Within These Walls (Within These Walls #1)(65)

“Eww…gross. Why did you have to ruin split-pea soup for me?” She laughed as we got in.

“Well, that is a color!”

“I think we should name it,” she declared.

I turned the key. “The color? I thought I just did.” I pulled out of the parking spot and drove the short distance out of the hospital.

We were officially free.

“No.” She laughed. “The car. Cars that are baby-shit green need to have a name.”

I turned my head with a look of mock surprise and shock. “Did I just hear you curse? I don’t think I’ve ever heard a bad word leave those pretty little lips of yours before in my life. Two seconds out of the hospital, and you’re already swearing like a sailor! I think I’m having a bad effect on you.”

She stuck out her tongue and laughed. “I’ve cursed before—in my head and maybe once or twice out loud,” she said, grinning. “You’re changing the subject. From this day forward, I hereby do so-eth—”

“Do so-eth?” I couldn’t help but ask.

She was literally vibrating with excitement. Being out of the hospital had awoken her spirit and had breathed fresh new life into her lungs.

“Shut up! It’s my fancy car dubbing speech. I’m supposed to sound like Shakespeare.”

“Oh, sorry,” I faked a cough as we turned west. “Go on. You do so-eth?”

“I hereby name this car, um…” She looked around, searching, and finally her eyes grew wide. “Yertle the Turtle!”

She was so proud of herself that she didn’t even notice where we were when I pulled the car to a stop.

“Very clever, Sam I Am.” I laughed. “But Yertle the Turtle was blue.”

“He was not!”

“He was,” I urged. “In the book illustrations, he’s blue.”

She looked over at me with her arms folded over her chest. “How the heck do you even know that?”

“My mom used to read to us a lot when I was little.” I shrugged. “And I’m smart,” I added with a grin, tapping on my temple.

“Well, whatever. We’re calling it Yertle, even if it isn’t blue. Now, where are we? And what are we doing?” she asked, looking up. She gasped when her eyes took in the panoramic view of the ocean.

“We’re going to put your toes in the ocean.”

Twenty-three: Coming Home—Lailah

I HADN’T LIVED my life completely in a box.

Living in Southern California my entire life, I had seen the ocean from time to time as we drove around the city. But sitting there in Jude’s car, seeing the turquoise water sparkle endlessly before me, I felt like I was seeing it for the first time. My gaze wandered down to the long stretch of sand standing between me and the gentle waves lapping at the coast.

I turned to him. “How? I don’t know if I can make it through all that thick sand without having breathing problems or getting too tired,” I admitted, hating my limitations and weakness.

“I’m going to carry you,” he simply stated.

“The entire way? In the sand?”

“Yep. Now, come on, let’s go!”

He pushed open his door and jumped out, and I was left staring at an empty seat. Moments later, he was opening my car door, grinning.

“The water isn’t going to make it all the way up here.” He held out his hand.

I reached out and took it.

“But that’s a long way to carry me, Jude,” I said.

He gave me a dubious, amused expression. “You weigh about as much as a box of Cracker Jacks, and in case you didn’t notice during all those times when you had your hands shoved up my shirt, I’m in good shape.”

His wink that followed was what sent my cheeks aflame, and I couldn’t contain the laughter that sprang forth when he lifted me into his arms.

“See? Piece of cake. Now, if you’re done complaining, I think we have something to do.”

I nodded excitedly, wrapping my hands around his neck, as he cradled me, and we took off down toward the sand.

“Where is everyone? I thought California beaches were always packed,” I said, looking around at the very empty beach.

Only a few surfers dotted the shoreline, carrying boards to and from the beach.

“It’s early still. The beach will start to fill up in the next hour or two, which is why I wanted to come now. I thought it would be nicer to be here without a thousand people running around.”

Gazing up and down the long beach, I smiled. “Yeah, it’s peaceful now. I like it.”

The sand changed from light to dark as the waves grew closer.

“Can I walk the rest of the way?” I asked, eager to feel the damp sand between my toes.

“Yeah,” he said with warm tenderness echoing in his voice.

I kicked off my flip-flops just as he began to slowly lower me to the ground. Our eyes met the second my feet hit the cool sand. It was gritty and wet, and it felt completely wonderful between my toes. Our fingers laced together as a crooked smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. I turned toward the horizon, and we walked the last few steps to the water’s edge. The icy water rushed over my toes, and I gasped.

“It’s cold!” I yelped.

Jude’s deep laughter filled the air. “Why do you think the surfers are in wet suits? You’ll get used to it,” he promised. “We can walk for just a little bit.”