- “Elias, this is Talia Brooks. She’ll be helping with the household and with Harper when needed.”
Talia extended her hand.
- “Mr. Carter.”
He shook it briefly.
- “My mother handles staffing. She’ll explain the schedule.”
Talia’s hand lowered.
For one second, Elias saw something pass across her face.
Not offense exactly.
More like disappointment.
But then it was gone.
- “Of course,” she said.
He looked back at his phone.
- “Harper’s routines are strict. The medical staff will tell you what not to interfere with.”
Margaret’s lips tightened.
Talia nodded.
- “I understand.”
Elias did not ask where she came from.
He did not ask why she wanted the job.
He did not notice the way she paused at the foot of the staircase and looked up toward Harper’s room, not with curiosity, but with quiet recognition.
He did not notice that on her first day, she did not try to make Harper respond.
She simply entered the nursery, sat on the rug several feet away, and began folding laundry slowly, humming under her breath.
Not loudly.
Not cheerfully.
Just enough to make the room feel less empty.
Harper did not look at her.
Talia did not push.
On the second day, Talia brought the one-eared rabbit.
She placed it on the floor between herself and Harper’s wheelchair.
- “This is Mr. Finch,” she said softly. “He’s very brave, but only when no one stares at him too hard.”
Harper stared out the window.
Talia nodded as though Harper had replied.
- “I agree. Staring is rude.”
Then she turned the rabbit toward the wall and continued dusting.
On the third day, Talia sat cross-legged on the floor and rolled a soft blue ball from one hand to the other.
She did not roll it to Harper.
She did not say, “Catch.”
She only made the ball move slowly across the rug, back and forth, back and forth, until the rhythm became part of the room.
Harper’s eyes shifted once.
Barely.
Talia saw it.
She did not react.
That mattered.
Because every adult in Harper’s life had become desperate. Every tiny twitch became a miracle. Every blink became evidence. Every sigh became hope.
And hope, when grabbed too quickly, frightened Harper back into stillness.
