His eyes filled.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“No,” I said. “But I’m saying yes anyway.”
The next day at three, he came back.
He hovered in the doorway.
“Is it okay?” he asked.
I nodded once.
He sat down.
“Hey, kiddo,” he said to Hannah. “It’s Mike.
Got chapter seven for you.”
He started reading.
Her heart rate, which had been a little jumpy, steadied out on the monitor.
I pretended I didn’t notice.
Days turned into weeks.
He came at three. Stayed till four. Left.
We barely spoke.
Then, one Tuesday, he was halfway through a chapter.
“…and the dragon said—”
Hannah’s fingers tightened around mine.
Not a twitch.
Continue reading…
