Title: U-Haul Sucks

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the known characters although I'm making up the other ones, either successfully or unsuccessfully... and I don't own the great and awesome Silverstein poems either. Wish I could find my other book though... the one with the polar bear in the fridgeidaire... :)

"Wait, is this Washington's or Lincoln's?"

"Neither." Kerry didn't look up from the chart that she was working on.

"Then why does half the country get it off?"

Kerry glanced up at Randi and back down, "It's to celebrate both their birthday's. Lincoln's was last week, Washington's is on the twenty second."

Randi shook her head, "How do you know all that?"

Kerry shrugged, "It sticks..."

A doctor came up to the admit desk and cleared her throat, "Um... Doctor Weaver?"

Kerry looked up, "Just one second... okay, what can I do for you Kylie?"

"I have a patient..."

Kim was sprawled on the couch, looking as if she just ran a marathon. Henry pulled at her jeans and Kim looked down. "Nap time?"

"Zooperman..."

"How does your mother do it?"

With a straight face Henry answered, "Practice."

Kim laughed, "C'mere..." Henry climbed up and sat next to Kim. "How about a story instead?"

Henry thought about it for a moment and then nodded, "Okay..."

Kim nodded, "There was a family with five siblings."

Henry's eyes went wide, "Five?"

Kim smiled, "Yep. Now, the oldest she had bright blonde hair. One day she went to school. There was a new girl there, she had bright red hair, even brighter than your Mama's, and used crutches. Now, no one played with the new girl because of her crutches. They were scared of them, of her. But, the blonde girl wasn't scared. She was only scared of clowns and hornets. She walked over and sat down next to the red head and said hi." Kim paused. "The red head had seen the blonde talking with all the other kids, laughing with them too, she thought they were probably laughing about her. She was used to getting made fun of, so she didn't answer, but the blonde didn't give up. That whole recess she wouldn't be quiet. She talked about her dolls, and her family, even about the dog that she had, and the fact that she also had a cat, but when the cat ate her goldfish named Mikey, her Mom made her give away the cat."

Kim paused again as Henry laughed, and also realized that Henry was sagging against her side, "More... please..."

Kim smiled and put an arm around him, "Of course. The next day at recess the blonde sat down again. This time she put a hand on the redhead's knee. They both tumbled to the ground when the red head jumped. The blonde looked worried as she apologized, but right there on the ground the red head spoke her first words to the blonde. Then it was like the flood gates opened. They sat there on the ground for the whole recess talking, laughing..."

Kim looked down at an asleep Henry and then up as she heard movement.

Kerry smiled, "Was it true?"

Kim stood, lifting Henry with her. She and Kerry walked to his room. Kim carefully put Henry into bed and Kerry pulled up the covers and gave him a kiss on the head.

They both walked back into the living room. Kerry posed her question again, "Was it you? Was the story true?"

Kim collapsed back onto the couch, "Yes. Her name was Stacey Donnelly. She... she died before she was twelve. I don't know from what. I cried for what seemed like weeks."

Kerry put an arm around Kim, "So, you've got a thing for red head's with crutches then?"

Kim gave Kerry a push, "You're funny... how do you do it Ker?"

Kerry shrugged, "I think it may be magic?"

A laugh exploded from Kim and she covered her mouth. "Sorry, ugh... I probably should have told a different story... or a Shel or something."

"A Shel?"

"Shel Silverstein."

"Oh, of course..." She closed her eyes. "My Rules. If you want to marry me, here's what you'll have to do. You must learn how to make a perfect chicken dumpling stew. and you must sew my holey socks, And soothe my troubled mind, And develop the knack for scratching my back, and keep my shoes spotlessly shined. And while I rest you must rake up the leaves, And when it is hailing and snowing You must shovel the walk... and be still when I talk, And-hey-where are you going?"

Kim chuckled, "That's so you."

Kerry pursed her lips, "Good thing I've loosened my requirements."

"Ha."

Kerry smiled, "What's your favorite?"

"Hug O' War."

Kerry nodded, "I will not play at tug o' war. I'd rather play at hug o' war, Where everyone hugs Instead of tugs, Where everyone giggles..."

Kim continued, "And rolls on the rug, Where everyone kisses, And everyone grins. And everyone cuddles, And everyone wins."

Kerry nodded, "A good one, suits you." Kerry closed her eyes, "What a day."

"Tough patients?"

"Tough residents and Interns."

Kim smiled, "Mostly tough Interns I'd suspect."

Kerry rolled her eyes, "Yeah..."

The phone rang, "Hold that thought. Hello..." Kim went silent for quite a while, "I can't..." Kim gave a hurf. "Don..." There was more silence, "Just until... okay, yes, I'll see you tomorrow."

She reached over and hung up the phone, "Tomorrow?"

"You're lookin' at the Interim Psych Head."

"Is Carl okay?"

Kim shook her head, "Massive Heart Attack. It does run in his family I think, but he thought he was going to escape it."

Kerry tangled her hands in Kim's hair, "You'll be great."

Kim shook her head, "Please, I have no head for..."

Kerry was being very distracting with fluttering touches on her neck and face. "You'll be great..." A kiss, "Trust me..."

"Mmmhmmm..."

"Sis..."

Kim looked up from behind her desk. "Stewie, what are you doing here?"

"I need a witness."

Kim stood and came around her desk, hugging her youngest brother. He was the only other Legaspi child that looked anything like Kim. They were about the same height and like Kim he had blond hair, though his was cut close to his head. Kim called it his accountant cut. "So, are you planning on robbing a bank?"

He gave a stiff laugh back, "Ha, no, Mary and I... we're going to City Hall.."

"Nope."

"Kimmy..."

Kim shook her head, "No, I am not going to deprive mom of your wedding. She'd kill me just for being there. You can do it Stewart, you can..."

Stewart blew a breath out, "I've been dating her for almost three years and Mom's never met her..."

Kim was silent, she knew as well as her brother that their mother wouldn't appreciate being left out of the loop for that long. "Okay, how about this, I'll invite Mom and Dad over and Kerry... you bring Mary, we'll both hit 'em with our never introduced girlfriends."

"Your place?"

Kim smiled, "Semi-neutral territory."

"You still have the clowns?"

"Stewie..."

Stewart held up his hands, "Hey, they're scary... Most people who have a horrible phobia of clowns stay the hell away from them. Do you, do you think this'll work?"

Kim let a short laugh escape, "Oh, trust me little bro... they won't bat an eyelash at Mary." She gripped him around the neck in a partial choke hold, "Hey, what else are older sister's good for?"

Stewart rolled his neck when Kim let go. "Pain and suffering with a little torture?" Kim raised an eyebrow at him and he took a step back, bumping into the door jamb. He held up his hands again, "I'm going, tomorrow, seven?" Kim nodded.

"Mama?"

"Henry?"

"No Kim?"

Kerry sat down on the edge of Henry's bed. "Not tonight cutie. You like her?"

Henry nodded, "Funny... really funny..."

Kerry smiled, "She can be, yes."

Henry patted his Mom's hand, "You like Kim too."

Kerry answered even though there was no question in Henry's tone. The child really was too smart and observant for his own good. "I do Henry. I like her very much."

Henry nodded as if he was closing the subject and closed his eyes. "Good."

Kerry pulled the covers up to just below Henry's chin and watched as he snuggled under them. For a few minutes she just sat there and simply watched him sleep for a long few minutes.

The phone rang and Kerry left Henry's room, closed the door halfway. "Hello..."

"Kerry, hi... Uh, how are you?"

Kerry closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What do you want Kim?" This seemed to stun Kim silent on the other end of the phone. Kerry mentally whacked herself on the forehead, "I'm sorry... you can put your head back on your neck and yell back if you'd like."

This got a chuckle from Kim, "No, it's okay. I just wondered if you and Henry would be available for dinner tomorrow. My place, uh... I will warn you, it's going to be a circus. My parents and little brother will be there, I'm saving his blond butt."

Kerry paused, "Big sister thing?"

Kim laughed, "Something like that, we get the blame for the blocks through the windows and have to watch out for the teeny ones, grow up a little bit faster, but..." Kerry could almost see the shrug, "I'm his big sister, he's my responsibility too... You don't have to say yes."

"Of course Kim... tomorrow night?"

"...seven... I. Are you okay though? You don't sound like yourself love?"

Kerry took a deep breath, "Just tired. I'll see you tomorrow at work."

"Yes, I love you Ker."

Kerry was silent for an almost imperceptible pause, unfortunately for her, Kim was a Psychiatrist, trained to listen for the meaning under what was said. "I love you too Kim."

Kim looked at the handset of her phone as she hung up. That didn't sound good.