Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 106346 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106346 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Closing off my mind for the next six hours, I finish the last room five minutes after three. I park my cart back in the supply room and load it for the person tomorrow. I walk back into the employee room, and my mind starts to wander even more now.
“Here you are,” I say, handing Tamara the clipboard with all the rooms checked off. “All of them are done.”
“Thank you,” she says. “I’ll let you know about next week.” I nod at her and turn to walk to the SUV, getting in and starting it. I make my way back to Justin’s apartment with a heavy lump in my stomach like a pound of coal.
I call him right before I get there. “Hello.” He answers right away, and he sounds like he’s doing something.
“Hey, it’s me,” I say. “I’m going to be at your place in five minutes. I just don’t know how to open the garage door.”
“The code to get in is 7-4-2-3,” he says. “See you soon.” He hangs up, and I just look down at the phone that is now on the locked screen. When I get there, I put in the code. It opens right away, and I make my way to the parking spot.
Grabbing my purse and the little plastic bag that holds our clothes for tomorrow, I walk to the elevator. When I enter it, another man also steps into it, and he presses his own number. He just looks over at me and nods. I look down at the floor the whole time, waiting for him to ask me what I’m doing here.
When he gets out, all he says is, “Have a great night.” I look up and smile as the doors close and take me up to Justin’s floor. When I get to his floor, I’m expecting to see the door closed, but instead, they are both standing there waiting for me.
I try not to let the tears come, but they come anyway, and the look on Justin’s face goes from a smile to a worried look. He looks at me, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Mom, we got you something!” Dylan says, and I wipe the tears away and pretend to smile. He’s so excited about this surprise that he has for me that he doesn’t realize I was crying. He takes my hand in his and pulls me to the kitchen where two huge bouquets sit.
“This one is from me,” he says, pointing at the massive bouquet of purple flowers. “It’s just to tell you that I love you,” he says. I look at the flowers and realize it’s more flowers than I’ve ever seen in my whole life.
“Oh my God,” I whisper. The tear escapes, and I wipe it away. “This is the most beautiful,” I say to him, hugging him and trying not to sob.
“Mine is bigger than Justin’s,” he says with happiness in his voice.
“I’m trying to explain to him that size doesn’t matter,” Justin says, and I close my eyes. “It’s not working.” I let go of Dylan and see the bouquet next to his filled with colorful flowers in a glass vase with a lilac bow.
“Dylan, you can go play the game now while I talk to your mom.”
“Okay,” he says and is about to run out of the room. “Can I have a snack?”
“Yeah, there’s fruit on the table.” He points at the fruit bowl, and Dylan just hops and skips over, taking a green apple and then going away.
I avoid Justin’s eyes, knowing that I’m on the edge of a cliff and about to jump off. “Mind telling me why you are crying?”
I look down at my finger, and I feel him coming close to me. His hand covers mine, and with just his touch, I break down and put my other hand in front of my mouth and sob. He turns me around and takes me in his arms, and I swear he smells like home. “Sweetheart,” he says softly, and I start to shake. “I’m trying really hard right now not to freak out.”
He rubs my back and kisses the top of my head. “But I’ve been a nervous wreck all day, and I’ve wanted to call you, no lie, maybe a million times to find out if you were okay.”
Listening to his heartbeat, I avoid looking at him when I say the next words. “My apartment was vandalized.” I close my eyes when his body goes rock solid.
“Let me check on Dylan real quick,” he says, walking out and leaving me here. I just stand here in this room that smells like a flower shop. I turn my head when I see him in the entryway of the room. “He’s fine. I gave him another snack.” I look at him. “I need you to tell me what happened,” he says.