The Waiting: A Supernatural Thriller Read Online Free

“I asked for more information on the seizures he had two weeks ago. I wanted to know if that’s something we can look forward to from now on.”
    Sickness soured his stomach as the memory of Shaun shaking and jittering on the floor washed over him. The overwhelming helplessness of that morning hadn’t diminished in the least.
    “I asked Lindsey today if seizures were common with TBI, and she said that they were.”
    “I knew they were , but he’d never had one before, so ...”
    Farah nodded. “W e also did some flash cards this afternoon, he remembered ‘hammer’ and ‘window’ this time, so that was good. He had a bath, and he ate great at supper. He wanted to watch one of his little shows, so I put one in, and the poor thing didn’t even make it through the credits before he fell asleep on the couch.” Farah’s face crinkled with a smile, her eyes glimmering warmth.
    It wasn’t the first time, or the hundredth, Evan felt a swelling of appreciation at having such a wonderful caretaker for Shaun. But the stabbing knowledge that he might have to let her go became too much, and he stood, moving through the archway to the living room.
    Shaun sat propped against two overstuffed pillows on the couch. The dancing light from the TV illuminated his son’s delicate face with myriad colors. Evan knelt beside the couch and took one of Shaun’s soft hands in his own. Shaun’s light hair fell in a sweep across his forehead, and Evan brushed it away. It was longer than normal, another reminder of Elle’s absence. She used to always cut Shaun’s hair, in his medical chair under the bright lights of the kitchen. Evan remembered the sound of Shaun’s laughter as his hair fell beneath the clips of Elle’s scissors, his small legs kicking with glee.
    Shaun’s eyes opened into slits , and Evan blinked back a layer of tears, determined not to cry in front of his son again.
    “Hi , buddy.”
    Shaun smiled, gr ipping his hand tighter. “Da.”
    “How was your day?”
    Shaun’s mouth worked, and he licked his lips. After a few moments of struggling, his forehead wrinkled. “Yesh,” he said, and frowned.
    “Farah said you did great today. She said you walked a mile.”
    Shaun giggled and wiped at his eyes, tried to sit up but only managed to slide down farther into the pillows.
    “Here, buddy,” Evan said , hoisting him into a better sitting position. “You can go back to sleep again if you want.”
    Shaun shook his head and pointed at the TV. “Tains.”
    Evan glanced at the television , where Thomas the Train raced along beside another tank engine.
    “Okay, you watch your trains,” Evan said , and tousled his son’s hair, feeling the rough scar tissue on the left side of his scalp.
    When he turned , he saw Farah watching them from the kitchen. She moved aside to let him pass, but her eyes remained on the little boy.
    “He’s doing so g ood,” Farah said, finally turning away.
    “Yes , he is. I think we’ll try tracing again tonight, if he’s up to it.”
    “ Sounds like a plan. Well, I should get home to Steve, he’ll be worried, what with the storm. But I whipped up some hot dish, it’s in the fridge.”
    “Thank you,” Evan said .
    He followed her to the foyer, where she donned a plain set of slip-on boots as well as a light jacket.
    “I’ll see you both Monday morning then, bright and early,” Farah said , gripping the door handle. She glanced at Evan and must have seen something flit across his face, because she stopped, her eyes penetrating. “Are you okay?”
    He swallowed. “Yeah, long day.”
    Farah smiled sadly and grasped his arm in her short fingers. “You’re doing splendid, you know?”
    “Am I?”
    “Yes. When I met you, you were in a terrible place, with challenges most people never even think of, but you and Shaun are strong. You’ve both got stout spirits, as my father used to say.” She squeezed his arm. “You’re doing great.”
    He smiled and put his hand over hers.