Chapter 71

In no time at all, the nurse came over indeed with Sam's IV drip. He got them to move the sofa over as well. Sitting on the couch with his legs on the hospital bed, he stretched lazily, his eyes falling on Eliza. Ever the maverick, he paid no heed to Eliza's dark face. It was then that she simply turned over, figuring he would leave if he found it uninteresting. The room quieted down, but Sam's gaze didn’t shift from her retreating figure. Unseen to Eliza were the slowly pooling shadows of melancholy in his eyes. Light danced in them, gradually dimming with the waning daylight outside. “Hey.” After a long while, just as Eliza was about to drift into sleep, Sam jostled her awake. His face loomed large before her eyes. His slightly chapped lips parted as he spoke, “Stop sleeping. It’s boring. Let’s go out!” “I won’t.” Eliza dismissed his suggestion flatly. “Come on!” Sam hopped up on one foot, yanked off her blanket, and seized her hand, announcing, "Such a dreary place. Let's seek some