Total pages in book: 144
Estimated words: 139029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 139029 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 695(@200wpm)___ 556(@250wpm)___ 463(@300wpm)
When he looked back toward his ma and grandmother to ask again, they were gone.
“If they were in such damn hurry to get rid of me, the least they could have done was tell me how to get out of here,” he complained out loud. “Which way do I go?”
“Reach out, Dustin, just reach out.” The female voice that answered in his head was the same one he had heard in the circular room. Instinctively, he knew it was the young woman.
Dustin turned, not knowing what to do. Should he go back in the direction he had come or …
When a gossamer thread of gold appeared before him, he did what the voice had told him. He reached out for the thread.
Grasping it, he expected to be thrust back into the dark void. Instead, he found himself flying high toward the blue sky, going so high he could see the clouds coming nearer.
Holding on to the thread, he floated through the clouds, the white mist enveloping him. That was when he felt the little hand in his, and he could hear chanting in his head. The voices were praying for him to heal.
“Let them inside, Dustin, let them inside.”
Her voice was in his head. They had already been in his head, hadn’t they?
As he flew, a gust of power surged through him, stopping the counting he had unconsciously been doing when he had taken the small hand. Trying to think of a way to stop the reflex he developed as a child, he listened to the voices.
“Heal me. Heal me.”
That was when he could hear Ema’s little voice.
“My Dusty. Fix my Dusty.”
“Hold on to him, Ema. You have him. Bring him back down now,” Dustin heard Greer guiding Ema.
“Don’t want to.”
“Ema, come back down. You want to make your ma cry?”
“No.”
“She’ll cry if you don’t come back.”
“Okay.”
Dustin felt as if he was free-falling.
“Slower, Ema, slower. Like you’re swinging and you want to get off.”
“Okay. Dusty fixed.”
“Yes.”
Dustin heard the emotion in Greer’s voice that Ema couldn’t understand, but he could.
“Slow,” Greer coaxed. “Thatta girl. We’re home.”
Dustin floated downward like a feather landing softly. Then he cautiously opened his eyes to see Ema’s face resting on the pillow next to his.
“My Dusty.”
He had to clear his throat before saying, “Your Dusty.” He reached out to touch her sweet face, and when he did, he stared at his hand that had automatically moved at the thought. He hadn’t had to think hard to force it to move. He had moved it easily.
“Sleepy.” Ema closed her eyes, bringing her thumb to her mouth.
“Go to sleep, baby girl,” Dustin said huskily. “Ema?”
The little girl opened her sleepy eyes.
“Thank you.”
She popped her thumb out of her mouth. “Welcome.”
Dustin smiled as the little angel went to sleep, returning her thumb to her mouth.
He turned his head to see his family and friends surrounding his bed, their hands still linking them all together.
His eyes met the man sitting next to him. Dustin reached out to touch the new streak of white hair. His complexion was pale, but Dustin had seen him in worse shape.
“Greer ….” Dustin held his hand out to his brother.
Greer took it, pulling him toward him.
Dustin could never remember hugging his brother, other than a perfunctory congratulations or a bro hug. He hugged Greer now.
“Thank you.”
Dustin felt Greer’s arms go around him. “Baby brother, I told you I wasn’t going to let you die. Whatcha supposed to say?”
“You just couldn’t let me have a minute, could you?” Dustin said, releasing him.
“No. Whatcha supposed say?”
Dustin gave a sigh. He might have been better off dead than what he was going to have to admit.
“You were right, Greer. You’re always right.”
“Didn’t you bring a change of clothes?” Dustin scooted to the side to make room for Jessie. He loved his family, but he was glad to have some alone time with his new wife.
“I’ll change when they move you to your new room.” She snuggled down next him to rest her head on his chest. “I don’t want to let you out of my sight just yet.”
“Is that it?” he teased. “Or you just don’t want to get out of that dress?”
“I need to get your money’s worth out of it. It’s a twelve-thousand-dollar dress.”
“Technically, it’s a five-thousand-dollar dress.”
“It still too expensive to take it off yet. I need to get your money worth’s out of it.”
“Peanut, it was worth every dime I spent when you walked into the room with it on.”
“I do look good in it, don’t I?”
“Yes.” He stroked her breast, trying to taunt her nipple into making an appearance through the silky material. “Damn good. Why don’t you go and lock the door and close that curtain?”
“No. The nurse warned me when she caught us necking after Dr. Price left. She kind of scares me a little. I’m going to fix her up with Asher.”