Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 95431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95431 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 477(@200wpm)___ 382(@250wpm)___ 318(@300wpm)
I am not her assignment. I’m okay with that. I also feel safer here.
I think it’s because of the full-time military-trained staff who live with me. I don’t see everyone much, but I know they’re here. Uri says they are not here to make me feel like I’m in prison, but they are here to help me anytime I need.
“Don’t be so nervous. He has come all this way just for you.”
“I don’t want to disappoint him. I’m also afraid I will start my old tics because I’m nervous. I want Michael to see I have grown,” I explain.
“He will see it. We all do. I’m so proud of you, Sim. Don’t worry. You will be fine.”
“I hope you are right,” I murmur.
“Here, take this,” she says and hands me her gray hair tie.
“What is this for? My hair hasn’t grown long enough to pull it up yet. Does it look bad?” I ask as I start to panic.
“No, it’s not for your hair. Relax, I love your hair. It complements your face. The band is to be placed on your wrist. If you feel like you’re overwhelmed, try snapping it. It might help.”
“How do you always know how to help me?”
Annabella laughs and wraps an arm around my shoulders. She gives me a tight squeeze that helps settle me a bit. I lean my head against her and inhale her calming scent.
“I volunteered in the children’s ward of the hospital when I was eighteen. There was a little girl there with cancer. She was also on the spectrum.
“I learned a lot of things as we tried to help her. The pain and treatments made things extremely challenging for her,” she says.
“What was her prognosis? Did she beat the cancer?”
“That she did. She and her mother still write me letters.”
“This is good. I am happy to hear that. Are you sure you’re not going to practice medicine when you complete your studies? You will make such a good doctor. Your bedside manner will be so comforting to your patients.”
“I never entered medicine to become a doctor. Not in the conventional way. I always knew my brothers would need me. I wanted to be there if something like what happened to my father ever happened to one of them,” she says.
“Like you helped Adriano? He wouldn’t be here if not for you. Thank you again for saving him. If you and Uri—”
“Sim. You have to stop blaming yourself for that. You saved both of your lives. No one can blame you for going into shock after what you did.
“I think you’re pretty badass. I know Michael is proud of you. And Adriano is grateful. I think you earned a friend for life with him.”
I go to answer her, but the front door opens as we get to the front of the house. Michael comes through the door with Uri. He drops his bags and steps forward to open his arms. I look to Annabella, thinking the gesture is for her.
She smiles and gestures with her head for me to go to him. I turn back to Michael and find him smiling at me. I gasp and run into his arms.
He wraps me in his embrace and holds me tight. I wrap my arms around his waist and squeeze him back. When he places a kiss on my forehead, I can’t help but melt into him.
“I am happy to see you,” I blurt out.
“It is good to see you too, little one. I want to hear all about your new school and what you have learned,” he says in his deep voice.
“Is it okay for you to come to my room? I would like to show you what I have done with it.”
I pull away to look up at his handsome face. He cups the side of my face and searches with his gaze. I drop my eyes to the floor.
“Yes, bella. Show me this room. Then you can tell me everything.”
We turn and head for the stairs so I can lead him back to my room. I am talking a mile a minute as we go. I tell him about my classes and how much I love to play at school. It’s nothing like the school I went to with the mean girls.
I haven’t made friends yet, but no one has been mean to me. I’m talking so much; I don’t realize I haven’t given Michael a chance to get a word in. I pause as he stands looking around my room.
“Oh. I am sorry. I will be quiet so you can talk,” I murmur.
“You are fine, Sim. I’m happy to listen to how happy you are. I can almost find it in my heart to be okay with not hearing you play every day.”
I gasp. “Wait, that reminds me. I have a gift for you,” I say and rush to get the box with the gift I have for him.