Chapter 3

Ten Years Ago

My throat is sore, my chest is burning, and my vision is blurry. I have measles and a fever of nearly 104°, and I'm scared. Many people at our orphanage have gotten sick, but almost everyone has recovered. I was the only one taken to the city children's hospital.

No one comes to see me. Who needs us orphan kids? I know it's unfair, but the caregivers are probably just afraid of catching the disease. I don't blame them. Maybe Emma Smith will come visit me later when I'm better. She loves me. I think.

I'm so thirsty, but I don't have the strength to get up. On the nightstand sit the cold hospital tea and some warm, disgusting water. When my parents were alive, my mother used to make me delicious tea with raspberries or lemon. If it got cold, she'd warm it up in the microwave.

I don't know yet that they died. I'm only eight. I've been living in an orphanage for two years, waiting for a family member to come pick me up.

The door creaks, and I hear footsteps.

"There she is," the nurse said through her nose. She was probably sick, too. "Not for long. Watch out, or I'll get what I deserve for letting you in. She's still contagious."

"I had measles when I was her age," a familiar voice says. I start shaking, but not from the fever this time. "I was sick for a long time, and only our caretaker came to see me. He had measles too, but he wasn't afraid of catching it."

Tim. Tim Frost is here. I try to open my eyes and am barely able to.

"Hi, Ava," he says, sitting down on the chair next to me. He's wearing a white coat and a hospital mask. He's still handsome. "I came to visit you."

I want to tell him that I'm a good student and that I still carry that backpack, even though it's worn out. But my lips won't obey me; only a wheezing sound escapes my chest.

"Drink..."

"You need something warm to drink. I brought you raspberry tea; it's always crap like this at the hospital."

The tea is poured into the cup, and I smell its aroma. I'm gently lifted, pillow and all.

"Come on, drink it. It's sweet."

I greedily gulp down the deliciously warm—not hot, just warm—tea and smile gratefully. But the blue eyes look at me with pity over the mask, and I want to cry. "You shouldn't feel sorry for me because if you feel sorry for me, you won't be able to love me. I'm going to marry him."

"No, no, you need—"

"Okay, I'll leave you some tea. There's a whole thermos of it here. I'll ask the nurse on duty to help you drink it. You need to drink a lot to get better," Tim says. I fall back helplessly against the pillow. The tea makes me feel better, and I like to think it's because Tim brought it. I open my eyes and see large oranges on the nightstand.

"Do you want an orange, Ava?"

I turn my head to the side, unable to eat anything more. I definitely can't eat anything right now, but it's nice to look at them. It's also nice that Tim Frost, my future husband, cares about me.

"Look, he's alive," Tim says, looking with interest at the kitten I brought with me to the hospital. He still has eyes, not buttons. "What did you name him?"

"Lucky."

He's my talisman. His name is Lucky because he brings me luck. I really want to tell Tim this and ask him why he doesn't come visit us anymore, but I can't find the words.

"It's time," the door creaks, and the nurse's voice is heard: "It's time for her shots." "Yes, I'm leaving now." Tim stands up, and tears stream down my face. "Get well soon, Ava."

"Tim..." I swallow and croak with all my might. "Take me."

"Shh," he says, stroking my head. "It's hard for you to speak, so be quiet."

I want to grab his hand, beg, and cry. He could take me and become my guardian. We all dream of having parents or at least guardians. Tim can; he's an adult. He's the only person in the world who's truly close to me. There's no one else.

"Tim..." I grit my teeth and continue. "I will too. I will too..."

"Ava, I can't. Really, it's not up to me." But I finish anyway, forcing myself to do my best.

"I'll take care."

He looks at me intently and searchingly. Then he adjusts the blanket, puts Lucky back down, and quickly leaves the room.

"Oh, what a shame," the nurse shakes her head, looking at my tears.

She helps me finish my tea and checks in on me every five minutes after the injection. After Tim Frost's arrival, everything around me changes. I realize that if he had visited me every day, I would have recovered long ago.