you’ve been married to your wife for 3 years. You wake up in your bed before she does, your nose cold but your body warm. Careful not to wake her, you get out of bed and your toes curl when your feet hit the cold floor. You brew a pot of coffee and take a cup, making sure to leave enough for her.

You pull on a big sweater and walk out onto your deck, sitting in a big wood chair to look out over the forest. The leaves are orange and edged with frost. All is quiet as the sun rises over the trees.

You hear the door opening behind you and your wife sits down next to you, wrapping the comforter from your bed around both of you shoulders.

She felt a little warmer than usual, you looked at her and touched her forehead... she definitely had the flu, and you recognized it very quickly.

—What? No... I'm not going to use that disgusting thing called a thermometer! I refuse! —Phillippa said, her voice muffled because her nose was blocked.

You looked at her long enough for her to realize that she needed at least some medicine, she resigned herself, put her head on your legs while having that cough with phlegm characteristic of a child. —which was usual for Pippa because being a kindergarten teacher it was common to have those kinds of minor illnesses—

— I know I need medicine... just... I don't want to be separated from you... — Phillipa said in a whisper.