Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82881 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Would you like to hold her?” She offers me the child, and I use the briefcase as a shield.
“Allergic, actually,” I say with disdain.
“Allergic to a baby?” Lucy scoffs and hands the infant over to Mikaela with a smile. I’m relieved when she takes her out of the room.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” Lucy says as she begins to pick up the few toys on the floor. She looks pointedly at my ring finger. “Still not married, I see. I’m telling you, Anya, beauty only lasts so long. You need to lock a man down while you still can,” she grumbles as she stands up again, her back stiff.
“Ironic, considering my foster mother has an entirely different opinion about my marital status.” To the old bitch, marriage is a form of weakness.
Lucy seems grim at my mention of Meredith. I’ve always found irony in the way she seems to have an opinion of the old bitch despite handing us over legally to her. But it was better than here.
“You wanted to see me?” I ask expectantly as I walk across the room and place the briefcase with the cash down.
Lucy watches me step away from it with a warm smile. “As prickly as you are, Anya, you’ve always had a big heart. I hope you find someone you can share it with beyond your brother.”
The mention of Alek draws short on my nerves, but I say nothing. She steps around the desk and pulls out the top drawer. I idly look at some of the pictures of children pinned to the wall and the scribbles of disastrous interpretations of elephants.
“I went through some archives two months ago and found some old photos of you and Alek. I thought you might want them,” she says as she pulls out an envelope and hands it to me.
I furrow my eyebrows. “Do I seem like the sentimental type?” I ask as I take them.
She laughs again. “Anya, most people would say thank you.”
My lips draw thin as I open it out of curiosity. Most gifts I receive are diamond encrusted, but I suppose it couldn’t hurt to look.
I flip open the envelope to reveal four old and worn photos. I maintain my expression as a smile dares to form. A photo of me hanging off Alek with a big smile. He looks miserable. I’m missing a front tooth and almost want to choke on a laugh at how feral we look with dirt on our faces. A different time and place.
The next one is a photo of me screaming so audaciously you can see my tonsils, and Alek is trying to console me.
The third is a photo of me and a young girl yanking on Alek’s arm, fighting over him. My eyebrows furrow. I vaguely remember the girl, and this particular moment. She didn’t stay with us for long. My gaze dips to the child’s foot and see she’s wearing worn-out imitation ballet shoes.
“I don’t remember this girl much,” I say pointedly to Lucy as I raise the photo.
“Cinita? She wasn’t here for long. Fostered out rather quickly, actually. I heard she became a dancer. I try my best to keep tabs on all my children who pass through here.”
I tuck that information away. Could this be the dancer Alek is chasing? It’s a slim chance, but I’m willing to go off anything right now.
“I’d love to know what you have on my brother and me now,” I say with a tight smile as I push the photos back into the envelope and pocket them in my long black jacket.
Lucy’s face seems grim as she quietly says, “Business owners, right?”
“Business owners,” I agree. Lucy, for all of her nurturing nature, is also a highly intelligent woman. I have no doubt the moment the old bitch walked in, she understood exactly what type of woman she was. As expected, anything can be paid for. Hell, I make a living off it.
“Thank you for the gift, Lucy. And make sure you use some of the money to get your back checked out. It’ll become a nuisance for your workers here if you can’t pick up wailing children,” I scold.
“Thank you for caring, Anya,” she says from behind me as I walk out the door. “It’s good to see you.”
I walk out with my chin held high, noticing the same door that was slightly ajar is now fully open. The same girl peers around the edge of the doorframe. She’s no older than I was when I first came to this place.
She stares at me and slowly points at the black glasses she now has atop her head.
I look down the hall and notice no one else is there. Curiosity gets the better of me as I come to a stop in front of her door and crouch down to her level. I hold my knees to try to make myself as small as possible.