?

Fuck! I''m so clueless.

I should have paid more attention to Sloane growing up.

"I...uh... so..." I scratch the back of my neck. "Let''s say... theoretically, someone

is experiencing... intense abdominal... rage."

She blinks again. "What?"

I clear my throat. "You know. Like... woman pain. In the lower region." I

demonstrate, "and has a very angry uterus situation."

Now she''s looking at me like I''m about to propose an alien autopsy.

"Ohhh," she says slowly.

"You mean period cramps?"

I wince.

"Could you maybe not say it so loud?"

She stares.

"You''re in a convenience store. Not the CIA Besides, it''s nothing to be ashamed of. Periods are very normal. It''s actually sweet seeing a man do this."  s

I lean back, a smile tugging at my lips.

"Are you serious?"

"You have no clue about women do you?"

I scoff. "You''re twelve. I obviously know more than you do."

Sheughs at that.

"I''m 21. And I''ll help you. Because you do look like a lost puppy."

I throw her a re but she onlyughs harder making me smile.

Seeing how she Is reminds me of Sloane. God I miss her so much.

"Can you help me? Like putting together a cute basket? I''ll pay for whatever. Just make sure it says, "I''m here for you.""?

She''s openlyughing now. "You want me to add a sticky note that says that, or...?"

I re. "Just the basket. Please."

"Got it!"

I don''t know what prompts me but I find myself asking,

"Are you at school?"

She looks up from the ribbon she''s making as fast as she can.

"No. I''m still trying to raise my college tuition F*e."

"What do you want to study?"

"Medicine."

I rarely conversate with people. Our foundation has so many people we help but

they''re all picked by mum. So it shocks me when I say,

"Call this line. They will get you in

school. Maybe one day you can

meet

incred

she is an

Van teach you a

doctor and

things.

s

few

"Oh my God! Are you..." She gasps as she reads the name on the card. "No one

will ever believe I met you." She says and Iugh.

That is true.

I walk back out five minutester,

my arms full of emergency

chocte, a heating patch,

painkillers, and what I think are the

Fight t feminine products she boxed.

for me.

s

Athena lifts her head slowly when I get back into the car. She eyes the loot in my

Her lip twitches. "You went to war?"

"Nope. Just had a chat with someone you''ll love."

Sheughs.

"You and chatting can''t be in the same sentence."

I said that too!

"Do you need to change or..."

She shakes her head, "No, I just get cramps ahead of time." She sits up and takesfne59b Latest content published on f?ndnovel/fne59b

the pain killers before grabbing a bar of chocte.

I bite the inside of cheek as I wait for her to tell me how it tastes.

Did I mention how nervous I am?

A moan leaves her mouth after she takes another bite,

"Hmmmm...These are so good, how''d you know which ones to pick?" She faces

me as a proud smile stretches my lips.

I never knew doing stuff for someone love felt this fucking good!

"I bet you did a whole lot of period shopping for Leah huh?" Her tone is bitter

making me groan internally.

"Athena, I did this for the first time. Baby, we both know that. You''re the only woman I''ve ever felt this crazy about.

I mean, I''m notining, I love taking care of you. So please don''t misunderstand me, besides, there is a girl in there who helped me."

Her lips press together.

"We are going to bete. Aren''t you driving?"