Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 71679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71679 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 358(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Nope, because that’s the front door I hear opening.
“Double shit. They’ll probably want to go boating or something. It’s early yet. My dad will insist you come along so he can give you the Dad Inquisition while we innocently pretend we’re just out there to enjoy the day and catch fish.”
“That’s fine. I have sunglasses. Dark ones.”
“But you—”
“Have functioned every single day of my life in the daylight?”
I sigh. I can’t help but lean in and graze his forehead with a kiss. “I don’t want to do something that will make you hurt.”
“My whole life has been pain, Darby.” He turns his face up to me, and he’s so vulnerable and open that my heart throbs, and my breath stutters. “Being with you these past few days has been one of the only times I’ve ever felt any relief.” His small smile is the only thing that keeps me from losing it. My eyes are dangerously tingly.
“Because—because we’ve reversed our schedules and are awake at night? Because you already had the worst of it, and it let up for a while?”
“I don’t know.”
It could be a thousand things. Less stress, finally opening up, not carrying so many burdens and tension with him. It could even be the damn endorphins. I’m not silly enough to think I can fix someone’s brain. I don’t know that anyone can do that, even really good medical personnel, but I hope they can. I really hope they can. I’m going to figure out if someone here can, and I’m going to get Leon to see them. I just haven’t found the time to do some research yet, but I will. I will because there is no way I’m going to allow him to keep suffering like he is.
“Darby?”
“Oh god, that’s my dad. I’ll close the bedroom door and distract them with coffee. Java is something they can’t refuse at any hour of the day.” I race around, doing exactly what I said before closing the door firmly behind me.
“Darby?” My mom is calling for me now.
I race out front, out of breath by the time I get there. “Oh. Hey. What are you guys doing here?”
“We wanted to come and say hi and make sure you were okay. We missed you. Can’t a father see his long-lost daughter?”
I put my hands on my hips and give them both a stern look that I have to force. They’re dressed for the beach—my mom in a yellow maxi dress and a big floppy straw hat, my dad in khaki shorts and a floral print shirt. He loves his floral print shirts. There is nothing that could tear him away from them. They have a distinctly tropical vibe with their big pink flowers and palm trees, and I have to say, it’s good to see them here.
“You just saw me the weekend before last. I come to your house for dinner all the time, and you’re always checking in on me at my place.”
“We haven’t been here at the cabin together, though, for over a year.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I’ve been really busy at work, and it’s hard to get holidays during the first year.”
“You have them now, though,” my mom points out. “And we’d like to meet this mystery man.”
“A mystery man that you’d mysteriously bring to the cabin and not the house first,” Dad grumbles.
“There’s a reason for that, and…the holidays were last minute. I…okay, I’m sorry.” I can’t tell them the whole story, and it just makes me seem like a careless, selfish arsehole of a daughter.
I drop my pose and walk forward, opening my arms to hug my parents. I’m careful of my dad’s leg. He’s leaning heavily on his cane. More heavily than normal. He hurt his leg at work, and he’s been on disability for the past four years because he’s had so many surgeries to try and make things right. He always tells us he’s not in much pain, but his leg is pretty much pooched. His words, not mine. I hope he’s telling me the truth about the pain.
“So, where is this man you’ve got holed up in here, whisked off to our family’s sanctuary without introducing him to anyone first?”
I wince. “Actually, grandpa and grandma and Nate were here when we got here. I made them promise not to say anything. I’m sorry. It’s complicated, and I…I wasn’t trying to keep anything a secret. I was just…I don’t know. It’s a long story, and I don’t want to tell it right now, but can I distract you from being mad at me with a cup of the world’s most delicious coffee? I brought beans with me, so they’re fresh and yummy and aren’t from a can that’s been forgotten in the cupboard for the past, oh, eight years or so.”