Chapter 14 - The Threshold
Emma gave him the address: a small, salt-weathered cottage overlooking a tidal cove outside Kennebunkport.
Forty minutes later, David’s truck pulled into the gravel drive. He got out carrying a sealed medical crate containing a hospital-grade pediatric nebulizer and three spare filter sets. He walked up the stone pathway, stopping at the porch steps.
Emma opened the door before he could knock. Inside the warm, wood-paneled living room, soft wheezing could be heard from the sofa where Lily lay curled under a quilted blanket, clutching a stuffed seal.
""Set it on the dining table,"" Emma said, stepping aside to let him pass.
David walked in quietly, placing the machine on the table and unboxing the sterile tubes and mask. He kept his head down, working quickly with practiced efficiency.
""The pressure gauge is preset for pediatric airflow,"" he explained, demonstrating the valve to Emma. ""This switch starts the saline aerosol. It's completely silent.""
Emma watched his hands—steady, precise, completely focused on the machine's safety. She turned to the couch. ""Lily, honey, come here. The medicine machine is ready.""
Lily sat up slowly, her cheeks flushed. She wrapped her small blanket around her shoulders and walked over to the table. She looked at the humming machine, then tilted her head back to look at David.
""You're the helper from the shelter,"" Lily said between shallow breaths.
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David dropped to one knee, bringing himself down to her eye level, his hands resting safely on his knees. ""I brought the machine to help your lungs feel light again,"" he said softly, keeping his voice calm and gentle.
Lily looked into his hazel eyes, her head tilting. ""You have eyes like mine.""
