Read Online Perfectly Hopeless by Holly Hood - Free Book Online

morning.
     
    “ So, what’s on the agenda for today, Maves?” Her mother asked. She knew the answer, but it was nice to have any form of conversation with her daughter.
     
    “ Henri and I were going to help paint decorations for the Portwood Summer hop.” The Portwood summer hop was the annual shindig that everybody staying in Portwood attended. The young and the old were out for the festivities. And it was natural to hear that Maven was helping set up decorations. Only this year nobody thought Maven would be up to it. It was also the thing Jake Summit took part in.
     
    “ I was talking to Henri about the hop and he said he had never been. It didn’t take much twisting of his arm to persuade him to help out. He loves to paint.” Maven smiled at the thought of Henri. She was only home because he had an appointment that morning. Otherwise she would have gotten up, showered, and found something for the two of them to eat and been on her way.
     
    Nick pushed his plate away. “I’m full. And I promised April I’d meet her to shop for dresses.” Nick said his goodbyes and took off out the door.
     
    Maggie shoved her ear buds back in, turning the volume up so she wasn’t part of any conversation that was about to begin. She knew her parents had been waiting to chat with Maven about Henri.
     
    “ How are things going between you and Henri?” Her father asked. He pulled his glasses off, setting them down on the table. He rubbed his eyes, looking exhausted already.
     
    Maven lifted her glass of orange juice. “Wonderful.”
     
    “ Is everything alright with him?” Her mother asked, trying to hide her unease, but it was written all over her face.
     
    “ You’re his doctor you’re not allowed to talk about this stuff outside of the office.” Maven pursed her lips. “Henri is fine.”
     
    “ I’m not discussing Henri’s medical issues. I was simply asking about Henri as a person.” She pushed her hair behind her ear, staring at Maven. “If you wanted to discuss anything with me about Henri the boy you enjoy being around that is totally different. In this house Henri is just a boy my daughter likes a lot.”
     
    Maven stared at her glass of juice, realizing the juice was trembling in her clutch. She put the glass of juice back down. “There’s not a lot to say. Henri is sick. And if he is okay with that then I am willing to stick by him and be okay with it too.”
     
    Her dad dropped his paper down on the table. He studied Maven’s expression. She looked like she was ready to burst into tears any second. “Maven, sweetheart. If there is anything you want to talk to us about we are here to listen.”
     
    Maven closed her eyes. “What’s there to talk about?”
     
    Maggie tugged her ear buds free. She sighed, “How about the fact that your boyfriend is going to die.”
     
    “ Maggie!”
     
    Maggie jumped up from the table knowing she was wrong for saying it. But nobody else was willing to. “I’m sorry. But I think it’s the stupidest thing you guys have ever let her do. She’s going to fall for this guy and then he’s going to die and she is going to be even worse than when Jake dumped her for Tatiana.”
     
    Nobody had to tell Maggie to go to her room, she was halfway there.
     
    Maven stared at her parents, blown away by her sister’s explosion. “Is that what you think too?”
     
    “ No, Maven.” Her mother sighed, looking away from her, hiding the truth. “I just worry about you.”
     
    “ Henri’s health is something you have to come to terms with. And I’m sure something you are very aware of by now.” Her dad touched her hand. “Henri seems like an amazing young man. We all hate to see you fall for…for someone that has to go away.”
     
    Maven closed her eyes in defeat, tears spilling down her cheeks dropping on the tabletop.
     
    “ He’s going to die,” she said out loud for the first time. “And I’ll miss him. I already know that I will. But I can’t