Yet the hope was there, and I was improving every day. The doctors were encouraged by my progress, which made Nicholas even more diligent in his endeavors to get me to answer him.

The first time I was able to see him almost broke my heart again. Despite his smile, the toll this had taken on him was obvious: the dark circles under his eyes, his pale skin, his sloppy, wrinkled clothes. His face even looked thinner. It made me wonder how long I had been in this condition, and if he had slept even ...