The car pulled out of the Frugal Hoosier parking lot with a screech and Frankie drove like mad through the streets of Orson. Sue hung on for dear life as best as she could, but it wasn't easy with only one hand. As the car squealed and skidded around a corner (going much faster than the normal speed limit), Sue fell against the left side of the seat, crying out in pain as her left arm hit the armrest. Never before had she experienced such pain. But when she saw cars passing them on both sides, she began to panic.

"Mom, can't you drive any faster?" She pleaded. "Oh God, it hurts!"

Frankie looked at Sue with a worried brow. "I know, honey. I know. I promise we'll be at the hospital soon, all right? Just… try to think of something happy, okay? Can you do that for me?"

"I-I'll try." Sue replied. She squeezed her eyes shut and thought hard, trying to ignore the excruciating pain that shot through her left arm. But when she glanced at her wrist, her eyes widen at the sight. Her arm had turned purple and was swollen to twice its normal size.

"Mom!" She yelled. "Please hurry!"

"I'm going as fast as I possibly can, all right?" Her mom shot back.

Sue wanted to cry because her mother was being mean to her, but the pain overshadowed anything that Frankie Heck might have said.

"Just hold on!"

"I don't think I can!" Sue cried.

"Yes you can! How many things have you tried out for?"

"Oh, I don't know. A lot."

"And have you ever given up?"

"No."

"That's right and do you know why?"

"I-."

"Because the Sue Heck I know NEVER gives up, am I right?"

"Well, yeah, but-."

"And you're not going to give up on me now, are you?"

"No…"

"Now concentrate, Sue. Think of something pleasant."

Sue closed her eyes again and tried with all her might. "Um, okay… Let's see… Rainbows, bunnies, kittens… Oh! Pink, purple…jingles..."

"That's it, Sue! Keep going! We're almost there!"

Sue thought as hard as she could but all she could think about was how badly her arm hurt. Even thoughts of pink and blue sparkly binders didn't make the pain go away. And she feared that nothing ever would.

Without warning the car came to a halt and she was thrown foreword. Luckily she was wearing her seatbelt. She wouldn't dream of being in a car without it but now she was even more grateful that she always opted for safety. Her mother's cooking was bad but it was nothing compared to her driving.

"We're here. Come on, Sue."

Even with her mother's help it took Sue longer than normal to get out of the car and even longer to get her mom to stop freaking out. Once Sue's feet were on the ground, Frankie seemed to have forgotten that she was there. Sue watched Frankie rush past her, through the sliding doors and into the ER. She hurried to catch up to her mom, but it wasn't easy. When at last she reached the lobby, she gasped in horror at the sight of her mom. Frankie was standing at the empty front desk, banging wildly on the counter.

"Come on people!" she shouted. "There has to be someone working in this place! This is a hospital for God's sake! What is wrong with you all?"

"Mom!"

Frankie turned around and went to her, draping her arm around Sue's shoulders. She then guided Sue to the front desk just as a stern looking heavyset woman approached. She was wearing scrubs with panda bears on it and for a moment Sue wished that she had some. They would look so cute with her blue pants.

"Well it's about time you showed up! Where have you been?" Frankie yelled, causing heads to turn.

The woman put her hands on her hips and glared at them. "Ma'am you're creating a scene!"

Frankie's eyes widened and Sue gasped. That was the wrong thing for anyone to say to Frankie Heck.

"Oh you haven't seen a scene yet, lady! If you want a scene, I'll give you a scene! I'm going to sue you with everything I-."

"Mom!" Sue grabbed Frankie by the arm with her right hand. It was humiliating enough being in the ER because of a grocery store accident, but having her mom because a scene was even worse.

"All right, what seems to be the problem?"

"Well for starters, it's-."

Sue winced as the searing pain shot through her arm, reminding her why they were there; as though she needed a reminder. "Oh, my arm!"

The woman, meanwhile, thrust a clipboard at Frankie. "Here, fill these out and someone will be with you soon."

But Frankie was undeterred. "Are you kidding me? Are you freaking kidding me? My daughter is in pain and you want me to fill out paperwork?"

"Ma'am if you'll just-."

"I want to see the manager! Right now!" Frankie demanded.

"Mom, hospitals don't have-."

"Okay, wait here."

The woman returned several very long moments later with a grey haired man in tow. He was rather handsome, with glasses and a heart-shaped face.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Reynolds, Chief of Staff. What seems to be the problem?"

"My daughter is in excruciating pain and this… incompetent woman is denying us service!"

Dr. Reynolds looked stunned, as did Sue. She never imagined her mother would lie … to a doctor of all people! That was almost as bad as lying to Reverend Tim Tom.

And no matter how many times Frankie denied doing so, Sue knew that they didn't have to go out of town during Orson Family Sunday a few months ago. Frankie only said that so that she could sleep in. And the worst part was that Reverend Tim Tom believed her!

But this…

"Mom…"

"I'm sorry to hear that, ma'am. We at Orson General would never deny anyone service. We are a family owned hospital. Have been for over 80 years."

"Right, right... Spare me the history lesson and take care of my daughter, okay? Her arm is broken, or at least I think it is."

"I'm sorry, ma'am. We'll take care of it right away."

"Sue, go with the doctor, all right?"

Sue held up her right hand. "Just a second. We'll be right back." She led Frankie to a row of hard seats in the waiting area.

"Mom, I'll be fine now, as long as the pain will stop soon. I-Ow…"

"Oh Sue…"

"It's fine, really. I just…" She picked up a nearby magazine and glanced at the cover. It was a People Magazine with The Bachelor on the cover; a handsome man wearing a black tuxedo holding a red rose. It was just the thing to calm her mother down, if only for a few minutes.

"Here, read this. I'll be back soon, I hope."

Frankie did as Sue asked and sank into the chair. She glanced at Dr. Reynolds and sighed. "Just… take good care of my daughter, all right?"

"You have my word, ma'am. Follow me, Miss..."

"Heck... Sue Heck."

"All right Miss Heck don't worry. We'll get you all fixed up in no time."

As Sue followed Dr. Reynolds down the hallway, she glanced back at her mother, praying that everything would be okay.