over to me and lifted my chin to see my eyes, “He just had to find you.” He released my chin instantly, then said, “If it wasn’t for Hayden, he’d have let her slip away. I know that sounds harsh but she wasn’t his to worry about.”
I let that sink in for a long while before finally leaving the car. I probably would’ve sat there longer but the bag was getting cold against my legs and Felix didn’t seem like he was going to be leaving me outside alone. And honestly, I could’ve really used some alone time then. But it didn’t happen and it wouldn’t any time soon.
Chapter 13 - Improvements
As we entered the house it was alive with music. Isaac had his guitar out and was playing on the couch. Lola was attached to me as soon as I stepped foot in the door and Felix asked me if I’d get Carter some ice cream while he had a word with Hayden.
Of course I didn’t mind. It was probably a good thing that I wasn’t having time to think. It would’ve made me miss Oliver even more, and I was already missing him enough.
I set the bag on the kitchen island and pulled out the scoop of plain vanilla that Felix had decided would be best for Carter’s sensitive tummy. I popped the top off and took a plastic spoon from the bag. Isaac was patiently waiting for me to get out of the way so he could get to his double scoop.
Hayden was sitting in the chair beside Carter with her feet up on the bed, reading from a large and very old looking book. She slid the attached black ribbon into place as a marker and closed the book as I entered the room. She smiled up at me over the now closed volume. I could see that it had silver foiled letters and a wolf outline on its tattered gray cover. “He’s improving,” she said. “He just needs time to adjust.” Then her eyes shot past me to the door where Felix was standing. She got up without another word, stashed the book under the chair and followed Felix into her room. More debriefing, maybe…?
I shrugged yet another thing off and focused all my attention on Carter. His eyes were open now and full of light, unlike the last time I’d seen him. He’d been staring at the ceiling while Hayden read but now his head was turned slightly and he was smiling up at me. Really smiling, like the regular ol’ Carter. Yet, the brightness of the light in his blue eyes wasn’t quite the same; they seemed just a bit dimmer than usual somehow, and more knowledgeable maybe…
“Hey there,” he said and stuck his hand out from under the blanket. I sat on the edge of the bed beside him and took his warm hand in mine.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better,” he pulled his hand away and scooched up in the bed so he could sit up just a bit.
“I brought you ice cream.” I popped the top off of the cup, stuck the plastic spoon in it and handed it to him. Carter took the cup with a happy grin and shaky hands.
“Thanks,” his smiled faltered as he struggled to use his injured arm.
“Here, let me help.” I took both the cup and spoon back and he smiled sheepishly as I began to spoon feed him his frozen treat.
After a couple bites he held his hand up for me to stop. I set the hardly touched scoop on the chair then returned my attention back to him.
“You’re too good to me Laney.”
“How so?” I smiled at him, wondering where this was going.
He reached for my hand and held it with what little strength he had. “You’ve always been there for me whenever I’ve needed you and you’ve never judged me.” His head seemed to be getting heavy on his shoulders.
“Carter, why on Earth would I judge you?”
He didn’t answer, he was out. His grip loosened on my hand and his head fell to the side. I pulled the covers up higher on him and just sat there waiting to be told what to do next.
I was rolling too many thoughts around in my head and it felt like it was about to burst from the strain of everything
I let that sink in for a long while before finally leaving the car. I probably would’ve sat there longer but the bag was getting cold against my legs and Felix didn’t seem like he was going to be leaving me outside alone. And honestly, I could’ve really used some alone time then. But it didn’t happen and it wouldn’t any time soon.
Chapter 13 - Improvements
As we entered the house it was alive with music. Isaac had his guitar out and was playing on the couch. Lola was attached to me as soon as I stepped foot in the door and Felix asked me if I’d get Carter some ice cream while he had a word with Hayden.
Of course I didn’t mind. It was probably a good thing that I wasn’t having time to think. It would’ve made me miss Oliver even more, and I was already missing him enough.
I set the bag on the kitchen island and pulled out the scoop of plain vanilla that Felix had decided would be best for Carter’s sensitive tummy. I popped the top off and took a plastic spoon from the bag. Isaac was patiently waiting for me to get out of the way so he could get to his double scoop.
Hayden was sitting in the chair beside Carter with her feet up on the bed, reading from a large and very old looking book. She slid the attached black ribbon into place as a marker and closed the book as I entered the room. She smiled up at me over the now closed volume. I could see that it had silver foiled letters and a wolf outline on its tattered gray cover. “He’s improving,” she said. “He just needs time to adjust.” Then her eyes shot past me to the door where Felix was standing. She got up without another word, stashed the book under the chair and followed Felix into her room. More debriefing, maybe…?
I shrugged yet another thing off and focused all my attention on Carter. His eyes were open now and full of light, unlike the last time I’d seen him. He’d been staring at the ceiling while Hayden read but now his head was turned slightly and he was smiling up at me. Really smiling, like the regular ol’ Carter. Yet, the brightness of the light in his blue eyes wasn’t quite the same; they seemed just a bit dimmer than usual somehow, and more knowledgeable maybe…
“Hey there,” he said and stuck his hand out from under the blanket. I sat on the edge of the bed beside him and took his warm hand in mine.
“How are you feeling?”
“Better,” he pulled his hand away and scooched up in the bed so he could sit up just a bit.
“I brought you ice cream.” I popped the top off of the cup, stuck the plastic spoon in it and handed it to him. Carter took the cup with a happy grin and shaky hands.
“Thanks,” his smiled faltered as he struggled to use his injured arm.
“Here, let me help.” I took both the cup and spoon back and he smiled sheepishly as I began to spoon feed him his frozen treat.
After a couple bites he held his hand up for me to stop. I set the hardly touched scoop on the chair then returned my attention back to him.
“You’re too good to me Laney.”
“How so?” I smiled at him, wondering where this was going.
He reached for my hand and held it with what little strength he had. “You’ve always been there for me whenever I’ve needed you and you’ve never judged me.” His head seemed to be getting heavy on his shoulders.
“Carter, why on Earth would I judge you?”
He didn’t answer, he was out. His grip loosened on my hand and his head fell to the side. I pulled the covers up higher on him and just sat there waiting to be told what to do next.
I was rolling too many thoughts around in my head and it felt like it was about to burst from the strain of everything
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