“I see you’re early today,” Theo says to me the second he opens the door to Caiden’s parents’ house. “It’s lovely, as always, to see you, Amalie.”

“What kind of mood is he in today?” I ask him, handing him my coat.

“The same as always. His parents are out, but he has a new carer. She’s in there with him.”

She?

He allowed a female carer?

That’s odd because he refused one before. I’m glad for him, though. Maybe changing things means he’s starting to want to venture outside of the world he’s plastered himself into.

“I’m glad, I don’t think I could handle them today.”

Theo smiles. “And I wouldn’t blame you.”

I smile, and Theo winks. Then I make my way down the halls and to the whole wing that belongs to Caiden. Honestly, outside of what happened to him, the man has everything and more. He could live in this house forever and probably go years of that without seeing his parents if he didn’t want to. The end of the house that belongs to him has everything, including its own yard and pool.

It takes me nearly ten minutes to make my way through the massive house and the long corridor that connect the two residences. When I reach the entrance to Caiden’s, I open it, not bothering to knock. I never do. I know he’d never answer. I step inside and walk around; he isn’t in any of his many rooms, so I head outside to the massive deck that leads down to his pool and garden. He’s sitting on it, with a woman by his side.

I expected her to be a bit older, but she’s not.

She’s maybe four or five years older than me.

Both of them turn when they hear me enter, and Caiden’s face automatically goes hard. I could swear he was smiling before he saw me, there was a lightness to his eyes I haven’t seen in a good long time. The girl, who is now looking at me too, is pretty. She has mousy brown hair, soft blue eyes and creamy skin. She’s on the curvy side, but it adds to her natural beauty. She’s rather breathtaking, actually.

“You’re here,” Caiden says, as if he thought I wouldn’t be.

He has to know by now that I’m going to be here, every single day. I know he just says that to irritate me.

“Caiden, how are you?” I say, walking over and taking a seat.

I look to the woman, who is still staring at me, her eyes a little wide. “Hi,” I say, extending a hand. “I’m Amalie. You must be Caiden’s new carer.”

She nods, and in a soft voice says, “Yes, hello, I’m Penelope, but you can call me Penny.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Penny.”

She nods, and stands, looking to Caiden. “I’ll get you some tea and your pills for the afternoon.”

He nods sharply and she leaves. I look to him. “She’s nice. Did you choose her?”

He scowls, hard and angry. “Why are you here, again?”

“Are we going to go over this every time I come to visit you, Caiden?”

I’m not feeling particularly soft today, I’m not sure why. I’m usually always kind to him, but today I’m uptight, frustrated, feeling like I’ve reached a dead end in my life and know I have to take a new path to get out of it, but I don’t know what that path is.

“What’s your problem?” he mutters.

“I’m just here to see how you are. I know you don’t want me here, you’ve made that clear, but understand that I’m coming anyway. I owe you that and your words will not stop me from supporting you, even if you don’t want it.”

He makes a frustrated movement with his hand and growls, “Except it’s not supporting someone when you’re the reason they have no life and they’ve also told you they don’t want your damned support.”

I rub my face, wearily. “Tell me about Penny.”

“Penelope, to you,” he snaps.

Breathe.

“Did you pick her?”

“Does it matter?”

Breathe.

“She seems really nice. How is your therapy going?”

He stares at me like he wants me to self-combust and burn on the ground before him. I’m not in the mood for this today. I’m really not. I feel like I’m going to explode and it wouldn’t be fair to do it to him. That was half the problem in our relationship before the accident. He knew how to push my buttons, and he brought out a side to myself I didn’t like.

I won’t allow that again.

“I’m not in the mood today. I just wanted to check on you. Have a good day, Caiden. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I stand and walk out.

I don’t glance back.

When I reach the kitchen, Penny is just finishing up the tea. I stop, because I don’t want to be rude, his attitude is not her fault. “I’m so sorry to make you go to the trouble of making tea, Penny, but I can’t stay.”

She looks at me, and smiles. “That’s okay. Is everything all right?”

I shrug. “I’m sure he’s told you that he is like that because of me, I’m also sure you probably know he doesn’t like me, but I come every day, anyway, sometimes I wonder why. He doesn’t like it. I’m sorry if he’s in a nasty mood now, that is never how I wish to leave him.”

She studies me, and then says, “I don’t think what happened is your fault, and yes he did tell me. I think he’s angry, and frustrated, and confused, but I think deep down he knows it isn’t your fault, too. If he truly didn’t want you here, he could make your visits stop. I think he doesn’t know what he wants. Don’t give up.”

With that, she walks away.

And I decide in that very moment that I like her. A whole lot.

She may just be the best thing to ever happen to him.

At least, I hope she is.