"Are you sure that's the reason?"
"Why are you so concerned about the damn x-ray?"
"I don't care about the x-ray."
"So why are you asking about it?"
"The throwing up has nothing to do with the pneumonia, does it?"
"What makes you think that?"
"Daniel said something about you two discussing having kids the other day."
"That was just the other day. It doesn't happen that fast, and even if it did we're planning on using a surrogate."
"So you're not pregnant?"
"Are you seriously asking me that?"
"It's a legitimate question."
"How?"
"I assume that you're having sex with my son."
"So?"
"So then there is a chance that you are."
"Don't you think I'm too old to be having a baby?"
"I think a lot of things, but that doesn't make them fact."
"That's for sure."
"Are you sure that you're not pregnant?"
Wilhelmina rolls her eyes.
"I'm assuming that they did a pregnancy test before they took you to get your x-ray."
"I didn't have an x-ray," Wilhelmina reminds her.
"Because you're pregnant?"
"Do you want me to be pregnant?"
"I'd like to tell me if you were."
"You'd be the last person on the planet that I'd tell."
"Which is what makes me think that you are."
"Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now?"
Before she can answer Wilhelmina starts coughing. Claire braces herself. Wilhelmina coughs, but nothing comes up. She carefully rolls onto her side. She stares at Claire in disbelief.
"Wilhelmina?"
"What?"
"Never mind. I don't know why I'm trying to force you to tell me. You're right, I'm the last person on earth that you'd tell. I can understand why you wouldn't want to tell me."
"You don't understand," Wilhelmina reasons.
"You should get some more rest. Daniel will be here soon, and he'll want to spend some time with you."
Claire slips out without a word as Daniel enters the room. Wilhelmina sleeps quietly in the bed. Diva jumps off the bed, and wonders over to Daniel. She lays down on his feet, and curls up into a ball. Daniel picks her up, and sits her on his lap. He sits silently in the room, as Diva licks him. He pets her.
"You don't have to be so quiet," Wilhelmina tells him.
"I didn't want to disturb you," he admits.
"It's ok. I don't think that I've had this much sleep in the last ten years," she admits.
"Are you feeling better?"
"Uh huh."
"Liar."
"I'm starting to feel better."
"I know that you're sick..."
"But?"
"I need help," he admits.
"With what?"
"The cover."
"You haven't chosen a cover yet?"
"Nothing gets done when you're not around. We goof off, and play games all day."
"Not funny."
"Everyone has made suggestions, some of them are good, but I don't like any of them."
"I'm too sick to come up with an idea."
"You have to come up with something. We need to start shooting the cover."
She starts coughing. Without a word he moves to her. He holds her against him, and pats her back as she coughs, violently. She holds a tissues over her mouth. The monitor to her left begins beeping in protest. She stops coughing, and Daniel lets go of her. The nurse comes in as Wilhelmina struggles to regain her breath. She wheezes, and gasps for air as the nurse places the nasal cannula on her.
"How are you feeling?" the young nurse questions.
"It hurts to breath," she admits.
"Do you mind if I feel your ribs?"
Wilhelmina shakes her head. The nurse begins palpating her ribs. Wilhelmina winces.
"That hurts?" The nurse questions.
"Yes," Wilhelmina answers.
"Ok. I'm going to have the doctor come take a look at you," she smiles, and heads for the door.
"I have a feeling that it's going to be a long night, why don't you go get some coffee?"
"I'll be fine," he argues.
"Please," she begs.
"I don't want to miss the doctor."
"I'll be fine."
"Ok. I'll be back in less than ten minutes."
"I'll be here," she answers.
By the time Daniel returns the doctor has been in and out.
"Did I miss anything?" Daniel questions.
"The doctor was just in here."
"What did he say?"
"He thinks that I have a collapsed lung."
"That sounds serious."
"They're going to take me downstairs in a few minutes to confirm the diagnosis."
"Ok."
The nurse comes into the room about ten minutes later. She helps Wilhelmina into a wheelchair.
"Do you want me to go?"
"I know that you want to, but I think that it's best if you stay here," she answers.
"Ok," Daniel agrees. He kisses her on the top of her forehead. The nurse wheels her out of the room.
When they get downstairs the nurse helps Wilhelmina onto an exam table. She goes over the procedure. The doctor comes into the room with a huge needle.
"I'm going to stick the needle between the intercostal spaces to relieve the pressure in the lungs."
"Ok," Wilhelmina agrees.
