Chapter 9

I’m leaning my elbows against the railing, cradling the coffee mug in my hands, as I wait for him to arrive. The seconds are crawling by, but when his SUV turns into our driveway, I break out in a smile.

When he steps out of the car and sees me, he gives me a cautious smile as he approaches. On the days I’ve had a fever, I haven’t been out to greet him, so he knows what it means that I’m standing here, sipping coffee like I’ve got no troubles in the world.

“No fever?” he asks when he stops at a safe distance.

I shake my head with a smile. His face goes slack, and he hides it in both hands. He hunches over, crouches, and curls into a ball. It lasts for only a couple seconds before he’s straightening, meeting my gaze. “This is a goodday. We had no deaths at work, and we disconnected a patient from the ventilator because their health is improving. And you have no fever for the third day in a row.”