My speech reading instructor said I was her quickest study, but I still understand only about forty percent. Ask me to repeat anything you don’t understand, okay?” “I’m pretty good at following sounds, but you’ll need to tell me if I’m not facing you correctly. I would hear enough of a siren now one is wailing, feel the vibration from a loud noise, but that’s about it.”īecause she specialized in counseling the disabled, she knew a good lip-reader took in the whole face. “We’ll stay with the reading for now.” She wanted to say she never kissed on a first consultation, but the ethically questionable response would probably give this patient the wrong idea. She moved to the chair opposite McCallister, offering her best nice-to-meet-you smile.

“Read ’em, been known to kiss a few.”Īrrogant SOB. The leather seat cushion whooshed as he sat.

She followed McCallister’s voice and faced in his direction. She breathed in the scent of sandalwood, and her highly-tuned antennae picked up on the nervous quiver in his words, even though the detective tried to conceal it with sarcasm.

“Well,” he said, “put the two of us together and we have one Helen Keller.” You sound like a teenage boy in heat.”Ībby didn’t hear McCallister’s footsteps because he started speaking long before he reached the patient’s chair. Ask him if he’d mind waiting while I take a quick shower, change my clothes, and refresh my lipstick.” She came close to Abby’s desk and whispered. Half an hour later, Ellie knocked on the door. He’d lost his hearing in the line of duty, and issues was putting it mildly. “Okay, I’ve read the report, but I’ll go over the information to refresh my memory.” Cleo left and Abby got to work, reading the Braille printout of Hub City detective Luke McCallister’s file. It’s all in the report.” Abby flipped the crystal on her watch to finger the time. “You’d do it all by yourself like you did before you hired me.” Then she and Daisy settled at her desk.Ĭleo brought her a cup of coffee. Abby went into her office, unhooked Daisy’s halter and gave her guide dog a neck rub. “I know.” The too-sweet scent of her intern’s perfume wafting in the air almost drowned out the rich aroma of coffee bubbling into the pot. It is only with the heart that one can seeĮvery morning, Abby ran her fingers over the cluster of raised dots on the sign outside her office door.Ībove, serif letters spelled the same thing. Any resemblance to persons either living or dead is purely coincidental and beyond the intent of the author. I hope no one is offended by the liberties I’ve taken under artistic license with other locations. Hub City is the nickname for the real city in my story. All names of characters and events are the product of the author’s imagination.

InSight by Polly Iyer