Total pages in book: 56
Estimated words: 52639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52639 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 175(@300wpm)
“Emmalee Van Etten, you’re mine.”
“Yes, yours,” I confirm as he takes my hips guiding me once again.
This is everything and so much more.
FOURTEEN
WESSON
THREE MONTHS LATER
Boomerism: The right one is worth the wait.
“What is this?” Emmalee asks me. I see the packet in her hands and can’t help but smile.
I know what I hope that is. While I have never had this experience personally, I have heard if they mail a packet and not a letter alone it’s a good sign for the things working out. She’s either going to love it or absolutely be pissed and take this the wrong way. I hope she sees it for what it is: a visible, tangible item to show her how much I believe in her. There isn’t a stronger woman around and no one is more intelligent than Emmalee Van Etten. If what is inside that large envelope is what I think it is, then she truly can have her every dream come true.
Her past doesn’t get to define her, and my accident doesn’t get to define me. If nothing else can be learned from all of this, it is we are not defined by the hard things we go through. We are merely stronger for them.
“A packet,” I answer to which she raises an eyebrow. Yeah, I’m a smartass. Thankfully, she mostly finds it cute.
“Wes, why is there a packet from East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine addressed to me?”
“I don’t know. Maybe you should open it.”
“Better yet, why would East Carolina University send me anything since I haven’t applied much less the Brody School of Medicine?”
She looks at me and back to the packet. We’re home. I’ve been on a transport the last two days and just got in. The packet came the day I left; Colt picked it up actually. He knew what I was working on and swooped in to prevent her from getting it while I was away. This is something I need to give her face to face with an explanation.
I had Colt bring it to the house and leave it for her to find when she got home knowing I wouldn’t be far behind if by chance she got home before me. She didn’t tell me on any of our phone calls or video calls today and she was home earlier than I expected. I wonder if she’s already figured it out. It doesn’t look open but maybe she did look inside. Is she mad at me?
“I guess,” she whispers.
“Baby girl, there is only one way to find out.”
Cautiously, she opens the clasp envelope. There isn’t someone more deserving than her. Granted, I had to pull a few strings, call up a few people to gather the information, but all in all it has worked out. She reads the cover letter, and her eyes fill with tears.
“Wes,” she whispers. “I didn’t apply. How is this possible?”
“I know.” My eyes lock to hers. “I did it for you. I believe in you; I believe in your dreams and hopes and aspirations.”
“Why?”
“Emmalee, there is not one person I know smarter than you. I also know you are too humble to see how great you are. With help from Diem, we did the application. You had the credits from that community college program and it’s a simple transfer. In fact, when we contacted the admissions department of ECU, there were enough transfer credits for you to earn your Bachelors in Science already. A minor tweak to your time away as a study abroad experience, and the application was actually pretty simple. You, yourself, did the research years ago, Diem told me. Brody School of medicine is number one in the entire state for Pathology. There is no better place for you to go. You had the grades, the transfer credits, and the Hellions have the connections. It all works out.”
The tears fall down her face. “Wes, I can’t do this.”
“You can.”
“I can’t afford it,” she counters. “I guess I could do student loans, but I’ve heard people paying on them for years and years never making a dent in it.”
I smirk and open the kitchen drawer. “Well, about that.” Grabbing the checkbook, I take it out and slide it to her. “We got the funds transferred. They are yours, legal, free and clear. You can afford to do pretty much anything you want, but I imagine you want to go to school.”
“Oh my God, you can’t do that, Wes! That money isn’t mine; it never was.”
“Umm, I didn’t.” Because technically, I didn’t. The money was already in the offshore account. There aren’t some IRS flags or liens to it. I don’t know how to put this to her. “Your dad did. I just made sure it was all transferred legally. Lost a bit in wire fees but you have more than enough to get through this. You have enough to build the life you want the way you want it.”