Around five, I slipped across to 7-Eleven for dinner.

I couldn’t believe the choices.

Far from the gas-station convenience stores I expected, refrigerators held rows of neatly prepared meals.

I chose noodles for the kids—thick noodles in a salty broth.

For myself, rice topped with sliced beef, sprouted barley, and a soft-boiled egg.

On the way out, I grabbed a fruit sorbet to share.

~

Back in the room, Avery was too tired to eat.

He rested his forehead on the table and began to whimper, so I carried him back to the foldout bed.

Dani had told me she didn’t want anything either.

Now, the bedroom lights were out.

I whispered goodnight, and closed the door.

That left me and Corbin—tired, wide-eyed, and calm.

We sat around the table of our little hotel room, eating our dinner while listening to Avery’s soft snores in the background.

He ate every noodle.

When he finished, he looked up at me from his bowl—broth dripping off his chin.

“Thank you for dinner. Next time, let’s try a different dinner, and then we can try a different dessert.”

Then he crawled into bed next to his brother and fell asleep before I’d finished tossing out the wrappers.