****Sorry guys. With Christmas and school break, I've been swamped with
watching my niece and nephew. Also, I have gotten a pretty bad respiratory
infection, which is setting off my asthma, which is making me miserable.
I'm back! For now, at least.****
*Come on, mom, answer the phone,* Liz thought over and over again to herself as she played with the cord on the pay phone across the hall from the path lab.
"Danners residence. This is Maureen," answered after 10 rings.
"Mom. I-it's Liz," Liz said in a strained voice. "Please don't hang up on me."
"Liz, where are you?" You've worried me sick! Did you know that I've been physically sick because of your free ranging way? Are you out of Denver yet? Did you finally grow a head? Are you coming home?..."
"Mom!" she yelled, trying to get a word in edge wise. "Mom. I'm in LA. I've found the right person. I've found my brother. He's a doctor," Liz said.
"Oh, a doctor, eh? Better, I guess, than the low life scum in Iowa. So when are you coming home?" Maureen demanded.
"Well-I-well-I don't know. Jesse and I have so much to catch up on, and I need to stay away from the house longer," Liz said, her voice getting quieter at the end.
"Oh, so East Tennessee isn't good enough for you? You're too good for us back home?"
"No, I didn't say that!"
"Yes, you did! Don't deny it. You're too proud-"
"Mom-"
"Don't interrupt me! You're an indignant-"
"Mom. If you're going to talk like this, I'm hanging up," Liz said, her voice cracking.
"Oh, You're going to hang up on your own mother! HOW DARE-"
Liz slammed the receiver down and sagged against the wall. Amanda had listened to Liz's end of the conversation and rushed out of her office to Liz when she heard the phone slam down. She gently led Liz to the path lab. Once inside, Liz began to bawl.
"God! She *sniff* is so im*sniff*possible! I can't*sniff*-" Liz got out before ragged sobs racked her body.
Amanda held her and murmured, "Shhh, sweetie. It's all going to work out. It's ok." Amanda held her tightly until Liz fell asleep. Amanda gently maneuvered Liz into a chair and covered her with a sheet. Her pager went off. It was Mark's cell phone. Amanda called her mentor right away.
"Hey Mark," she said.
"Hey Amanda. You haven't seen Liz, have you?"
"Yes. She's here in the path lab, sleeping. She tried to call her mom, they exchanged words, and she's in here."
"Ok. Let her sleep for the time being, and then I'll take her to the beach house," Mark said, fatigue starting to show in his voice.
"Mark, is everything alright?" Amanda asked.
"I have something I need to discuss with you, but it can wait," he said.
"Ok, Mark. I'll call you when she wakes up," Amanda said as she hung up the phone.
*Come on, mom, answer the phone,* Liz thought over and over again to herself as she played with the cord on the pay phone across the hall from the path lab.
"Danners residence. This is Maureen," answered after 10 rings.
"Mom. I-it's Liz," Liz said in a strained voice. "Please don't hang up on me."
"Liz, where are you?" You've worried me sick! Did you know that I've been physically sick because of your free ranging way? Are you out of Denver yet? Did you finally grow a head? Are you coming home?..."
"Mom!" she yelled, trying to get a word in edge wise. "Mom. I'm in LA. I've found the right person. I've found my brother. He's a doctor," Liz said.
"Oh, a doctor, eh? Better, I guess, than the low life scum in Iowa. So when are you coming home?" Maureen demanded.
"Well-I-well-I don't know. Jesse and I have so much to catch up on, and I need to stay away from the house longer," Liz said, her voice getting quieter at the end.
"Oh, so East Tennessee isn't good enough for you? You're too good for us back home?"
"No, I didn't say that!"
"Yes, you did! Don't deny it. You're too proud-"
"Mom-"
"Don't interrupt me! You're an indignant-"
"Mom. If you're going to talk like this, I'm hanging up," Liz said, her voice cracking.
"Oh, You're going to hang up on your own mother! HOW DARE-"
Liz slammed the receiver down and sagged against the wall. Amanda had listened to Liz's end of the conversation and rushed out of her office to Liz when she heard the phone slam down. She gently led Liz to the path lab. Once inside, Liz began to bawl.
"God! She *sniff* is so im*sniff*possible! I can't*sniff*-" Liz got out before ragged sobs racked her body.
Amanda held her and murmured, "Shhh, sweetie. It's all going to work out. It's ok." Amanda held her tightly until Liz fell asleep. Amanda gently maneuvered Liz into a chair and covered her with a sheet. Her pager went off. It was Mark's cell phone. Amanda called her mentor right away.
"Hey Mark," she said.
"Hey Amanda. You haven't seen Liz, have you?"
"Yes. She's here in the path lab, sleeping. She tried to call her mom, they exchanged words, and she's in here."
"Ok. Let her sleep for the time being, and then I'll take her to the beach house," Mark said, fatigue starting to show in his voice.
"Mark, is everything alright?" Amanda asked.
"I have something I need to discuss with you, but it can wait," he said.
"Ok, Mark. I'll call you when she wakes up," Amanda said as she hung up the phone.