Shh, part 14

Lenn hated the way her spasms, electrified her face in pain. “Oh my God, Liv.”

“It sounds worse than it is.” Liv said with a wan smile. Lovingly she scritched his thigh.

“I hope so.” Lenn unzipped the mouth of his backpack and fished out one of the thermoses. “I brought you some chicken soup. Think you can sit up?”

“Is this Oskar's grandmama's recipe?” Liv asked struggling to raise herself up.

Lenn laid the thermos on the bed next to the outline of her leg and helped her into a sitting position. “Yes although I had to make do with baked supermarket chicken but by the end I couldn't tell the difference.”

“It sounds really good.” Liv said. She tried to unscrew the cap to the thermos but her fingers kept sliding off the slick metal surface. That worried Lenn. She was the one with strong, clever fingers.

As the next coughing fit hit her, Lenn took the thermos and opened it, letting the warm, savory aroma fill the air between them.

“Thanks.”Liv said gratefully. “It smells even better than I remembered.”