an excerpt [15]

This excerpt is from my ever-lovely book The Runaway House. You can read it for free on Wattpad right here.
And for those who devour storyboards, here's one for you:

   I gasp as we round the house. On the other side of the garden, under a big oak tree, they’ve set out a blanket. A basket sits unopened, waiting for us.

   Giggling, I quicken my pace. “A picnic?”

   Travis grins. “We wanted to celebrate your recovery—even if it’s not complete yet.” He steps onto the blanket. “Welcome back outside, Lee.”

   We sit, and Zoe crawls onto my lap. Brittany opens the basket.

   “I call dibs on, like, all of the hardboiled eggs,” Nathan says. “I’m starved.”

   Amy laughs and grabs the container. “You can’t have any.”

   Nathan’s eyebrows shoot up. “Oh? We’ll see about that!” Then he pounces toward her and starts tickling her stomach.

   “Noooo!” she squeals. She drops the container.

    Before Nathan notices, Travis snatches it up and hands me an egg. Then he tosses one to Brittany.

   The morning is still chilly, so I wrap my jacket tighter around my waist. “Thank you for doing this.”

   He unzips a bag of fresh strawberries. “You deserve it.”

   I smile and think back to the pictures plastered onto the living room wall. There may not be a camera around, but this picture will always be ingrained in my mind. This is the Runaway House. Celebratory picnics and playful wrestling over food. Healing. Safety. Friendship.

   “I’m glad you’re better, Lee.” Zoe’s small arms wrap around me.

    I kiss the top of her head and breathe deeply. Everyone is looking at me, smiling. Caring. Relieved that their Lee is going to survive—through their nurturing. And I’m determined to do more than just survive. The Runaway House has given me so much to use to help myself grow.

   So what else can I do but thrive?

. . . .

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