Page 69 of One Touch

“Your overlays arrived!”

“I can’t wait to try them out.”

“I got a book for you, too.”

I pulled theBFGout of my bag. “Another Roald Dahl. Since you enjoyedMatildaso much.”

“Nice! But can’t we get it on audiobook?”

“We can, but I thought it might be good to test it out with your overlays first.”

Ava nodded. “Okay. Good thinking.”

We drove in comfortable silence for a few moments until Ava asked, in a quiet voice. “Lils, you know the dyslexia test? Does it hurt?”

My heart melted. “Oh, sweetie, no. It’s not that kind of test. It’s just some special activities to help your teacher understand how your brain works.”

Ava’s shoulders relaxed. “Okay, good. I was kinda worried.” She paused. “They don’t put probes into my skull, do they?”

“Only if they’re thinking about abducting you and taking you back to Venus with them,” I joked.

“Naughty!” Ava said, laughing.

I grinned. Being with Ava felt so good. Sometimes, I got this slightly guilty feeling around her. Like Ethan and I were going behind her back. Meddling in her life. Risking her happiness.

But then again, we’d made those rules, hadn’t we? Partly to protect her. And besides, maybe nothing would ever happen between Ethan and me again.

We got back home and I let us in with the spare key Ethan had given me. The house was quiet, with Ethan still working at the garage. He’d be going to his firefighter training later, too.

“All right, Miss Ava,” I said, setting my bag on the counter. “It’s readin’ time.”

I pulled out the packet of overlays, each a different soft hue.

“Now sweetheart, I want you to understand that this isn’t going to be a magic cure, okay? It might help, it might not. If it doesn’t, then try not to be too disheartened, all right? This isn’t the only tool we’ve got at our disposal—it’s just the quickest one I could get my hands on.”

“All right,” she said, with a brave smile, “I get it.”

“Good girl.”

We got comfy on the couch and then began to experiment, laying each colored sheet down on the first page of the book in turn.

“Bleurgh,” said Ava, rubbing her eyes. “This red sheet makes all the word looks angry and evil.”

I laughed. “Guess the red one’s not for us then. How about the purple?”

Ava’s nose scrunched as she focused, her finger tracing the words. “I’m not sure,” she said, crestfallen. “It’s just like always but . . . purple.”

I was taken back to my own childhood, to the shame I used to feel about my reading and the relief I felt when things had improved. I wanted so badly for this to help. “No worries,” I said as cheerfully as I could. “Let’s try the others.”

We tried the rest, and Ava glared at each new sheet as though it was a mountain she had to climb.

“I think . . .” She paused, then broke into a grin. “I like the blue one best. The dark blue one. It’s making the letters stop moving around so much. Wait, let me try the yellow again.”

Relief flooded my veins.

“No, the dark blue! The blue is so much better!” She gave out a little whoop and then held out a hand for a high-five. I didn’t leave her hanging.

“So,” I said. “Blue it is.” I helped her adjust the overlay, then sat back. She’d never read to me before. I was almost scared to ask. But I did anyway.

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