Their Paid Girl

Their Paid Girl - Part 35

[A/N: To clear up any confusion, I wanted to remind you that the character referred to as 'Jaime' and 'Angel' are the same person - Shawna's crippled, seven year-old brother. 'Angel' is her nickname for Jaime and she alternates between using his real name, and her affectionate term. Hope that helps, and sorry for not being clearer!]

[Re-cap]:

          “Okay,” he repeated, as I marveled inside me how this young man promising me impossible things could be the same one I’d hated only a few weeks earlier. And Liam’s words from downstairs made me blush and break our gaze as I felt the sweeping gratitude go over me at everything this boy had done for me.

          And for what he was still doing to me:

          Fixing me.

***

 {Part 35}

          When the time came for good-byes, I couldn’t stop smiling. Not because I wanted to leave my little Angel, but because this time, I knew I would see him again soon.

          Happy. That was the word that described me in that moment. It made me happy knowing Jaime was happy with the Wells, and I was also happy because... well.

          I snuck a glance at Adam from the corner of my eye. Something had changed between us. Something that I couldn’t put a name to, but Adam was different. I was different.

          As usual, Adam caught me staring at him and raised his eyebrows in what was a clear invitation. Flushing, I gave him a sarcastic look, trying to cover up my embarrassment and instead crouching down to give Jaime a goodbye hug.

          “You’ll come see me next Tuesday, right, Shawna?” he asked me enthusiastically.

          I laughed at how specific he was. “Why not this weekend? Or are you getting tired of your big sister already?” I teased, ruffling his hair. Jaime didn’t duck to avoid my hand like he usually did. Instead he looked at me with a confused look on his small features.

          Suddenly, I felt the tension in the room as I looked around. “What?”

          Mr. Wells hastily stepped forward. “Actually, Shawna, we’re going to have quite a busy week, so next Tuesday is what we told Jaime is open for visits. It’s for the best,” he said, and there was something like an apology written in his guilty glance.

          Adam had wordlessly grabbed me around the waist as Mr. Wells had been talking, and began moving us towards the door while thanking the Wells for their hospitality.

          I barely managed to get in one last ‘goodbye’ before we were out in the corridor with the door closed in our faces.

          Completely mystified and a little irritated, I turned to Adam. “What was that all about?” I demanded.

          Adam didn’t meet my accusing look, instead turning and strolling towards the elevator with all the grace and assurance of a model on the runway.

          “Come on, we need to start heading back,” he called casually over his shoulder as he held the elevator door open for me.

          The idea did occur to me to keep standing where I was, refusing to get into the waiting elevator until Adam explained our rushed goodbye. Unfortunately, knowing Adam, he would probably just shrug and let the doors close, leaving me to take the stairs. There was no guarantee that he’d be still waiting at the bottom, either.