Page 19 of Chosen Road

“Do you still have your grandmother?”

I smiled. “I do.”

“I’m glad,” she whispered. “You deserve good things.”

I sighed. “I didn’t get them because I deserve them, the same way I didn’t deserve the bad stuff. Sometimes it’s just luck.”

“Or unluck.”

I dipped my head in agreement. “Or unluck.” I opened my mouth, thinking to ask about her losses, but she held her palm up in a definitive stop.

“I’m done talking.”

“Sure.” I shrugged casually. “You want a Reese’s peanut butter cup?”

They were her favorite. This was perhaps the single most important fact she revealed about herself up until today.

She leaned over and took the chocolate from my hand then withdrew to nibble on the sweet treat for the twenty minutes we had remaining.

When our time was up, I looked at my watch and stood up, offering her the bowl to choose whatever else she might want. Every week she chose something different.

She didn’t reach for the bowl and remained seated on the couch.

“Mallory?”

She looked up at me, her eyes wary. “Will you be here next week?”

“I’ll be here. And if there’s an emergency, I’ll make sure I let you know.”

She shrugged as if she didn’t care either way then stood and walked to the door.

“You know, I also like Mentos.”

I smiled. “Noted.”

Her lips tipped up ever so slightly on one side and she darted out the door.

The following weeks were measured by progress.

How many hours could Gus go without getting a headache?

How many words did Mallory offer?

How many times did Alex laugh?

Before I knew it, Gus was ready to go back to work.

I waited on pins and needles even as I made my plans.

Plans I was beginning to hope would no longer be necessary.

Chapter 7: A New Beginning

Gus

The headaches came less regularly but this son of a bitch pounded into my brain with the single-minded determination of an ice pic.

I knocked back a painkiller and lay down on the couch.

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