Page 2 of The Quiet Smile

“Oh, oh I think I understood that. You remember him?” Nik asked.

I nodded and clapped my hands.

Pumping his fist he smiled brightly at me. “Yes! Soon you’ll have someone else to talk to.”

I blinked at Nik’s words and tears filled my eyes so fast I couldn’t stop them from falling. Signing the word sorry, I quickly stood up and used the quickest escape. Standing outside where no one could see me, I crouched down to the ground and covered my face. I took several deep breaths trying to calm my emotions.

I felt a gentle pull on my hands and as I slowly opened my eyes, I expected to see Lei in front of me. To my surprise, it was Daniil looking at me with concern. He wiped my tears from my face before he paused, cupping my face. I just stared at him as he signed, “Beautiful.”

Struck dumb I blinked at him, getting lost in his beautiful green eyes. Daniil Baranov thought I was beautiful? Me… the girl always on the outside looking in?

Chapter 2

Daniil

Sitting in my car, I watched Amelia in the diner with my brother and his wife. Even from this distance, I could see that her smiles didn’t reach her eyes. She hid her sadness well but I saw, I always saw.

I’d been in love with Amelia ever since the first moment I saw her. From that moment I made it my mission to learn everything I could about her. I even broke into school records to learn details of her condition and about her home life. It didn’t take me long to discover she dealt with more than her fair share of difficulties and heartache. Knowing that my path in life had already been written in the darkness, I couldn’t handle casting a shadow onto her life. So I watched and protected her from the shadows.

Even when in Russia, I made sure someone watched over her. She didn’t know the lengths I would go to for her and I hoped she never did. She deserved everything. Her sheer existence brought me joy.

Since returning to the US I watched Amelia as often as I could. Her mother had passed while I was away and it broke my heart to see the sadness that still lingered in her heart. Sometimes at night, I dreamed I held my beautiful angel in my arms. She was so petite next to me and all I wanted was to hold her close and protect her from the evil in the world.

My eyes never left her as I watched Nik attempt to talk to her. I knew how hard it was for her. It was why I learned sign language. I’d only heard her voice once. It was soft and delicate like she was. I dreamed of hearing it again.

All of a sudden I watched as she suddenly stood up and ran outside the diner and around the side where I couldn’t see her. Jumping out of my car, I quickly followed her. I found her crouched down, quietly sobbing. Never in my life did my heart hurt more than it did at that moment.

Gently pulling her hands away from her face, I wiped away her tears before signing to her, “Beautiful.”

The surprised look made me smile. “Are you ok?” I signed in question.

“You know sign language?”

I nodded as I smiled at her and wiped away a few more tears. “??? ?????, why do you cry so?”

“I was just overwhelmed, but I’m ok. Nik and Lei must be worried.” As she stood up I couldn’t help but notice how tiny she was next to me. I loved it. I felt this deep-seated need to keep her safe from the world.

Leaning down, I examined her face and wiped away the last of her tears. “There, all better.” Before I could think twice about it, I gave her a soft kiss on her forehead and took her hand in mine as I led her into the diner.

“Yo little brother, we didn’t think you were coming. Is everything ok? Amelia, I didn’t mean to upset you,” Nik said quickly. It was obvious that he felt bad about whatever was said to make my angel run off.

“It’s just me being silly. You are too sweet, Nik. I should go soon. You know how Mrs. Whitlock worries when I come back after dark.” Without even thinking twice I translated her fast-moving hands to Nik as we stood there.

“Wait, Daniil, you know sign language?” Lei asked with surprise in her voice.

I shrugged nonchalantly, not wanting it known that I learned it for my angel. “I love languages and I found a language that was spoken with hand symbols deeply fascinating.”

“Maybe you can help me teach Nik then. He wants to learn it but is struggling with his finger coordination,” Lei giggled.

“I seem to remember you enjoying my coordination just fine this morning.”

Lei looked at him with a pretty blush heating up her face. “Nikandr!”

Amelia’s musical giggle at the two of them made me smile. “And with that, Amelia, how about I drive you home instead of you walking?”

She looked up at me, blinking her beautiful gray eyes in surprise. “No, I’ll be okay. I’m sure you’re busy.”

“Nope, I’m driving you and that’s that. We’ll leave these love birds to be alone. Nik, I’ll meet you at home. Kostya needs to talk to us.”

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