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“Suit yourself,” she muttered

I took overthe bed, and after Darice left Oscar and I chatted for a while as he sat looking out theThen I asked, “Do you feel like doing a lap?”

“I guess”

After I helped the boy into the warht his in their casts straight out Then I tucked a blanket around hiain and we left the room

We did a slow circuit around the pediatrics floor, stopping to talk to a few people along the way When we reached Alnaled us to come in The two kids had struck up a friendship in the last few days

I steered Oscar into the roolad I saw you,” Alive you both your Christet them for me?”

There were several brightly colored gift bags lined up along her sill, and I found the two labeled “Oscar” and “Casey” I noticed there was one labeled “Dr K” as well Oscar went first When he unpacked a knit scarf in shades of blue and green, he exclaimed, “Thank you! I love it”

The girl blushed a little as she said, “Iwith ht want to keep in touch after I go home?”

Oscar turned red too and nodded He draped the scarf around his neck with his one good hand and asked her, “How do I look?”

The twelve-year-old’s blush spread all the way to her dark pigtails as she murmured, “You look really handsome” Probably as a distraction, Alma turned to me and blurted, “Open your present, Casey”

I pulled a lopsided, rainbow-striped scarf fro and exclaimed, “I love it, Alma, it’s beautiful! Thank you so much” I draped it around my neck and opened the handmade card, then heaped it with praise, too

“I thought you ht like those colors since you wear that rainbow unicorn on your na,” she said

“It’s absolutely perfect I’ to put it in my locker so no one barfs on it while I’m at work, but I’ll wear it with pride for years to come, and I’ll always think of you, Alma”

Oscar chuckled and ross”

The kids chatted for a few more minutes, and once ere back out in the hall I told Oscar, “I think she likes you”