Kids are the easiest to fool.
Aurelia Shaw came back with band-aids, and the boy was still sitting in the same spot. Sensing her approach, he immediately curled into a ball in fear.
This reminded her of how Meatball was when he first came to her house, curling up at any slight noise, thinking that this would protect him.
Aurelia squatted down, held the boy's ankle, and felt the trembling of his calf in her palm; she keenly sensed his fear.
"Let me put the band-aid on you, alright?" Aurelia asked him.
The boy made no response.
Aurelia took it as consent, cleaned his wound with water, dried it with a clean towel, and put on the band-aid.
"Luckily the wound isn't big. Look, it's all better now. Doesn't it hurt anymore?" Aurelia asked with a smile, her smile dazzling under the sunlight.
The boy blinked and stared for a couple more seconds, then blinked again, looking at the strange new thing on his knee.
He reached out with his small hand to touch it.
