Total pages in book: 51
Estimated words: 46587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46587 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 233(@200wpm)___ 186(@250wpm)___ 155(@300wpm)
I sat and chatted with Ella for a minute, enjoying my coffee after refusing her offer of breakfast, before taking the baby out for her morning walk down by the pond. She loves to sit in her stroller and watch the geese, and the swans that her daddy had bought just for her.
Just like the first time we came here a few days ago, it felt familiar being here with her like this. The scene was familiar, like I’d lived it before.
As I sat with one hand on the stroller pushing it back and forth, I got lost in thought. So many things here seem familiar in a weird way.
But I know no reason why. I’d even asked mom during one of my calls home if maybe we’d been here before when I was much younger, but she said no.
I mentioned it jokingly once to Callan, but he just got this faraway look on his face and never did answer. I guess it wasn’t as important as I was making it out to be.
Something else that’s been bothering me. Every once in a while I’d think I hear children crying somewhere in the house, only to find nothing when I go searching. It had happened often enough that I’d asked Ella if there was another family nearby.
When she asked why and I explained she’d gone quiet for a second before shaking her head no. And then she’d gone on with whatever story she’d been telling me that day.
Now as I sit here looking out over the water, the scenery began to fade once more until I saw another day, one as sunny as this.
But I knew it was different because the people I saw going by on the boat and milling about on the lawn were dressed in what we call period costumes. I couldn’t hear their laughter but I saw them as though they were right there in front of me.
It looked like some sort of garden party from an old historical film set in antebellum days. Women gaily dressed in pastels with hoop skirts, carrying matching parasols. While men stood around in their Sunday best.
The scene was so real I felt myself being drawn in as if by an invisible string. It was so enticing, so inviting, I felt myself begin to drift. I could almost feel the gaiety of the moment, the sun warm on my face…
I jerked out of my daydream when the baby began to fuss and reached for the bottle of water I’d brought along to keep her cool.
From the way she rubbed her gums against the nipple I think the poor thing would have a tooth or two any day now.
When I turned back to the water the scene was gone and instead the day was as it was before. I smiled to myself, wondering at my strange affliction since coming here.
I’ve never been much of a daydreamer, but ever since the accident, I’ve found my mind drifting more and more. Only here it seems to have grown much worse.
We stayed down there under the shade of one of the big magnolia trees for an hour or so, before she started to droop. Then it was back to the house for a quick wipe down to give her some comfort, and then a lunch of mashed yams, which seems to be her favorite. She was half asleep before I got her out of her chair.
That night when I woke to her fretting I was ready. I ran downstairs to the freezer before going back to her. By the time I reached her room Callan was already there, lifting her from the cradle.
I stopped in my tracks, taking in the sight of his muscular back. He wasn’t wearing a shirt tonight, just loose fitting striped cotton pajama bottoms. Are those things supposed to look that good?
“Here! I got this for her.” I held out the teething ring feeling a little bad that he’d had to get out of bed. He probably thought I hadn’t heard her or that I was too lazy to get out of bed to see to her.
“Thank you sweetheart.” He said it so casually; the word just fell from his lips. Meanwhile I was in a state of shock for a solid five-seconds.
Everything he says sounds like sex on a stick, but those particular words rubbed against something deep inside me. Of course he carried on tending to his daughter like he hadn’t just made me twitchy.
It was always an experience to watch him with her, his big hands being so careful, so gentle as he changed her before lifting her to his shoulder as he patted her back.
“Why don’t we both stay up with her tonight?” I smiled at his suggestion and headed for the rocking chair but he had other ideas. I didn’t object when he took my hand in his and led me from the room.