Patty said as she leaned into Richter. They walked hand in hand, following the path behind the condo through the woods. Almost midnight, impulsively they had climbed out of bed and set out for a stroll. The night air was relatively warm, and the earthy smells of spring wafted through the air. The sky was bright with the half moon, and they could see the new ferns on the forest floor waving in the mild breeze. Richter’s text had surprised her and he had showed up, just as he had promised, at eight o’clock. She had dinner waiting and, after they’d had a pleasant meal and split a bottle of wine, they’d made love. She had fallen asleep immediately afterwards, content to be in his arms. But she had woken an hour later, sensing something was wrong, only to find him staring at the ceiling. “How’s the arm?” she asked as they walked around a bend. He flexed it, holding it above his head. “Not bad,” he said.
