Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96641 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
The sixteen-year-old had been all alone in the world. We’d become friends during one of my cases, and I’d wanted to help her, so I’d brought her home to Yara and Buddy. They had instantly taken her in. With their six boys grown and out of the house, they’d been delighted to adopt her. “Has she said anything?”
Yara poured two fragrant cups of strawberry-scented herbal tea. “No. She’s doing that teenage thing and saying everything’s fine.” Yara rolled her pretty eyes. “I’m used to that after raising six boys, but…I don’t know. Girls seem to do it better.”
I chuckled. “I still roll my eyes.”
“I know. I’ve seen it. How’s the table working out?” Yara asked.
“It’s perfect, and I love the old-fashioned chairs you found.” I patted her hand. “Don’t worry about Violet. I’m sure she’s just nervous.”
Yara sipped her tea. “Maybe you could speak with her. I’ve tried, and Buddy has tried, but she just isn’t talking much, which isn’t like her. I think something’s up.”
I had no doubt she was just nervous about being adopted. She’d been raised by a great-aunt. When she died, Violet had lived alone until I found her and brought her here. “I’ll talk to her now.” I took a big gulp of the tea and set the cup on the saucer. I knew better than to try to take it with me. Unfortunately, Aunt Yara was well aware of my penchant for spilling things and would’ve stopped me. “I’ll be right back.”
“Thanks, honey. I’ll get some cookies out.” Yara stood.
I paused. “Where’s Uncle Buddy?”
“He’s at the Elks Lodge. He should be home in an hour or so.”
“Oh, good.” I turned, headed down a wide hallway to the second bedroom on the right, and knocked.
“Come in,” Violet called.
I opened the door and walked inside, instantly hit by the color pink with some shades of purple. It was the most girlish room I had ever seen, and I had a feeling Violet had indulged my aunt in the decorating, considering Yara had lived with boys for so many years.
“It’s very pink in here,” I noted.
Violet looked up from a new white desk in the corner where she was obviously doing homework. “Yeah, no kidding. Though I do like pink, so it worked out.”
I saw a physics textbook next to her. “Not taking the easy classes, are you?”
“I like physics,” she said, turning to face me. “The possibilities of it are romantic.”
Romantic? That wasn’t how I’d looked at physics when I was in school. How intriguing. Who knew? Maybe Violet would be a famous physicist someday. I had never understood string theory. Maybe I’d get her to explain it to me. “I wanted to talk to you about the hearing on Monday.” I sat on her bed, covered by a pink and white duvet.
“Oh.” She put her hands in her lap and faced me, her cheeks paling slightly and her eyes widening. They matched her name—a so-blue hue they appeared violet. With her long, dark hair, she was a very pretty girl.
“What’s wrong, Violet?”
Her gaze flicked away before returning to me. “Nothing. Courtrooms are scary places.”
“Are you afraid something will go wrong?” I asked softly.
She shrugged, looking down at her dark-denim-encased legs. “I don’t know. The system’s never been my favorite, you know? I like how things are and that everybody’s leaving us alone.”
“You don’t have to be adopted if you don’t want,” I said instantly. “This is just as much... In fact, no. This is your decision. Nobody else’s. There’s also no hurry.”
She snorted. “I’m already sixteen.”
“Yeah, and you can get adopted when you’re fifty.”
A trembling smile lifted her pink lips. “Seriously? When I’m that old?”
“If you want,” I said, grinning. “Is there any reason you don’t want to be adopted? And remember, I’m your lawyer. You can tell me anything, and I can’t tell anybody.”
“No, I love Yara and Buddy,” she said instantly. “The idea of having a mom and dad, well, it’s a wish I never really thought I could have, you know? I didn’t even dare to dream it.”
My heart hurt for her. “Is it that you’re about to have six brothers? Six older and rather tough brothers?” Even I grimaced at the idea of her bringing a date home. Not that the guys lived with their parents, but they were around every chance they got.
She snorted. “No. I think even if I left and went somewhere else, I’d still have six brothers, you know? They’ve already adopted me.”
“I believe that’s a good thing,” I said, my eyebrows rising.
She finally laughed. “Yeah, it’s a good thing. Also, three of them are getting married someday soon, so I might get to help with the wedding plans.” She finally brightened, showing me the girl I’d met around Christmastime.
“That does sound like fun,” I agreed. “If nothing else, you’ll have to keep Yara centered. I have a feeling she’ll go a little crazy, though I think the bride’s mother is supposed to do that.”