Page 99 of Lance

“Hey.” I readjust the sleeping kid in my left arm so I can reach down with my right to take her hand. “He’s okay, Willa. You both are. That’s the most importantthing.”

She nods and then winces. “Head hurts,” shemumbles.

“Should I get thenurse?”

“Nah. They already gave me enough medicine to make me loopy.” She smiles up at me. “In fact, I’m not entirely sure you’re really here. You might be a figment of myimagination.”

“I’m not,” I tell her. “I promise I’mnot.”

She frowns suddenly. “We had afight.”

Okay, she really is out of it. “We did. And I’m so sorry. You were totally right, Willa,and—”

“Time’s up.” I turn to see James standing at the entrance to her cubicle. “She needs torest.”

I sigh. I shouldn’t push him tonight. Instead I jostle Simon a little. “Hey,” I murmur into his ear, kneeling down so his face is close to hers. “Say goodnight toWilla.”

His eyelids flutter open and he looks at her. “Night,Willa.”

She grins. “Night, Simon.” She looks at me. “Night,Lance.”

I lean in toward her, wondering if she’ll remember any of this tomorrow. It doesn’t matter—my response will be the same either way. “Night, Willa,” I whisper, kissing her cheek. “I loveyou.”