Chapter 16
Thario woke the next morning feeling good. Frog lifted his head and stared down at him. “You want to go outside?”
Frog's small bark sounded like a grunt. Thario laughed and sat up, then grabbed his prosthetic and put it on. The crutches he used in a pinch had probably burned in the fire. It wasn't like they were super special, just convenient to have around at times like this.
Once he had his leg attached, he stood. "Ready?" Frog jumped around and barked. "Okay, okay, just not so loud."
Frog quieted and made small grumbling noises. They made it to the main room when he saw Calla standing in the kitchen.
“Hey, good morning.”
She turned and her cheeks were pink. She glanced away then back at him before speaking. “Oh, hi.”
He wanted to go to her and tell her it was okay, that she didn’t have to be flustered around him. “I’m letting Frog outside. Have you eaten breakfast?”
“No, not yet. I can make you something.”
"You don't have to." Thario opened the back door, and Frog went out. "How about I make you breakfast?"
“Not so fast, either of you,” Sharp said as he came into the kitchen. “You both need rest. Sit. I’ll make breakfast.”
“Oh, but…” Calla’s lips pressed together.
"You can sit and relax, and someone else can do the work," Sharp said.
Calla shook her head. “That’s going to take a lot of reprogramming for me to accept.”
“Yes, but you can accept it, eventually,” Sharp said.
Frog was at the back door, wanting in. Thario moved to the kitchen and grabbed a plastic grocery bag from under the sink. "I'm going out to pick up Frog's bombs."
“You can leave it,” Sharp said.
“No way. That dog will take over your backyard with those things.”
“I’ll go out with you,” Calla said.
“Sure.” Having Calla with him would be good. He still wasn’t one hundred percent, but he was better.
He opened the door, and Frog stepped back, seeming excited that he was heading outside. His dog was always up for fun with him.
“Hey, buddy, where did you leave the bomb?”
Frog barked and jumped around, careful not to knock into him. Thario saw the poop and went over to pick it up. He bent over and had to draw in a deep breath because his head started spinning so fast and hard that the pain almost dropped him to his knees.
“Hey, you okay?” Calla asked.
He grabbed the poop and wrapped it up, then stood. Calla was right there beside him, holding his arm.
“Let me help you.” She took the bag from him and tied off the top.
They walked to the patio, and he stopped. Calla glanced up at just that moment, and even though she was holding a bag of Frog’s poop in her hand, he thought she radiated beauty.
Speechless, he reached up and pushed her hair behind her ear. “Thank you for helping me.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “Any time.”
He reached over to take the bag. “I’ll go toss this in the trash.”
“No. You shouldn’t walk over there alone.”
She was right, though her words made him bristle a little. "Thank you for helping me. I did get dizzy picking up his poop."
"Next time, let me bend over and get it."
“Oh no, that’s too much to ask.”
"It's not too much. You were almost killed by my brother, and then you and your friends came over and saved me. I was locked up in that house for years. You gave me life, and I thank you."
He smiled at her, liking how her eyes warmed as she stared up at him. After a few seconds, he cleared his throat. She looked flustered.
They walked over to the trash cans, and she opened the lid and threw the bag in. When she turned back, the sunlight shone on her, and he could tell she was young. He needed to be careful.
“How long did he have you locked up?”
"Six years. I know that sounds crazy, and I don't know how I lasted that long.
I was lucky that the room he put me in had a bathroom, so I could get water when he left me alone for days.
I did as much exercise as I could, and I snuck food every chance I got.
I know I'm way too skinny, and I look weird based on how other women look. "
“No, you’re beautiful.” Thario drew up short. “Sorry. That was probably inappropriate.”
Her cheeks were pink, and she looked away when their gazes met again. “I’m not used to talking to people. I know I’m awkward.”
“Before the accident, I was a jerk. A player. I didn’t take any relationship seriously. I wasn’t a good guy.”
They were on the patio, and he knew Sharp could see him, which was probably good. Being watched would keep him from pulling Calla close and kissing her.
She bit her lower lip, her insecurities easy to see in her eyes. “What about now?”
“No one wants to date a cripple.”
She shook her head. "What? I'm sure that's not true. You're very good-looking."
His lips tipped up in a smile. "Thank you. But it's true. Once I tell a woman I'm crippled, they scatter."
"That's stupid. You should be with someone you like. Looks change, and you can't depend on looks getting you through the hard times."
“You’re very wise.”
She shrugged. "My mom had a huge collection of books, and Brent never threw them away. I would grab books when he wasn't paying attention and stash them in my room. What else was I going to do? I didn't watch TV, except when he had it on, and I had no phone or computer."
Sharp opened the door. “Breakfast is ready.”
"Oh, good, I'm hungry," Calla said.
Thario put his hand on her back as they entered the house. It felt good to touch her. Frog had been well-behaved while they'd been outside, and it seemed like his dog liked Calla.
Thario glanced down at his dog, who was looking up at Calla. Frog was way too smart. He'd already figured out Thario liked Calla and that if Thario had his way, she would be a part of their family.
“I made pancakes in addition to eggs and bacon,” Sharp said.
Danika came downstairs and moved to Sharp, kissing him before grabbing a mug for coffee. “Sharp’s pancakes are amazing.”
“I can’t wait,” Calla said.
She grabbed a plate and added one pancake, a piece of bacon, and some eggs. Thario made a mental note to get her to eat more before they left the table.
Before grabbing food, he poured food into a bowl for Frog. His dog was very happy to be getting food, too. When he turned back to the table, Calla was smiling at him. He sat next to her after getting his food, and Sharp sat across from him.
"So, the cabin near Griz and Elowen, you're moving there?"
"I sent a message to the realtor. The place has been empty for a while, so I could move in fairly quickly. I've got a room at a place close by where I can stay until I can move into the cabin."
“That’s good,” Sharp said.
“Elowen told me that her big place is being rented in a few days.”
Danika nodded. “It sounds like you have a good plan. Hopefully you’ll be able to rest.”
“Elowen has a place she rents out?” Calla asked.
Danika nodded. “Yes. That’s how we met her. She owns a beautiful, huge cabin. We stayed there for a vacation. Then Griz saw Elowen, and the rest was history.”
“Wow. Do you think they are really okay with me being there?”
Sharp nodded. “Oh yeah. They have a woodworking studio where she makes furniture, then there’s all the land.”
Danika picked up the conversation. "They have space out there. It's wonderful. And she does have the garden, and so many other things, so you can keep busy. I know when I need to think, it's easier if I keep my hands busy."
Calla nodded. "Yeah, the worst days were when Brent was gone and I was locked in the room for days on end with nothing to do. I had water, so I didn't die, but even when he left food, it was never enough. And all I could do was sit around. It always made time tick by slowly."
Sharp shook his head. “I can’t imagine.”
Thario put his hand on her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry about that anymore.”
He was glad neither Sharp nor Danika said anything about how he was mooning over Calla. He knew she was younger than he was, and she was innocent. He would have to be very careful with her.
Being too hopeful for a relationship would only lead to bad things. He needed to get it through his skull that she may not want him once she met a regular guy who wasn't damaged.