Thank you to all that read the first chapter and to those special persons that reviewed.

Skins may not be mine, but the grammatical and spelling errors are.


I woke the phone from its slumber and keyed the contacts list. It might have been just a stalling tactic but I opened Katie's profile rather than just selecting the dial button. A much younger Katie looked back at me, with her hair done up in big curls and that awful prom dress. Okay maybe on her it was not so bad, but why did I let her make me wear a matching one? It still made my skin crawl. I touched the call button and picked up the phone. It rang about six or eight times and then went to voice mail. Well at least she is not blocking my calls.

"Katie, please talk to me. I need to know what's going on." I disconnected and sat it back down on the table. Resting my head in my hand I looked down at the device. It looked back unhelping.

"Now what?" I got no response from the cell, not that I really expected one.

I sat for a moment more. "Okay, plan B." A quick Google search and I entered a new number into the phone.

"Good evening Memorial Hospital. How may I help you?"

"I think my mother was admitted but I am not sure where to find her."

"One moment."

There was a few bars of some really bad hold muzak, and then…

"Hospital information how can I help you?"

They were all much too cheery. "I think my mother was admitted, and I am trying to find her."

"What was the name?"

"Her name is Jenna Fitch."

"And your name?"

"Emily Fitch."

"I'm sorry Miss Fitch I can not release any information to you."

"Why not? "

"Patent confidentiality. You are not on the list as someone we can release information to."

"Does that mean she is there?"

"Again I am sorry, I can't release that information."

"Thanks for not helping." I cut her off before she could say have a nice day.

I called Katie back, this time not stopping to look at her smiling picture. When the voice mail picked up it was not a happy message I left. "Katie, what is going on with mom? CALL ME BACK BITCH. I am worried. Love you. Love both of you. Call me, please?"

I put the phone down, finished my wine and went to look for Naomi. I found her on the couch in the front room, pretending to read. I sat down on the couch and laid down with my head in her lap.

"What did you find out?"

"Nothing. Katie is not answering her phone and the hospital is even less helpful then my sister. I am not on their list so they won't even tell me if she is there."

"Do you want something to eat?"

"Maybe in a bit. Right now I just want to hide for a while."

"As long as you are hiding with me and not from me."

"Never from you."

We stayed there like that for the longest time. I keep replaying the phone conversations in my head.

A some point I realized I was awake and that I had not been so a moment ago. Someone, Naomi, had pulled the blanket, that had been across the back of the couch around me. I looked up at her just as she noticed me string and looked down.

"Hello."

"How long was I asleep?"

"Not long, 45 minutes, an hour, something like that."

"I'm sorry. Your leg must be asleep, and I have ruined dinner."

"My leg is fine and I am sure dinner will be as well."

I let her up, and I could see the stiffness in her leg as she made her way to the kitchen.

I turned my face towards the back of the couch, pulled the blanket over my head and tried to hide from the world just a little longer. I quickly decided I was not accomplishing anything. The connection to sleep was passed and my mind was once again racing much to fast to recapture it. I got up to follow Naomi into the kitchen, and arrived just in time to see the pot full of pasta being thrown out.

"Extra hour of simmer time made the sauce even better. But I think we will start over on the noodles."

"Sorry about messing up dinner."

"It's not a problem Emily."

"It is, but I love you for trying to believe that it isn't. And for many other reasons."

Before she could respond my phone started ringing and trying to vibrate across the table. I looked down at it and the photo of Katie on the screen. I kind of wanted to let it go to voice mail just because, but I just couldn't do it. I really wanted to know what was going on.

"Hi Katie. See I do answer my phone."

"I'm a bitch now am I?"

"You always were. But that is not the subject of the moment. Talk to me about mom."

"She's getting old Emily."

"I know that," I might have snapped a little in responding.

"Do you? I mean really? When was the last time you came see her? When was the last time you called her?"

"Katie..."

"Don't 'Katie' me. I am here with her every day. I help her every day. And where are you?"

"We are three hundred miles away. We have jobs. We can't be there every day."

"I forgot. You and Naomi, are playing house. With your nice little lives." Her voice was now tear filled. "Maybe I want a life too."

The call ended, disconnected at the other end.

"Well that could have gone better." I sat the phone back on the table and looked at it trying to will Katie to call me back. And in a better mood as long as I was asking for wishes to be granted. It looked like I might have better luck hitting the lottery. I stood and moved over next to Naomi, "Anything I can help with?"

"Grab some plates and help me eat this, it's ready."

We sat down to a somewhat delayed dinner. I don't think the sauce was that much better for the extra time on the stove, not that I really tasted anything. I just kept thinking about Katie and my mom. She was right, she had been taking an active role in helping mom, and I was coasting along with just the occasional phone call.

"That's not fair Katie."

"The voice in your head just spilled into the room. What is not fair?"

"That she doesn't have life because she chooses to stay there with mom and we didn't."

"What?" The look of confusion on her face was amusing. "She thinks this is some how our fault?"

"No, I think she was just venting. But she may feel a little trapped. It is not like mom is going to grow up and move out. And the Katie Success Plan has not worked out so well."

"And that is our fault?"

"No."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"I don't know." We sat and just looked at each other for few moments. I let my eyes drop down to my empty plate. "I guess I do feel a little guilty."

"Towards Katie?"

"No she made a choice and I'll bet got as much as she gave. I feel bad for how I have treated mom."

Naomi just looked at me waiting for more. "Well she is still my mom, and I have not been much help to her. Besides, you try living with Katie."

"Well... I did give you, what something over twenty years now. Maybe I should give the other twin a chance."

"You made your choice no do-overs."

"I guess you right. Besides I almost have you trained now."

I stuck out my tongue at her last remark.

"Careful I will take you and the tongue to bed."

The phone rang again, it was Katie. Her timing always did suck, and not in a good way.

"Hi Katie."

"Is the blonde there with you?"

"Yes."

"Put me on speaker. Your going to tell her what I say anyway."

I fiddled with the phone and then "Okay go ahead."

"Em I am tired. Mom is sick. I don't known how sick yet, but she will need help, and I can't do it any more."

"What do you want from me?"

"I don't know, but I need help with this."

"Okay Katie, lets see what the Doctors say before we try and plan anything. Besides we can't fix anything tonight."

"All right."

"Get some rest, we'll work on this tomorrow."

The call ended, Naomi rose and took my hand drawing me towards the door.

"Where are we going?"

"You are about to take your own advice and get some rest."

"But the dishes..."

"They can wait till morning. Come on."

I could not find a reason to argue.


Thanks for reading. Let me know what you think.