By the time Mark returned with Jessica’s personal effects from her room and arranged for lunch to be delivered, it was late afternoon. Not that Jessica had any appetite—she didn’t. But she was glad he’d decided to stay close. Though she didn’t feel sick exactly, there was a lingering shakiness she couldn’t shake, and she was in no condition to be left alone.
That shakiness became more obvious when she attempted to change out of her dress and into sweats, or even when she tried to make her way to the bathroom. Mark was quietly attentive, helping her without any fanfare or awkwardness. He approached each task with clinical precision, like a nurse assisting a stranger. Jessica appreciated that. His emotionally neutral demeanor kept the situation from turning uncomfortable, something she was
