The next morning Gerald arrived at the hospital earlier than usual. He walked the quiet hallway and stopped outside Lily’s room for a second before pushing the door open.
Lily was already awake, sitting up against the pillows. The swelling on her face had gone down a little, but the bruises were still dark. She looked at him when he entered, then looked away toward the window.
“How are you feeling?” Gerald asked.
“Fine.” She replied in a monotune voice. Her voice was flat and she did not turn back to him.
Gerald stepped closer to the bed. “Are the pains still severe?”
“It is manageable.” She replied again, with the same tone. He watched her carefully. The distance in her tone was clear. She was colder than the day before. He noticed it, but decided to treat it as the result of her inj
