Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 124341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124341 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 497(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
“Shush for a minute, Eddie,” the woman said, moving in front of the strapping man. “We’re going to completely overwhelm them.”
Sam stepped closer to Autumn and just slightly in front of her, positioning himself as a guard dog might.
The brunette woman smiled warmly at Autumn and then at Sam as she approached. “I’m Harper,” she said. Her gaze moved from Autumn to where Sam stood, her eyes softening as she took them both in before turning. “And this is my husband, Jak.”
The man named Jak studied them carefully too, his gaze lingering on Sam.
“And this sweet little terror is Eddie,” she said as Mark set the little boy on his feet.
Eddie went immediately to his mother’s side, leaned against her leg, and peered up at Sam. His eyes were wide, his mouth opened slightly. Sam peered down at him, one eyebrow raised.
“Are you a wizard?” Eddie asked, his expression utterly awestruck.
“No,” Sam answered, regarding the child warily as though he too was unsure exactly what this strange creature was.
“An alien?”
“Eddie!” Harper said, bringing her hand down and then patting his cheek in an attempt to quiet the boy.
Autumn had the urge to laugh, and the sensation made something ease inside her. If her sense of humor was still intact, she was going to be okay. The child’s honest innocence was just the balm she’d needed, even if Sam was still staring suspiciously at him.
“No,” he answered again, though with less certainty.
“Well, I—” Harper began.
“A superhero!” Eddie exclaimed, taking a step closer to Sam, the awe in his gaze increasing.
“Er—”
“I can run fast!” Eddie said, turning and racing as fast as his little legs could carry him to the edge of the deck and then back to where they all stood. “See?”
“You’re not fast at all,” Sam noted, causing Autumn to stifle what was sure to emerge as the mixture of a laugh and a groan. Clearly, Sam had rarely if ever encountered a young child.
“Am too!” Eddie declared, the honest insult obviously not fazing him one bit.
“Your legs are too short to be fast.”
Eddie appeared to consider that, his eyes moving from Sam’s feet to his white hair. “My dad says I’m going to be a giant like him someday,” he finally said.
Sam opened his mouth to respond.
“Giants live at the top of beanstalks and eat kids for dinner!” Eddie declared.
“Uh—”
“Why don’t I show you where you’ll be sleeping tonight, giant-to-be?” Mark said, taking Eddie’s hand. “It’s a loft bed, taller than me. You have to use a ladder to get into it.”
Eddie’s eyes widened, but he looked torn, his gaze moving between the unusual superhero and the man who had just promised a bed with a ladder. “I’ll be back!” he told Sam, taking Mark’s hand.
Judging by Sam’s expression, he considered that a threat.
“Autumn,” Harper said, shooting a quick look at her husband, “I’d love to stretch my legs a bit after traveling all day. Would you like to join me for a walk?”
“Um.” Autumn caught Sam’s eyes, and he gave her a nod that told her he’d be okay. “Sure,” she said.
When she looked back at Harper, she noticed that the woman was watching them, a gentle smile on her lips. Autumn followed her to the set of steps off the deck that led to the yard. They crossed through the winter grass and went out the gate that led to a path that traveled along the shore.
“When are you due?” Autumn asked.
“Eight more weeks.” Harper smiled. “It feels like a lifetime at this point. And like I should savor the time before I’m juggling two.” But she smiled again, bringing her hand to her swollen stomach. She obviously loved motherhood.
A longing rose up in Autumn, the hope that someday she’d have a family as beautiful as Harper’s. Harper and Jak had obviously found a way to make it work, even though she had to assume Jak had faced many of the same emotional and mental challenges that Sam did.
You’re getting ahead of yourself, thinking of a potential future with Sam when you haven’t figured out the present.
“It hasn’t all been smooth sailing,” Harper said, “Jak’s adjustment.”
Autumn was surprised that Harper had seemingly read her mind.
Harper offered a knowing smile. “I was once right where you are. Or…close enough anyway.” She paused. “They’re very much like wounded warriors. The adjustment to a more normal life is almost the easy part,” she said. “It’s the grief and the anger, the fear…those things are the real battles. But if Sam has come this far and retained his sanity and a heart that holds any amount of kindness, then there’s great hope that he’ll recover.”
Sanity. Kindness. Yes, he possessed both of those. And his heart didn’t just hold a small amount of kindness, it overflowed with it, whether he knew that or not. Whether he wanted that or not.