Page 36 of Forbidden Hearts
I turn, my eyes narrowed. “What did you say?”
“You heard me.” She looks at Liv and my blood boils.
“You need to shut your mouth, lady.”
“Excuse me?”
“I said shut up. She’s a kid, and she’s ticklish.”
The woman with her nose upturned shakes her head. “She should learn some self-control. Excuse me, little girl? Miss. Young. Lady!” Olivia clearly can’t hear her. “And she’s rude on top of it. If she were my daughter—”
I cut her off, unwilling to let her say another word. Not that Olivia can hear her, but I don’t care. “But she’s not your daughter. Thank God for that since you’re a miserable hag, but put that aside, she didn’t ignore you because she’s rude, she ignored you because she’s deaf. She has no idea how loud she is, and I’m not going to stop or quiet her as you couldn’t imagine what she probably fears in this exact situation, some bitch not understanding she can’t regulate her sound.”
When I turn back, Olivia is quiet as she watches me.“What’s wrong?”she signs.
I speak so the bitch beside me can hear and sign as well.“Nothing. The woman was saying how beautiful your laugh is.”
Olivia’s entire face brightens, and she smiles at her with a wave.
I turn, glaring because if she does anything to upset Olivia, Asher is going to be taking me out of here in cuffs.
She’s lucky she has the decency to wave back.
God, I hate people.
We finish up without anyone else saying a word, Olivia beaming as she looks at her nails and toes. When we get back to the house, Liv asks if she can play her video game, which I say yes to because the kid deserves some fun.
She told me about her friends on the gaming system. A few are deaf as well and they type their messages to each other while they play the game, building a world together. It’s kind of cool when you think about it.
While she’s up in her play area, I open my laptop and go through emails.
I delete a ton of junk mail, a reminder to pay my credit card bill, and then find a response from Professor Calloway.
Hello Phoebe,
I hope this email finds you doing well. Of course, I will help in any way that I can with your transfer. I’ve attached a recommendation letter as well as some contacts I think can be of help. My close friend is influential in the Dallas program, and I took the liberty of sending him a personal email on your behalf. Also, with your permission, I’d like to reach out to someone in your area who is doing a lot of great things, just in case the transfer doesn’t work out. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Debbie Calloway
I reply immediately.
Professor Calloway,
Thank you for your kind words and the letter of recommendation. I would appreciate you reaching out to whomever you think I would be a good fit for. Obviously, I was behind on the dates to transfer, but I have reached out to each school and asked for an exception. Luckily, two programs have already granted me the ability to submit, and surely with your letter, it will go a long way. I truly appreciate all your guidance and help with my future endeavors.
Best,
Phoebe Bettencourt
This woman is a saint, and I am eternally grateful I was able to take her class. Professor Calloway is one of the best speech pathologists in the country, and her class was truly inspiring. I was fortunate to learn from her.
I attach the letter she wrote with the rest of my documentation and send it to both Texas and Vanderbilt. Both are amazing schools, and I pray I get into one of them. It will be a lot easier to explain to my father that I transferred instead of having to tell him I left the program in Iowa and was never going back.
The doorbell rings, and I get up to see who could be here. I smile when I see it’s Mrs. Arrowood with a basket in her hand.
“Hi, Mrs. A.”
