The applesauce was horrid and Katie quickly folded the tinfoil seal back over top of it and returned it to the breakfast tray. She blinked and winced as she struggled to swallow the first and only bite she had taken from it.

“Not so good?”

Katie looked up and saw a man standing just outside of her room. He came in, carrying some files in his hand, the other one tucked loosely into the front pocket of his khakis.

“It’s terrible,” Katie said, flashing him a sickly grin.

He laughed.

“Just between you and me, I can’t stand the food here.”

Katie couldn’t help but giggle at him. It was his smile. It was infectious. And his eyes – they were a kind of gray-green that seemed to shimmer whenever he spoke, staring through her.

“My name is Larry.”

“I’m Katie.”

He came around the side of her bed and shook her hand way too formally.

“Are you another doctor?” Katie asked.

“No. Well, I guess so-”

“You don’t know?” Katie tried to shift her position in bed but stopped abruptly, taking a deep breath.

“Are you in pain?” Larry asked.

Katie shook her head. “Not really. Unless I move. Or breathe.”

“That’s gotta suck.”

Katie giggled again, unable to control it.

“I’m the hospital pediatric psychologist,” Larry said, slipping his hand back into his front pocket. “I just heard about your status a little bit ago and thought I would come up here and see how you were doing. I heard you had a pretty rough time last night.”

She gave him a sheepish shrug.