Chapter 88

Atticus waited until Stanley went into the kitchen before sliding up to Elise. "So, Elise, are you planning to settle down in the countryside with my grandpa?" Elise shook her head and carried an armful of firewood toward the kitchen. She was wearing long sleeves since it had been raining. When she rolled them up to work, Atticus noticed the wound on her right hand. "Damn, it's only been a few years and you've already managed to mess yourself up like this? No wonder you ran off here. Your right hand's practically useless now." Stanley hurled a tomato at his face. "If you haven't anything nice to say, shut up." Atticus didn't flinch. He took a bite of the tomato and said through a mouthful, "You can't just ignore a problem. If you can't fix her up, I could get her in touch with a specialist abroad." "It's fine, Atticus," Elise said with a smile. She was envious of their interactions, as she didn't have any relatives to share the same experiences with. "Mr. Fuller Senior has been ta