What the Heart Sees - New Revised Edition

Four

Chapter 4

In Need of a Guillotine

I've been wearing a cast for a week now. Liam had taken me to the hospital, and he has called me every day to check on me. We've spent hours talking and staying connected. I miss him with a startling fierceness, and though hearing the longing in his deep voice comforts me, it isn't good enough. My heart aches for him and I long to be in his arms again. He is coming here tomorrow and I'm excited to see him, but I wish I could see him now. Again, I chasten myself for acting like a spoiled child.

Does he see me as a child? After all, he's twelve years older . . . Shaking my head, I grab my crutches and head to my room to change, then I curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and a book, hoping to dispel my impatience. Soon, the doorbell rings and I hobble to the door.

"Hey, sis," my brother says, a sly smile curving his mouth. "Me and my friend Eric decided to drop by and see how you're doing."

If it were truly possible for smoke to blow from one's head, the detector in my living room would sound like a prison alarm right now. "Rob, this isn't a good time. I was just getting ready for bed." I cut my eyes to his grinning friend and instant nausea rises within me.

"It's still early. We won't stay long, I promise."

Rolling my eyes, I move aside and let them in.

"It's good to meet you, Vashti," Rob's oily friend says. And when I say oily, I do mean oily. His decades-off Jeri-curl is practically dripping with moisturizer and I wonder if I should grab a roll of plastic wrap from the kitchen to cover the back of the sofa.

"Your brother has told me a lot about you," Eric says.

"Hmmm, he's said nothing about you."

Eric chuckles. "He was definitely right about you. Brutally honest."

"Hey, Vashti," Rob interrupts, "there was some ugly guy standing outside just now, asking if this was your place and I told him no. The dude was built like a tank!"

What? "You what?" I say quietly, struggling to stay calm, but the vehement incredulity in my voice is present in spades.

"I said some giant, ugly white–"

No! "You jerk! How could you–"

"Hey, take it easy, girl. You trying to tell me you actually know that guy?"

"Yes, I know him! He is the one who found me and set my leg before taking me to the hospital. You idiot! You . . . get out of my way!" I hobble toward the bedroom to grab my car keys. "You know your way out."

"Girl, please, you ain't going nowhere like that. How are you planning to drive?"

Rolling my eyes again and growing more irritated by the second, I grab my purse from the small table just inside the doorway of my bedroom. "As you can see," I say, herding them to the door, "it's my left leg that is broken, not my right."

"So why did he come here, anyway? I'm sure you thanked him. What else is he expecting?"

Oh, it's on now! Here it comes! "You . . . you judgmental, pompous, arrogant, self-righteous, self-centered imbecile! He came because I wanted him to. He came for me. He came because he cares about me. He wants to be with me. And I feel the same about him."

"Well," Eric says, "no point in trying to set her up anymore, Rob. We see which way she's flying now."

"Vashti, you can't be serious. I mean, not only is he white, but the decent-looks wagon completely passed him by."

By now tears are streaming down my face, I'm so emotional, and at this moment I actually hate my brother. I know the feeling will fade later, but for now, it is there.

"Rob, you're done. I want you to get out of my house and never come back, at least not until you can finally accept that I am a grown woman, perfectly capable of choosing who I want to be with. And I choose the man you just lied to, the one who could bend you both like pretzels if he wanted to. The man whose face is scarred because he once put his life on the line everyday as a firefighter until he was injured and it was no longer possible. The man who has more kindness, goodness, integrity and love in his heart than you ever will. A man who doesn't see with his eyes, but with his heart, and discrimination is definitely not in his vocabulary. Can you say the same?"

I pause to take a breath, giving my rant a moment to sink in, realizing now that I don't just care for Liam, I love him. We've only known each other a week, but I am hopelessly in love with him.

Anger furrows my brother's brow and it's clear that his opinion of me will never change, at least not now. I brush past him on my crutches. As I open the door, a folded slip of paper falls from where it had been lodged between the door frame.

"I got it," my brother's friend says, surprising me. He smiles, handing me the note, and I can't be sure, but his eyes seem to hold a look of admiration. I thank him and he turns to Rob. "Let's go, man. It was good to meet you, Vashti. And good luck with everything."

I thank him for his kindness, watching him walk out to my brother's car.

Rob turns to me. "I don't know where your head is, but maybe Mama can talk some sense into you. I do know one thing, though. You are going to regret not taking all these opportunities I've placed in front of you. As sure as I'm standing here, you will."

"Goodbye, Rob."

Shaking his head, he finally leaves.

I close the door for a moment and read the note, fresh tears blurring my vision.

Vashti, My heart belongs to you if you still want it.

I have no desire to take it back.

Do I still own yours?

Liam