A little over a week later, Layla received a phone call while duty at the hospital. She had been informed of the call by another nurse who came in to continue the therapy on a patient who had just received a prosthetic leg from the knee down.
"Who is it?" she asked the coworker who held out the phone to her as she approached the nurse's station.
"Sounds like Joseph Joestar," the woman replied, shaking the phone receiver as if prompting her to take it. "He asked for you personally. He sounds upset. Wouldn't tell any of us what's wrong."
"Huh," she murmured, apprehension squeezing her chest as she took the phone and pressed it to her ear. "Hello? Grandpa Joe?"
"Hi, Layla, it's me," he responded, his gravelly voice a low rumble on the other end of the phone.
"Miss Suzi is fine. As a matter of fact, I was going over to your house at noon to have lunch with her," she informed him.
"I'm glad to hear it, but that's not why I'm calling."
Her stomach clenched with apprehension. He sounded too serious. Too quiet. Definitely not himself. Something must be terribly wrong. The silence extended for such a lengthy time she thought they had lost connection.
"Mr. Joestar? Are you still there?"
"It's my daughter, Holly. She has fallen ill. I have asked doctors from the Foundation to come take care of her. I want you to come with them," he said, a slight pleading tone in his voice.
"Okay. I will," she immediately agreed, the worry filtering through her chest and compressing her lungs. "What happened? What's going on? Are you okay? What about Jotaro?"
"There's no time to explain. I'm fine, and he's fine. It's Holly I'm worried about. Layla, I'm afraid..." His words died away into a long, mournful sigh. "I'm afraid she might die if I don't find the problem fast and exterminate it."
Exterminate it?, she pondered. It must have something to do with Dio, the man turned vampire who had made it his life's ambition to destroy the Joestar family through the generations. Thanks to her nosy nature, love of reading, and the Foundations immaculate and extensive records, she knew everything about the Joestar family.
Tortured and tragic, she could not help but develop an attachment to the light hearted and loud mouthed Joseph Joestar. Despite everything he had experienced, he is easygoing and lighthearted as well as just plain happy; partly because of his basic personality but also due in large part to his wife who is always cheerful and upbeat. Suzi Q was his first nurse, bringing him back to health in Italy after he lost his arm in his final battle with Kars.
Layla loved Miss Suzi dearly and had adopted her as a grandmother. She held great respect for the woman who could deal with the boisterous man she called Grandpa Joe.
"Thank you, Layla. My daughter is the second most important woman in my life after my dear, Suzi Q. It would mean everything to me for you to be the one taking care of her," he said, sounding distressed and uncharacteristically soft spoken in the face of his present circumstances. It was if the worry was draining the very life out of him which raised her anxiety about how dire the situation must be.
"Thank you, sir. That means a lot," she returned with a smile on her face. "See you soon."
Soon was an extremely relative term. As she had stated, Layla went to the Joestar mansion to have lunch with Suzi Q. She tried to make small talk, steering clear of the subject of family. They talked about the how nice the recent sunny days had been. She asked for tips to improve her knitting, a hobby she picked up at Mrs. Joestar's urging to reduce stress and keep her hands busy while making something beautiful and useful.
"is the sandwich okay, Miss Suzi?" Layla asked when she noticed the woman had barely taken a nibble off of it and simply stirred her soup rather than eating it. "I can go get you something else. I just know these are usually your favorites."
"It's not the food," Suzi Q said, looking at her through her blue eyes that were clouded with worry. "Layla, tell me honestly, have you heard from my husband?"
Layla gulped, wiping crumbs from her mouth. She picked up her cup and took a long sip of the soda to wet her desert dry throat so she could speak.
"He called me this morning," she admitted. "He's fine and Jotaro's fine."
"It's Holly? Isn't it?" she asked, her eyes growing hard as marbles with determination. "Don't lie to me, Layla. Tell me what's going on."
"Miss Suzi, I don't know what's going on, but I know she is ill," she confessed, not wanting to lie to the woman when it is obvious her mother's intuition is telling her something is terribly wrong.
"When will you be leaving to take care of her?"
Layla's jaw dropped as she stared in disbelief at the perceptive woman. Suzi gave her a friendly smile with only a hint of pity in it for the younger woman's cluelessness.
"I can stay if you need me. Joseph is worried about you too."
"Oh, I'm fine," she said, waving her hand as if to brush away the nurse's concern. "Sometimes I choose to forget, sweetheart. It makes things easier." She smiled but it was a sad smile. After taking Layla's hand between hers, she patted the back of it reassuringly. "Let's just keep the fact that I know about Holly between us. I don't want Jojo to worry about me. I'm counting on you to keep me informed. I know you will take good care of my daughter."
"Yes, ma'am," she replied, accepting the woman's words as her orders.
"Have a safe trip, my dear."
~\./~
Twelve hours and thirty seven minutes later, the Speedwagon Foundation jet touched down in Japan. The waiting car took her and the doctors straight to the Kujo residence while their equipment was being unpacked and loaded into a truck.
The gate opened to reveal the sprawling house comprised of several buildings connected by walkways as their car approached allowing them entrance to the white stone driveway in front of a traditional Japanese home made of dark wood and white screens.
Joseph Joestar walked out to meet them. Although an older man in his sixties, she never thought of him as truly old until today. The wrinkles around his eyes and mouth seemed to be etched deeper into his face. He looked tired and not just lack of sleep tired but weary from worry. Who could blame him for being one hundred percent done with Dio's shit after the latest ruthless attack on his family?
"Grandpa Joe," she called out as she ran to him, her arms outstretched for a hug.
The massive man caught her in his arms, squeezing her gently. Layla knew he could break her bones even at his age if he embraced her too tightly.
"Grandpa Joe?" questioningly remarked a deep voice from behind him. "Who the hell is this, old man?"
Layla stepped back from Joseph to see a young man standing there, wearing a black school uniform complete with cap and hands in his pockets while scowling hatefully at her. His turquoise eyes traveled slowly down her body then back up to meet her eyes.
"This your little side piece, Gramps?" he asked while holding her gaze. "I have to admit I'm impressed. Didn't know you still had it in you."
Despite the teenager being a foot taller than her and Joseph Joestar's grandson, Layla stepped forward and drew back her hand. Although it hurt like hell when her open palm impacted his perfectly sculpted cheek, she gritted her teeth and followed through with all of her body weight which whipped his head to the side.
His narrow, angry eyes widened briefly registering the shock that not only did she hit him but it stung too. He kept his hand in his pockets as he glowered down at her in furious, possibly humiliated, silence.
"Jotaro, this is Layla. She is a nurse from the Speedwagon Foundation. An extremely smart and capable nurse," Joseph informed his foul mouthed grandson.
The complimentary words warmed her heart and dispersed a small bit of her aggravation from the highly offensive accusation. However, as she stubbornly held the rebellious teen's scathing gaze, she could feel herself continuing to seethe at him.
Who the hell does this kid think he is?, she pondered indignantly.
"That is why she's here," Joseph continued, almost growling. He was in no mood for snide quips or sarcastic retorts from Jotaro. Taking her by the arm to lead her to Holly, he paused by his grandson. "Your grandmother would be extremely disappointed and hurt to hear you make such a stupid accusation, boy."
"What are her symptoms?" Layla asked him as they walked along the porch.
"She's very weak. Been running a high fever. She is still eating and drinking but very little. She sleeps a lot...slipping in and out of consciousness," he said as they passed over the small walkway leading from one part of the house to another.
Layla kicked off her shoes as they stopped in front of a door which Joseph slid back to reveal the doctors were already there, surrounding the woman lying on the futon, her head propped up with many pillows. One doctor was preparing to slide a needle into her arm for the IV.
"I just don't understand what all the fuss is about," Holly protested weakly as the doctor swabbed her arm with the alcohol pad. "It's just a little cold. Ouch!"
"My baby," Joseph gasped, rushing forward as the doctor taped the plastic tube to her arm to hold it in place.
Two of the doctors on Holly's right side separated to make room for Layla. After opening her bag to reach her instruments, she pulled out the thermometer to begin taking Holly's vitals.
"Oh, you must be Layla," Holly said, her big ocean blue eyes meeting Layla's as she opened her mouth to accept the thermometer.
"I am. It's nice to meet you Holly. I've heard so much about you," she said, holding her wrist between her thumb and forefinger while counting the beats as the second hand moved around the face of her watch. Her pulse if fast and weak.
"Daddy has talked so much about you I feel like I knew you before I even met you," she mumbled around the thermometer.
"Daddy," the nurse giggled, glimpsing at Joseph who blushed dark red across his cheeks. "Don't talk okay, Holly. I need to get an accurate reading."
"Okay," she sang out sounding just like her mother.
Layla recorded her pulse in the notebook from her bag before pulling out the blood pressure cuff. Holly's arm felt so small and fragile as if she might snap it in two if she moved too fast. After pulling off the BP cuff, she pulled out the thermometer and recorded all the numbers in her little book. Temp: 103 - not good. Pulse: 120 beats per minute - elevated due to the fever no doubt. Blood pressure: 140/90 - most likely raised due to the fever as well. Her body was fighting hard against something.
"Doctor, you plan cover her with some chilled towels in addition to giving her doses of both acetaminophen and ibuprofen to make an aggressive effort to bring down this fever...right?" Layla suggested, managing to make it sound like she was simply reading the doctor's mind rather than telling him what to do.
"Uh, yes...yes!" he exclaimed, catching on. "This is exactly what I had planned. Nelson," he barked at a fellow doctor. "Wet down some towels and get them in the freezer. Harrow, draw up the meds."
"I'm a little thirsty," Holly said, her eyelids dropping. The little bit of activity had worn her out. "Daddy, will you - "
"Coming right up," Joseph declared, hopping to his feet. "I'll be right back with water. I'll bring a glass for you too Layla."
"I'm coming with you to help," she said, rising from her kneeling position.
Holly was in the room surrounded by six of the Foundation's best doctors. Besides, she would be back quickly. There were a few questions she wanted to ask Joseph out of earshot of his daughter.
"Do you have any idea what we're dealing with here, Mr. Joestar?" she questioned him as they walked toward the section of the house they had just bypassed to get Holly's room.
"It's called a Stand," Joseph said, pulling back the door to reveal the compact, utilitarian kitchen. "The simplest explanation is a stand is a physical manifestation of one's fighting spirit. Since Holly has no desire nor capacity to fight, being a person of kindness and peace, the Stand seems to be attacking her directly instead."
Layla entered behind him standing beside the small table with two chairs. Her stomach churned with worry as she watched him open the refrigerator to pull out a pitcher of cold water. The light illuminated his face, the shadows deepening the ridges of worry cut between his eyes and across his forehead. He hid his troubled mind well.
Once the glasses were filled, Joseph handed one to her as she tried to wrap her mind around the information she had just received. She drained the glass then set it beside the sink. Taking the glass from the big man who shook slightly, she returned to Holly who was already asleep.
For hours, Layla sat beside Holly Kujo, observing and tending to the unconscious woman. She mopped the sweat from her patient's brow, switching out the cold towels when they melted and heated. When Holly would awaken, she would offer her sips of water, gently cradling her head and pressing the glass to her lips. When her father was in the room, the woman acted stronger than she actually felt, smiling and laughing to keep him from worrying as much.
Layla checked and rechecked the fluid levels in the IV bags and re-administered the meds through the port as needed. Around midnight, the fever lowered two degrees but did not break entirely. At two in the morning, one of the doctors returned, accidentally waking the nurse who had nodded off sitting up with her back against the screen wall. He began taking Holly's vitals.
"I can get that, doctor," she insisted, crawling over on her hands and knees.
"Go take a break, Layla. You skipped dinner. You haven't drank anything either," he pointed out, writing down her pulse and BP to enter into her chart later.
"I'm fine. If someone will bring me a glass of water, I - "
"Holly is sleeping peacefully. There's nothing more you can do for her. Go," he ordered her, jerking his head toward the door. "Get out. Now. Get your own water. Eat something too while you're at it."
"I'm not hungry," she grumbled as she stood to her feet and swayed uncertainly as dizziness swamped her.
"Maybe not, but you need to eat. You won't be a damn bit of good to us if you faint. We don't need another patient to tend to," he snapped irritably.
"Fine," she muttered, walking out of the room and sliding the door closed behind her with one last glance at the glowing and beeping monitors hooked to the woman.
Layla stepped out onto the porch, inhaling the cool night air as she stretched her tight and sore muscles. Closing her eyes, she raised her face to moonless black sky. Her belly growled as if to remind her she was on a quest for food.
A light glowed like a beacon from the kitchen, most likely left on should someone need a midnight snack. She glanced at her watch. It was thirty seven minutes after two. Too late for a midnight snack and too early for breakfast.
She opened the cabinet Joseph had earlier to retrieve a glass. Opening the refrigerator, she grabbed the pitcher of water and poured, glancing over the shelves full of food for something to eat.
"There's some leftover fried chicken on the second shelf," suggested a voice behind her.
She stood up and swung around in a panic because she did not recognize the voice. A man she had not seen yet smiled at her apologetically. He appeared to be around the same as Jotaro with the most amazing red hair she had ever seen. Even in the dim light of the refrigerator she could see his eyes were a gorgeous shade of lavender and friendly.
"I didn't mean to frighten you," he said. "My name is Noriaki Kakyoin. I'm a...friend...of Jotaro's."
The way he hesitated before saying friend made her wonder if he was unsure of his relationship with Jotaro. Or maybe he was questioning why he was friends with him. She could not be sure.
"My name is Layla Dayton," she replied, extending her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
"Likewise," he said, taking her hand. "You're the nurse who will be helping to take care of Miss Holly, right?"
"I am," she confirmed. "Mr. Joestar told me he and Jotaro will be leaving for Egypt tomorrow." She glanced at her watch. "I suppose that's actually later today. Will you be going with them?"
"I will. There's also a man named Avdol, an associate of Mr. Joestar's who will be coming as well. Have you met him yet?"
"No. I've been too focused on taking care of Miss Holly. I was actually forced out to come get something to eat."
"Well, in that case, let me fix you something," he offered, opening the cabinet doors to search for something quick and easy to cook since nothing in the refrigerator interested her. "Does a cup of noodles sound good?"
"That would be great," she sighed, closing the refrigerator door.
Layla sipped from her glass of water as she took a seat in one of the chairs at the table. She studied the peach colored gerbera daisies in the round bottomed white vase on the table. Her fingers gently stroked the silky petals.
"How long have you been friends with Jotaro?" she asked, running her fingers along the length of the narrow petals.
"Not long. How long have you known Mr. Joestar?" he inquired.
She exhaled in exasperation before reminding herself he was not hinting at any sort of illicit relationship. She was grateful he did not turn on a brighter overhead light instead leaving the kitchen mostly in dimness. The one light that was one was positioned over the sink and shed light in the area for him to work.
"I think it's been about four years now. I was introduced to him the first day I came to work at the Speedwagon Foundation. I was assigned to the Joestar's as their personal nurse in addition to working at the hospital the Foundation owns," she said, glancing at him as unwrapped the plastic from around the styrofoam cups.
"It's not fancy but it will fill an empty spot," he stated idly.
"It's fine. I'm grateful Kakyoin. Ugh," she groaned, hanging her head. Exhaustion washed over making her keenly aware of her high level of tiredness she had previously been able to ignore.
"Are you okay?" he questioned her.
"Just tired," she sighed, taking a drink of her water.
"I imagine so. You haven't left Miss Holly's side since you arrived. You're a dedicated woman. I admire that," he said, his smooth deep voice resonating with kindness.
Layla closed her eyes, resting her chin on the sling formed by her laced together fingers. She listened to the sounds of Kakyoin in the kitchen. The hissing of the boiling water. The crinkling of paper as he pulled back the lids. The gurgle and splash of the water being poured over the noodles.
"Here," he said, startling her as she had started drifting off to sleep. He placed the steaming cup of instant noodles in front of her with a set of chopsticks layed over the top. "Wait three minutes, and you'll be good to go."
With that, Layla expected him to leave, but he didn't. Instead, he folded his huge frame to take the seat across from her.
"So..." He stirred the noodles with his chopsticks. "How is Miss Holly?"
"It's too soon to tell," she said, not exactly lying because they still had no clue exactly how to deal with this thing called a Stand that was obviously hurting her. "Her fever is down a little. That's good."
Layla poked at the noodles to break them apart and make sure they were evenly reconstituted. She had no appetite but knew she needed to eat. And Kakyoin had been so sweet as to prepare the food for her. She opened her mouth and shoveled in a heaping helping of the noodles.
"You should go to your room and get some sleep after you eat," Kakyoin suggested. "You have to keep up your strength to take care of her."
"I know," she agreed reluctantly. Then it struck her she had no idea where she would be sleeping. "Uhm..."
"I can show you where they put your bags after we eat," he said, giving her a gentle smile.
"Thanks," she laughed lightly to dispel the humiliation taking hold of her.
The door slid open. A large figure, so tall he had to bend down to enter, came into the kitchen. At first Layla assumed the man to be Joseph but it was his grandson instead.
"Crap," she muttered, hurriedly stuffing the rest of the noodles into her mouth. If eating fast did not give her indigestion, having to talk to that asshole surely would.
"Hey, Kakyoin, what are you doing in here?" Jotaro asked, ignoring her presence.
In his case, Layla did not mind getting purposely overlooked.
"Just getting a late night snack," he replied, scraping the bottom of the cup to gather up the last bit of the noodles. "Then I'm going to show Miss Layla to her room."
Jotaro's eyes slid over to her and his lips tilted into a smirk.
Oh, my god, Kakyoin, bless your heart, honey, she thought, her belly tightening with anticipation. She made a concerted effort to hold on to her temper while she awaited some sexually implicit remark from the smirking Jotaro. Don't you dare say a word, Jotaro Kujo. I'm far too tired for your crap.
"I see," he murmured, opening the cabinet to get a glass before moving to the fridge. He pulled the pitcher and approached the table. He refilled her glass first then filled his empty one. "Here. Drink this. You need it because you haven't taken a break in at least twelve hours...not even for a drink."
She did not think him of all people would notice.
"Thanks."
"Take better care of yourself," he muttered to her as he walked toward the door. "If you let my mother die while I'm gone, I'll come back and kill you."
"Jotaro!" Kakyoin exclaimed in astonishment at the blunt and sincere threat. "You can't place that kind of responsibility on her. There is a half dozen doctors tending to Miss Holly as well. She is only a nurse."
Layla's head snapped in Kakyoin's direction, fury in her eyes, alerting him immediately he had definitely said something wrong.
"Only a nurse? Mr. Kakyoin, I will have you know I am so much more than only a nurse. We are the ones who stand by the patients, helping them through what could be the worst moment in their lives. We hug them when they cry and receive their fists when they are angry. We watch them suffer. We hold their hands and walk beside them on their hard often painful roads to recovery. I am a healer," she stated proudly, lifting her chin into the air. She cast a glance at the stony faced Jotaro whose eyes were leveled on her. "I will remain at your mother's side and see her through this. She will not die."
"Finish your food Kakyoin. Come on," Jotaro said, turning his back to her. "I will take you to your room."
Layla followed him, keeping her eyes on his broad shoulders in front of her. Her feet felt like lead, every step a struggle. As if she had not already been tired enough, dealing with him took the last ounce of energy she had.
Completely spent, having ignored her jet lag, spurred on by the adrenaline rush of worry, her body gave up and gave in. Her knees buckled, and she could see the porch rushing toward her face. She could not even thrust out her hands as a last ditch effort to prevent herself from smacking those wooden planks. Closing her eyes, she waited for the inevitable pain of impact.
But suddenly, her body stopped falling. She felt as if she were suspended in mid air yet she could feel strong arms around her. Opening her eyes, she saw a figure that resembled a spectral after image of the man in front of her but hulking, purple, and half naked.
"What the..." Her words died away on her tongue as she twisted her neck in order to see the face that looked oddly similar to Jotaro's. "What..." She gulped. "What the hell is this?"
"This is my Stand, Star Platinum. I thought he was an evil spirit possessing me," he said, keeping his back to her.
The Stand he called Star Platinum shifted her under his arm to carry her. It was so weird. She could distinctly feel the being carrying her yet it was as if she were floating through the air at the same time.
"So this is a Stand," Layla remarked, feeling sillier by the second while being carried by the Stand like a football. "A physical manifestation of your inner spirit. If that's the case, no wonder you thought he was evil."
Star Platinum jostled her violently when crossing the walkway as if to get a better grip on her. She yelped like a wounded animal and would swear she heard Jotaro snicker.
"Did you say something?" he questioned her still sounding a little amused.
"Where can I take a shower?" she asked. For some reason she suddenly felt dirty, grimy and sweaty.
"There is a full bathroom with a tub between my room and yours."
There's a bathroom where?, she thought, her entire body stiffening in alarm. Was she really going to be stuck that close to him? But it's only for one night. Well, actually only a few hours. They would be leaving for Egypt sometime before noon.
"Tell me the truth," Jotaro demanded, pausing in front of a door without opening it. "You have never fucked the old man?"
The Stand's arm coiled around her waist, compressing her diaphragm and preventing her from pulling a complete breath. Her eyes flickered upward to see the Jotaro had pivoted to face her. Although his face was expressionless, she could feel the anger emanating from his blue-green eyes as he glared at her as well as from the thing holding her and squeezing her like a boa constrictor with his thick arm.
"No," Layla answered curtly. "I do not now, nor have I ever, had any kind of sexual interest in your grandfather."
"Hmph," he grunted skeptically as Star Platinum turned her upright and set her on her feet before disappearing. "You do look a lot like Grandma Suzi Q did when she was young. It wouldn't surprise me if the old fart had a little fling with you in a pathetic attempt to recapture his youth."
Oh, my god, would you let it go already, she grumbled inwardly, attempting to shoulder past him to enter the room. It was like hitting a brick wall; big, solid, and unmoving. She exhaled in annoyance and stepped back to distance herself from him.
Folding her arms over her chest, she looked the obstinate man over from head to toe. She hated to admit, even to herself, Jotaro Kujo is quite a nice specimen of manhood even at his young age of seventeen. Already over six feet tall, brawny like a professional body builder, intimidating and full of hostility, she mused what he might be like in another ten years. She did not know whether to be impressed or frightened by the possibilities.
His eyes roamed over with open curiosity while she scrutinized him. It was like a strange mental combat, of who would look away first, as they sized each other up physically. At five and a half feet, slender but shapely with an hour glass figure, she would be no match for him in a physical altercation. But she could sure hold her own in a battle of wits.
"I still can't figure out why he saw the need to bring you here rather than leaving you in the US where you can keep an eye on Grandma Suzi," he stated, reaching behind himself and sliding open the door to the room that would be hers.
Layla smiled. It warmed her heart how much he obviously loved his grandmother and was so protective of her. He was the same with his ailing mother as well, going as far as to threaten her life. She overlooked the threat because hurting family members often said hateful and troublesome things to her when their loved ones were in danger of dying.
"Your grandmother is far from helpless Jotaro. She can take care of herself. Do you really think she could put up with Grandpa Joe all those years if she wasn't?" she asked noting the twitching of the corners of his mouth as if he wanted to smile but would not allow himself.
"You know them quite well, don't you?"
"I do. I've spent more time with them in the past few years than you have your entire life. I know them better than you do," she said not meaning to take such a personal jab at him. Obviously she hit a nerve which made his eyebrows draw together and his face darken with rage.
"Listen here, lady, I am not someone you want to piss off," he warned her, shaking his finger in her face like one admonishes a naughty child.
"Same goes for me too, Jotaro Kujo," she returned in an equally threatening tone. "Tell me," she went on, feeling merciless when faced with his wrath and the threat of death from this arrogant teenager. "Perhaps you're just jealous. Since you keep accusing me of having sex with your grandfather, maybe it's you who wants to fuck me. Apparently sex is on your dirty little mind. You are a teenager after all...and since you keep mentioning it, perhaps you're hiding your own desires."
"Hah!" he scoffed, rolling his eyes and glowering down at her as he took a step back from her. "You sure are a conceited bitch. You really think I want you?"
Layla placed her hand on his chest, feeling him jump under the soft touch. She smiled menacingly. He could run his mouth, hurl all the insults he wanted at her, but she had countered with a few strategic mental jabs of her own in this verbal sparring match, and they had hit home. This disrespectful kid needed to be put in his place.
"Do you want me?" she teased him, pressing her fingertips into his hard chest. She could feel his heart beating rapidly under her fingers despite his calm, cool, and collected exterior. Her smile broadened into a maniacal grin of triumph. She had pushed the beast into the trap he had set for her.
Jotaro slapped her hand away and sidestepped her.
"There are towels in the cabinet under the sink. I suggest you get a shower and some sleep," he muttered as he walked away. "Crazy bitch."
Maybe I am crazy bitch, she agreed silently. Hanging her head, the weight of exhaustion and stress trying to crush her under its weight, she entered the room.
Unfolding the futon in the corner, she flopped down haphazardly without bothering to undress. A shower would have to wait. Sleep first. She was asleep before she could completely cover herself with the comforter decorated with pink cherry blossoms outlined in red thread.