Bound By Silence by Jasmine Stevens

Author:Jasmine Stevens [Stevens, Jasmine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-28T00:00:00+00:00

The smile on Ricky’s face has made my day, week, month, and year. He dips his finger into the white frosting of a petite cake before licking it. “Mm, this one is yummy but not as good as that one.” He points to a fancy chocolate dessert.

“Well, Chef, looks like the chocolate one is the winner. We’ll go with that one, please.”

“Of course, Mrs. Bancroft,” Chef Michael replies with a smile. “Lucky Ricky is here to make all these difficult decisions for you today.” He whisks away the platter of delicious-looking desserts, and my mouth waters. “Sure, I can’t twist your arm to try a couple?” he asks.

I shake my head. Leo, who is standing in the doorway of the kitchen, pipes up. “You can twist mine.” He steps forward and sweeps two desserts off the platter. Shoving the petite-style delicacies into his mouth at the same time, I send him a withering look, and Ricky giggles watching Leo’s cheeks puff out as he struggles to eat such a full mouth of food.

I turn to Ricky. “Thank you so much for being our taste tester. You’ve taken so much stress out of my day.” I am rewarded with Ricky’s mega smile. He really has no idea how much I love spending time with him.

One of the band members who has been onstage practicing pokes his head through the kitchen door. Like lightning, Leo shifts in front of me, moving his hand to where his gun must be holstered near his ribs. The tension leaves his body once he realizes who it is. “Ricky, you’re urgently needed in here,” the bass player says.

Ricky looks at me, and I shrug. I lift him off the counter and sit him gently into his waiting wheelchair. I push him out into the auditorium, curious as to why Ricky is needed. Walking through the doorway, I stop in my tracks, my mouth falling open. Ricky reaches behind him and squeezes my hand holding onto the handle of the wheelchair. I squat down beside him, turning my head to drink in the look of complete awe on Ricky’s face. “No way.” I love hearing the wonderment in his voice.

The lights in the auditorium have been dimmed to a blue hue, and dancing across the ceiling and walls are thousands upon thousands of twinkling starlights. This and Ricky’s smile are two of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen in my life. And then, adding to what was already something so incredibly wonderful, the band begins to play a cover of “A Sky Full of Stars.”

Ricky tugs at my hand. “Can we dance?” He swings my hand back and forth to the beat of the music. “Pleaseee,” he begs, looking up at me with puppy dog eyes. What the heck, maybe it was time I had a bit of fun, and who better to have fun with than Ricky? I run toward the center of the room, pushing Ricky in front of me. I help him stand on his feet.

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