Natalie Kendall doubled over in pain, her face turning deathly pale.
Mia noticed sothing was wrong and hurried over to support her arm, "Miss Kendall, are you okay?"
"Natalie, where are you feeling unwell?" Lucas Lowell also rushed over, holding her up on the other side.
"Let’s go sit over there for a bit," Mia said.
The two of them helped Natalie sit down.
Natalie took deep breaths over and over. After a while, the stabbing pain in her abdon finally started to ease up.
"They’re here! They’re here!"
Mia’s Dad’s voice rang out from outside the door.
Natalie imdiately looked up.
She saw Mia’s Dad coming in with a wooden box slung over his shoulder, dragging in an old man with silver hair.
"Easy there! You’ll pull these old bones apart!"
Mia’s Dad apologized, "I’m just worried, that’s all."
Old Man Garrison arrived at the brick bed and checked on Isaac Vaughn’s condition.
"This kid’s burning up, real bad."
Saying this, he had Mia’s Dad set the wooden box down and took out a disposable syringe and fever dicine from inside.
Natalie watched as he gave Isaac an injection, her fingers clenching nervously.
"Give it half an hour, the fever should go down. I’ll start an IV for him too."
There wasn’t an IV stand, so Mia’s Dad brought over the wooden standing coat rack from their ho.
"All done. I’ll be heading back."
Old Man Garrison packed up his things, ready to leave.
Lucas pulled Natalie over to him, "Grandpa, could you check her, too?"
"What’s wrong with this young lady?" Old Man Garrison looked at Natalie, "Hmm, she doesn’t look too good to ."
"I’m fine." Natalie frowned and pulled her arm out of Lucas’s hand, a little annoyed at his ddling, "No need to check."
"Weren’t you just having stomach pain? You were so pale. How could you be fine now?" Lucas protested, "The doctor’s right here, just let him take a look."
Natalie’s voice was cold: "I said I’m fine."
"Are you looking down on this old man’s dical skills?" Old Man Garrison chuckled.
Natalie answered earnestly, "I’m not."
She added, "I really am fine."
Suddenly, Mia’s Grandmother rushed over and placed her hand on Natalie’s stomach, her face blooming with a loving smile.
"Grandma," Lucas said, a little anxious, "Her stomach hurts."
Hearing that, Mia’s Grandmother widened her eyes in surprise, worry written all over her face: "What’s wrong with the little baby?"
Everyone present assud she was calling Natalie ’little baby’, except for Old Man Garrison, who vaguely suspected sothing else.
Later, Old Man Garrison waited for a quiet mont and called Natalie aside alone.
"Young lady, let check you, okay?"
Natalie pursed her lips, silent.
Old Man Garrison reached his hand out, his face gentle and kind.
He didn’t push her—if she really didn’t want to, he’d let it go.
She hesitated for a mont.
In the end, Natalie reached out her hand, placing it in Old Man Garrison’s palm.
He felt her pulse with his other hand.
"Well, would you look at that! Mia’s Grandmother hit the nail right on the head! That old lady might just have so real magic." Old Man Garrison said in amazent.
Natalie whispered, "Please don’t tell anyone."
Old Man Garrison looked at her and said, "Alright, this old man isn’t a blabbermouth. But young lady, you’re on uncertain ground here. Once you get down the mountain, go get checked out at a big hospital. I won’t show off my skills this ti."
"Thank you. And thank you so much for tonight—it’s so late, and we had to trouble you. I really appreciate it."
"It’s nothing."
Old Man Garrison waved her off and left.
Mia’s Dad heard the door and hurried out after him, "Sir, let walk you out!"
"No need, I know the way."
"It’s dark outside, I’ll walk you out."
*
Natalie returned to the room, checked the IV, then sat beside the bed and wiped Isaac’s face with a towel.
His temperature had obviously fallen.
Later, she fell asleep lying beside his hand.
The next day, Isaac opened his eyes, throat unbearably dry.
Natalie ca in with water. Seeing he was awake, she quickly hurried over to the bed.
"Isaac."
"Little Ear," he said, his voice scratchy.
Natalie helped him sit up, "Drink so water."
Isaac took the cup and finished all of it, and his throat felt much better.
At the door, Lucas poked his head in, pulling a face: "Told you you’re trouble! So weak, last night nobody in the house got any sleep because of you."
"Lucas." Natalie called his na in a cold tone.
Lucas grumbled with a dark look, "Natalie, you always take his side!"
Isaac wrapped an arm around Natalie’s shoulders and smiled faintly, "I’m her husband, of course she sides with ."
Lucas, losing this round, stord off in frustration.
Just then, Isaac’s phone rang.
He answered, and Franklin Finch’s voice ca through, "Holy shit! Finally got through! Isaac, did you run off to so backwater mountain village? Your phone’s been out of service for ages!"
"Yeah, it’s a pretty remote place. Only just got a signal. What’s up?"
"Didn’t you ask to look for soone nad Helen Cross? Got news."
Isaac’s expression darkened, and he glanced at Natalie, asking her, "How much longer until we can get down the mountain?"
Natalie said, "This morning, Mia’s Dad said two more days."
"Alright."
He told Franklin, "I need two more days before I can get back to Janton. Keep an eye on her for , alright? Make sure she’s safe!"
After hanging up, Isaac told Natalie, Helen’s been found.
"Franklin’s keeping watch over her. Don’t worry. Once we get down the mountain, we’ll head over."
Natalie, though she was dying to go imdiately, knew it wasn’t possible yet. She could only wait.
——
That evening, Lucas ca to invite Natalie out to stargaze.
Unlike the city, there were no air pollution here—the air was incredibly fresh, and the sky was filled with real, countless stars.
Natalie glanced at Isaac, hesitating, "I’ll skip it. You go ahead."
"It’s gorgeous! You’ll regret it if you don’t see it!" Lucas kept persuading.
Isaac said, "Go on, I’ll go with you."
"But your foot?"
"I’m fine, much better now."
They carried little stools out to the yard. Looking up, the sky was overflowing with stars.
It was breathtaking.
It made people feel so at peace.
Isaac reached out and held Natalie’s hand beside him, their fingers interlacing.
Natalie glanced down at their joined hands, then kept quietly stargazing.
"Little Ear, let’s talk for a bit."
"What... about?"
"Anything, really."
Isaac was in a good mood, his voice light and happy.
Natalie thought for a mont, then turned to look at him, "Isaac, is there anything you’re hiding from ?"
Isaac visibly froze.
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