Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
My dad’s voice finished on a roar.
“You’re a poor excuse for a man,” my mom said into the stunned silence. “You don’t deserve anyone, let alone my daughter. Now, I suggest you head home and get your belongings.”
“I’m not going home yet.” Joseph snorted. “I still have some business to do here. I’ll get home when I’m ready.”
There was a scuffle, then the sound of my mother’s voice. “I will kill that man before I let him near you again.”
I smiled. “Good.”
“I fucking hate him,” she snarled.
“Good,” I breathed. “Because I do, too.”
Single and not looking. We can go eat, though.
—Bindi to Garrett
BINDI
6 months ago
There was a knock at my door, and I carefully got up, grabbed my cane, and headed for the door.
“Who is it?” I called once I’d made it to the door.
Or, more importantly, once I’d nearly face-planted into it.
I was still getting used to the new apartment.
Today marked the third day that I’d lived there.
“It’s me,” Joseph said from the other side of the door.
My jaw clenched.
This asshole.
This super asshole.
I couldn’t stand him.
I’d moved to Dallas from Albuquerque, and his stupid self had followed me.
It wasn’t endearing.
In fact, I’d say it was getting to stalkerish levels at this point.
I carefully opened the door, putting my body between the gap and said, “What do you want?”
“I came for my check,” he said. “You said you had it.”
I sighed.
My mom and I opened my mail together every single day, and yesterday, I’d gotten a forwarded check in the mail for Joseph.
I’d thought about ignoring it, but instead sent him a text that let him know that I had it, and I would forward it to him.
He’d apparently ignored that and decided to show up.
God, couldn’t he fucking listen?
“Stay here, and I’ll go get it,” I said as I tried to close the door.
My mistake, I expected him to actually respect my boundaries.
Turns out, I was stupid.
He pushed the door open and caused me to stumble backward. Using my confusion, he pushed past me and marched into my apartment.
“What are you doing?” I yelled. “Get out!”
“Sorry,” he said as he disappeared farther into my apartment. “No can do. This is a big check, and I need it.”
“I said I would get it!” I cried out. “Now get out right now.”
He ignored me and kept walking.
I could hear his stupid loafer-covered feet walking deeper and deeper into the apartment.
I reached for my phone and had 911 dialed in before I heard him say, “Got it.”
I waited for him to come back, but his feet only went a little farther on. “Nice place.”
“I’m not joking right now, Joseph,” I said with practical steam coming out of my ears. “Either get out, or I’m calling the cops.”
He was just suddenly there, plucking the phone out of my hand.
I angrily brandished my walking stick and swung.
It connected with him, and he roared.
“What the fuck was that for?” he yelled.
“Get out!” I screamed.
“Is there a problem here?” I heard from my left.
The front door was likely still wide open.
“No, I was just leaving,” Joseph snarled and slammed the door closed.
I let out a relieved breath, then made my way back to the door before flipping the lock.
Goddammit.
I couldn’t stand him.
Why did he have to move here?
And why could he not realize that I wanted nothing to do with him?
Angry at myself and the situation for what had just happened, I made my way to the first available surface and felt around, luckily finding my phone on the counter where Joseph had placed it.
“Asshole,” I grumbled.
I dialed in my mom’s number, and she answered on her first ring.
“You’re early today,” she said. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine, Mom,” I said to her as I made my way through the apartment. “It’s a learning curve, but I’m fine.”
“Have you looked into that app?” Mom asked.
I sighed. “Yes. I have. I downloaded it. Well, I got the guy at the phone store to download it for me. He also taught me how to use the phone. It’s pretty cool and has a lot of features that I never knew that iPhone had for blind people.”
“Cool,” Mom said excitedly. “You know you can always call me if you need help, right?”
“I know, Mom,” I said softly. “I love you, you know that, right?”
“I know,” she said. “I just wish that you would let us help more.”
“It’s a given that you would help me,” I said. “But this is my life now, Mom. You have to let me start to navigate it without you.”
She sighed. “What are you going to do there?”
I hadn’t thought that far ahead.
“I guess start looking for jobs where I can use my languages, since I can’t very well go apply for a paramedic job.” I sighed.
“You could probably do something with it. Teach,” she suggested.
I doubted it.