(Lexi’s POV)Home Sweet Home!My index finger trailed at the word I had written on my planner two months ago. I took a neon pink pen and dotted the three words with tiny hearts around them. It was not the real occasion of the celebration but as Dr. Greene joked, today was sort of my graduation day, the last day of my therapy, and I could finally go home.Finally, after two months and two weeks of being away, I am going home!“Lexi?” called a voice that had become my source of strength, Aliyah’s voice. I squealed when Jolene wide opened the door and let my little sister in. I dashed to her, finally not having to use crutches.Aliyah giggled when I carried her and planted tiny kisses on her face.“Enough,” Aliyah said, still laughing heartily as she wrapped her arms around my neck.“Did you miss me?” I asked her, pressing my lips on her cheek.“Uh-huh!” She said, kissing my cheek. “Lexa, too. She missed you terribly, Lexi.”I didn’t know about that. In my two months of staying in Joce
(Lexi’s POV)“Knock, knock!”I turned my head and smiled at Jocelyn as she leaned her head on the door frame, knocking softly on the ajar door. She was still wearing her blue scrub uniform, looking tired and sad.“Hi!” I greeted, putting my pen on the open planner. “I’m just listing down everything I need Catherine to check on Finn’s email and turn them over to the office tomorrow. Dr. Greene also said you wanted me to wait here.”“Can I just adopt you so you can stay with me?” She smiled as she walked closer to me. She stood behind me, wrapped her arms around my body, and kissed the top of my head.I pursed my lips, hiding my smile.“I’m willing to adopt three and two cats, you know,” she joked, but there was a hint of mixed emotions in her voice. “Can we talk?” She said in a hushed tone, glancing at Jolene and Aliyah sleeping on the bed.“Sure. Are we going to talk about our adoption?” I grinned, cracking a joke to make her smile.It worked. Her lips curved into a hopeful smile as s
(Lexi’s POV)Jeannie was walking in the hallway toward my room when the three of us went out the door. It was past three in the afternoon when Dr. Greene’s secretary gave me all the necessary papers and a medical certificate proving I was already fit to work.Jocelyn closed the door behind her and turned to me.“The offer still stands, you know,” she said, showing me a hopeful smile as she walked closer and hugged me.“Adopt me,” Jolene giggled. “My mom surely won’t mind,” she joked, causing the older woman to smile.“Let me talk to our lawyer, and maybe if Jeannie said yes, I’d love to have four daughters and two cats.” She moved away from me and smiled, nodding her head at Jeannie.Jolene chuckled and turned her back on us to meet her mother. We watched her embracing her mother and whispering something. She must have told her to give us a little more time because Jeannie glanced at us, smiled, and then the two sat on the hospital waiting chair near the Nurse Station.Jocelyn bent fo
(Lexi’s POV)I adjusted the strap of my backpack, mentally checking if I had everything in my bag after Aliyah and I got out of the taxi. Unfamiliar with the surroundings, she was quiet, probably anxious that she might step on something or someone might bump into her in the city's busy street. Her small hand gripped the fabric of the same clothes I wore the first time I came here; Only I was sure that the long sleeve white shirts under my knee-length overall denim jumper dress assured me there would be no déjà vu sort of things to happen today.I had to bring her with me because Jeannie had to deal with something at work, and Jolene had to go to school. At first, Aliyah was excited, especially when I promised her we would go to the water museum, but as soon as we got out of the taxi, she must have been scared of the sounds of footsteps, chattering, and honks of some cars that she couldn't see.Catherine assured me yesterday that Frank was not reporting to work yet. The day Jolene saw
(Lexi’s POV) Catherine was not at her table when we arrived at their floor office, but her open computer could tell she was either inside Sky’s office or in a meeting. Finn walked past us and went to his brother’s office. “Where are we?” Aliyah asked, but I did not answer because I was unsure if she was talking to Frank or me. “We’re in our office.” Frank put her down but held her hand. “My table’s over here,” he said, guiding my sister toward his workspace. “Want to sit in my chair?” “Uh-huh!” she smiled excitedly. As Frank carried Aliyah and sat her in his swivel chair, it was the same time Catherine opened the door from Sky’s office. She knew my purpose for coming, but her face told me I had to do something else before turning over the things inside my bag. “Sky wants to have a word with you, Lexi,” she smiled, but more like a sigh. She turned to Frank. “Sky’s asking for you.” “Aliyah,” I called her, hoping to take my little sister inside Sky’s private office. “Leave her her
(Lexi’s POV)When the elevator door opened, I looked around, finding a place for Aliyah to sit. I led her to the couch and helped her get into the leather L-shaped sofa. I sat beside her and enveloped her little hands in mine.“Will you be okay here?” I asked her as my eyes wandered because I did not prepare for this.I should have brought a sweater for her or dressed her appropriately since the aircon’s temperature was set at a lower number here on Finn’s floor.“Uh-huh.” She went quiet for a few seconds, groping the leather seat, then smiled. “Lexi, where’s my book?”I took out the book from my bag and gave it to her. “You call me if you need anything, okay? I’ll just go and talk to Finn.”“Okay,” she answered, flipping her book open.I took a deep breath before walking toward the door, hoping to ask Finn if I could borrow a blanket for Aliyah. Frank and Finn hated me, but their fondness for my sister seemed to have remained, so maybe he would give in to my little favor for Aliyah’s
(Lexi’s POV)I was dreaming… I must have been dreaming, but I wasn’t. I could really hear Aliyah crying and calling my name.When my eyelids opened, the wall clock told me it was only after midnight, and I was still wearing the same clothes I had the whole day. I winced when I sat upright on the couch and raised my hand to my nape to massage it.“Argh! Why am I here?” I asked absently, but before I could recall why I heard my little sister calling me.Aliyah was crying.“Aliyah!” I snapped myself from dreaming and dashed to my bedroom.“Lexi,” she whimpered, raising her arms and groping her hands in the air.I reached for her hands. “I’m here,” I said, sitting on the edge of the bed and cupping her face. “What’s wrong?”“My tummy,” she complained. Her mouth downturned, whimpering and rubbing her belly. “My tummy hurts, Lexi.”My lips quivered as I bent forward, pressing my ear to my little sister’s belly. I bit my bottom lip, realizing her gurgling tummy told me she was having gas pai
(Finn’s POV)It was fifteen minutes before seven when I saw Lexi almost out of breath as she entered the building. She looked like a single mother escaping from someone walking fast to the lobby with two bags on both shoulders. Tossing the magazine I was pretending to read, I stood up but still thought about whether to walk in her direction or just watch her.I called Jolene last night, but before I could inform her that Lexi was coming back to work, she told me that Lexa would not come home for a few days, and she felt guilty that she could not help in taking care of Aliyah because she had an exam this week. I wished to tell her I didn’t care, but after calling her at three, I had been sitting here for an hour, waiting for Lexi, but didn’t realize Frank would be coming to work early too.My eyes squinted, and my lips curled in annoyance when I saw him taking Aliyah and the baby bag from her shoulder. I stood up and walked toward the elevator, following them. Lexi panicked, pushing th