That night, Brandon fell asleep in the chair beside the bed, exhausted beyond thought. He woke to a whisper. Ivy was back. She sat beside Lucas, holding his hand, murmuring a story about a castle and a brave knight who refused to let monsters win. Brandon rubbed his eyes in disbelief.
“How did you get in here,” he asked, his voice hoarse.
“Through the staff entrance,” Ivy replied calmly. “I know where Mama keeps her card.”
“You cannot keep doing this,” Brandon said. “This is a hospital. There are rules.”
“Lucas needs someone to believe he will get better,” Ivy said simply. “Everyone else looks sad around him.”
Brandon opened his mouth to argue, then stopped. Lucas’s cheeks looked slightly less pale under the harsh lights. It was probably his imagination, yet the sight struck him deeply.
A nurse entered quietly. It was the same young nurse from earlier. Her badge read Paige Turner.
“Mr. Keller,” Paige said softly, “I should ask her to leave, but I need to tell you something. After the girl visited earlier, Lucas’s oxygen levels improved a little. Not much, but enough that the monitor noticed. It might be coincidence, but it happened.”
Brandon looked from the nurse to Ivy.