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.
delicious.” Diana turned
Old Mrs. Macari.” Maria brought
Kathleen was taken aback.
mushroom soup with Maria. It’s your favorite,
of guilt. “Old Mrs. Macari, you really didn’t
really loves
not a big deal, dear. I’m usually bored on weekdays, anyway. I’m happy to cook you something nice. Now,
before
were reduced to slits. A warm, fuzzy
long as you
returned the old lady’s smile with an embarrassed grin of her
of the corner of her eye, she saw Samuel looking at her and
had some of your soup
Kathleen looked over.
really did,” Samuel affirmed
word, Kathleen turned her attention
“I did some digging of my own. What happened
Samuel was struck dumb.
dirty as she thinks I
discover that Diana
ward is being vacated this afternoon,” Diana
nodded and didn’t
thoughtfully before commencing
said before that I’ll treat you like my granddaughter, which is naturally better than how
that Diana didn’t intend
other hand, remained
ward next door was vacated, and
to look at Samuel. “Katie and Christopher are quite
deign
Katie,” Diana lamented. “It’s not going to work with her no matter how hard you force things. The sacrifice of Katie’s parents has given me several additional decades of life. Moving
for
addressed Samuel like that for a
Samuel was old enough,
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!