"Are you sure she has it?"

"Of course she does. When Dad retired he bought the policies himself. Maybe it's in the folder with his papers." Laura opened the briefcase and pulled out the other large manila folder. "This is why Bobby can't do it. He wouldn't have thought about the supplemental policies."

"I wouldn't have thought of it either," Crystal admitted.

"Well I should have thought of it earlier but oh, there it is. Right in Dad's folder." Laura shook her head. "I can't believe Mom didn't think to put this in her folder."

I can't believe anyone would even have a 'folder', Crystal thought. She was surprised when Laura put the pen down and sat back, fully expecting her roommate to spend all night looking through the mountain of papers.

"Well that's done. I just have to give the billing office the policy numbers and Mom will be all set as far as that goes."

"Do you want to go check on her again? I'll stay here with him and keep an eye on your stuff."

Laura couldn't suppress a yawn. "Oh, sorry about that. What time is it?"

"Almost two thirty."

"Good thing tomorrow's the weekend. I'd hate to think of you trying to get up early and go work a full day for Michael."

"If I had to, I would," Crystal said. "Go on. If he wakes up I'll tell him where you are."

Laura gave her a grateful smile. "Thanks. I won't be long."

"Take all the time you want." Crystal watched her roommate leave the waiting room and head down the hall before putting her feet up on the small table and settling herself into as comfortable a position as she could on the hard plastic chair. Another reason I hate waiting rooms. The chairs suck. Crystal yawned and rubbed her eyes. I could go to sleep right now. I can't believe how tired I am. I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes while she's gone. She was sound asleep within minutes.

Crystal awoke to the feeling of someone shaking her shoulder. "Crystal? Crystal, wake up."

"Huh?" Sitting up and rubbing her eyes, it took the blonde woman a few seconds to remember where she was. "Oh, sorry Laura. I guess I dozed off."

"I figured you would. I was gone almost an hour."

Crystal moved her legs to let Laura get to her own seat. "How's she doing?" she asked, still trying to come to full wakefulness.

"She was awake for a little while." Laura looked over at her sleeping brother. "She looks so weak and she couldn't stop coughing. The doctor said that's a good sign."

"What? That she's coughing her brains out?"

"Actually yes. He said it meant the medicine they're giving her is working. It's getting the fluid out of her lungs and that's what's causing the coughing."

"So that's good, right?"

"That's what they tell me." Laura sighed and shook her head. "She says she feels too sick to be poked and prodded by the doctors. They're moving her up to CCU in a few minutes."

"CCU?"

"It's the cardiac care unit. They want to keep for a few days until they get the fluid out and they want a cardiologist to look at her." She looked over at her brother. "He was just a kid when Dad died."

"He's not a kid now," Crystal said. "He understands what's going on."

"I know," Laura conceded. A polite cough caused them both to turn and see a tall man dressed in a white lab coat. "I'll be right back." Laura walked out into the hall and spoke with the man, returning a few minutes later. "They said we should go home now and come back tomorrow. I'd better wake him up. He can sleep on the couch."

"You mean you're having him come back to our place?"

"He probably doesn't want to be alone right now," Laura reasoned. "At a time like this, the family should stick together." I wouldn't know about families sticking together, Crystal thought dourly. But I guess that's what a normal family does. "So we'll go home and you'll come back tomorrow?"

"As soon as I wake up. I don't want Mom to be here all alone too long." Laura sank into her seat and exhaled slowly. "I still can't believe this is happening." Her fingers quickly wiped away an errant tear that began to fall down her cheek. "S-she's only fifty four."

Crystal realized immediately that the control Laura had been showing all evening was slipping. Unsure what else to do, she held her arms out and accepted the distraught woman into an awkward embrace. "It's gonna be all right," she whispered, slowly rubbing her hand up and down Laura's back. She felt the body against her begin to shake as the tears came more freely. Oh no, she's really crying now. "Shh, come on now, Laura. It's all right. Your mom's gonna be okay. Shh." Crystal wasn't sure who initiated the rocking motion but she made no effort to stop it. She used her right hand to hold the dark head close to her chest while her left hand continued to slowly rub Laura's back. "It's gonna be okay." Crystal knew how to deal with angry people but upset people were a different matter. And when the upset person was one of her best friends, Crystal felt even more helpless. "I don't know what else to do," she whispered, pressing her cheek against the top of Laura's head. She felt the wetness of tears soaking through her shirt and the almost painful grip of Laura's hands around her back. What the hell do I say? Long minutes passed as she continued to hold Laura in her arms. Spotting movement out of the corner of her eye, Crystal looked up and noticed Bobby sitting up and rubbing his face. He looked at her sister worriedly. "She's okay," Crystal said, easing the young man's concern. "Laura?" she whispered. "Laura? Bobby's awake now." As she expected, Laura released her hold and sat up, trying hard to regain her composure.

"Sorry," Laura said, reaching into her pocket and pulling out her handkerchief. "I guess I just needed a good crying jag." She wiped her eyes and looked at her brother. "They're moving Mom to CCU and said we should go home and come back tomorrow."

Bobby yawned and stood up, raising his arms high above his head to stretch after being cramped across the hard plastic chairs for so long. "Ahh, I didn't think I would fall asleep."

"Don't worry about it," Crystal said. "I zonked out for a few minutes too." She absently wiped at the wet tear stain on the front of her shirt and looked at Laura. "You ready?"

"Yes," Laura said, putting most of the papers back into the briefcase and closing it. "I just need to stop at the desk and give them Mom's insurance information and then we'll be all set. Bobby, do you want to swing by the house and pick up some clothes or do you want to wait until tomorrow to do that?"

"Pick up some clothes? I can stay at the house while Mom's here," he said firmly, looking to Crystal for support.

"Um, Laura? Can I talk to you for a minute?" Tugging lightly on the writer's elbow, Crystal led them to the far end of the room. "He doesn't want to stay at your place," she said in a low tone. "Why not let him stay home alone?"

"He's too yo" Laura stopped herself, seeing the sparse blonde stubble that had formed on her bother's chin.

"He's not too young," Crystal reminded her.

Laura sighed and reluctantly nodded. "All right." Turning to Bobby she said "I'll see you tomorrow then. Make sure you lock all the doors and don't let anyone outside the family know you're home alone."

Bobby cocked his head and gave his sister a look. "I'm not twelve, Sis."

"I know you aren't." Walking over to him, Laura put her hands on his shoulders and smiled thoughtfully. "But no matter how old you get, you're always going to be my little brother and I'm going to worry about you, okay?" she asked, reaching out and mussing up his already unkempt blond hair. "But you win. I'll see you tomorrow. Drive carefully."

"I always do."

"That's why you already have one speeding ticket. I managed to avoid one of those until I was twenty."

"What can I say Sis?" he said with a grin. "I guess I just developed faster than you did." He pulled the keys out of his pocket. "I'll bring Mom's afghan tomorrow."

"Good idea. I'm sure she'd be happy to have something familiar here with her." Laura patted his arm and watched her younger brother turn and leave the waiting room. Turning to Crystal, she nodded and they too headed home.

Daylight started to lighten the sky outside, seeping into Crystal's room as if to taunt the young woman with the fact that sleep refused to come to her. With an annoyed groan she rolled over in her bed and reached for the ashtray and cigarettes sitting on the night stand. Might as well give up on that, she thought sourly as she put the cigarette to her mouth and lit it. After coming home from the hospital, Crystal had spent the better part of an hour sitting on the couch while Laura moved about the living room, cleaning things that didn't need to be cleaned and talking nonstop about her mother. Good thing she's into keeping the place clean or it'd never get done. Damned if I'd spend the time polishing the legs of the coffee table. It's not like dust ever has a chance to settle around here with her constant cleaning. Still despite the lack of sleep Crystal felt surprising good. Laura's mother was ill but while serious, it seemed to be something the doctors were confident could be brought under control. Taking a long drag, Crystal stared at the abstract painting on the wall. I still don't see what Laura sees in that thing. The painting appeared to be nothing more than several brightly colored brush strokes forming a starburst pattern. A five year old could do something like that. Crystal continued to gaze at the painting while her cigarette burned down, reflecting back on the events of the previous evening. She understood the need to drive Laura to the hospital, her roommate being far to upset to have been able to do it herself but was confused Crystal was that Jenny was never called. She had been certain that Laura would have called her ex-lover for support immediately. It's not like I was that much help. I was just . Crystal shrugged, not understanding how that could possibly have helped Laura. Still, she was glad that she had been able to give at least some comfort to her roommate.