Joey felt numb. That was the only way he could describe the feeling he had gotten when he had received the call from Angela's school. The feeling grew as he arrived at the hospital. And then the doctors told him.
They said it was complications from her head injury. Joey had barely heard their words and asked if he could see her. He was allowed a few minutes with his daughter and that had been when the floodgates had opened. He had been barely able to talk when he called Caitlin but managed to get across the basic message. When she arrived at the hospital, he'd wept like a baby as she held him.
Suddenly, he remembered Craig. "Caitlin, how am I gonna tell him?"
"I'll take care of it, sweetie," Caitlin replied comfortingly.
"It's going to just kill him," Joey whispered. "I don't know if he can handle it. I don't know what he'll do."
Caitlin rubbed his arm soothingly. "It'll be okay. He'll deal."
But later as she drove Craig to the hospital, she wasn't so sure. When she told him what had happened, he had fallen apart. At first he refused to believe her, yelling that she was lying. Then once it sank in, he had crumbled to the floor in tears.
Now in the car, he sat with his head against the window, staring blankly ahead. His body shook every now and then as he held back sobs and she could hear his little gasps and sniffles.
Caitlin, too, was having a hard time keeping a grip on things. She was just as shocked as they were to discover that the girl she had promised Joey she would pick up from school that day was dead. But she knew things were the worst for Craig. He had just lost the last member of his family that he had left.
Caitlin found a parking space close to the entrance and eased into it. When she stopped the car, Craig didn't seem to show any signs of moving.
"Craig, we're here," she told him gently.
He started at the sound of his name and slowly turned his head to Caitlin. Her heart broke at the expression on his face.
"Come on, sweetie." She got out of the car and went around to the other side, opening the door for Craig. He climbed out and she took his arm, leading him to the entrance. They found Joey still in the emergency room waiting room, staring at the wall opposite him. When they entered he got up and hurried over to Craig. They embraced while Caitlin stood by, her eyes brimming. Joey seemed to be holding himself together pretty well but Craig seemed to lose it once he saw Joey.
"Why?" he kept repeating through his tears and Joey tried his best to reassure the boy.
"It'll be okay," Joey whispered. "Shhh. We'll be okay." He gently pulled Craig over to a chair.
Caitlin grabbed a box of tissues from a table and handed them to Joey who took them gratefully. As Craig wiped his face and tried to calm down, Caitlin's cell phone rang. She excused herself and went down the hall.
"Hello?"
"Caitlin, where are you?"
"Spike?"
"Weren't you going to come over today? Emma needed to borrow your video camera for her project, remember?"
"Yeah, Spike, um, there was an emergency. You might want to sit down." "Okay." Caitlin took a deep breath. "Angela Jeremiah passed away this morning." Saying the words made it seem even more terrible and real to her.
"What? That's impossible. Joey said she was doing fine."
"Something happened, some sort of blood clot that they were unable to detect until it was too late. It was so sudden, Spike."
"Oh God. Okay, where are you, the hospital? I'll try my best to get there as soon as possible."
Caitlin hung up then went back into the waiting room area. Joey was turned away from her, talking to Craig who was seated next to him. Craig was only nodding staring at the carpet. Joey then stood up and turned to face Caitlin.
"Um, I have to go fill out some forms." He chuckled harshly. "They even make you do it on a day like this." He motioned to Craig. "He's pretty destroyed."
"How about you?" Caitlin asked, concerned.
Joey shook his head. "Don't. I need to be strong for Craig right now."
Caitlin watched him hurry away then sighed and went into the waiting room to sit across from Craig. They were silent for a long time before Craig spoke.
"You don't have to stay." His voice was trembling after so much crying. "I'm fine."
"Don't be silly," Caitlin replied with a small smile.
Craig looked up suddenly. "C-can I borrow your phone for a second?"
"Sure." Caitlin handed it to him. She was curious but didn't ask who he was going to call as he went down the hall.

+++

Manny entered her house just as the phone was ringing. She hurried into the kitchen and snatched up the receiver.
"Hello?" she said breathlessly.
"Manny it's Craig."
"Oh hey!" She smiled at the sound of his voice. She was eager to tell him what had happened at the Dot with Emma. "What's up?"
"Angie's dead."
It took Manny a second to absorb what he said. "Wait, what?"
"She's dead Manny. Just like everyone else I cared about." His voice sounded hollow.
"B-but I don't understand-"
"I'll explain later. Just come to the hospital Manny, please. I just need." His voice cracked and he stopped speaking, overcome with emotion.
"Oh, Craig, hold on. I'll be right there." She hung up the phone, her hands shaking. She could barely believe what he had said. But it had to be true.
Manny quickly scribbled a note to her parents. She was halfway down the street when she realized she had no way of reaching the hospital. The next bus wasn't for another half-hour. Making a hasty decision, she turned and ran down the block. She turned up the familiar street and skidded to a stop in front of Emma's house.
Spike and Emma were already outside apparently about to go into the car. Both were crying and Manny realized that they must know.
"Emma!" Manny ran up the driveway as they both looked up, startled. "Are you going to the hospital?"
"Yeah, get in, honey" Spike told her.
They all piled into the car with Emma in the passenger seat and Manny in the back. The ride was silent for the most part except when they pulled into the parking lot.

"Emma, what do I do?" Manny asked as they climbed out of the car.
Emma frowned. "What do you mean?"
"I've never really had to deal with grief like this. I don't know what to say or what to do to make Craig feel better."
"I dunno.I don't think there really is anything you can do or say. I guess just make sure he knows that he still has people left who care about him."
Manny nodded slowly. She understood that she couldn't do anything to help Craig and she was sure he knew that too. Still she worried as they entered the waiting area.
Spike immediately ran to Joey and gave him a hug while Emma hurried into Caitlin's arms. Manny slowly came over to Craig and gently put her arms around him. He was stiff but he hugged her back.
"Hey," she whispered, looking up at him. She reached up to wipe the tears from his face with her hand but he pulled away. She frowned, confused. "Craig?"
He looked away, over her head. "I-I can't."
"What?" Manny stared at him, trying to figure out what was going on. "What can't you do?"
He shook his head, swallowing hard. "I-I just need some time to think, okay Manny? I shouldn't have told you to come."
She felt her heart sink and she stepped away from him. "Wh-what does that mean?"
Craig put a hand to his forehead, rubbing it. "I need to clear my head a little. There's so much going on."
"I know, I know. We'll get through it."
Craig tried to smile but it came out as a grimace. "Manny.I.we hafta talk." He gently took her hand in his and led her away from the others.
She followed him despite her desperate desire not to. She wanted to just stay in her own safe world a little while longer.