Alyssa:
Hold onto your apologies. I’ll be over in a bit.
What?
I finally get myself up and showered—hello, shower chair. I will say it’s literally the only thing I don’t mind about this entire thing. The shower chair is nice and great for sitting in the scorching heat until my skin can’t take it anymore. I’m supposed to have assistance in the shower, and out, but after the nurse I had who took photos of me... no fucking thank you.
I’m finally sitting down to drink my coffee when my doorbell goes off.
I grab my phone, checking the camera and expecting to see Alyssa, but instead I see tiny hands excitedly pressing the buzzer. My grin is so wide it hurts. “Uncle Wolfy!” I hearLianna squeal. It’s been a while since I’ve seen her. I let them in, waiting in the kitchen. My leg aches. How has it gotten worse since I got up?
A moment later Alyssa appears in my kitchen, and Lianna runs up to me. “Lianna, be careful. Remember what we talked about.”
She freezes, hands outstretched mid-run, looking back at her mother and then to me. “Momma says you’re broken.”
Ignoring the pain in my...well,everywhere, I pull her onto my lap, settling her on the good leg. “It sounds like Momma’s brain is broken.”
“Don’t talk shit about me to my kid.”
Lianna turns to look up at me. “Momma said a bad.”
“She did say a bad.” I shake my head, glaring at my sister, then kiss the top of Lianna’s head. “She’s the worst.”
She nods. “Especially when it’s bedtime.”
“Okay, enough.” Alyssa scoops her up out of my lap. I’m about to say something snarky when I see a man standing awkwardly in the living room, hovering right before the kitchen doorway. He’s playing with his hands and purposely avoiding eye contact with anyone.
His mop of brown hair is a mess, like he ran to get here, and he’s handsome, in a quiet way. Glasses frame his face. I can feel the anxiety pouring from him. He’s chewing on his bottom lip, and I see him picking at his thumb with his pointer finger. He’s tall. Not as tall as I am, but I’d say nearly six feet. He hugs his thin frame as if he’s trying to make himself seem smaller.
“What’s going on?”
She sets Lianna down and looks back to smile at the man.
She urges him forward. “This is Felix.”
“And who the fu—” I look down at Lianna smiling at me with her missing teeth. “Who is Felix?”
“Felix is your new live-in caregiver. You don’t want anurse, so here’s the next best thing.” She smiles with zero humor and all fuck around and find out attitude.
“That’s weird because I don’t have a caregiver.” How fast did she find this guy?
Alyssa beams brightly. “Oh, but you do. Come here, sweetie.” She waves Felix over. The man blinks like he doesn’t register she’s speaking to him. He shuffles over to us then reaches out a hand to me.
I stare at it.
Slowly he pulls it away. “Um, hi. I’m Felix.”
“Hi, Felix.” I look at my sister. “No.”
“I told you?—”
“No.” I look at him. “Where are your things?” All he’s holding is a notebook and an envelope.
“What?” He blinks.
“Where’s your shit?”
“You said a bad!” Lianna pouts, pointing at me.
