Chapter 28

Why had she turned her phone off? Sure, there were all the signs and announcements asking patrons to quiet devices, but she had never listened to them before. She would just set it to silence and put it in her pocket. She had been joking with Ana about a woman across the room with a little dog in her purse which would make human sneezing sounds every few minutes, and she figured she would give the night her full attention for once. After all, what was the worst that could happen?

Apparently, your sister could be fighting for her life, while you were discussing the merits of spumoni ice cream.

Ellie looked at the clock for the eighth time in six minutes. Will had somehow managed to get her to the hospital in less than two hours. Jane had been relieved to see her, if for no other reason than that she could then dissolve into a weeping mess in Charlie's arms. Her mother sat in the corner with Joan Phillips staring at a crack in the wall, silent tears running down her face. Francesca Bennett's silence was more unnerving than the odd times Mary would give a hiccupping sob.

Katie was probably taking it the worst of all. She had been so upset that she had cried herself into a severe asthma attack and was now being admitted to the hospital as well. Jane had, of course, dried her tears and gone to sit with Katie and work on the many admission forms.

A nurse had informed them that a doctor would be out as soon as Lydia was out of surgery but they were still waiting. Elizabeth did not know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. If there was no hope, surely they would not be wasting resources. Then again, maybe things were getting worse, and that was the delay. She needed to get some air, but how could she go anywhere when any minute now the doctor could be coming to tell them that Lydia hadn't made it?

She spotted a coffee machine down the hall and settled for whatever it had to offer her. She dug around in her ridiculously small purse and found three quarters. It was barely enough for six ounces of water with a dash of Latte flavor, but it would keep her hands busy. She dropped the coins in and pressed the code, sputtering the machine to life. A cup dropped, 'coffee' was dispensed and the machine sputtered back to sleep but the little door kept shut. She pulled, and then gave a slight jerk, and finally, all out tugged on the stupid little door, but it held its treasure tight.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" She swore, shaking the machine for all it was worth. When that produced no results, she swore again, much louder, and began to kick at the teasing bit of hateful technology. She only stopped her assault when she heard a familiar voice.

"I brought you a coffee…" Will said.

"I thought you had left," Ellie replied, giving the machine one last kick for good measure.

"I was trying to give you some space." Will did not want to tell her that he had been in the hospital director's office making sure that her sister was receiving the best possible care.

She took the lid off of the offered beverage and inhaled deeply.

"How did you know how I like my coffee?"

"Lucky guess…" He replied mysteriously. "Any news?"

"Nothing yet, she is still in surgery." She sighed and slid down the wall to sit on the floor far enough from her family as to not disturb them but close enough to see if someone was coming to speak with them. Will looked around. He was not the type to sit on the floor in a public place, especially in a three thousand dollar suit.

"She was always like this you know." She said looking up at him. He sat.

"Her whole life, everyone was been waiting around to see what she will do next. She was premature, born at 35 weeks but healthier than half the full term babies in the nursery. She walked at 8 months. You know what her first word was?"

Will shook his head.

"Lizzy, It came out Lissy, but that is what I was called for the next 10 years. Lissy! Lissy play with me! Lissy read me a story! Lissy make me a piece of toast! I swear, at one point, I thought about joining a convent and taking a vow of silence just for some peace and quiet. She is just the kind of person that demands attention. I don't think she even realizes it most of the time. Jane and I were the big girls. It was our job to watch out for our younger sisters. We spent most of our childhood trying to make sure that the little girls didn't have to see any of the ugliness in the world, shielding them from our parents' latest fight, kissing skinned knees and keeping Lydia from too much trouble. Then one day we grow up and move out and there is no one there. No one to make sure she comes home at night. No one to say this is too much. No one there to tell her that she shouldn't be driving in the first freezing rain storm of the year. So instead, here we are waiting to hear," she signed "Waiting to hear anything really, I guess."

"I cannot imagine what you are going through, of course, but I do know what it is like to be responsible for a little sibling like that. It has just been Ana and I for some time now, but even before that, she was always my responsibility."

Ellie was tired, she was listening to Will but her eyes were constantly checking the clock and the door she knew that news would come from. She sighed and tried to focus on what Will was saying. She loved to listen to his voice. It was warm and inviting, not like when they had first met. She scooted closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"One time, we were on a vacation to Hawaii and I lost her. We were playing hide and go seek in the pineapple maze; but when I did not find her right away, I started to panic. She was probably only 5 or 6 at the time and very shy. When I finally found her, she had gotten mixed in with a school group and was sitting with a bunch of other kids her age eating pineapple ice cream. She was as happy as a clam, but it scared the heck out of me." Will finished, noticing that at some time during the story Ellie's eyes had drooped shut. He eased the coffee she was still gripping from her hand. Nothing to do now but…

The dreaded doors opened as a man in scrubs called for the family of Lydia Bennett.