Mathew.

She shut her eyes again, looking exhausted, and I tried gently to wake her up one more time.

I forced a smile on my face, even though I wasn't happy at all seeing her laid out on the bed, struggling just to sit up like that.

I whispered right in her ears, soft and pleading, "Viola, baby, please sit up a little. You need to eat something to get better—come on, for me?" I said it in this begging tone, trying to pull her up gently, but it was so hard—her body was boiling hot from ...