“Easy,” Dr. Bennett said, pressing me gently back into the pillows.

“You need to rest,” she said.

“I need to talk to him,” I insisted.

The door to the room creaked open, and Luke stepped inside.

His heavy wool coat was gone, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows.

His face was pale, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

He looked at Dr. Bennett, who nodded and gave my hand a final squeeze.

“I’ll be right outside if you need me,” Dr. Bennett said.

She slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Luke walked over and sat on the edge of my bed.

He took my hand, his palm warm against my cold skin.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Better,” I said. “Now that I know the baby is okay.”

Luke looked down at our joined hands.

“Marco confirmed it,” Luke said.

“Vivian was definitely here,” he added.

“She was asking questions at the reception desk about your admission,” he said.

“She wanted to know if you had been brought to the emergency room,” he added.