Heart Stealer

Chapter 10 Second First Date

"We're decorating a children's hospital? Aww, that is so sweet!" I exclaimed to Pierce as we entered the pristine white reception of the hospital Pierce brought me to. "Do you volunteer here often?" I asked him as we walked along hand in hand.

"Most weekends. My family supports a lot of hospitals like these around Boston but I wanted to actually do something for them. It's for kids after all. And I have a lot of time on my hands," Pierce said matter-of-factly. I smiled at him in admiration.

"Can I just say I'm loving this side of you? I'd have never guessed you were the volunteering type."

"Let's just say you'll like every side of me," he whispered huskily. I smacked his arm with a gasp, blushing at his words. He merely grinned back, looking too pleased with himself.

"So the children's ward is over here. They're getting ready for Thanksgiving and we're gonna help them make decorations today," he continued as he led me along.

We entered a room full of beds where a dozen or so children lay. A few of them jumped off the bed on seeing Pierce and ran and hugged him.

"Pierce! You're back!"

"Yay, it's Pierce!"

"Hey, Patty! You're looking especially beautiful today. And Mike, you're strong as a horse now!" Pierce greeted them enthusiastically and even lifted one little girl off the floor, swinging her in a circle around his head. She squealed in delight before he put her down.

"Everybody, this is Thea, she's gonna help us decorate your room today!" Pierce said with infectious enthusiasm, instilling excitement in all of them. One little boy took his hand and pulled him towards his bed.

"Look, Pierce! I made hand turkeys!" He said, holding up five cutout turkeys drawn from his hand outline.

"That is very clever, Xavier!" Pierce replied, smiling widely at the little boy. "So, shall we all get started?" Everybody answered with a resounding 'Yeah!' and I laughed. The children loved Pierce, no surprise there.

We spent the next two hours diligently laboring to make chained pumpkin cutouts, maple leaf streamers, paper fan turkeys, autumn-colored wreaths and even orange origami flower bouquets. By the time we were done with the place, it was unrecognizable—the plain white ward was transformed into a magical autumn forest!

"And this year, everybody gets to make their own animal masks!" Pierce addressed all the children.

"Yay!" everybody echoed. Everybody got to working on the cutest woodland animal face masks—I joined in along with Pierce and we made fluffy owl masks! After that, there was a long session of trying out the masks and making the animal noises—naturally, Pierce was good at that too, he kept all the children in laughter with his imitations. A nurse came in after another hour and asked the children to settle down for their rest and that visiting hours were over.

"Aw! Do you have to go already?" The children each piped up with little pouts, evidently sad that their beloved Pierce had to go.

Don't go yet!"

"Will you read to us, Pierce?" One little girl asked him, bringing a picture book to him. "Just one story, please?" She gave him an adoring look and he smiled sweetly at her.

"Of course, Emily. We can stay a little while longer," he said with a glance at me. "Want to do the voices with me?" He asked me. "They love it when I enact the characters."

"I'd love to," I said, smiling at him. The children settled down in their beds as we read to them. It was a cheerful animal story with colorful characters that made for great voices. Even I laughed when Pierce did more excellent imitations of animals. I snuck glances at him in between, my heart melting as I watched him. The more time I spent with Pierce, the more I came to know what an amazing guy he was. He had utterly captured my heart. How could I ever let him go?