Kaye made her way to Ed's room. She wondered how can all this be happening right now. He seemed better yesterday, had a little cough; nothing serious. As she entered the room, she scanned the small room looked at the medicine pole; several new full bags were on it, the antibiotics she supposed. Ed's face was pale, beads of sweat on his forehead. Oxygen tube placed in his nostrils the hissing of the oxygen, the monitor beside his bed was beeping keeping track of his vitals. Ed's broken arm was moving from his chest to his side then back again trying to find a comfort zone.

She took her coat off and went into the bathroom and got a face cloth and stainless steel basin, filled it with cold water. She began washing Ed's forehead with the cold cloth. “Ed," Kaye whispered, there was no response. He tried to open his eyes but slipped back to sleep. “Ed it's me, hun. it's Kaye.” She whispered. Ed's eyes opened a little, and he tried to smile.

“There you are," he grinned,"I dreamt you had left me, he said. I was looking for you everywhere.” 

His breathing was labored, and he had a rattle in his chest. He began to cough, he winced in pain, holding his chest with his forearm. "God that hurts." Kaye felt helpless; Ed relaxed, laid back down. She began washing him.

She talked as she washed his face and chest. “I would never leave my Eddie; you know better than that. Shame on you for thinking such thoughts, Edward Scott.” Kaye smiled, “I love you too much to leave you.” She rinsed the cloth out and washed his face and neck once again.

"Kaye honey that feels so damn good." He said.

She rinsed the cloth folding it laying it on his forehead. “You better not be fooling around on me in your dreams.”

Ed closed his eyes, the rattle deep in his chest, bothered Kaye. She had heard this same sound before as she watched her grandfather die. She never wanted to hear it again. Kaye turned the cold compress over and placed it back on her husbands fevered brow; leaned over kissed his cheek.

“You're burning up on me Ed, now you stop this and get better okay, I need you back Ed,” Kaye whispered to him.

Dr. Stewart came in shortly. Checked Ed's vitals, filled out his chart and placed it back at the foot of his bed. “I'm hoping the fever will break soon; Mrs. Scott,” he said. "It flared up in the night. I'm giving him everything I can; I am hoping for a change today. He's a strong man, and it's a good thing. We may need to drain his lungs again. I think once we get his infection cleared up you will see the fever break.”

Kaye asked how long would he be like this, the Dr. shook his head, “I don't know, soon I hope. I will check in on him later this afternoon.” Dr. Stewart said as he left the room.

Kaye sat on the side of the bed. She rinsed the cloth out again placing it back on his head not wanting him to wake again. She ran her fingers through his bangs. She kissed his forehead. Kaye looked at his pale face as she combed his hair.

“I love you, Ed."

The worries of a house with green shutters, the bills, the amount of oil in their furnace seemed unimportant now. The clothes she never got to buy. The children she could never to have, and the worries of how to have a perfect Christmas left her. What was most important was laying in front of her, and there was nothing she could do, Kaye closed her eyes and prayed.

It was 1:45 PM she had stayed longer than she had thought. She let her thoughts of Ed go for now. Kaye had managed to get to her farm before Mr. Brennan. She plugged in the tea kettle to make some tea, got out mixing bowls and thought she would make some corn bread. It wouldn't take her long, and hoped Mr. Brennan might like some as well.

She turned on the radio for some background noise. The weather said, “4 to 8 inches of snow with high winds could be expected."

She turned it off as the news started, she had enough news, for now.

She cracked the eggs into the bowl; the dogs began to bark. Kaye closed her eyes. She didn't want to lose anything else today, but like everything else this was out of her control as well. She looked down the driveway as a blue two tone half a ton four wheel drive was making its way slowly up the long curved driveway.

Kaye wiped her hands on a tea towel looked in the mirror checking her hair. The half-ton came to a stop turned off its engine. The driver stepped out, stretched his arms and legs. He was much taller then Kaye had envisioned. He was about 6'4 with broad shoulders, he looked to be in his late fifties and was wearing a dark stained fedora hat. The man placed his hands on his hips turned slowly surveying the farm. He saw Kaye looking out the window and gave a wave making his way to the door.

She looked down smiling at Billy; she wondered how he would react seeing his owner once again. Kaye told Benny and Dodger to go lay down and behave themselves. She opened the door; Billy had been sitting beside her. She opened the door wide, Billy's head was canted; he didn't move. His ears slowly began to lift; his nose started to work overtime, his tail began to move slowly at first then faster and faster. He jowls puffed out, and he slowly emitted soft whines. He got to his feet made his way to the old farmer. Billy's tail began to wag his body as he recognized who was by now on Kaye's porch. His whining became a higher pitch. He sniffed old Tom as if he still wasn't sure not trusting anything that is eyes were telling him that must be true. Could this be true, could this man possibly be his old friend. Tom kneeled down in front of his dog.

“There you are boy.” He ran his fingers through the dog's coat slowly. Tom looked at him held his head in his large hands his thumbs ran as always through the fine hair around the collie's ears. Tom looked him over as if he was holding precious ancient artifact. “Did you miss me, fella? I sure have missed you.”

She watched the reunion, everything that she had done for Billy that snowy evening weeks ago was paid in full as she looked on. Billy was acting like a little puppy; she had never seen him like this. He had rolled on his back his high pitched wines of joy still filling the air. Tom scratched his belly, his neck, his sides, as Billy turned back and forth in the snowy driveway his legs kicking in the air.

Billy was experiencing pure joy at seeing Tom again. Billy's tail beat on the frozen decking he got to his feet as well and began to sniff and was still whining but it slowly began to lessen. Tom wiped away a tear with the back sweep of his knuckle before he got up to greet Kaye.

Tom looked down at the dog. “There now Billy; that's enough, you sit down now," Billy tried to sit down but was unable to. He half sat then began to run around Tom and began to bark.

“I think he has missed you, Mr. Brennan? I'm Kaye Scoot we talked the other evening on the phone; it's so nice to meet you.” Tom took her small hand in his and shook it warmly.

“Call me Tom please Mrs. Scott and the pleasure is all mine, believe me.”