Elie felt really bad the next day. She walked downstairs at around eleven in the morning. "You missed breakfast, but I can make you an early lunch," Frasier said from his seat on the couch.

"Thanks, but I can wait to eat with everyone," Elie decided to get it over with, "Grandpa, I'm really sorry about last night. I made a huge mistake and I honestly feel terrible about it."

"I accept your apology," Frasier said.

"It can't be that easy," Elie was skeptical.

"Well, I have other things to worry about and your parents can discipline you when they get back."

"Where's grandma?"

"She's in bed," Frasier answered.

"She's the 'other things' you're worried about?"

"Of course and I will say that I don't appreciate my wife, who can barely walk, having to drag herself out of bed to answer the door at two in the morning. Now, I wish she would have at least tried to wake me up, but she would have gotten up either way. That's who she is and she can't help it."

"Is it alright if I see if she's awake so that I can apologize?"

"Yes," Frasier said.

Elie turned to leave but turned back, "I love you grandpa and I really am sorry."

"I know and I love you too," Elie went over and hugged her grandfather before going to see her grandmother. She quietly opened the door and found her grandmother sitting up some in bed.

"Hey, sweetheart," she said in a weak and tired voice.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course you can."

Elie walked over and climbed into bed with her grandmother as she often had as a little girl, "I apologized to grandpa, but I think I owe you a bigger apology."

"Why do you think that? Just say what you said to grandpa."

"That I'm really sorry about last night and I feel terrible about it."

"I accept your apology."

"You shouldn't," Elie said.

"Why?"

"I do owe you a bigger apology."

"I don't know why you think that."

"I'm a horrible granddaughter who snuck out and disobeyed her grandmother. Then the cops pick me up as I'm walking home and wake up my disabled grandmother who ends up having to get out of bed at two in the morning to answer the door."

"Elie, you are not a horrible granddaughter. You're a normal teenager who made a mistake."

"Then why do I feel so horrible?"

"Elie, have you ever heard me refer to myself as 'disabled'?"

"Not that I can remember."

"Have you heard your grandfather, parents, aunts or uncles refer to me that way?"

"No, I don't think so."

"That's because I don't think of myself that way and I made sure after that accident to never completely lose my independence. It took some time and a lot of pain, but I slowly got more and more of my independence back. I told all of my children that it wasn't their job to take care of me, but that I may as for help from time to time. I was determined to be independent and that's why no one ever refers to me as disabled. I think that you are thinking of me that way and it's increasing your guilt."

"Maybe a little," Elie admitted.

"Sweetheart, I want to help you, but you have to talk to me."

"I didn't stop him."

"Who?"

"That guy, Zach, I didn't stop him from getting in the car after drinking. What if he hits someone like you and ruins their life like that driver ruined yours."

"Is that what is bothering you so much?" Elie just nodded, "Elinora look at me," Elie looked at her grandmother but didn't see the anger that she thought she would, "that accident didn't ruin my life. Yes, it was awful and there were times when I didn't know if I could keep going, but I still have my husband, my children, and my grandchildren. You are all what makes my life worth living."

"Then why did you try to kill yourself?"

Nora was taken aback because as far as she knew her grandchildren were never told about that, "what?"

"I heard grandpa talking on the phone the other day to dad. He brought up that he was worried you would try to commit suicide again if your health continued getting worse."

"Well, there's another person I'll be having a conversation with. Listen, Elie, I was in really bad shape physically and mentally after the crash. I was in constant pain and couldn't breathe on my own. Every movement I took just caused horrible pain. Once I was on my feet again, I became more optimistic about my recovery until the doctor told me that I probably wouldn't recover much more. I even told grandpa to divorce me so that he wouldn't be stuck taking care of me for the rest of his life. The day after that doctor's appointment I was trying to give your uncles some money they needed for homecoming. My hands started shaking when I tried to open my wallet and then my body spazzed and I dropped all of the money. Once I went back to the dishes, I began dropping things and banging stuff into things. That night at dinner, my arms shook as I ate and they don't know, but I could tell that all of my children were staring at me. I tried to load the dishwasher after and my hands were shaking too much and I couldn't get the plates in. I dropped a glass and then a plate because I couldn't hold onto them, and finally I threw a plate out of anger and frustration. I felt that I couldn't live every day like that for the rest of my life. I had a huge fight with your grandpa that night and even tried to leave, but your Uncle Charlie wrapped his arms around me and wouldn't let go."

"That's the night Uncle Tony tried to kill himself."

"I didn't know you knew that either, but yes it is."

"He told me and Lina to emphasize why we should always talk to someone when we feel like we're drowning."

"Yes, that was the night. I stopped arguing with your grandpa when I realized that something wasn't right. I looked around and noticed that Tony wasn't there anymore. I moved faster than anyone, including me, thought I could. When I opened the door I found him on the floor of his closet. That night I asked your grandpa for help, but I stopped after that. I didn't tell him or anyone how the medication made me feel worse. Everyone was happy because I wasn't going psycho anymore, but I became more depressed and suicidal. I didn't want to say anything and ruin that. I told your grandpa I had a refill to pick up at the pharmacy and insisted that he go pick it up. I told him I would stay in bed until he got back. Well, I lied, there was never a refill or anything to pick up. I didn't even leave a note. That's why I did it. Because that medication made me feel that way and I chose to ignore it because I didn't want to upset my family any more than I already had. Instead, I overdosed and ended up in a mental rehabilitation facility."

"I'm sorry you have had to go through so much in your life."

"Thank you," Nora smiled at her granddaughter.

"I'm glad that you got help and stuck around."

"So am I."

"I should let you rest."

"No, I'm so bored in here all alone."

"Oh, I guess I can stay," the teenager smiled at her grandmother. Elie was still with her grandmother when Frasier came in to tell them that lunch was ready. He had brought both Nora and Elie their lunch. He didn't want Nora to get out of bed and felt it was best if Elie stayed with her. "Aren't you hungry?" Elie noticed her grandmother wasn't eating and then she remembered the story her grandmother told her. Elie put her sandwich down and picked up her grandmother's, "here," she held it to Nora's mouth and the woman took a bite. She helped the woman eat her lunch and take a drink every now and then.

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"You're welcome," Elie picked up her plate and her grandmother's tray, "I'm going to take these into the kitchen. Do you need anything or need me to get grandpa?"

"No, but come back and see me before you go to bed."

The girl smiled at her grandmother before taking the tray and dishes into the kitchen. She rinsed the dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. She stared at the appliance for a moment and remembered how much her grandmother had been through. When the girl was done, she turned and went back to her grandparents' bedroom. She crawled into bed without a word and saw the smile on her grandmother's face. "Do you want me to help you lay down so you can take a nap?"

"I can't go to sleep right away after eating. Do you want to watch something?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you would tell me another story?"

"Sure, anything in particular?"

"Well, I'd like to hear the real story about how you and grandpa met."

"That's quite dramatic, but it's nothing compared to the one I've already told you," Nora told her granddaughter the story after which the girl helped the woman to lie down. Elie snuggled up to her grandmother just as she had as a little girl.