Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
He begins to read, and slowly, the room fills with the sound of people crying. When he calls my name, my back straightens and my chest gets tight. Then, just like everyone else, I burst into tears when he reads that she left me her favorite tea set and serving ware.
I never expected anything from her, but that is something I will cherish for the rest of my life. And I know the items she left the other people in the room must hold some sort of sentimental value that only they fully understand too. With my face buried in Walker’s chest, I listen until the last person’s name is called. When the room grows quiet except for the sound of everyone sniffling, I use the sleeve of my sweater to wipe the wetness from my cheeks.
“It’s going to take us a little time to get everything sorted,” Kate says, stepping forward and wringing her hands together when William leaves the room. “But once we have the items left to you located, I will contact you and arrange for you to pick them up or for them to be put in the mail.”
One by one, people get up to thank her and shake her hand, and when the room is almost empty, I approach her to do the same, with Walker at my back.
“If you need help with anything, please call me.” I reach for her hand, squeezing it gently.
“Thank you, Hanna. My aunt absolutely adored you, and I hope you know you’re welcome to stay here until we find a buyer for the property.”
“You’re selling the house?” The question that sounds like an accusation is out without permission, and she nods.
“Yes, we plan to put it on the market in the next few months. It holds too many… memories.” She drops her eyes, and I feel like a jerk for even asking, when I myself can’t even stand the idea of living here anymore.
“That’s understandable.” I squeeze her hand again, and she lifts her eyes to mine.
“You’ll probably hear us coming and going over the next few weeks, moving things out. I’ll let you know when I get the things left to you together.”
“Thank you,” I whisper before I say a quiet goodbye to everyone in the room. As we’re leaving and the door is closing behind Walker and me, I hear an explosion of voices, the loudest being Josh’s. I can’t make out much of what he’s saying as I stand in the stairwell, but there is no mistaking he’s angry about something, and that makes the hairs on the nape of my neck stand on end.
“Come on,” Walker urges, taking my hand and helping me down the steps.
When we reach the first floor, he lets us into my apartment, and while he disappears into the bedroom, I walk into the living room. Everything looks exactly the same as it always has, but now I feel completely out of place.
“You okay?”
I turn to face him and notice he’s holding my pillows—something I mentioned I missed last night when we were going to sleep. Something I totally forgot about by this morning.
“Yeah, are you ready?”
“Is there anything else you want while we’re here?”
“Not that I can think of. I also don’t want to cart too much to the rental, when I’ll just have to cart it all back here when you leave.”
He doesn’t acknowledge that comment with anything more than a flex of his jaw. I get it. I don’t like to think about him having to leave either, but the reality is, soon, he’ll be getting on a train and heading back to work, and I’ll be here alone once more and stuck in this apartment that I hate until I can find somewhere I can afford.
Without a word, he walks to the door and opens it, and after the two of us step out, and he locks up. When we get outside, Kate is getting into an older model car, and waves at us before driving off down the street.
Since the apartment we’re staying at is just a couple of blocks from Mrs. Lewis’s, it takes us no time at all to get there. When we arrive, I take my pillows with me to the bedroom and lie down, feeling sorry for myself, and he leaves me to it.
Not that I blame him.
I don’t even want to be around myself right now.
CHAPTER 19
walker
I stalk to the bedroom, where Hanna has been spending most of her time the last few days. I open the door, and flip on the light when I find it dark inside.
“What are you doing?” she grouches from the bed, pulling the pillow over her head.
Ignoring her, I walk to the window and open the blinds, then turn to face her with my fists on my hips. “Get up. We’re going out.”