Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 77793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77793 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
When I’m half-human again, she sticks out her small, slightly gnarled hand. “If we’re going to be family, we should be on a first-name basis. Name’s Myrtle, but I never liked it. I usually go by Rose, which is my middle name.”
“You know that when you join the family, you get to pick a badass fake name, right?”
She chuckles. “Do I? Well, that is awesome. She glances at the few remaining sushi pieces on her plate, then at the pile of spicy wasabi and the pink pickled ginger. “Ginger. I like that. I was going to pick Wasabi, but no one would believe that. Ginger is a cool name. It’s got a bit of sass and kick and spice too. Plus, it’s supposed to be good for an upset stomach and is also incredibly versatile for cooking.”
“I like it.” An overwhelming wave of happiness washes over me. I didn’t expect this, but it’s the unexpected things in life that are often the best part of it all.
Like finding Echo on my doorstep telling me that we’re married.
Damn it, don’t start thinking about that again, or it’s going to be more than the wasabi making your eyes water.
“Well then, when you talk to your granny, make sure you tell her that I can do wondrous things with liver.”
“My one brother likes anchovies on pizza,” I tell her with a groan. “Could it be worse than that?”
“Anchovies on pizza! Now there’s an idea!” she gushes.
“Oh my god. My family is going to love you.”
“I’m afraid I know nothing about computers, and my skills are probably limited, so I do understand if your family doesn’t want to take me on. I won’t be disappointed. When you’re my age, you learn to live with what life has to hand out, and you try really hard to find the positives. If they can’t take me with them, that’s alright. I’ll stay here, and I’ll make the best of it. I have done that so far for all these years.”
“Sometimes,” I start to say as I struggle past the lump in my throat. “Sometimes, we don’t all need to have the same skill set. My brothers married or are dating women who don’t do what we do, but it doesn’t make them any less a part of the family. Family is family because sometimes you meet someone, and they just fit.”
Mrs. Johnson covers my hand with her own. “That’s nice, sweetheart. I like that.”
“That’s pretty much the end of my limited wisdom. The one other thing I do know for certain is that we can all use more cookies in our lives. Maybe not more liver, but more cookies for sure.”
She blinks back tears, then looks toward the front where the register is. “Can we get another green tea ice cream to go?”
I nod, blinking away the sting at the backs of my eyes. Yes, it’s definitely the unexpected parts of life that hit you the hardest in the most wonderful, bittersweet of ways. I’m not leaving Mrs. Johnson behind. She’s coming with us, and she’s family now. I still have to ask Granny and the rest, but I’m sure they’ll be okay with it.
“Yes. Yes, we sure can.”
“You’ll stay for a little while and share it? I have some good stories about golden times from long before you were born that I can share.”
“I’ll absolutely come in and listen to them.”
“And liver recipes? There are so many ways you can cook that bad boy.”
“Oh, liver,” I groan. It’s easier to think about liver than it is to think about Echo being just next door from Mrs. Johnson but being so, so, so far out of reach. It’s true what people say about always worrying about the people you care about, no matter what choices they make, where they are, or how much time has gone by. “Anchovies’ new disgusting best friend.”
Mrs. Johnson is incredibly wise. I think she might actually be a bit of a seer. Maybe that’s her special, badass talent. Or maybe she’s just really good at picking up on emotion, which is also a special talent. Or being a good listener. That’s another skill that not many people in the world can truly say they have, but she does.
For the love of liver, I miss Echo. I’m always going to miss her.
When Mrs. Johnson gives me a soft smile that is radiant and also a little bit sad, I know she gets every bit of what I’m feeling.
CHAPTER 18
Echo
I don’t know what made me think things would last.
My mom has been staying at a hotel with extended-stay rooms for the past month. She gave me the other key card right away, and just that simple act made me feel included and loved. It made me feel like I mattered, and it made me feel like she was going to stick around and that things were going to work out.