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My vision narrowed.

"Both wet?"

She nodded.

The second boot came away harder. Snow had packed down around her ankle and melted there. I peeled off the socks.

Her feet were pale and wrinkled, toes red at the ends. I cupped one heel and pressed my thumb lightly along each toe.

"Feel that?"

"Yes."

"This?"

"Yes."

Pain made her flinch as warmth from my hands reached her.

Good.

Pain was good.

I checked the other foot. Color returned unevenly but returned. No waxy skin. No hard white patches. No dead places.

"You keep feeling everything?"

"Unfortunately."

Her dry voice came through the shaking, weak but hers.

My head dropped once.

Relief nearly put me on the floor.

I pulled a wool blanket from the office shelf and wrapped it around her shoulders, then another around her legs. Biscuit shoved through the gap between me and the desk, crawled beneath it, and pressed her whole body across Josie's bare feet.

Josie looked down.

"She found me."

"I know."

Josie's mouth moved. Almost a smile.

I poured coffee from the pot. It had gone black and bitter from sitting too long. I put in more honey than coffee deserved and carried it to her.

Her hands shook too hard to take it.

I closed both of mine around hers and fitted them to the mug.

"Hold."

"I'm trying."

"I've got it."

We held it together until her fingers closed.