He Gave Her My Eyes A Story of Final Sight novel Chapter 49

Harrisburg’s old district was full of life, the kind of place where you could practically taste the city in the air. The streets were narrow, way too tight for cars, so Theresia had no choice but to park at the entrance and walk the rest of the way.

The sidewalks were lined with vendors selling everything you could think of. Fresh vegetables, homemade bread, cheap kitchen gadgets, piles of fruit that filled the air with sweetness. Theresia picked out a few pieces of fruit for later, moving slowly as she made her way deeper into the neighborhood.

She wasn’t just shopping, though. The whole time, her mind kept circling around a question that refused to let go. The more she thought about it, the more something felt off. Finally, she stopped in the middle of the street, pulled out her phone, and called Hanson.

He answered sounding half-asleep, and she barely waited for him to say hello. “Hanson, I’ve got a theory. I need you to look into something for me and get back to me as soon as you can.”

He groaned. “Theresia, I was up all night working. I just lay down...”

She cut him off. “I’ll get you the Starlight Innovations legal gig.”

That woke him up fast. His voice sharpened. “Deal. Give me thirty minutes, tops.”

Theresia’s destination was a building tucked away at the far end of the block. It was quiet, almost hidden, the kind of place people forgot about. She pushed through the battered entryway and headed straight for the stairs, climbing up to the seventh floor without stopping. All those months recovering, and the self-defense lessons with Wade, had left her stronger than she looked. She could handle herself if she needed to, at least against anyone who wasn’t a total professional.

She knocked on the heavy metal door. From inside, she heard slow footsteps shuffling closer. After a moment, the door opened to reveal a tiny, hunched old woman with a shock of white hair.

The woman peered up at her, surprised. “Who are you looking for?”

Theresia smiled, gentle and sincere. “I’m here to see Maisie.”

“I know why you’re here,” Maisie said, her voice flat. “My answer hasn’t changed. I’m not going to stand up and accuse Patti.”

Hanson had warned Theresia that Maisie was tough, so she’d braced herself for this. She sat down quietly, letting her eyes drift to the painting. After a moment, she spoke.

“Your colors are bold. The technique is really good. Anyone can see you have real talent. But under all that vibrancy, I see someone trapped, someone who wants to break free but is scared to. You must be carrying a lot of pain, Maisie. A lot of conflict.”

For a second, Maisie’s eyes lit up. She stared at Theresia, surprised. “You actually see that?”

Theresia let out a soft, crooked smile. “It looks like Patti only knows how to steal your work, not understand it. She has no idea what these paintings really mean. It’s such a waste.”