in
his arms
Chapter 35
He spent the entire day
with me. We never left my room.
We never left my bed, actually. We remained curled up in the same
position, my head on his chest while he recited the remaining
chapters of Swimming to Chicago aloud.
It was bittersweet when the book ended. I found a way to grow
attached, to fall in love with the characters I was hearing
about. But, then again, it was my ninety-ninth book done.
He sighed heavily as he leaned back against the headboard of the
bed. “How was that one?”
“Better.”
He chuckled shortly. “So much freaking better. The last
book really sucked.”
“The last book was awful.”
“I didn’t realize how bad it was until I read a book
like this. Like, I had nothing to compare it to.”
“I know what you mean.” I kept my head on his chest,
facing his feet, not his eyes.
I felt his skeletal fingers trace along my bare scalp. The
feeling of them made me shudder. He was so cold, so incredibly
close to death that he needed a phenomenon to pull him away from
it. His entire body was decrepit from the chemotherapy that
didn’t help him anyways. Just the thought of that made me
want to break down again, but for his sake, I held my
composure.
“We should go out and get another one,” he
offered.
“Another book?” I breathed, sitting up. “Right
now?”
He smiled a goofy smile, one I hadn’t seen in a long while.
“Why not?”
I shrugged slightly, twisting my lips into a half-smile.
“Well, okay.”
We left my room and found Morgan and Aidan around the table.
“What are you doing?” I asked her, and her eyes found
mine.
“Eleventh hour wedding stuff.” I saw her flash
Anthony a devious grin. I glanced up to him; his cheeks were red
from blushing. Before I could ask, Morgan cut in. “Any last
minute invitations?”
“What about Ben?” Anthony offered.
“Ben who?” she and I asked in unison.
“The soldier,” he told us, his eyes darting back and
forth between the two of us.
Morgan didn’t object, so I offered to call him. I hit his
voicemail while Anthony and I were headed towards the bookstore.
He didn’t answer, so I left him a message. As Anthony and I
browsed through the books, I felt my phone vibrating, with an
incoming call from his wife.
“Hello?”
“Hi!” she giggled. “I was so happy to see you
called!”
“Hi, well, I understand this is last minute, but my sister
is getting married this weekend. We were wondering if you would
like to come.”
“Well,” she breathed, “that is a little last
minute. I mean, could you email me the details?”
“Of course. It’s formalwear.”
“Oh, perfect! I know just what to wear. Well, wait,
wasn’t that dress stained—?” I heard her ask
herself, but the rest of the conversation became blurry.
As soon as she said the word ‘stained,’ my eyes fell
on the book Stained by Jennifer Richard Jacobson. I
picked it up and examined it, captivated.
Anthony saw me looking at it. “Do you want that one? This
is a big decision, it’s number 100.”
I was sort of breathless as I looked back into his eyes.
“This one. We have to get this
one.”
Preparing myself for 3 freaking feet of snow
by sunrise. We're already at 5 inches here, what about you?
(:
& I think you guys will like the next chapter. Just
saying.
*I don't notify, please
don't ask.*
0
reply
lynskywalker · 1 decade ago
0
reply
I don't have any snow :) and don't plan on it. Florida's amazing in winter :) but anyway, FANTASTIC JOB ON THE STORY. I KNOW THIS IS IN CAPS BUT IT JUST MEANS THAT YOUR BOOK IS AMAZING! HOPEFULLY YOU GET IT PUBLISHED OR SOMETHING SOMEDAY. KEEP WRITING, IGNORE THE HATERS!!!