Cynthia Dion:

After that incident, Atticus returned with a tray carrying a steaming bowl of soup and an bowl of fruits. He set the bowl of soup before me on the bed and the tray on the table in front of him.

"Finish all of this and then take the medication," he mumbled, his head bowed, and he silently sliced the fruits. I took a sip of the soup, and it provided a comforting warmth.

Sitting across from him in his room, his tending to me was an unprecedented occurrence. The ...