”“Good. I’m going to go check out and then we can go.”I prodded Lara again.“Is it really time?” she asked.“It is.”I expected her to gr...an, roll over, and keep snoozing. Surprisingly, she rose from bed straight away. She gave me a hug on her way to the bathroom.“I’m feeling crazy nervous,” she whispered.“Me too. But just remember, we have each other, sis. No matter what.”She squeezed me tight and then went to get ready.I took a deep breath. That infinitely small aperture was getting closer by. I maneuvered around toward her feet so I could work with both hands. She was wearing sneakers and anklet socks. I palpated gently around her ankle and guessed from the swelling and tenderness that she had at least a sprain, probably a fracture. It had to be a closed injury because my hand didn't come away wet with blood."Anika, I'm going to loosen up your shoe laces to ease the pressure, but I think we should leave the shoe on your foot to help splint it. I don't suppose you brought a bath. Alice opened the front door, I took off my trainers and left them onthe front step and we entered the cottage together, it was a verycompact little cottage and it only had one bedroom, she saw myconfusion.?We will be sleeping together for some time John; I hope you're okaywith that?? she smiled at me nervously.?I can't think of anyone else I?d rather sleep with.?As I settled into the cottage I noticed that Alice was devouring herlatest cigarette she was literally smoking like a chimney.?Alice. S?lo hab?amos bajado tres cuando elascensor abri? sus puertas.Era la primera vez en mi nueva vida que me enfrentaba a un sitio p?blico yestaba aterrada. Mi coraz?n estaba desbocado y el ?nico motivo por el queno me temblaban las piernas era la concentraci?n que necesitaba paracaminar.El piso era ligeramente diferente al que era mi residencia hasta elmomento. A pesar de ser un s?ptimo, ten?a toda la pinta de ser larecepci?n e ingreso del centro m?dico. Un mostrador con una elegantese?orita.