Page 120 of Drop Three

I’m fucking blessed.

“I’m in therapy,” I admit and watch her body freeze.

I stare at the floor, waiting to hear what she has to say, but words aren’t needed because Penelope is pulling me into a hug, squeezing the daylights out of me. “I am so proud of you. You deserve good things, Bodhi. God, I’m so proud. You’re finally doing it, and it makes me so damn happy for you.”

“Finally doing what?” I choke out through her tight embrace.

For being so tiny, Penelope is a strong little thing.

“Finally enjoying your life. The accident and everything that came after paralyzed you. Dad and I have been waiting for you to embrace how far you’ve come and let it make you better.”

“Fuck, Penelope. You’re getting me all choked up.” I fight back the emotions I’ve been holding in for too long.

“Ah, don’t be a pussy on me now, ceramic fart.”

I chuckle. “Sure thing, apple nipple.”

“Apple nipple?” Penelope asks. “Come on, you can do better than that.”

My brows raise. “Anal kiwi?”

“Jesus Christ, Bodhi. Never mind.”

We laugh together and I pull her small frame into a hug, kissing the top of her head. “Thanks, sis. It’s good to have you here. We should do it more often.”

“We should.” Penelope smiles at me. “But one more thing.”

I pause, waiting for her to tell me her last request. “I think you should call Gwendolyn. Just hear her out and give yourself some closure. As much as you need it, she might need it the same.”

I feel a strong urge to vomit.

I knew there was a possibility of Penelope suggesting this, or talking to Gwendolyn at some point.

But hearing the chance of it happening sooner than planned makes me sick with nerves.

I guess it’s time to own up to my mistakes and take the next step in bettering myself—for me and Penelope.

And her.

36

BODHI

“Why is therean entire pitcher of iced coffee in here? None of y’all even drink iced coffee,” Jethro asks, peering into the refrigerator in our kitchen.

“I do,” Navy tells him proudly.

I look in the other direction, hoping Jethro drops it and doesn’t ask why there’s that much coffee prepared and who did it.

“Of course you do, Navs. How could I forget?”

He says that because Navy is almost always drinking iced coffee. She has a habit of projectile spitting it when she loses herself in a fit of giggles.

It’s adorable.

Not so much for the person on the receiving end of the coffee.

“Bodhi preps it for me.”

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