Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 149510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 149510 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 748(@200wpm)___ 598(@250wpm)___ 498(@300wpm)
“What?” I blurt out on a shocked laugh. “Ace’s dad gave you that tattoo?”
“Yeah.” Finn grins. “Not only is he the financial king of New York, but he’s also a certified tattoo artist.”
“Holy smokes.” I giggle. “That family is, hands down, the craziest bunch of people I’ve ever met.”
Finn doesn’t say anything, but he doesn’t have to. It’s facts.
Once we’re out of the elevator and Finn gives my nurse Amanda a moment to see that I’m okay, he carries me back into my room.
Once inside, he sets me on the bed and grabs a fresh pair of clothes from the small dresser that has all my belongings in it.
“I can get dressed myself,” I tell him on a laugh, slapping his hands away.
But he shakes his head. “This isn’t for you,” he says and starts to remove my socks and shoes. “This is for me.”
I stare down at him, completely incredulous.
“All I’ve wanted to do is be here for you. For days and weeks, I’ve sat in hospital waiting rooms just so I could be close to you, and now I finally am,” he answers like it makes total sense. “I need this right now. I need to help my girl get out of her wet clothes and get dressed, and because you love me, you’re going to let me.”
It’s almost reverent, the way that he removes my jeans and underwear and bra and T-shirt. And his touch is gentle and affectionate, and it urges more emotion to spill onto my cheeks.
But I don’t stop him. Instead, I lie there and let him help me.
I let him put fresh clothes on me. I let him brush my hair. And after my nurse Amanda drops off a pair of scrubs for Finn to change into, he climbs into bed with me and pulls my body close to his chest.
“I love you,” he whispers into my ear, and I don’t hesitate to respond.
“I love you too.”
We fall asleep like that. Finn’s body wrapped around mine.
And for once, my heart and mind agree.
It’s taken us forever to get here, but it’s an amazing feeling to know that nothing could ever be big enough or wrong enough to make us leave.
We’ve already been through it all, and, together, we’ve come out the other side—this is love.
Friday July 25th
Scottie
“I have great news,” Ms. Bartlett, my counselor here at Dickson, updates as she leans across her desk to hand me a paper. “Your schedule has been updated.”
“How many of my classes did you manage to switch?” I question, glancing down at the sheet of paper with a cup half full of hope. I know Ms. Bartlett will try, but with the semester starting soon and open enrollment happening nearly a week ago, I don’t expect her to be able to perform magic.
Studying the paper more closely when Ms. Bartlett doesn’t say anything, I run quickly through the dream schedule, double-check twice that all the psych classes I needed are on there, and then gape. “Wait…you got me in all of the classes?”
“All of them.” She smiles, and she’s not the only one. If my face were a spaceship, it’d be picking up humans at an astonishing rate.
“You’re a miracle worker!”
“I’m glad you’re happy, Scottie.” Ms. Bartlett grins and blows imaginary dust off her fingernails before subsequently polishing them on her shoulders.
“And—” A soft knock on her office door grabs our attention, interrupting her.
A scruffy curled head pokes in and locks eyes with her, and she gives me an apologetic smile. “Give me a second, Scottie?”
“Of course,” I say with a nod as she steps out of her office to talk to her colleague.
Silence and solitude seep in around me, and I pick at my cuticles as thoughts of excitement and anticipation for my new career path swirl through my mind.
A career path inspired by Molly and me and Luke—another teenager from St. Luke’s Inpatient Rehabilitation who was diagnosed with retinal detachment syndrome and is mentally and emotionally struggling with his new reality after a failed surgery attempt on his right eye. A career path inspired by the millions of young adults like us, dealing with unforeseen circumstances or unfair hands and doing their best to navigate in a world that wasn’t designed for them. A career path born of one pivotal conversation I can still remember word for word, weeks later.
“You know, Luke, maybe being blind won’t be so bad?” Molly had chimed in. “You’re really cute, and I bet there will be a lot of girls who will want to help you out, you know.” She waggled her brows and giggled, and Luke burst out in laughter.
“You think being blind will get me girls, Molly?”
“Probably.” Molly giggled more. “And maybe I don’t have to stop running track because I lost my leg. Maybe I can get one of those cool legs and run in the Paralympics.”