Shiver(15)

Some part of his brain heard the worry in her voice, another heard the anger. Once again he was making her life hard. She should leave him. “Get out,” he said. He was tired of her seeing the worst of him. Believing the worst of him.

“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” She nudged him. “Move.”

She pushed and pulled and finally he was sinking back onto the bed. Bad breath didn’t seem as important right now as slipping back into nothingness.



Raven stood back, breathing hard. Holy shit, Eva was going to kill her. The heat coming off Aidan felt like a stoked wood stove. She grabbed the thermometer from the nightstand, shook it and placed it under his arm. He’d had a slight fever during the night, but that was to be expected after the trauma he’d been through. But this…this was more. This meant there was something really wrong. She glanced out the window. It was still dark…and still snowing. No heading into Fairbanks.

She should have watched him closer. Regardless of how she felt about him, she should have kept a better eye on him.

“What’s wrong?” Fiona asked rushing into the room. “Fox hollered something as he rushed out.”

“Aidan’s got a fever. He can’t even stay on his feet.” She shared a worried look with her mother.

Aidan’s head tossed back and forth on the pillow. “Fine,” he said, his voice weak. “I’ll be fine.”

“Right.” Raven wanted to smack him. “Why didn’t you say you weren’t feeling well?”

“Doesn’t matter,” he mumbled, his eyes closed. “Nothing matters anymore.”

“Oh, my.” Fiona reached down and placed her forearm on his forehead. “A hundred and three. We need to get him cooled down right away. I’ll get some ice.” She rushed out of the room.

A hundred and three? Come on. Raven grabbed the thermometer from under Aidan’s arm. A hundred and three. How did she do that?

“Tell me,” Eva demanded, blowing into the room, shedding her coat and hat, snowflakes falling to the floor in her wake.

Raven passed over the thermometer.

“Hmm,” Eva said as she read it. “Bummer.” She sighed. “I must have left something in there.”

Fox entered. “Is he going to be all right?”

Raven’s heart clenched. When she’d awoken and seen her son talking with his father it had thrown her. Why couldn’t life have turned out that way? Waking to see her men having a conversation. She buried the thought. It would do no good to wish for what might have been. She needed to deal with what was. And right now her son was worried that the man he’d saved from death was journeying toward it again.

“Do you think a patient of mine would dare not get better?” Eva asked. When Fox shook his head and released a breath, Eva smiled and mussed his hair. “Right. Now, I need you to go to school. No.” She shook her head when he went to interrupt. “The best thing you can do for me is to go to school. Aidan needs rest. He’ll be better when you get home. Okay?”

“Promise?” Fox asked, worrying his lower lip.

“I’ll do my best. No way will Aidan disappoint the both of us. Got it?”

Fox took a deep breath. “Okay.” He turned to Aidan who was out cold on the bed. He leaned over and whispered something in his ear that Raven couldn’t hear. Then her son turned and faced her, his young eyes serious. “Take care of him, Mom. He needs us.”

She felt like she’d just taken an arrow to the heart. When had her young boy become so wise? He’d always been smart, but there was a difference between smart and wise. She wrapped her arms around him, his head already even with hers. Another year and he’d be taller than her. He’d gotten those genes from his father. “I love you, Fox.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, don’t worry. Eva’s right. Aidan wouldn’t dare disobey her.”

Fox gave each woman a solemn look before leaving the room.

“He’s gotten attached to his stray,” Eva said.

Raven nodded. Fox was notorious for bringing home wounded animals.

“All right, Eva. What do we do?”

“What?” She raised a brow. “Volunteering?”

“No. Just…no.”

Eva laughed. “That was well said.”

“Listen. I just want him out of here. And that won’t happen if he’s not better. You know Mom, she’ll insist he stay.”

“Let me get this straight.” Eva opened her bag and took out supplies to change Aidan’s bandages. “You and Lynx hate him for his part in your dad’s death, but Fiona doesn’t?”