noticing for the first time how much less halting his footsteps sounded compared to just a few days ago. “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”
Unbidden, a deep fondness for her rose within him, and that unnerved him. Because somewhere along the line he’d missed how attached he was becoming to her. Was it because she’d given him hope at a time when things were bleak? Was it because she was so selfless in her work with him? It was just a job for her, wasn’t it? Maybe she had this effect on other students, too.
Or was it something more?
If so, he’d have to guard himself. She didn’t deserve his strained indifference, but he couldn’t let himself grow any fonder of her. If he didn’t regain his sight, his future as a single man would be irrevocably sealed because he wasn’t about to burden anyone with his blindness.
Her voice finally broke through the raw, unsettling revelation. “Well, Mr. Drake, why don’t we—”
“If it’s all right with you, would you mind calling me Joseph?” Guarding himself or not, he couldn’t stand another day of being addressed as Mr. Drake. He jammed his hands into his pockets and stood tall. “Mr. Drake is, well, it’s just too formal for my liking.”
She paused for a brief moment. “All right, then. Joseph it is—if you’ll call me Katie.”
Or Sunshine, he thought, helpless to keep his emotions from running away.
If Joseph had been planted on the pulpit with flowers growing out of his Sunday clothes, he wouldn’t have felt more conspicuous than he did right now.
He shifted uncomfortably in the wooden pew, wishing he’d just ignored Ben’s challenge for him to attend church. Each step away from his cocooned world and nearer the church building had brought him closer topeople’s stares, even if he couldn’t see them. Having arrived a few minutes before the service started, he couldn’t avoid being a sideshow for curious onlookers or a conversation piece walking in with a bandage wrapped around his head.
He sat stock straight in the second row of pews, the back of the bench hitting well below his shoulder blades. Even though Ben’s tall frame was close to him and he’d kept a steady flow of whispered small talk going since they’d sat down, Joseph might as well have been alone. Inky darkness seemed to enfold him, isolating him in a room crowded with friends and acquaintances.
He shrugged off his uncertainty as faint comments regarding his attendance wafted to his ears. Joseph gritted his teeth. There was certainly nothing wrong with his hearing.
As much as he wanted to remain inconspicuous, he’d always seemed to attract attention in a room, especially that of women. It sure wasn’t something he set out to do. Julia had been no different. She’d sidled up to him like moss on a log as soon as she’d met him. But since his accident, certain little things, like her high-pitched voice, grated on his nerves.
Thoughts of seeing her again settled on him like cold rain. She’d not stopped by since that first day he’d worked with Katie, and Joseph wasn’t surprised. He hadn’t needed to see Julia that day to know that she was madder than a hornet. He could hear it in her sharp tone, the swish of her skirts and the brisk clip of her heels.
A few times when he lay awake listening to all the sounds of the night, he’d think about his relationship with her. Would she want to see him again if he didn’t gain back total sight? And sight or no, did he even want topursue anything other than friendship with her? He just couldn’t ignore how ill at ease he’d felt with Julia in the last three weeks.
When he’d first met her, he’d been intrigued by her vivacious, flamboyant ways. Maybe it was an eastern air about her, or maybe it was just Julia. Whatever the case, it was as though he could see what she was really like, now that he couldn’t see her. And he wasn’t sure that he liked what he saw.
Shrugging off his glum musings, he focused
Unbidden, a deep fondness for her rose within him, and that unnerved him. Because somewhere along the line he’d missed how attached he was becoming to her. Was it because she’d given him hope at a time when things were bleak? Was it because she was so selfless in her work with him? It was just a job for her, wasn’t it? Maybe she had this effect on other students, too.
Or was it something more?
If so, he’d have to guard himself. She didn’t deserve his strained indifference, but he couldn’t let himself grow any fonder of her. If he didn’t regain his sight, his future as a single man would be irrevocably sealed because he wasn’t about to burden anyone with his blindness.
Her voice finally broke through the raw, unsettling revelation. “Well, Mr. Drake, why don’t we—”
“If it’s all right with you, would you mind calling me Joseph?” Guarding himself or not, he couldn’t stand another day of being addressed as Mr. Drake. He jammed his hands into his pockets and stood tall. “Mr. Drake is, well, it’s just too formal for my liking.”
She paused for a brief moment. “All right, then. Joseph it is—if you’ll call me Katie.”
Or Sunshine, he thought, helpless to keep his emotions from running away.
If Joseph had been planted on the pulpit with flowers growing out of his Sunday clothes, he wouldn’t have felt more conspicuous than he did right now.
He shifted uncomfortably in the wooden pew, wishing he’d just ignored Ben’s challenge for him to attend church. Each step away from his cocooned world and nearer the church building had brought him closer topeople’s stares, even if he couldn’t see them. Having arrived a few minutes before the service started, he couldn’t avoid being a sideshow for curious onlookers or a conversation piece walking in with a bandage wrapped around his head.
He sat stock straight in the second row of pews, the back of the bench hitting well below his shoulder blades. Even though Ben’s tall frame was close to him and he’d kept a steady flow of whispered small talk going since they’d sat down, Joseph might as well have been alone. Inky darkness seemed to enfold him, isolating him in a room crowded with friends and acquaintances.
He shrugged off his uncertainty as faint comments regarding his attendance wafted to his ears. Joseph gritted his teeth. There was certainly nothing wrong with his hearing.
As much as he wanted to remain inconspicuous, he’d always seemed to attract attention in a room, especially that of women. It sure wasn’t something he set out to do. Julia had been no different. She’d sidled up to him like moss on a log as soon as she’d met him. But since his accident, certain little things, like her high-pitched voice, grated on his nerves.
Thoughts of seeing her again settled on him like cold rain. She’d not stopped by since that first day he’d worked with Katie, and Joseph wasn’t surprised. He hadn’t needed to see Julia that day to know that she was madder than a hornet. He could hear it in her sharp tone, the swish of her skirts and the brisk clip of her heels.
A few times when he lay awake listening to all the sounds of the night, he’d think about his relationship with her. Would she want to see him again if he didn’t gain back total sight? And sight or no, did he even want topursue anything other than friendship with her? He just couldn’t ignore how ill at ease he’d felt with Julia in the last three weeks.
When he’d first met her, he’d been intrigued by her vivacious, flamboyant ways. Maybe it was an eastern air about her, or maybe it was just Julia. Whatever the case, it was as though he could see what she was really like, now that he couldn’t see her. And he wasn’t sure that he liked what he saw.
Shrugging off his glum musings, he focused
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