The rest of the week was so uneventful and ordinary that every passing day was indistinguishable from the one before or the one after. The big news at the Winston House was that Jim's doctor gave him the green light to return to work on Monday. I didn't visit him in his room anymore, and I tried to spend as much time talking to Mr. Brady, Mrs. Winston, and Mrs. McGruder as I did talking to him, but it was obvious to the others that he wasn't discouraged. I avoided saying anything harsh to him since he was still on the mend.
Meanwhile, I barely saw or spoke to Liam Dolan. He was there every day, but he was at his work with a vigor and intensity that seemed to lift a weight of worry off his father's shoulders. When I did see him, he flashed his charming smile, gave me a "How are you doing?" or sometimes just nodded in passing through. From the paperwork I filed, I could see that he was taking on his responsibilities.
