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I jump high in my chair. “Holy shit, you scared me.” Placing my hand over my racing heart, I take a few deep breaths trying to tame it and my aching body.
“Hehe, you thought I was gone for good. I’m just getting started.” Josey strums the tips of her fingers together as an evil mastermind would while looking at me very creepily.
“Stop that, would you,” I express.
“Fine.” She huffs in exasperation before moving on. “So, what’d Harvey have to say? Tell me all.”
“He asked me to join him for dinner tonight.” The heat on my cheeks intensifies, a clear tell I’m interested in Harvey. Josey is quick to point out just that.
“Please tell me you said yes! Look at you, you’re glowing. Eve, you have to go.” She starts begging me. It’s like she has an untold story to tell, one that doesn’t belong to her.
“Why does this matter to you so much?” I have to ask. She’s on the verge of desperation with her plea.
“Harvey is a good guy. When my grandparents left the clinic to him, Harvey then transformed it into the center; he was thriving. He was full of high hopes and dreams of making this place the best of its kind. He succeeded you know, it’s one of the most prestigious rehabilitation facilities in the country. As it grew, so did the office work. The more time Harvey spent away from this place the more he’s become…”
I finish her sentence for her. I know exactly what she means; I see it in myself. “Resentful?”
“Yeah. There’s more to it, but yeah. He started resenting my grandparents for giving it to him. After the accident happened...” She bows her head with emotions brewing.
“It’s okay, Josey, you don’t have to finish. I get it. You both lost a lot.”
She releases a heavy sigh. “Since then, he hasn’t been in this building at all, until you. Something shines in him when you’re around, Eve. All I want is for my uncle to be happy. Please, at least have an open mind. For your sake and his too.”
For someone as young as nineteen to express her concerns full of love and affection leaves my heart open and vulnerable.
“I said yes. As friends.” I don’t want to leave her hanging any longer. That’s not fair on her, especially after opening up like that. “He’s picking me up from my room at six.”
All heaviness is lost, replaced by gratefulness and excitement, bringing the fun and mischievous Josey back.
Chapter Eight
Evelyn
I’m dressed in a beige knitted sweaterdress, waiting for Harvey. Although it was stated that this wasn’t a date, it has all the elements of one so far.
As the butterflies in my stomach grow, I become restless. Without being able to pace the room like I had done in the past, I sit on my sofa instead, picking my freshly polished nails.
Three raps at the door turn my attention. “Come in,” I yell, welcoming Harvey to enter my room. “Hello, Harvey.” I smile and wait for him to come closer.
“Good evening, Evelyn. You look beautiful tonight. Shall we get going?” Again, with the assertiveness. Although, I may spy a hint of nerves in him too, which makes me more comfortable.
“Why, Mr. Fort, you wouldn’t happen to be nervous, would you? A forward man like yourself.” I chuckle under my breath, teasing him. If this is going to work, I at least need to be myself, and from what Josey explained earlier, it’d do him some good, too.
His demeanor doesn’t waver as he stands in front of me looking over my figure. I swear the corner of his lip twitches.
“Not at all. Call it optimism,” he replies. I proceed to rise from my sofa and into my chair. “You won’t be needing that tonight,” he states.
Alright then. “Would you be so kind as to get my walker for me, please?”
He doesn’t move. He freaking stands there being all delicious, which starts annoying me. “Seriously? You’re going to stand there all night? I’ll get it myself then.” With determination and a head full of brewing rage, I push on the arm of the sofa to help me up. I hold the majority of my weight on my good leg while carefully adjusting my stance. Looking in the direction of the walker, I’d estimate it’s likely five-six steps max.
Letting go of the couch, I start taking those small steps toward my bed, each limb throbbing as I go, causing me to internally cringe. These last two days have been the toughest of my entire physiotherapy thus far, and what I’m doing now isn’t a part of my plan.
I reach my walker with a triumphant exhale, glad to finally be leaving for a dinner I’m starting to dread.
Positioning the walker so I’m able to turn around, a warmth covers my back, and as the hairs on my arms stand on end, I know Harvey is standing directly behind me. It’s uncanny how much my body recognizes him when I’ve known him all of two days.
“Evelyn, turn around.”
