You don’t need to keep either of us safe by staying quiet.”

He moved his fingers into mine.

I held them without asking for another answer.

After he fell asleep, I asked to speak with the clinician again.

I had heard the explanation of the preliminary result, but fear had made some of the words difficult to retain.

“Can you tell me what you are watching for now?” I asked.

We went through the current observations, the tests already obtained, and the follow-up that would depend on the fuller results.

The clinician did not promise there could be no further concern.