"Who said anything about fear?" Avery asks. "It's probably just fatigue. I've been working hard at D.O."
Andrew stands and bends down. He slides one arm under her back and another under her knees and lifts her up. He cradles her against his chest and walks toward the stairs. She struggles and kicks, trying to get away from him.
"What are you doing?" she asks. "Put me down."
"I'm taking you upstairs to rest," Andrew says.
"I can walk on my own," she says.
"Honey, stop wiggling, or you'll fall," he says.
She can feel his chest rumble as he speaks, and she stops squirming. He takes the stairs one by one, balancing her weight between his arms.
"Andrew, this is dangerous," she says. "You know you have a bad heart, and you know the doctor told you to avoid lifting anything heavy. Put me down and stop showing off."
