FFADS Chapter 3 on AO3
FFADS Chapter 3 on Stars
FFADS Chapter 3 on Wattpad
True to his word, Edward gave me what I requested. I worked from home two days a week and it gave me the flexibility to help my sister acclimate to her new home. I got to know some of the other mothers in the neighborhood and with the help of the preschool and daycare facilities, I found a grief counselor for both of us. We’d already had our first two appointments, establishing a relationship with the therapist.
Katie and I fell into a comfortable routine. My sister was further coming out of her shell, growing to love Chicago and having me as her sole caretaker.
If only I could feel the same way.
Today, however, I was about ready to stick my head in the oven. It was early October and the weather had begun to turn chilly. Katie was home sick with a cold. Or, at least, that’s what the doctor at immediate care told me. I’d never been around Katie when she was sick, only taking her when she was healthy and for the weekend prior to my parents’ death.
With the cough and fever, I thought she’d caught some exotic disease. The doctor reassured me that it was simply a nasty head cold. She would feel better with time, some chicken soup and over the counter cold medication. Vicks was a freaking God-send.
“Bella,” Katie whined from her bedroom. “Can I have a frozen pop?”
“You just had one, Katie,” I said, trying to focus my attention on the latest design for New Moon Cosmetics. They’d loved my ideas. Victoria and Laurent, the owners of the company, requested I be their main contact, leading the team. For the other advertising campaigns, I worked in the background. Katie padded into the office, crawling into my lap. She felt warm and was incredibly snuggly. “Kit Kat … I love you, sweetie, but …”
“Please, Bella?” she whimpered, putting her head on my shoulder. “Can we just cuddle on the couch and watch some television?”
“Okay,” I sighed, standing up and carrying her to the living room. She was laying on me, her legs on either side of my hips. She’d snuggled like this with Mom whenever she felt upset or sick. I know I was a poor substitute for Mom, but I did the best I could. I just gently ran my fingers through her curls while I had the Disney channel on. Within a few moments, she crashed, snoring loudly. I picked up my cell phone and set an alarm. A nap sounded like a good idea.
