Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114647 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 573(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 382(@300wpm)
“What?” Winter practically screeched, then passed the now awake Cat to me before disappearing in the dark of the hallway.
“What the fuck is that-” I heard before Cat’s cry of outrage drowned out the rest of Winter’s question.
The rumbling of the thunder shook the house with its fierceness, and then the sound of pouring rain followed it its wake.
Expertly cradling the tiny girl to my shoulder, I bounced and shushed right against Cat’s ear, which calmed her instantly.
I smiled as I thought about how Janie used to be much the same way. I’d just about pulled out all my hair when I’d discovered a book at the super market. Figuring that I had nothing else to lose, I’d purchased it, read it, and then implemented the actions on a colicky Janie that very same night.
Much to my surprise it’d worked, and I’d been a believer of the method ever since. Cat passed out in my arms after a few more whimpers, and I tucked her in close to my chest, then followed Winter to the guest room.
I found Winter sitting on the bed next to Shiloh, cradling the massive ‘cat’ in her arms, snuggling him close. “This is the most awesome cat I’ve ever seen. Even better than Ember’s!”
I was thinking that much myself. “I thought so, too. Did she take the pill?”
“Yeah. Got her to drink a glass of water, too. What’d you do to get my girl to quiet down?” She asked skeptically.
I smiled. “It’s my magic touch. You just wouldn’t understand.”
“Well, how about you and your magic touch watch the girl this weekend. If the storms keep up, I’m gonna have to build her a soundproof room.” She griped.
“Well, at least she’s not colicky. Janie was the most awful baby. No matter what I did, she would cry. Feed her, she cried. Change her, she cried. Look at her, she cried. And you’d better not even think about putting her down.” I said wistfully.
In all honesty, I missed every single minute of when Janie was a baby. She was five, going on forty-two, and I’d give just about anything to freeze time to ensure she didn’t grow up anymore. She’d stay my little princess forever.
“We’ll see how Shiloh feels. She’s not going home until I get her place wired.” I growled getting upset all over again about the state of her apartment.
It was completely unfit for such a young beautiful woman to live in. If I had my wish, she’d be somewhere more secure, pronto.
“Yeah, Cheyenne said something just a couple of minutes ago as I passed her place on the way to yours. She looked kind of pissed off, too.”
I imagined she was. I just wondered what Sam had been telling her all these months as to why Shiloh wasn’t coming around.
“Yeah, Sam has some explaining to do.” I answered, and then recapped what I’d learned in the past couple of hours.
“Did it say what type of cancer?” Winter asked with alarm.
I thought back to what I’d read on the paper. “Basal something.”
“Basal Cell Carcinoma?” She asked.
I nodded my head. “Yeah, that sounds about right.”
Her breath left in a whoosh. “Whew! If you’re going to have one, that seems to be the best type to have. It rarely spreads to other parts of the body, and it’s the slowest growing. Did it say where it was at?”
“I didn’t get that far. I didn’t want to keep reading her personal documents. All I read was that she was ‘Negative for basal cell carcinoma’ and that she needs to follow up with her new doctor within six months as a precaution.”
“Are you going to tell her you found it?” Winter asked.
I nodded once. “I can’t not tell her. That just doesn’t sit right with me not to tell her. And more, she’ll ask where I found the cat, and that was in the hidey hole she had.”
“You’re a good man, James. You’re also a miracle worker.” She said, smiling sweetly at Cat.
Winter sat the cat back down on her perch above Winter’s head, and we left the room silently. I walked to the door, grabbed the umbrella that was the size of a small spacecraft, and opened it on the front porch with a flick of my wrist.
“Well, it’s just because I’m that awesome.” I grinned cheekily at her.
She snorted, and stepped out under the umbrella I was holding up. We walked quickly, and Jack opened the front door before we were even half way there, stepping out on his own porch and waited as I walked his life back to him.
“Yeah, your awesomeness knows no bounds.” She said dryly, taking a step onto the porch so she was under the awning before she held her hands out for Cat.
I transferred her gently to Winter’s arms, and stepped back. “Look up Happiest Baby on the Block on YouTube. You’re welcome.”
Winter’s laughter followed me home, and even though it was warm, I still felt a chill deep down in my bones. As if I was on the precipice of something big. Life altering, and huge.
Chapter 4
Don’t take life so seriously. It’s not like you’re going to get out alive anyway.
-Louise Smith
Shiloh
My eyes peeled open, and my stomach rolled as the pain in my arm intensified tenfold as I took in my surroundings. I looked down searching for the cause of my pain, and found my hand covered in a cast. Well that explained it. I’d broken the same bone I’d broken when I was fourteen. Yay for me.
At least the color was cute. I loved bright pink and bright green. Really, anything that was neon colored was my favorite. The cast would at least match my New Balance shoes I’d bought as a splurge a couple of days ago.
Normally, I wouldn’t risk spending any money due to my lack of well-paying job, but I’d gotten the call from social services a few days ago asking me to come in for an interview, and I had a good feeling that I’d get it.