The next thing she knew, Katie was pounding on her door.
"Carmen? Are you all right? Carmen!"
"I'm all right," she heard herself answer weakly. Her bare body was ice cold. She must have blacked out. She grabbed a pair of thermal underwear from her drawer and pulled them on with shaking hands. Next, she crawled into some sweats. The best thing she could do now was soak in some warm bath water, but there wasn't time. How long had she been out?
Katie was huddling over the stove when Carmen entered the living room. She took one look at Carmen and headed for the kitchen.
"I'll get you some hot coffee."
Carmen dropped into the chair beside the stove and pulled some heavy socks over her cold feet.
"What about the milking?"
Katie came from the kitchen, balancing a full cup of steaming coffee.
"I finished it. What happened to you? Did you pass out?"
Carmen took the cup of coffee and sipped it, feeling the warmth all the way down to her stomach.
"I guess I must have fallen asleep."
Katie stared at her. "Are you sure you're going to be all right? Do you want me to get you something else? Some toast?"
"Toast would be fine." Katie was in her element now. When it came to managing the house, she was a master - with the exception of lighting the stove. But then, most people didn't have to deal with that. Bill was going to get himself a fine helpmate.
She called after Katie. "How about some of those left over biscuits instead? They were delicious."
Katie stopped at the door and smiled her relief. "Coming right up."
, Something about her expression reminded Carmen of Alex. A pang of loneliness swept over her. Three weeks, and they hadn't heard a word from him. Josh's words crept through her mind like an icy wind. He's a walk away Joe if I ever saw one. Josh had always been a good judge of character.
By the next day, Carmen knew she was in trouble. Her throat was sore and she was sneezing and coughing. Inside of a week the bad cold went to her chest. Katie tried to keep her inside, but there was too much to do. Katie could never handle the place on her own and Carmen refused to let her recruit Josh. Nights were sleepless bouts of coughing, and days were endless hours of work. If she wasn't better by Friday, she'd go see the doctor.