Chapter 74

Before bedtime, Layla took Benjamin's temperature again and was relieved to see that his fever had gone down. Benjamin, however, felt disappointed. Inwardly, he grumbled, "Why did it go down so quickly this time?" Usually, his fevers would last two to three days. Yet this time, it had subsided so soon. He knew that once he was all better, his mother would be returning to her home with Daisy. So, Benjamin quietly tossed the medicine Layla prepared for him into the trash and turned the air conditioning as low as possible. Sure enough, his fever spiked again in the middle of the night. Despite the aches racking his body, a satisfied smile played on his lips. "Mom probably won't leave with Daisy now," he thought. Just as he was feeling smug, his room door creaked open. Layla tiptoed in and quietly approached his side. Benjamin immediately shut his eyes and pretended to sleep. He felt her gently place a cool hand on his forehead, and he could sense her worry. Through sligh