Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96513 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 386(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“I hate that you two got into it on New Year’s. I thought it was going so well. You guys were happy.”
I shrugged. “It was just a lie. We’d made that truce and pretended to be happy. By the end of the week, the truth came out. We can’t be around each other without screaming at one another unless we’re faking it.”
“That’s sad.”
“It is what it is. We’re not a fairy tale. We’re just… us.”
“Yeah, but… don’t you want to find love?”
I looked her up and down. The girl who had found the man of her dreams, only for him to cheat on her. Then found love again with the biggest train wreck on the Upper East. Of course she believed in fairy-tale love. She’d lived it… twice.
I had none of that. I couldn’t even imagine what it would look like.
“No,” I told her. “Love is full of pain and disappointment and loss. I’ll stick with what I know.”
English looked like she wanted to say something else, but the phone started ringing again. She glanced at it. “Camden again.”
I pursed my lips. “Just turn it off.”
English frowned and then nodded.
“You’re good, Katherine,” Alexandre said. “English, you’re up.”
Alexandre helped me out of my dress, and I strode off of the pedestal in nothing but my bra, thong, and heels. I’d come here in all black, but I planned to leave in something else entirely. I had my first volunteer shift for ChildrensOne, and I knew what I would wear.
I zipped up a pink dress and changed out my cherry-red lipstick for a pale pink. I kept on my black pumps and black jacket, but somehow, the combination made me look… softer. Younger even. Like maybe I wasn’t the villain today and I was the princess instead. Of course, the only time I’d been a princess for anyone other than my daddy, I’d been an ice princess.
“You look cute,” English said. “Where are you off to?”
“I’m working with that charity. Going to get some time in at the hospital and do some party planning.”
“Oh! You are doing a party then? I love it. I can’t wait.”
“Yes, I figure… if it’s what I’m good at, might as well put it to good use.”
English grinned. “Definitely.”
After saying my good-byes to English and Alexandre, I took the Percy Mercedes back uptown.
My meeting with Deborah had gone off without a hitch by the time we were finished. I had a rough draft of the party and a timeline for how to get it all in order. I’d agreed to work on it all at home now that we had a schedule.
I swallowed back my mounting fear again as I walked across the street and upstairs to the cancer ward. I knew that hospitals shouldn’t bother me like this. I was in control here. I was a fucking adult. Why did it do this to me? I shook out my hands and tried to channel some of my inner Jem. She was stuck in here and still had so much light inside of her. I just needed to find my light.
My heels carried me down the familiar hall. I passed Patricia’s room, which was dark and silent. Then I continued toward where I’d seen Jem skip off to. After looking through a few doors into empty rooms, I came upon a nurses’ station.
“Hi, I’m looking for Jem’s room,” I said confidently.
“And you are?” the black man asked, looking down at his computer.
“I’m here from Deborah’s office over at ChildrensOne. I’m volunteering.”
“Oh, great!” he said, his smile suddenly lighting up. “We love having the volunteers in for the kids. Let me show you to Jem’s room. I need to check on her vitals anyway.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
The nurse directed me down the hallway and to a room near the end of the hall. He knocked twice. “Jem, how are you doing?”
“Come on in, Frank,” she said cheerfully.
He shook his head. “My name is Jerry. She calls every nurse on the whole wing by a made-up name.”
I tried to suppress my smile but didn’t manage it. “She must keep you on your toes.”
“You have no idea.”
He pushed the door open and bustled inside. “How are we feeling today, Princess Jem?”
“Queen Jem today, Frank,” she said, tilting her chin up and trying to look as regal as possible. She really managed it, even with the series of cords running into her little veins and the half-moon circles under her eyes.
“Hey, Jem,” I said as I followed him inside.
Her eyes lit up. “Frank! You didn’t tell me that you brought Villain Katherine with you.”
Jerry looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. “Is your name really Katherine?”
“It is.” I turned back to Jem as I removed my black coat. “But I’m not a villain today.”
Jem’s mouth dropped open. “You’re wearing a princess dress.” She twirled her finger in place. “Do a spin!”