Visiting hours at the hospital finally ended, and Joanie, Chachi, Tony, and Lisa returned with Marion to the Cunningham home. Memories came flooding back to Joanie as she looked at the photos arranged on the wall down the hallway. They went all the way back to before Richie and Joanie had been born. There was one of Howard and Marion on their wedding day, and even a few of grandparents and other older relatives.
Chachi and Tony spent the night in Richie's old bedroom, and Joanie and Lisa stayed in Joanie's old bedroom. Joanie let Lisa sleep on her old bed while she slept on the inflatable mattress on the floor.
Joanie slept very badly, waking from a bad dream several times during the night. The following morning she had a slight headache and felt groggy.
When the family arrived at the hospital, they found that Howard's condition was essentially unchanged.
Well, at least he isn't any worse, Joanie told herself. She had brought along a book to help pass the long hours in the waiting room, so after awhile she took it out and began reading it.
Joanie's mind wandered, thinking of her students and wondering how they were faring with the substitute. She knew that at least several of them didn't cope well with change and hoped that they would be all right. She also thought of Abigail and wondered how she was getting along. She hadn't seen much of Abby since the Saturday afternoon in the mall, and she hoped that the girl was adjusting well to the changes of the past couple of decades.
By lunchtime, Joanie's head had slumped over onto Chachi's shoulder and she was lightly snoozing.
Chachi shook her arm gently. "Hey, want to head over to the snack bar for some sandwiches?" he asked. Joanie smiled and nodded sleepily, and they and Tony and Lisa walked the short distance to the snack bar.
"It almost feels like we're on vacation," Tony commented.
"I'm too worried about Grandpa to have any fun," Lisa said.
"I'm worried about him too, but it's no good just sitting around moping all the time," Tony replied.
"Who's moping? I'm studying algebra so I hopefully won't be too far behind when I go back to school." Algebra was the most difficult subject for Lisa, and she had to really struggle just to maintain a passing grade in it. Joanie, for whom algebra had been a real ordeal as well, smiled at her daughter and gently swept a stray hair back from her face.
"Aw, algebra's easy. English is what really kicks my butt. All those dangling participles and all that.'
Joanie laughed, and Chachi glanced sympathetically at his son.
The family finished their lunch and returned to the waiting room outside the ICU.
Two days later, Howard Cunningham finally regained consciousness.
"He still can't speak, but his eyes are open now," the nurse told the family.
When Joanie went in to see her father, she saw that he was still hooked up to all the equipment, but his eyes looked alert.
"Hi, Daddy," Joanie said.
Howard's eyes looked into hers, and he made a low moaning sound.
"I'm so glad you're awake," Joanie said. She spoke gently to her father for a few minutes and then left so that he could get some rest.