Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
I knew that would take time, and it would be hard for me to do so. Self-forgiveness was one of the hardest things to do. I’d watched my clients deal with the heaviness of guilt, and I worked endlessly to help them break through their past mistakes. Yet, as with most things in life, that was easier said than done.
“I’ll work at it,” I swore. “At forgiving myself.”
“Good.” He crossed his arms. “Can you do something for me, though?”
“What’s that?”
“Tell me about Elijah. Any and every little detail about him.”
I tilted my head toward him and smiled shyly. “Well, he loved superheroes. He hated cats. He thought Legos were the greatest invention ever. He always wanted a dog. He loved swimming and was a better swimmer than both of us combined. He refused to eat anything green but liked to eat onions like candy.”
“Weirdo,” Gabriel laughed.
“Total weirdo,” I agreed with a smile. “Our favorite weirdo. I have notebooks of letters I’d write to him every week since he passed.”
“Do you still write the letters?”
“Yes. No matter what.”
“Why do you do that?”
“Because I miss him,” I confessed with a slight nod. “Writing him letters felt like a way to still be connected to him. It’s silly, I know.”
“It’s not silly. It’s beautiful.”
I tugged on the edge of my long-sleeved shirt and shrugged. “In the early stages, I wrote down every single detail about who he’d been. I wanted to remember everything about him. I wanted a time capsule of sorts to hold on to the memory of him forever. If you’d like, you can read them.”
“You’d let me?”
“I’d let you do anything that made life easier for you.”
“I’ll take you up on that soon.” He turned toward me and raised an eyebrow. “Did I used to call you Penguin?”
I smiled. “Yes. Since we were kids. We got into a fight and you said I waddled like a penguin. It sort of stuck.”
“That’s why it keeps popping up in my head.”
“Yeah. Definitely.”
“Well…” He took a deep inhale. “Thanks, Penguin.”
My heart wanted to cry at hearing the nickname. I wanted to fall apart in his arms and hold him for all the days I hadn’t gotten to hold him before.
Instead I simply said, “You’re welcome.”
“Friends again?” he asked.
I sighed.
I nodded.
“Friends again,” I agreed.
Even though, truthfully, all I wanted was more.
24
Gabriel
“Hey, Boss Man?” Ava asked, tossing some M&M’s into her mouth as we took a work break to play video games.
“Yeah, kid?”
“Do you think you can help me with something?”
“What’s up?”
She placed the game on pause and turned to face me. “I know there have been a lot of parties happening, but I think there’s one more big party that should happen before school comes back around, and I need your help planning it.”
“And what’s this party for?”
“My mom’s fortieth birthday. I feel like that’s an important birthday for old people, and well, Dad isn’t the best at throwing surprises for her. If anything, she’s always planned her birthday stuff, but I don’t know. Dad always gets his dinner parties and stuff to show off. Mom gets nothing. I just want to make sure it’s a great birthday for her.”
“Did you ask your dad to help? I don’t want to step on any toes.”
“Whatever. I don’t want his help,” she said snappily. That was odd. Normally, it seemed like Ava and Henry had a great relationship. They weren’t as close as Ava and Kierra, of course, but it seemed as if Ava had a strong love for her father.
“Is everything good with your dad?”
“Dad’s just Dad. It doesn’t matter. Do you want to help or not?”
“Sure, of course. We can start planning as soon as possible.”
Ava’s smile spread across her face. Any irritation she had about Henry disappeared as I agreed to help her set up a party. “Really?”
“Of course. I’d do anything for Kierra.” The words rolled off my tongue without thought, and then I realized how damn insane they sounded. I shook my head. “I mean, I’d do anything for you if that means helping your mom. My client.”
Ava nodded. “I think you meant the first comment, too. Which is fine, Boss Man. I’d do anything for her, too. There is one small issue, though.”
“And what’s that?”
“I only have one hundred dollars for the budget.”
I laughed. “I think I can manage to cover the rest.”
“Sweet! Thanks, Boss Man.”
“Welcome, kid.”
She tossed more M&M’s into her mouth and unpaused the game. “Let’s get back to me beating you.”
***
The day of Kierra’s party, Ava and I spent hours setting up. Of course, Henry knew about the party, but he did little to be involved. Though, when everyone showed up, he acted as if he’d been involved in every little detail, taking credit for the creativity that Ava had spent weeks on. It was damn annoying to say the least. As I helped Ava with the last tasks, I noticed Henry out of the corner of my eye, greeting everyone with his over-the-top personality.