Page 168 of Clinically Delicious
Oh God, what do I say?
I can’t lie. I’m under oath.
I literally cannot lie right now.
But if I tell the truth—if I tell the truth in front of all these people...
“Mrs. Lyon?” Anthony prompted gently.
I swallowed hard.
“I—” My voice came out barely above a whisper. “I wasn’t expecting that question.”
“I know. But I need you to answer it honestly.”
Honestly.
He wants me to be honest.
In a courtroom.
In front of Gabriel.
In front of everyone.
I looked at Gabriel again. He hadn’t moved. Hadn’t looked away.
He was just... waiting.
“Yes,” I said quietly.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Lyon, could you speak up for the court?”
I took a breath. “Yes. I love him.”
My words hung in the air.
“When did you realize that?” Anthony asked.
“I don’t... I don’t know exactly. It wasn’t one moment. It was...” I struggled to find the words. “It was watching him with Megan. The way he reads to her every night, even when he’s exhausted from surgery. The way he makes her laugh. The way he—”
Stop.
You’re rambling again.
But this time it’s different.
This time it’s true.
“It was the little things,” I continued, my voice stronger now. “The way he makes sure I eat when I’m stress-baking. The way he listens when I talk, even when I’m spiraling about something ridiculous. The way he looks at me like... like I’m not too much. Like all the parts of me that are chaotic and anxious and weird are just... part of who I am. And he doesn’t want me to change them.”
I could feel tears threatening, but I blinked them back.
“I love him because he’s brilliant and dedicated and so, so careful with the people he cares about. I love him because he’s a good father. I love him because when I’m with him, I feel like I can breathe. Like I can be myself. Like I’m—”
Home.
Like I’m home.
