Samuel knew how painful it was to miss somebody.
It turns out that even thinking of someone hurts all over.
His stomach twisted. It was the kind of pain that would spread to every limb before having them smashed by boulders.
Despite the pain, he found that he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
Kathleen fell silent.
Samuel’s gaze deepened. “Say something.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” she bluntly said as she lay down. “I’m going to take a nap. Please carry on with your work.”
Samuel studied Kathleen thoughtfully, trying to decide if she would be heartbroken or disgusted if he told her he had missed her.
Judging by her expression, probably the latter.
Meanwhile, Kathleen felt awful.
Samuel hasn’t changed. Why would he tell me this after a year? Does he think that I’m foolish enough to change my mind just because he said that? I’m no longer that girl who loved him wholeheartedly in the stupidity of my youth. Not anymore. Why didn’t he treasure me when I did? Leaving him was the right choice.
Samuel looked sideways at Kathleen, who had her back to him. She seemed to be asleep.
He didn’t bother her further. Instead, he turned off the light.
The night suddenly became unbearably long.
Kathleen woke up the following day in a daze.
“Good morning, Katie,” said Diana with a kind voice.
Kathleen was surprised. “Old Mrs. Macari?”
Diana sat on the chair between the two beds as she reached out to stroke Kathleen’s head. “Are you feeling better?”
“I am,” Kathleen murmured demurely, like a small furry animal being caressed.
Diana turned to Maria.
Old Mrs. Macari.” Maria brought a hearty breakfast in
Kathleen was taken aback.
some mushroom soup with Maria. It’s your
Macari, you
old lady really loves me.
weekdays, anyway. I’m happy to cook
before picking up
smiled so broadly that her eyes were reduced to slits. A warm, fuzzy
long as you
smile with an embarrassed
she saw Samuel looking at
caught her attention. “Samuel had
Kathleen looked over.
really did,” Samuel
her attention back
of my own. What happened with the ward this time really wasn’t your
Samuel was struck dumb.
dirty as she thinks
that Diana
a ward is being vacated this afternoon,” Diana announced. “I have
Samuel nodded and
at Diana thoughtfully before
as she stroked Kathleen’s hair. “I’d said before that I’ll treat you like my
find out that Diana didn’t intend
the other hand,
door was vacated, and Kathleen
help Kathleen settle in, Diana turned to look at Samuel. “Katie and Christopher are quite
didn’t deign
force things. The sacrifice of Katie’s parents has given me several additional decades of life. Moving forward, I’ll only act in her best
care for her, Grandma,”
Diana hasn’t addressed Samuel like that for a long
Samuel was old enough, she
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