Read Online I'll Be Seeing You by Lurlene McDaniel - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Lurlene McDaniel
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heard. “Sexy? Me?”
“That’s what I said.” He grinned. “When all you have is someone’s voice to go on, you notice the smallest change. And today you just didn’t sound like yourself.”
“Um—I had a little allergy attack right before I came by to see you. Maybe that made me sound different.”
“Maybe so.” He still acted perplexed, but she didn’t pursue it and decided to change the topic to get his mind on something else. “So, have you heard how much longer you’ll be locked in this place?”
“My doctor hasn’t said. How about you?”
“The antibiotic is working fine—no fever for days. I’ll get another X ray tomorrow.”
“So you may be leaving sooner than me.”
“I’ve been here for over a week and I’d like to leave. Wouldn’t you?”
“Sure.” But his tone was hesitant. “It’s a little scary, though, thinking of going outside these walls when I still can’t see.”
“Will someone be with you when you go home?”
He shook his head. “Both my folks work, so I’ll have to be on my own for most of the day. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could see. I’m behind in all my schoolwork and I’m in accelerated classes. I’ll probably never catch up.”
“Are we having a pity party?”
“You’re not going to let me feel sorry for myself? Not even just a little?”
“It won’t help.” Carley toyed with her fork. She wasn’t being insensitive to his plight, but she knew how senseless it was to sit around complaining about what couldn’t be changed. Life went on whether a person participated in it or not. “But I know how it feels to be swamped with schoolwork. That’s enough to give anybody a downer.”
He laughed. “Well, I’m not ready to learn braille and I don’t want to spent the summer in school, so I’m not sure how I’ll catch up.”
“Why don’t you have Steve or Jason tape your class lectures for you? Maybe then you wouldn’t fall so far behind.”
He straightened in the chair. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He sounded amazed that something so obvious could have eluded him.
“You don’t have a brain as devious as mine?” she offered playfully.
“Carley, that’s a great idea. My dad could arrange to have all my classes taped and I can keep up that way. Why, I might even be able to take tests orally.”
She tapped his hand. “I charge big bucks for advice, you know.”
“I’ll pay.” They laughed together, but soon Kyle grew quiet, thoughtful. “Can I tell you something?”
She nodded, then realized that he couldn’t see her. “Sure,” she said for emphasis.
“I like you.”
She felt her mouth go dry. “I like you too.”
“Once we both go home, can I call you? Visit with you?”
So
long as you’re blind
, she thought, but she said, “Oh gosh, once you get back to regular life, you’ll forget all about me.”
Kyle grabbed her hand and held it tightly. “Not so, Carley. I’ll never forget you.”
She felt a wave of fear. There was no way they could have a relationship once they were both out of the hospital. Sooner or later someone would see her and tell Kyle the truth. Certainly there would be no way she could ever persuade Janelle to impersonate her again. How could she put him off without hurting his feelings or telling himmore than she ever wanted him to know? “Why don’t we wait and see how things go once we blow this place?”
“You don’t want me to keep in touch, do you?” He looked dejected.
“I didn’t say that.”
“But it’s what you meant. Is it because I could be permanently blind? Is it because you don’t want to be stuck with a guy who’s blind?”
“No way,” she started to protest.
Kyle interrupted. “Steve and Jason told me how pretty you are. I can’t figure out why you don’t have a boyfriend, unless you’re so beautiful that you can pick anyone you want. If that’s the case, I don’t stand a chance.”
In her heart she longed to tell him that he was handsome, smart,
“That’s what I said.” He grinned. “When all you have is someone’s voice to go on, you notice the smallest change. And today you just didn’t sound like yourself.”
“Um—I had a little allergy attack right before I came by to see you. Maybe that made me sound different.”
“Maybe so.” He still acted perplexed, but she didn’t pursue it and decided to change the topic to get his mind on something else. “So, have you heard how much longer you’ll be locked in this place?”
“My doctor hasn’t said. How about you?”
“The antibiotic is working fine—no fever for days. I’ll get another X ray tomorrow.”
“So you may be leaving sooner than me.”
“I’ve been here for over a week and I’d like to leave. Wouldn’t you?”
“Sure.” But his tone was hesitant. “It’s a little scary, though, thinking of going outside these walls when I still can’t see.”
“Will someone be with you when you go home?”
He shook his head. “Both my folks work, so I’ll have to be on my own for most of the day. It wouldn’t be so bad if I could see. I’m behind in all my schoolwork and I’m in accelerated classes. I’ll probably never catch up.”
“Are we having a pity party?”
“You’re not going to let me feel sorry for myself? Not even just a little?”
“It won’t help.” Carley toyed with her fork. She wasn’t being insensitive to his plight, but she knew how senseless it was to sit around complaining about what couldn’t be changed. Life went on whether a person participated in it or not. “But I know how it feels to be swamped with schoolwork. That’s enough to give anybody a downer.”
He laughed. “Well, I’m not ready to learn braille and I don’t want to spent the summer in school, so I’m not sure how I’ll catch up.”
“Why don’t you have Steve or Jason tape your class lectures for you? Maybe then you wouldn’t fall so far behind.”
He straightened in the chair. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He sounded amazed that something so obvious could have eluded him.
“You don’t have a brain as devious as mine?” she offered playfully.
“Carley, that’s a great idea. My dad could arrange to have all my classes taped and I can keep up that way. Why, I might even be able to take tests orally.”
She tapped his hand. “I charge big bucks for advice, you know.”
“I’ll pay.” They laughed together, but soon Kyle grew quiet, thoughtful. “Can I tell you something?”
She nodded, then realized that he couldn’t see her. “Sure,” she said for emphasis.
“I like you.”
She felt her mouth go dry. “I like you too.”
“Once we both go home, can I call you? Visit with you?”
So
long as you’re blind
, she thought, but she said, “Oh gosh, once you get back to regular life, you’ll forget all about me.”
Kyle grabbed her hand and held it tightly. “Not so, Carley. I’ll never forget you.”
She felt a wave of fear. There was no way they could have a relationship once they were both out of the hospital. Sooner or later someone would see her and tell Kyle the truth. Certainly there would be no way she could ever persuade Janelle to impersonate her again. How could she put him off without hurting his feelings or telling himmore than she ever wanted him to know? “Why don’t we wait and see how things go once we blow this place?”
“You don’t want me to keep in touch, do you?” He looked dejected.
“I didn’t say that.”
“But it’s what you meant. Is it because I could be permanently blind? Is it because you don’t want to be stuck with a guy who’s blind?”
“No way,” she started to protest.
Kyle interrupted. “Steve and Jason told me how pretty you are. I can’t figure out why you don’t have a boyfriend, unless you’re so beautiful that you can pick anyone you want. If that’s the case, I don’t stand a chance.”
In her heart she longed to tell him that he was handsome, smart,
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