And Leo knew what to do.
He looked down at his bare knees, then at the fire, then at the smiling, grateful faces around him. "Yes, I am," he said, popping the toasted marshmallow into the girl's hand. "I'm the Hearth. The Provider. The warm, invisible thing you don't notice until the lights go out." nudismprovider halloween
By the time the lights flickered back on, the party had re-formed around Leo. He wasn't dancing or painted. He was just sitting by the fire, roasting a marshmallow for the little girl. And Leo knew what to do
He guided the crying child inside, lit a single candle, and handed her a leftover brownie. Then, systematically, he re-lit the tiki torches, one by one, using an old Zippo from his bathrobe pocket. As each torch flared, a small circle of calm returned. He passed out towels for the spilled punch, re-filled the chip bowl, and started a small campfire in the stone pit. "I'm the Hearth