Daddy explained that Craig was sick. That he didn't mean to punch him like that, he didn't mean to hurt daddy. He didn't know what he was doing.

Okay. But I was still a little nervous about seeing him in the hospital. Daddy said he wasn't sick like the flu or pneumonia or the chicken pox. He said it was in his head. Daddy didn't say the word crazy. He said mentally ill.

I asked daddy what if Craig had hurt me like that instead of him, and daddy shook his head and said he didn't think Craig would do that. He didn't think. I didn't think so, either. It was just a what if.

So we were going to the hospital to see him and I asked daddy why Craig had to stay there if he wasn't really sick like mommy had been sick. Daddy said the doctors needed to figure out what kind of medicine Craig needed and if he needed to talk about anything. Daddy said things were hard for Craig because he was older when mommy died so that made it harder for him. He said Craig's daddy used to hit him really hard and that Craig was scared of him. Daddy said maybe Craig needed to talk about some of those things and that he didn't always remember them or think about them. I said wasn't Craig's daddy dead and daddy said that he was, but that the things he had done still effected Craig.

I felt sorry for Craig for all the bad things that had happened to him and for the bad things he did. He stole daddy's credit card and he wrecked a hotel room and he wrecked Ashley's daddy's wedding. And he hurt my daddy and he scared me. But I still loved him because he was my brother and he could be really nice sometimes, too. He'd bring me to the park and read me books and play with me and buy me ice cream. He'd remember to get my juice box in the morning before school. He'd say silly things and make me laugh.

Daddy didn't say much on the drive over to the hospital. Neither did I. I guess we were both thinking. I was thinking that I hoped Craig was okay and that he could come home soon. And I was thinking I hoped that the doctors gave him the right medicine so he wouldn't be so mad and hit people.

Daddy said was I ready when he parked the car and I didn't know. I guessed I was so I told him I was ready. Sometimes you do things and things happen whether you are ready or not.

Up the big winding sidewalk and through the sliding glass doors into the lobby of the hospital. The doors opened with a sound like whoosh. The hospital smelled funny. It smelled like when I got my ears pierced and they put alcohol on them.

We went in the elevator and daddy pushed the round button of the floor we wanted. The elevator went up and up. I closed my eyes and imagined the elevator falling to the floor, smashing. But it didn't fall. The doors opened at the floor we wanted and it was dark in the hallway. Daddy said ready again and now I didn't think I was ready at all. But I lied to daddy and nodded and said yes.

We got to this big desk and daddy talked to a nurse and told her we wanted to visit Craig Manning. She nodded and brought us to a room. There were two beds in the room, one near the window and one near the door. I saw Craig laying on the one near the door, his back to us. Just like how he sleeps at home.

Daddy said his name and went over to him and shook him a little to wake him up. He sat up and he looked all sleepy, like he looks in the morning. He blinked and saw me and said hi, Angie. I smiled a little bit and said hi.

I was afraid of this hospital and afraid of what Craig did, still. But he looked sorry. Daddy wasn't mad. Daddy always said you should forgive people and I knew he was right. I'd forgive him soon. Real soon. When I was ready.