The other sister

Chapter Sixteen

She let Levi pick the restaurant and he chose a small burger joint as far away from the salad bar as he could get, a part of her thought it was on purpose another part knew that was ridiculous.

After they were seated at a booth with menus he couldn't read he spoke.

"Thank you, for bringing me today."

"Anytime, I would do anything for you."

"I know I just hate letting people see me, like this."

"You're still you, I know that," she insisted reaching over to squeeze his arm.

"You're the only one. My dad avoids me, I hear my mom crying in her room, Carly...I can't figure out what's going on with her. Sometimes at night I wake up for no reason, I realize I'm still blind and I...I think maybe I would have been better off dead."

"No, no, you can't believe that, you can't give up. Your sight will come back, I know it will."

"I don't want this life Cassie, I can't see my girlfriend, I can't see my friends, can't drive, read."

"You will."

He sighed and shook his head and there was nothing she wanted more than to hold him.

"I won't let you give up," she said softly.

He placed his hand on top of here and squeezed it tightly in his threading their fingers together for a minute.

The waitress returned a second later and Cassie quickly placed their orders.

"Milo, asked for my number," she admitted.

"Did you...do you think thats a good idea?" He asked.

"I don't know, he seems nice."

"He is, he's great he's also like twenty two."

"What's that have to do with anything?" She asked.

"It's just kind of gross."

"Why? Because it's me? If I was Carly it would be perfectly fine and if you were his age and he told you he was dating a younger girl you'd be the first to applaud him."

"It's not gross because it's you but...come on Cas. You've never had a boyfriend do you really think think older guy is the best choice?"

"It's just lunch, he asked me to lunch. That's all."

He fell silent and released her hand which she hadn't realized he was still holding. He took a long drink of his sweet tea then shrugged.

"I probably should stay out of it anyway," he said.

"What?"

"I can't give you advice right now, not when my head is such a mess."

"Okay."

Their food came and they ate in a comfortable silence, being with Levi was easy for her even if they weren't speaking and he seemed to enjoy the company without all the questions.

The drive home was around 45 minutes and not long after they left the restaurant Levi fell asleep.
She let him snore beside her because she had no doubt that physical therapy most likely left him sore and tired both physically and mentally.

It was early evening when they got back to his house and she parked the car before gently nudging him awake.

"Carly?" He asked, still groggy.

"No, it's me."

"Cass."

"Yeah."

"I don't think I can get out on my own," he said softly.