Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45573 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“Okay.”
“Okay,” I repeat. “I’ll let you get back to bed. Thank you, Abby. I’m sorry for calling you so late.”
She laughs. “You know you can call me anytime. Love you, Olivia.”
“Love you too, Abbs. I’ll see you at the bachelorette party. I still don’t know how I can get you a stripper if you guys are doing a combined bachelor/bachelorette party.”
“No strippers,” Davis says in the background, letting me know Abby is back in bed.
“All right, big guy, no strippers. Talk to you tomorrow, Abby. Thanks again.”
“You’re welcome. It’s going to be okay, you know that, right?”
I let out a breath. I’m not sure right now of anything, but she’s at least given me some hope. “Right. I know. Bye, see you soon.”
I hang up and then lean over to plug my phone in. I know this is crazy, but I’ve already got a plan. Tomorrow, I’m going to talk to Jason and let him know everything I’m thinking. And I’m going to ask him why he was so determined to leave tonight.
When I roll over in bed, I’m thinking I’ll be able to sleep now, but after just a few more minutes, I’m already thinking of all the other scenarios in my head. I hope Abby is right, but there’s something that is holding me back from believing it. Maybe it’s all the crap I went through with my ex or maybe it’s just a feeling I have, but the only thing that lets me start to breathe easily is promising myself that tomorrow, I’m going to talk to him, and I’ll know one way or another what he feels and what he’s thinking.
CHAPTER 19
JASON
“How’d last night go?”
I keep working, sanding another coffee table. Chris and I have been at it all day. We went and saw Walker first thing to show him the finished design, and he loved it. After a pat on the back, he sent us back out to the barn.
“It went good.”
I don’t know if it’s the smile that’s been on my face all day or what, but he doesn’t ask me any more about it.
“So how you doing?” he asks me.
And I don’t have to ask him what he means. I know what it’s about. Ever since Walker told me the specialist is arriving late tonight and my appointment with him is first thing in the morning, I’ve been thinking about it.
Of course, I want my eyesight back. For two years, I’ve been told that it will happen, and this whole time I’ve tried to convince myself that maybe the doctors are right. Plenty of times I have thought that things were getting less dark or that maybe I saw a shadow in the darkness. Over and over, until I’ve driven myself crazy with it.
For two years, I’ve put my life on hold. I never really tried to function as a blind man, doing the very least I can to get by. I learned braille because I had no other choice.
It’s different now. I changed when I met Olivia. I allowed myself to want more, and I know that’s in large part due to her.
“Jason, how you doing?” he asks again.
I decide to be honest with him. “I’m doing all right. I’m nervous about what the doctor is going to say. I’m nervous about how I’ll handle it.”
I feel like I already know what’s going to happen. I’ve never been a negative person, but this appointment just doesn’t feel good. If he tells me I’ll never see again, how am I going to handle it? And what does that mean for me and Olivia? I’ve told her my sight would be coming back.
I groan, and Chris is moving about the room. “I get it. You’re scared. But I wish you knew how far you’ve come just being able to admit that. It’s huge, Jason.”
I grit my teeth. “Yeah, but…”
Chris says, “No buts. You’re making progress, and whatever your diagnosis is tomorrow, you’ll make more progress.”
“Yeah, I want to know. I need to know.”
“So after your appointment, I’ll be here if you want to talk or work or whatever.”
I nod. From the ominous tone, it’s obvious Chris is a little worried about my appointment too. “Sounds good, man. Thanks for all this.”
I wave my arm around the barn. We get back to work, and it’s a little while later that I feel the shift in the atmosphere. I inhale, and I swear I smell vanilla and jasmine and I automatically think I’m going crazy. Now I’m imagining Olivia here when she isn’t.
I keep working, but I’m on high alert. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I know someone else is here besides just Chris and me. I stop sanding. “Olivia?”
She giggles. “I’m sorry. I was watching you work. I didn’t mean to interrupt you.”