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Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Allie smiled as she watched Michael and Amelia tossing stones into the river. It had been two days since Michael's first adventure outside. Two days since he'd felt the sun and the wind for the first time and Allie had been hard pressed to get him back in the house at all!

She loved seeing the changes in him. He was becoming more open, less fearful and more inquisitive. He seemed to be gaining strength with every day that passed as well. He no longer grew so fatigued simply walking around and he could stand and move much more easily and with much less pain.

Allie knew they would have to leave soon. Already they were tempting fate by remaining in this home and counting on the Treadwell's staying gone the full two weeks. If they came home early Allie was not sure what would happen but she did know that she would kill to protect Michael just the same as she had killed to protect Amelia more than once. She loved that man and would not let any more harm come to him at the hands of these monsters.

Allie smiled when Amelia and Michael shared a laugh. She realized as she sat there washing clothes on a washboard that Michael seemed to be growing taller. Technically it was the hunch in his back straightening out a bit now that he could stand correctly but already he was standing at least two inches taller than he had before. Allie could no longer look directly into his eyes when they stood face to face. His left leg still came out at an awkward angle from his hip and dragged more than stepped when he walked but even it seemed to be getting a bit better as he gained strength. It was clear that given enough time Michael could prove to be well over six feet tall much like his father and older brother. Even his stutter was vanishing. Only when he was very excited, nervous or scared did he falter over his words.

To see all those changes in Michael truly made Allie happier than anything else in life ever had. To know that because of Amelia going against the rules and finding him trapped in that attic, Michael was finally able to have a life, made Allie proud of her sister's stubbornness.

Suddenly a jubilant yell of triumph from Michael had Allie's mind abandoning her thoughts as she stood and dropped the shirt she'd been scrubbing back into the soapy water. She laughed when she saw him jumping up and down the best he could on his leg and laughing happily.

"What's made you so cheerful?" Allie inquired.

"I did it!" Michael replied as he swooped her into his arms and kissed her cheek noisily. Allie's heart raced and she clung to him to maintain her balance.

"Did what?"

"I skipped the stone!"

Allie laughed happily right along with him, "Good for you," she replied, meaning it whole heartedly.

Michael was a blessing. He had shown her a side to life that Allie had forgotten existed. An innocent side, a side full of happiness and laughter. He made her look at the world in a whole new way, seeing everything through his eyes and the newness of it all.

"I made up some lunch in if y'all are hungry," Tessa called out the door.

Amelia took off running into the house and Allie felt her stomach rumbling, "Are you hungry, Michael?"

Michael laid his hand over his own stomach and winced, "Yeah, I am. I think my stomach is growing," he added, glancing down.

Allie laughed, "It is and that's good! It means you're growing healthier and stronger every day." It wouldn't be long before his father's pants fit him perfectly without having to be cinched at the waist. Three good meals a day were putting weight on Michael in a hurry. Allie wanted to get him as healthy as she could before they left because she still had no idea where they were going to go or when their next meal might be.