Page 37 of Miles

“What?”

“How mad I am at myself. I almost missed…” Her chin trembled.

“But you didn’t miss me. You didn’t miss being saved. You needed to come as close as you did in order to be saved. This is just the way it was meant to be.”

“It’s a lot to wrap my head around.”

“I know. But I’m here to help.”

“Will you ever get tired of helping?”

“I doubt it. You strike me as a fairly hard-headed person—but so am I.”

Mary entered without knocking.

I got up, as though sitting on the bed was improper. As though I had a single thing to explain to her. Even so, it seemed like the right thing to do.

“I understand we had a close call with you, young lady.” She wasn’t entirely stern, however.

There was a bit of a gleam in her eye, as though she were talking to a naughty child. She had loosened up considerably since the situation with Martina.

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh, my dear.” She shook her head with a mournful sigh. “I don’t know anyone who would blame you. I only hope you don’t get it into your head ever again. Phillip wants to x-ray you, to check on the status of your healing and determine whether you need fresh casts.”

“I’ve already told her,” I murmured.

Mary’s eyes widened the slightest bit. “I see. And you’re… all right?” she asked Savannah.

“I won’t pitch myself into the sea again, if that’s what you’re asking.”

The three of us laughed.

“Then, Miles did a good job. Men can be like bulls in a china shop, can’t they? So indelicate.”

Savannah was very nearly radiant when our eyes met.

“That’s not a problem here,” she assured Mary, her eyes glowing.

---