Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
She takes another step into the room and smiles down at Lucy. “Hi, Lucy.” She holds out her hand, which isn’t shaking anymore. Her voice is soft and warm, like a welcoming hug. “It’s so nice to meet you.” I see Lucy watching me, then Lilah before her hand slowly moves from her side and lifts to shake Lilah’s hand.
Lucy doesn’t say a word, which isn’t surprising to me since the last word that came out of her mouth was five days ago when she asked if she was coming to live with me. After that, she hasn’t said a single word—not to Mr. and Mrs. Graham, not to Charlie, and not to Autumn, who came up yesterday to try to help. Not to anyone. She would shake her head or nod, and that was the extent of it. It was pushing me to the edge of the cliff I was already hanging on to by my fingernails.
“Do you want to come with me and see some of the horses?” Lilah asks and looks down at me. The bottom of her eyes brimming with tears as she fights them back, smiling through whatever she is going through. “We got a couple of new horses this week,” she says to Lucy, “and my favorite, Rosy, is in there now.” She waits a couple of seconds for Lucy to answer her, and when she doesn’t, she looks at me.
“Would you like to go with Lilah and see some of the horses?” I ask Lucy, who shrugs but then slowly nods at me, so I get up from in front of Lucy and share a look with Charlie, who raises his eyebrows.
“I’ll be right there,” I tell Lilah before looking at Lucy. “I’m just going to finish in here, and then I’ll come and get you, and we can go to the house.” She doesn’t acknowledge me. Instead, she looks at Lilah, waiting for her to move so she can follow her.
When the two of them walk out of the room, I let out my deep breath. “Jesus fucking Christ.” I run my hand through my hair, ready to pull it out.
“Give her time.” Charlie keeps repeating things that he’s been telling me for the past five days.
Instead of just giving them time to themselves, I head out to follow them to the barn.
I step into the barn and see Bobby right away, who gives me a chin up before I make my way over to Lilah, who is with Lucy. “This horse here is named Coffee,” she tells her, and Lucy just looks up at her. “I’m not even sure that is his name,” she whispers. “I don’t even know if they will keep the name,” she says of the horse that looks like a coffee with a splash of milk. “I’m going to try to get everyone to call him that so it sticks.” She laughs by herself as they walk down the stalls, showing Lucy all the horses.
“And this one is my favorite,” she whispers, “but don’t tell the others.” Lucy gives her a soft smile. “This is Rosy,” she says. “Would you like to meet Rosy up close and personal?” I close my eyes, waiting to hear her voice, but it isn’t there. My eyes open to see her nod. Lilah smiles at her and opens the stall. “Do you want to hold my hand? That way, if you get scared, you can give me a squeeze.” She holds out her hand, and I watch in amazement as Lucy lifts her hand and slips it in Lilah’s before walking into the stall with her. “Hey, Rosy,” Lilah says to the horse, “I brought a friend to meet you.” I lean against the wall in front of the stall, watching both of them.
My heart is stuck in my throat as I watch the woman I’ve tried not to care about with the little girl who has now taken over my heart. Even though I have no idea what love is, I’m pretty sure it feels like this. “You be nice to her.” Lilah holds up her hand to pet Rosy’s side. “This is Lucy,” she tells the horse. “You can hold up your hand,” she instructs Lucy, “and she will smell you.” She shows her by extending her hand, and Rosy sticks her whole muzzle in Lilah’s hand because she trusts her. When Lucy holds up her hand, it takes Rosy a couple of seconds, and she takes a step back, which must scare Lucy because she also takes a step back.
“It’s okay, she won’t hurt you,” Lilah assures both of them, “I promise you.” I see her squeeze Lucy’s little hand as she holds up her empty hand again, and this time, Rosy comes forward hesitantly, just as hesitantly as Lucy. “It’ll be okay,” Lilah tells both of them as Rosy moves her neck down toward Lucy’s hand. The minute her muzzle finds her hand, Lucy moves her hand back, scared a bit. “It tickles, right?” Lilah asks with a smile. “You get used to it.” She rubs Rosy’s side. “See?” She looks down at Lucy, who lets go of her hand and puts both of them for Rosy to nuzzle.