Page 34 of Vain
“None that will take her. She came here to live with her maternal grandmother, Caroline, but I think the grief of losing most of her family like that took its toll. Caroline died from a heart attack two months ago.”
“Jesus Christ.”
“Yeah. It’s more than anyone should have to bear, let alone a child.”
We stop outside the door, and I’m grateful for it because it gives me a second to regroup.
“Ready?”
I nod. She opens the door and shows me in. A little girl with the biggest blue eyes I’ve ever seen turns to look at us.
“Hey Zoe, I have someone here who really wants to meet you.”
I swallow and step forward, my eyes briefly trailing over her exposed arms, which are as badly scarred as her neck and rightcheek. Her hair is short and patchy, so I can only assume that got burned up in the fire, too.
I tug my glasses off and hook them in the front of my top before removing my hat. Like the nurse standing next to me, it only takes her a brief moment to recognize me, though I’m guessing she knows me from theIsadora and the Wonder Pigmovies. Playing a witch in a kids’ movie was much more fun than half the other projects I was getting offered before the attack.
“Isadora?” she whispers.
I grin, moving to sit on the bed next to her. I take her scarred hand in mine and fight back tears when she flinches. I know it’s not from pain but from embarrassment. I rub my thumb over the back of her hand gently, not knowing how sensitive her skin is.
“It’s so good to meet you.” I turn to look at the nurse, who has a little bit of hero worship in her expression once more, making me want to squirm. “Could you let Aiden know where I am now before he loses his mind?”
“Oh, of course. I’ll come check on you in a little while,” she tells Zoe, who doesn’t take her eyes off me as she whispers.
“Okay.”
I wait for the nurse to leave and close the door before I let go of Zoe’s hand. “Hospitals suck, huh?”
She laughs, clearly not expecting me to say that. “Yeah. I get bored a lot.”
“Ugh, that’s the worst.”
“Have you been in the hospital before?”
I bite my lip before standing up and slipping off my jacket. I’m wearing a plain white T-shirt underneath, so I slide the short sleeve over my scared shoulder so she can see. She gasps as I let go and raise the hem, showing her my side, too.
I sit back on the bed beside her as she leans forward, her hand reaching for my arm. She hovers there, so I take it and press it to my forearm.
“We’re the same,” she says in awe. I choke back a sob even as a few tears slip free. “I’m not a freak?”
Hearing her use words I’ve used to describe myself breaks something inside me. I lean forward and gently wrap my arms around her. “No, honey, you’re not a freak. You’re a superhero.”
Chapter Fifteen
AIDEN
A knock at the door has us all turning. Jennette opens the door and blushes when she finds us all staring at her.
“Um…Miss Carson wanted me to tell you that she’s visiting with a patient in room two.”
I stand up and frown. “She’s what? Please tell me she’s not alone in a room with some fucking stranger?”
“Aiden,” Wade warns.
“Wait, Matilda Carson is here? Huh, maybe I can get her to give me a sponge bath.” Kellen jokes. I level him with my best glare before storming toward the door.
“It’s not like that, Aiden, the patient—” Jennette starts, but I cut her off.
