A.N. - So sorry guys, summer has been chaotic for me and I never really got far whatsoever. I am really going to try. We left off at a chapter for Mr. Mrs. Petrosky. Don't you miss Peter on 7th Heaven? However, I think I might make a couple of phone calls about Mary first. Next chapter will be for the Petroskys.
Kevin and Lucy had already left the house. Lucy had agreed they'd go early to help Annie prepare for all the guests. As Kevin opened the door to the Camden's and Lucy juggled 5,000 gifts while the girls followed, nothing seemed right.
"Mom!" Lucy gasped when she saw Annie come to the door, tears filling her eyes.
"Annie, are you okay?" Kevin said, slowly and as calmly as possible.
"Not quite..." Annie whispered. "Mary...isn't okay...." Annie began with a startled cry.
"Mary?" "What?!?" Lucy was panicking. Mary had always been one of her best friends. Even the distance hadn't changed that. They talked daily and Mary had seemed fine. She had a 2 year old. She couldn't be sick. She just couldn't.
"Mary fell last night...for no reason." Annie whispered. "They aren't sure but she is extremely weak, she's having a lot of tests."
"Poor Mary...but she'll be okay, Annie." Kevin said trying to comfort her. "Ben...I better call him... he might need me." He hugged Lucy tightly, thankful the girls had already ran to see their uncles, Sam and David.
"I think that'd be a good idea, Kevin." Annie said with a weak smile.
-Phone rings- "Ruth, get the phone!" Peter yells adjusting his tie.
"Grabbing it, hun." Ruthie shouted picking up the phone quickly.
"Hello? Petrosky residence," Ruthie mumbled.
"Ruthie!" Annie said sounding nervous.
"Mom, what's the matter? You sound really worried..." Ruthie asked getting anxious herself.
"Its Mary.... She's...sh...she's sick" Annie cried.
"WHAT?!?!," Ruthie gasped. "Whats wrong with her?" "Is she going to be okay?" "Is she going to...to..." Ruthie couldn't finish.
"Oh well...they don't know honey, but...oh I'm not sure." Annie said breaking down.
"It's going to be okay, mom." Ruthie said trying to convince herself. "We'll be in Glen Oak in about 2 hours."
"Okay, Ruthie...thanks sweetheart." Annie said.
"No problem, mom, I love you." Ruthie said tears flowing down her face.
"You too Ruthie, bye," Annie managed to get out, hanging up the phone and leaning over to cry again.
"Matt!" Sarah was freaking out. She had just received the call about Mary from Lucy. How was she going to tell him? She was worried. What was wrong with Mary? She had tried to call Ben but had gotten no answer. Matt had went downstairs to finish packing the kid's toys. Then they were leaving. Mary had been closer to them lately since the only lived about 40 minutes away. She was considering stopping by the hospital first but with the kids? She wasn't so sure.
"Honey?" Matt answered. "What's the matter?" he said triumphantly holding up the bag of toys, "I finished!" he smiled.
"It's Mary... she's sick Matt." Sarah whispered, and she wished she didn't have to tell him the part not even Annie knew. "They're thinking she might have...cancer."
"No..." Matt whispered. "Not Mary." And he broke down on Sarah and cried.
As many times as Eric tried to call Robbie he knew he wouldn't reach them. They were on their flight already. "Boy," he thought, "What a Christmas this will be." He said tears flowing down his face.
The phone rang at Simon and Cecilia's. "Should I answer, sweetie?" Simon said pulling his shirt on.
"Nah, forget it, Simon." Cecilia yelled. "We were already supposed to be at Annie and Eric's and aren't even half ready!" Cecilia said putting on her eyeliner.
"Yeah, you're probably right," Simon said glancing at the caller ID, "Oh its just them, well we'll be seeing them soon."
"Yep!" Cecilia agreed helping Allison put on her dress.
Annie hung up the phone. Simon and Cecilia would be there soon enough, and it just didn't seem right leaving a message with news this big. She sighed as Amy grabbed her hand. "Gandma, it'll be okay." She said with a smile.
Annie hoped with all her heart little Amy was completely right.