Three Wishes (Dreams Come True #3) by Emma Nichols Read Free Book Online Page B

this?” My words were barely audible. I feared I already knew the answer.
    “My feelings doctor told me to do it when I was four. I’m almost six now.” Her chest puffed out proudly.
    “You’re very wise for your age,” I commented as I carefully flipped through the pages. There were pictures of a stick figure Ollie who lay in bed, sometimes sleeping, sometimes crying. There were pictures of her being comforted by a stick figure mama. I saw the seasons changing as she drew pictures of life outside her bedroom window, a life her medically fragile body couldn’t participate in. My heart ached for her. It took a few breaths for me to get my emotions under control. I didn’t do well with death and sickness.
    “Now you.” She crossed her arms over her chest and set her chin determinedly.
    “Now me what?” I couldn’t stop thinking about the images I’d seen.
    “Now you show me your blog. I wanna see it.” She looked as though she were prepared to argue her point.
    Standing, I walked to where I’d left my bag and pulled out my laptop. Opening it, I managed to find a neighbor who didn’t have their wi-fi password protected. Once online, I pulled up my site to share with Olivia. I set the laptop on the coffee table and turned it for her to view. “I make movies of people I meet. Then I post them and write about them.” I clicked on the embedded video and the story of the hot dog guy began to play.
    I watched as Ollie soaked it all in. Her eyes widened when he told all the places he’d been. Then, when the movie ended she shook her head sadly and pushed the laptop toward me. It wasn’t the reaction I had anticipated. “What’s wrong? You don’t like it?” I frowned. Her approval seemed suddenly very important to me.
    “It’s not that,” she mumbled. Taking a breath, she sighed. “You did a really good job, Ben.” I bit my lip to keep from laughing at her grown up ways. “I’m just sad because I’ve never been anywhere.” Her shoulders drooped.
    A moment later, Charlie’s voice broke the uncomfortable silence. “Now that’s not true.” She pretended to give Olivia a stern look. “You’ve visited some of the finest hospitals in Montreal and the province of Quebec.” Then she picked up Ollie and tickled her until she giggled. We exchanged sad smiles. I could feel her pain and I admired how she tried to stay positive despite it all.
    “Wow. I haven’t really been to any hospitals.” I looked away because I was suddenly reminded of visiting my mother.
    “All we visit are hospitals.” Ollie threw her hands in the air.
    “When you get better,” Charlie began.
    Shaking her head, Ollie interrupted her mother. “Mama, I’m not getting better.” Then she turned to me. “Let’s get working on this movie. Okay?”
    My eyes widened and I nodded. “Yeah. Let’s talk about cameras. Come sit by me.” I sat on the couch and gestured for her to join me.
    “Yes, let’s.” Then she plopped on the couch and crossed her arms while she waited.
     
    ***
    Charlie
     
    My eyes did that tearing up thing the minute Ollie turned her back. Her words stung, cut me to my very core. I held a fist to my lips, then turned away and hid in my room while I tried to get my emotions under control. At the rate I was going, Ben would never want to come back and I’d have ruined everything for my daughter yet again.
    Guilt gnawed at me all the time. It seemed like my fault she was sick. It was my fault she didn’t have her father. It was my fault the two of us were the only family we had. It didn’t matter how many scenarios played out, I couldn’t imagine a way for our life to be different. I couldn’t imagine life without her, like it would’ve been if I’d had the abortion Damien demanded. I couldn’t imagine her battling leukemia without me, like she would’ve if I’d have gone through with the adoption my mother insisted upon.
    I paced for a few minutes as I concentrated on breathing and repeating words