He stared at the front door of his old house for a long time, standing alone in the night.

It burst open, and his mother rushed out, and she hugged him tightly.

" Ohhh, Henry, you were gone so long! Why were you just standing there? I was so worried about you! Come in, quickly, I'll heat up your dinner," she said, fussing over him.

Mother, your health, he wanted to say. Mother, your fever, he wanted to say.

" Mom," he said, and his voice cracked, and he hugged her very tightly, and he began to cry.