For the next week, Graden stayed up every night with the doctor until he fell asleep. Louk accepted his hand being squeezed, then a few days later being held, and after about eight days asked Graden to stay the night. During the day the doctor managed his tasks, tended to his patients. During the night he fell apart.
Graden didn’t think he’d ever seen someone weep so much. Aveline’s body was brought out of the underground room and treated gently, while the addict’s remains were buried with a proper ceremony, despite having no family. Louk had insisted.
At night, Graden held Louk when he woke up with a start, pressed his lips into the doctor’s hair. He wanted more than anything to say something to alleviate the grief, but he knew there was nothing he could voice that would do anything but
