I nodded. “So? You can tell me what you’re thinking. I gave you your freedom.”
He stared, opening his mouth to say something, but I didn’t care. I looked at my watch. “Sorry, Shaw’s coming home I don’t want any trouble ”
12:50
<
83
Shaw’s coming home. I don’t want any trouble.”
I closed the door.
When Shaw came home, I gave him extra food.
He wasn’t his usual cheerful self.
I hugged him. “What’s wrong? You can tell me.”
Shaw started to cry, his nose and eyes red.
Who knew the ice–cold Shaw could be such a
crybaby?
I handed him tissues. He hugged me, choking
out, “I don’t want dinner. What’s the point of a
last meal?”
I stared. “What?”
“Chandler was here. I can smell him. Are you
getting back together? Are you going to dump
me?”
12:50
<
83
I sighed, relieved. I touched his face. “He likes
my sister. We’re over.”
I went to the bedroom and brought back a file.
“I was going to give you this later, but…”
He opened it, saw his name on the adoption
papers, and couldn’t speak.
“I was too busy to get them until today… I filed our papers a long time ago.”
He threw his arms around me, purring in my neck. He held me tight, then looked up, blushing. “So, does this mean I can sleep with you tonight?”
How could I say no?
I shook my head, and he picked me up and
carried me to the bedroom. I was exhausted that night…
12:50
<
Keeping a big cat wasn’t easy.
My phone buzzed. It was my friend, Rory,
asking if Chandler had been by.
83
She knew about Chandler and was pissed.
“Chandler went to see Maisie after getting the
papers. She was too busy making out with her
shifter to care. Don’t you dare take him back!”
Shaw wrapped himself around me again. It was pointless to even consider it.
Before falling asleep, Shaw was rambling on about our future. He was talking about how much money he’d saved and how we were getting a big house with a king–size bed. He also said he had saved money for the surgery on my face and that he’s been saving that
money for a really long time…
Could my face really be fixed?
12:50
It was just a dream.
I drifted off to sleep…
Shaw took me to get plastic surgery.
(83)
He knew I hated my scar. So he found the best
plastic surgeon in the country. That’s why he stayed in the city.
The surgery was a success. My face was
wrapped in bandages for two weeks.
The seniors came to visit, bringing flowers and
fruit, saying everyone wanted me back.
People needed me. I used to be the family
disappointment.
“Piper was always pretty,” Mrs. Olsen said,
holding my hand.
“She’s nice, patient, hard–working… How could
12:50
<
anyone not like ner?”
“I didn’t even notice your scar,” Mr. Peterson
said. “I thought you had a disease. I was so
scared.”
“The surgery is good. Now you won’t have to
worry about that face anymore.”
I snuggled against her. Shaw sat next to me, cutting an apple, glancing up at me.
It felt good to be loved.
83)
Then, on the way back to the retirement home, I
ran into Liam, the guy who always bullied me.
He looked at me, then at Shaw. “Impressive, Piper. Good for you.”
He winked, probably thinking nasty things.
Shaw pushed him away, glaring. “Don’t talk to
her like that ”
<
her like that.”
Liam patted Shaw’s shoulder. “I just feel bad
for you.”
“Piper’s nice. She doesn’t care. She spoiled that
werewolf rotten, waited on him. But she’s so
ugly, she has to pretend to be nice. Who else would want her?” He yelled.
People were staring.
I started to shake, like I was back at the Spring
Falls Festival, standing under the spotlight, getting judged.
Shaw put his coat around me and punched Liam in the face.
“Did your mom never teach you to respect people?”
He hit him again. “Do you know what ugly is?
12:50
<
Take a look at that mean face! That’s ugly!”
83
He stood next to me, panting. “I love Piper. She’s the most beautiful thing in the world to me. Next time, stay away from us. Or I’ll beat you every time I see you.”
Liam, bleeding and crying, yelled, “You hit me! I’ll sue! Everyone here is a witness!”
