Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54028 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 270(@200wpm)___ 216(@250wpm)___ 180(@300wpm)
Nerves tightened my gut as I sat down next to her, and I hoped with all my heart she’d accept at least one of the vegetables. At this point, she had to take daily supplements to get the nutrition she needed, which wasn’t a walk in the park. She gagged easily, and I’d run out of things to crush pills in. She couldn’t eat bananas or jam or peanut butter—or Nutella, for that matter. The list went on for days.
She took a tentative bite of the cucumber stick, presumably because she could tolerate those occasionally. The cucumber had to be brand-new, firm, and cold.
Her other favorite person at school, Tiana, was making some progress with her in the cafeteria too. Sometimes Lily was okay with chicken in her sandwich, and she liked blueberries on the side—however, only at school. I couldn’t for the life of me get her to eat blueberries here at home.
Lily shuddered. “Blah. It’s slimy.”
I saw the sheer disgust on her face and how close she was to gagging, so I rolled with the punches. “We’ll skip the cucumber. Here, spit it out.” I held out my hand.
She didn’t waste a second.
I detested that look on her face, when a food-related discomfort was so agonizing that her eyes welled up and made her nauseated.
“You’re so strong, Lily. I’m incredibly proud of you for trying,” I told her. After throwing away the cucumber, I set a glass of water in front of her, and she was quick to gulp it down.
My heart clenched painfully with worry.
She sniffled and nodded jerkily.
Beverages were another thing. What child didn’t like chocolate milk or all those sugary soft drinks? I knew it was good for a kid to stay away from such things; it was a bizarre issue to complain about, yet I couldn’t help it. Even if I never voiced any of it out loud, it was just another aspect that set her apart from others. I’d never be able to take my daughter to the movies and buy her a popcorn and soda. She hated sitting with other people, she couldn’t stand the sound of others eating, she couldn’t eat popcorn, and soda was gross.
Sometimes, I was a dumbass too. Lily was a happy girl. Popcorn and soda weren’t her idea of a good time. That was merely my perception. I’d never gone to the movies with my parents as a child. I’d never been allowed to try chocolate milk or soda.
My father had been a dentist…
Lily drank water and sugar-free grape juice. That was it.
Maybe we could add tomatoes to her list of approved foods, though. She had liked Kingsley’s pizza rolls. They’d had tomato sauce and cheese on them. She took a small bite and chewed carefully, then a bigger bite with less trepidation.
“Success?” I asked cautiously.
She held up a finger, still chewing. “Let me think on it, Daddy.”
I flashed a grin.
Last time she’d tried tomatoes, not as a sauce—she probably didn’t remember. She’d been four or five, and it’d ended in a vomit fest. But as her counselor loved to remind us, Lily’s tastes were ever-changing, and we had to keep trying.
“I like the flavor,” Lily said decisively. Then she promptly shuddered and grimaced. “What are the tiny, hard things? I don’t like those! They’re slimy too.”
I was expecting that. “The seeds. I can have that removed.” It wouldn’t be a problem to cut off the juicier parts if she enjoyed the rest.
Our breakfast adventures continued.
By the time Samantha showed up, Lily was looking forward to lunch. Because it’d been so long since she’d had a grilled cheese sandwich.
“Did you pack it, Mommy?” she pressed. “You didn’t forget?”
“I packed it, sweetie,” Samantha promised. “It’s still warm and everything.”
“Good! I can’t wait to see Auntie Claire.” Lily beamed and started rolling her luggage out into the hallway.
I cleared my throat. “Pardon me, princess. Can I get a hug before you’re off?”
“Oh, duh.” She darted back with a sheepish grin, and I squatted down and hauled her in for a tight hug. “We’ll text lots, right? And remember the pink hearts emoji.”
“I won’t forget.” I kissed her hair and made a mental note. Blue heart was out, pink hearts were in. “Have a wonderful time with Aunt Claire, darling.”
“I will.”
When she didn’t release me after her usual five Mississippis, I guessed she was battling against her nerves. No matter how much she adored Claire, traveling didn’t come easy for Lily. Or any of the routines she had to get used to temporarily.
“Lily loves Daddy,” she whispered.
I exhaled and hugged her a little harder. “Daddy loves Lily too. So, so much.”
First Thanksgiving I’d spend without her.
It was going to be tough.
“Good. Give Jack a hug from me also. Two Mississippis!”
I smiled and pressed my lips to the side of her head. “You got it.”