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“Good news or bad news?”

“I think it’s good.” Rustling noises sounded over the phone.“Someone left a letter addressed to Kiera, but there’s no return address. It feels like a greeting card.”

“Mail it to me via next day service.”

“Okay. I’ll do that today.”

“Thank you, and Hank?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you know that your stutter is gone?” The previous conversations with him showed a wonderful improvement, but today’s conversation had no stuttering at all.

“Oh . . . Umm . . .”

I could imagine him stunned by the news. I didn’t notice it at first, but as the conversation progressed, it was obvious. He also sounded more confident when he spoke.

Maybe the closure involving his sister’s death also removed whatever it was that had blocked him.

“I . . . Yeah.” He released a sigh, and I could see him smiling over the phone. “You’re right. It’s gone.”

The joy in his voice radiated through the phone. I’d been waiting for the perfect moment to make him an offer.

“If you’re looking for a job with opportunities for growth, I have something for you.”

“Are you hiring? What do you need help with?”

“My BaMBu headquarters is always looking for talent. We’re expanding and always looking for talented and hardworking people. You’re excellent with details. There’s a position that requires that skill and computer knowledge.”

“I’m interested.”

“Okay. Go to the headquarters and ask for Hieu. He’ll set you up with an interview. Tell him I referred you.”

After we hung up, I emailed Hieu and gave him a brief description of Hank’s skills and asked him to hire the kid. Hank needed a break. He was smart, honest, and reliable. Those were qualities I liked ina person.

What piqued my interest was the anonymous letter to Kiera. Who had sent it?

CHAPTERFIFTY-SEVEN

KIERA

The next day, I sat with my laptop on the back deck of Forrest’s house while he went to pick up lunch. The five-bedroom house was on a private lot surrounded by trees. I didn’t know why he needed so much space, but each room felt like a secret nature sanctuary. There were plants in every room, strategically placed. Ferns,herbs, and succulents made the home feel like a breath of fresh air. He had an indoor greenhouse that connected to an outdoor one just like the Holistic Farm in Texas, but on a smaller scale.

He even had a pomegranate bonsai that bore fruits.

Aside from the lovely home, he also kept a condo in downtown Providence, close to his Vitality Health Clinic, where he only worked part time. His colleagues had kept the clinic busy and thriving.

My man was busy developing holistic medicine for the world all while developing his WaterFyre Rising video game. He said I inspired a character in his demo, which I hadn’t seen yet. He’d been swamped, so I’d postponed asking him to show me.

His determination and creativity were rubbing off on me. Ideas for my greeting cards populated my head as I browsed through my extensive collection of nature photos. I had to narrow down a few plants and fungi for printing.

Earlier this morning, I had backed out on a couple of projects that didn’t interest me. I’d signed up for them to supplement my mom’s medical bills. Now that everything was resolved, I didn’t have to.

Forrest had gotten a lawyer to represent us in the lawsuit against Dr. Schaeffer, including the hospital, for its negligence. The hospital had received several complaints about the doctor, but looked the other way.

Mom would get a large sum ofmoney from this fiasco, including the other families who had also joined us in the fight. Let this be a lesson for doctors and hospitals everywhere. It felt good to fight back. People needed to be punished for taking advantage of the sick and vulnerable.

Aside from the chaos, Forrest mentioned that Full Circle Apothecary haddodged a potential lawsuit that could have dragged down the shop’s name. Two customers had claimed they’d gotten sick from the herbal remedies, but had since recounted their claims.