[completed] Nova Carter knows exactly what the next few years of her life will look like: she will work harder than anyone else (as she didn't get into New York University to slack off); she'll be keeping her head down and prioritizing getting her a...
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Chapter Forty | Labradors ♫Labradors by Hailaker
Hyde greets me heartily when I enter his room on a sunny Monday afternoon. A dark shadows sits angled on his jaw and upper lip. "It's a new look I'm trying out," he says, caressing the hairs with his hand. "Jo says she loves it, but the kids complain that it tickles when I kiss them."
I never told him, and will never tell him, but there's something extremely comforting about Hyde being such a family man. He talks about his wife and kids every chance he gets, but not in a way that's excessive or annoying. In a way that unironically makes me want to ask if they're looking to adopt.
Even now, Hyde makes himself comfortable on his unofficially assigned loveseat with the fruit Jo cut up for us again and says, "Today's meeting will have to be a little shorter than usual. My girl's first ever dance recital starts at six."
His girl being his only daughter, Suvi.
I squeeze onto one of the sofas, between Rashad and Zahara. The latter turns to me and smiles, opening her arms without saying a word. I grin and lean into her.
"Is this an invitation? Because we will come to her recital with you and cheer her on," Isla says, half like a warning and half like a promise.
Hyde laughs. "As kind as that is, Isla, Suvi is the shyest kid on this earth. If too many people pay attention to her at once, she gets overwhelmed and bursts into tears." He pauses. "Actually, we're not even sure she'll make it through this performance on stage."
"I'm sure she will," Anita pipes in. "When you're truly doing something you love, fears like that are more likely to be overridden by your genuine joy."
An appreciative smile adorns Hyde's lips. "You kids have exceeded my wisdom, I think sometimes. There's nothing left for me to teach you." Suddenly, as if some invisible force pulled at him, he whips up onto his feet and rushes to the windows. "Look at this sun! Should we go outside today?"
The outside world is full of dangers when you have such a physical disability. Still, a chorus of yes's sounds after Hyde's proposal.
I keep close to the girls as we move down the sidewalks. The sun burns on our skin, particularly hot for this time of year, but we still hang onto each other. Zahara's arm is linked with mine and she's holding onto Isla's wheelchair and behind me, Emmy fists the strap of my backpack to keep up, even though our strides are small and easy.
We sit in a random park's clearing, those of us not in wheelchairs taking seats on overturned logs smelling of moss and tar. Hyde, influenced by the pretty weather and his excitement for Suvi's recital later, hoists himself up on the low branch of a nearby tree and lets his feet swing back and forth as they dangle.
As the others chatter, his eyes catch mine, and he waves me over. I wobble over to him, unsteady on my feet in the grass. He doesn't mind, as I knew he wouldn't. He just sits and waits patiently.
