Bloom by Marilyn Grey Read Free Book Online Page B

his arm ended and hers began. Anastasia was already digging her fork into a plate of food. Ella and Gavin refused to stop touching each other. Classic newlywed syndrome. Derek and Miranda laughed hysterically a few tables down. He stopped to move a strand of hair from her face. Other couples I didn’t know talked and laughed. Smiles all over the place. Including me. I couldn’t believe it. Ella was right. I discovered a morsel of happiness.
    I caught Vasili looking at me again. He looked away when I saw him. Did my hair move? Were my scars even stranger in the sunlight?
    I suppressed the thoughts and smiled at Anastasia. When I was her age Ella and I dressed up like brides and imagined Prince William whisking us away to England. I dreamed of one day being someone’s bride.
    But Anastasia took in the wedding around her with ease. She was dying. Never to walk down the aisle to a boy. Never to have a first kiss or learn to drive a car. No career or fostered talents.
    I smiled at her when she looked up. She smiled back. Somehow that little girl knew more about true life than I did.
    “What did you laugh at?” Natalie said.
    “Me?” I said. “I laughed out loud?”
    Vasili nodded.
    “Nothing really. Just happy.”
    And, for the first time in a long while, content.

Eight
    Anastasia and I both got tired pretty fast, so Vasili and Natalie offered to drive me home before taking their niece home. I agreed. Didn’t want to inconvenience Ella and Gavin.
    “My birthday is next Saturday,” Anastasia said. “Can you come to the party?”
    I wanted to, but....
    “It may be my last party ever.” She laughed and pouted.
    “Anastasia!” Natalie twisted her body in the passengers seat to glare at the girl. “Why on earth would you say something so morbid?”
    Anastasia slunk into her seat.
    I opened the car door and swung my feet out. “Actually, I find her acceptance of death refreshing. She’s helped me to accept my life.” I stood outside of the car and mouthed, “Thank you,” to Anastasia. She smiled and straightened her shoulders as I backed away.
    Natalie popped out of the car and stood in front of me with her cell phone. “Let me get your number. Sarah Jordan, right?”
    “717-555-1224.”
    “Okay. Now don’t you want mine?”
    “I, uh....”
    “Oh, it’s okay. I can just text you my number and name.” She pointed to the compression garments around my left hand. “Does that hurt?”
    I shook my head. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking. I better get g—“
    “Yes. I’ll talk to you later.”
    She sat in the car and Vasili waved as he backed away. I walked to the house feeling alive again. The wraparound porch invited me to stay a while, but I noticed James’ truck parked around the side. I couldn’t wait to see him. All the love from the day seeped into my heart and melted away the last of the cold. Well, maybe not the last. Still a lot of healing ahead of me. But I felt good. Ready to let James back into my life.
    I opened the door as slow as possible, hoping to surprise him. No sign of life in the living room, so I crept up the stairs and down the hall. I stopped a few steps from my door when I heard Cheyenne’s voice.
    “Please,” she said. “It’s not like you’re together anyway.”
    “She never said that,” James said.
    “Well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist.” She laughed. “Come on. Do I have to take off my clothes and beg you to do the same? It shouldn’t be this hard.”
    He laughed too. “I’ve never been begged before.”
    “First time for everything.” Her shirt landed by the open door, then her bra. “It’s not like I have much competition with my cousin. I guess you could always marry her and use me for good sex.”
    I picked up her shirt and stood in the doorway. Too angry to cry.
    “Oh my gosh.” Cheyenne covered her chest with her arms. “Sarah, what are you doing back so early?”
    James didn’t turn around. He sat on Cheyenne’s bed with his back to