Read Online Reaching Rose (Hunter Hill University Book 3) by J.P. Grider - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: J.P. Grider
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be good. Listen, Ma, can you or Dad call the doctor? Craig said he wanted me to get an MRI on my knee, but I didn’t want to call the doctor from here. So you think you can call?
"Sure. I'll call Monday. I don't think he's in on Saturday. I'll try though, yeah?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Ma. See ya tomorrow?"
"See ya tomorrow, baby. Love you."
"Love you too. Bye."
Just as I slip my phone into the pocket of my sweats, I see Rose walk in with one of the weekend nurses. The nurse is talking to her, and Rose is just nodding. When the nurse points over to the lounge area, Rose shrugs, and then she sees me. I hope this encourages her to sit here.
She looks down at the floor, but I notice she allows the nurse to lead her over here.
"You want to sit here?" the nurse asks, pointing to the couch that sits adjacent to mine.
"Rose, why don't you sit here?" I speak quickly, before she has a chance to respond to the nurse.
"Oh, you know each other?" the nurse asks, taking Rose by the elbow and guiding her in my direction. "Okay, if you need anything, just press the button on your pager."
"You have a pager?" I ask Rose after her nurse leaves.
I expect her to nod in response, but she presses her lips together then opens them and takes a breath. "I guess they give them to the patients who can't get around on their own."
Oh my God, her voice is soft, and sweet, and childlike. I nod and stare. And then I come back to Earth. "You have a sweet voice. You should use it more often."
Her peachy complexion turns more peach. "Thank you," she says very softly.
"We missed you last night."
She just nods.
"Cat got your tongue again?"
She closes her eyes and shakes her head, but she does present me with a close-mouthed smile.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was trying to make a joke, but...it wasn't funny. I'm sorry."
Again, her eyes close briefly, and she laughs one silent laugh.
"Please don't stop talking again on account of my being an ass. You have such a sweet voice. It's meant to be heard."
"S'okay." She barely opens her mouth, but at least she says something.
"Do you have therapy at noon too?" I'm trying to make small talk, but it's difficult. I don't want to say anything that might offend her or trigger her tears. I'm not sure what I said yesterday to cause them, but I'm afraid to do it again.
Now I know I have the option of just leaving her be. Not paying any attention to her. Hey, if someone doesn't want your friendship, why try to attain it? But I don't think that's the case with Rose. I believe with Rose, it's a matter of helping her see through this. It's not that she doesn't want me as a friend - it's that she doesn't know how to be a friend in her new body. She doesn't know how to exist in her new life.
Rose holds up her fingers, and at first I think she's telling me to, "Wait a second," but she's actually telling me she has therapy at one.
"Ah. Mine's at noon...obviously."
"Are...you here long? At...rehab?" Her voice is tiny, but it's beautiful. It flows, like a song.
"No. About another week. You?"
She shrugs. "Guess it depends on me." She frowns.
"On you?"
"I...I haven't been well behaved," she speaks under her breath; I can barely hear her.
"Well behaved, did you say?"
"Mmm-hmmm."
"You're the quietest girl I've ever met. I don't believe you have it in you to misbehave.”
She closes her eyes again. Only this time, she keeps them closed, and I'm hoping I haven't caused her to cry again.
"Rose?"
She turns her head and looks at me. Right in the eyes. "I'm not a happy person. And I haven't been very cooperative."
"I'm sure it's not easy facing a substantial lifestyle change." While I'm speaking the words, I'm wondering if I shouldn't be saying them, but I want to get close to this girl. I know she intrigues me, but she also smells so. Damn. Good.
"It hasn't been. No," she admits quietly.
She's struggling. I hear it in her barely audible voice. I see it in the way her fists are tightly clenched. And I see
"Sure. I'll call Monday. I don't think he's in on Saturday. I'll try though, yeah?"
"Yeah. Thanks, Ma. See ya tomorrow?"
"See ya tomorrow, baby. Love you."
"Love you too. Bye."
Just as I slip my phone into the pocket of my sweats, I see Rose walk in with one of the weekend nurses. The nurse is talking to her, and Rose is just nodding. When the nurse points over to the lounge area, Rose shrugs, and then she sees me. I hope this encourages her to sit here.
She looks down at the floor, but I notice she allows the nurse to lead her over here.
"You want to sit here?" the nurse asks, pointing to the couch that sits adjacent to mine.
"Rose, why don't you sit here?" I speak quickly, before she has a chance to respond to the nurse.
"Oh, you know each other?" the nurse asks, taking Rose by the elbow and guiding her in my direction. "Okay, if you need anything, just press the button on your pager."
"You have a pager?" I ask Rose after her nurse leaves.
I expect her to nod in response, but she presses her lips together then opens them and takes a breath. "I guess they give them to the patients who can't get around on their own."
Oh my God, her voice is soft, and sweet, and childlike. I nod and stare. And then I come back to Earth. "You have a sweet voice. You should use it more often."
Her peachy complexion turns more peach. "Thank you," she says very softly.
"We missed you last night."
She just nods.
"Cat got your tongue again?"
She closes her eyes and shakes her head, but she does present me with a close-mouthed smile.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I was trying to make a joke, but...it wasn't funny. I'm sorry."
Again, her eyes close briefly, and she laughs one silent laugh.
"Please don't stop talking again on account of my being an ass. You have such a sweet voice. It's meant to be heard."
"S'okay." She barely opens her mouth, but at least she says something.
"Do you have therapy at noon too?" I'm trying to make small talk, but it's difficult. I don't want to say anything that might offend her or trigger her tears. I'm not sure what I said yesterday to cause them, but I'm afraid to do it again.
Now I know I have the option of just leaving her be. Not paying any attention to her. Hey, if someone doesn't want your friendship, why try to attain it? But I don't think that's the case with Rose. I believe with Rose, it's a matter of helping her see through this. It's not that she doesn't want me as a friend - it's that she doesn't know how to be a friend in her new body. She doesn't know how to exist in her new life.
Rose holds up her fingers, and at first I think she's telling me to, "Wait a second," but she's actually telling me she has therapy at one.
"Ah. Mine's at noon...obviously."
"Are...you here long? At...rehab?" Her voice is tiny, but it's beautiful. It flows, like a song.
"No. About another week. You?"
She shrugs. "Guess it depends on me." She frowns.
"On you?"
"I...I haven't been well behaved," she speaks under her breath; I can barely hear her.
"Well behaved, did you say?"
"Mmm-hmmm."
"You're the quietest girl I've ever met. I don't believe you have it in you to misbehave.”
She closes her eyes again. Only this time, she keeps them closed, and I'm hoping I haven't caused her to cry again.
"Rose?"
She turns her head and looks at me. Right in the eyes. "I'm not a happy person. And I haven't been very cooperative."
"I'm sure it's not easy facing a substantial lifestyle change." While I'm speaking the words, I'm wondering if I shouldn't be saying them, but I want to get close to this girl. I know she intrigues me, but she also smells so. Damn. Good.
"It hasn't been. No," she admits quietly.
She's struggling. I hear it in her barely audible voice. I see it in the way her fists are tightly clenched. And I see
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