AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Maybe I can finish that pink scarf I started knitting last month when I was still on my hunt to find a new hobby. I don’t know where it ended up, though. I actually haven’t seen it since that night at Josiah’s apartment.
I think it might be time to give up on finding a hobby. Nothing was really calling to me, and the video editing and all the comments on the videos are a bit too much for me. Josiah is starting to gain business traction on his own, so there’s no pressure to post for him anymore.
I’m ready to focus on the future of my career instead of hobbies.
Josiah is driving me back home now that my appointment is over, because I’m still not allowed to ‘operate heavy machinery.’ (Why does that statement always make me think of forklifts and tractors?) I don’t want to go home yet, though. I’m tired of being at home. I’ve already watched the entireGilmoreGirlsseries and read two books. They were the first books I’d read in years, and it was great to enjoy reading again. But if I spend even one more minute sitting in the living room or my bedroom, I’m going to lose it. My legs feel restless just thinking about it.
“Can we go get some coffee?” I ask Josiah.
“Sure. You wanna ask your mom if she wants us to bring her something?” he asks.
“No, I mean, I want to go inside, sit at a table, and be around other people. I don’t want to go home yet,” I say. He stops at a red light and turns to look at me. He scans me up and down as if he has x-ray vision and can see any potential injuries lurking inside me. I’m so tired of people doing that. All week it has felt like everyone around me thinks they know what’s best for me, and it’s exhausting.
“Stop looking at me like that,” I say. “The doctor said I’m doing better.”
“The doctor also said you still need to get plenty of rest,” he argues.
“It’s coffee, Josiah! I’m not going on a run or even a walk. I’m going to sit at a table, sip on a warm beverage, and enjoy being around people who don’t feel the need to coddle me!” My voice rises with every word. Josiah leans back toward his window as I lean closer and closer to him.
He puts his hands up in surrender, and when the light turns green, he drives us to the nearest coffee shop. He parks in the spot right in front of the door. I get out of the car as he rushes around to my side.
“I was going to get the door for you,” he grumbles.
I slip my purse onto my shoulder before he can even think about taking it from me, and I look at him square in the eye. “I know you were, but I just want to pretend like everything is normal.”
“I would have gotten the door for you even if you weren’t injured, Ellis.” That’s probably true.
“Fine. Next time I’ll let you,” I say, trying not to be difficult or sound like a spoiled brat. He’s just being a gentleman the way his mom taught him—the way he has always been.Not everything is because of your wounded head, I remind myself.
Once we have our coffee, we sit at a table.
“Have you thought about what you’ll do with your month off of work?” Josiah asks.
“Not really. I’ve been thinking about the next step in my career for a while now. I want to do something a little different, but I haven’t decided what. I was thinking about going to practitioner school. But I do love helping to deliver babies, so I was also thinking about something where I could still do that.Anyway, I guess I could start really looking into options now that I have all this free time.”
“That’s a good idea. So, what would you do with babies? Go to medical school? Become an OB-GYN?” he asks, sounding excited about the idea.
“Oh, umm. Yes, actually. Either that or go the midwifery route,” I say, feeling self-conscious. I haven’t talked to anyone else about this, and it feels vulnerable. Going back to school and changing your career after already spending a fortune on college to have the job you currently have feels crazy. And potentially applying to medical school! Do I even have what it takes? Do I even want that? It’s so much more school and so competitive. I don’t know if I want the long hours with no sleep and all that pressure. Everything is so undecided. That’s why I haven’t mentioned it.
“That sounds amazing, Ellis. You would be a great midwife or OB, whichever you decide,” he says. He smiles that gentle smile at me, and my nerves ease with every breath I take.
“You think so?” I ask, needing a bit of extra reassurance from him.
“I know so. You’re good at everything you do…well, maybe not softball…but everything else.”
I laugh, and it sends splitting pain right through my skull. I clutch my head right where the ball hit me. There’s still a bit of a lump, but it’s not nearly as big as it was a week ago.
“Seriously, though, I’ve spent my whole life watching you excel at everything you do. This will be no different. Your presence is calming and comforting. You’re the perfect person to help bring new souls into the world. Go for it,” he says, and I smile the first real smile in a week.
17
Josiah
I’ve spent every waking moment at Ellis’s house for the past two weeks—and some sleeping moments as well. I bring my work to their house first thing in the morning, where Mrs. Leslie greets me with a smile and a huge pot of coffee for my immediate consumption. I work at their table for an hour or two until Ellis wakes up for the day, and then we have a late breakfast together before I get back to work and dodge her many requests to help. She’s supposed to be resting and recuperating, not doing my work for me.
I’m sitting at the kitchen table, finishing up a brand logo design while listening to Ellis talk to her sister, Devon, on the phone in the living room. She sounds the most excited I’ve heard her since before the accident. I’ve missed hearing her squeal and gush like this. Just a week ago, making those sounds would have hurt her head, but now she’s back to her loud, squeaky ways. It feels like I’ve got my girl back.
I laugh to myself just as she comes into the kitchen and sitsnext to me. She takes the phone away from her ear and looks at me with a huge smile on her face.
