Jamie woke at 8am and dressed. The girls were still asleep when she woke up so she went downstairs and cooked them some grits. (This is the girls favorite meal ,they could eat grits morning noon and night if Jamie would let them.) She woke them up and fed them and then soon after she bathed them , dressed them, bundled them up with their coats, gloves, scarf's, hats and she put one blanket down each ½ of the double stroller, sat them in it and then put a blanket on top of them. It was a cold blustery day and although the children were bundled up she was afraid that they would still catch a cold and maybe even pneumonia . She made sure they were strapped into their stroller and then she took them outside and wheeled them the 10 blocks to the hospital where their friend Lu works in the clinic.

"Hey Lana! How are you today is Lu around?" Jamie asked as she leaned up on Lana's desk.

"Hey little mama ! Long time no see!"

"Yeah I know…too long."

"Is this Emmy and Lizzy? Ohh! Their getting so big!" Lana fussed over the two little children who were fast asleep.

"Yeah I know. Emmy is turning 3 and Lizzy will be 7mts. On the 22nd" Jamie reported to Lana.

"Lu is in her office baby girl. But you can go on in. She's not busy.

"OK thanks Lana"

Jamie wheeled the babies into the office and when she saw the expression on Lu's face when she saw how big the children were getting she smiled.

"Oh their getting so big!" Lu exclaimed when she saw the babies.

"Yeah"

"What can I do for yall today huh?"

"Emily has a really bad cold she has been coughing and sneezing all night. And Lizzy needs her 6mt shots."

"OK let me get your patient files and I'll be right back."

When Lu went over to talk to Lana about the patient file Emily slowly began to wake up. Wen she realized where she was she began to cry. 1st the cry was soft and then louder and louder until she was screaming bloody murder.

Jamie picked her up and held her and tried to comfort her in all the ways that she knew how but despite her desperate attempts the baby did not simmer.

"What's the matter Emmy baby huh?" Lu cooed to the baby as she walked back into her office.

"I no feel good!"

"Well what hurts baby?"

"My throat and my tummy"

"Sweet-Heart stop crying Lu is going to make you feel all better."

"I want my mummy!" Emily cried

"Mom's gone honey" Jamie snapped with out realizing she was doing so.

"Mummy not gone! Mummy will come back sooned!"

"She hasn't come back yet"

"What's going on huh?" Lu asked Jamie as she lifted the baby out of Jamie's arms and started to examine her.

"My mom left again" Jamie mummers in a irritable tone.

"How long has she been gone this time?"

"Since last night"

"and you know she's done this before?" Lu asked

"Yeah tons of times. But Lu You Know That."

"That's why you haven't been to school?" Lu asked concerned

"Yeah how did you know that?" Jamie asked puzzled

"The school called me and told me you missed a lot of school and had I heard form you." Lu answered in a calm tone

"Well it looks like Miss Emily here has just a cold. Has she been cranky a lot, sort of begging for attention, runny nose and fever?"

"That's it all right"

"Well Jamie as it turns out there is really nothing to worry about, it is just a cold Jamie she'll be fine." Lu said in a gentle tone. "And as for Miss Lizzy here on the other hand…if she catches this cold it could be very dangerous and even deadly for her. Because of the weather and all her amune system is not as able to fight off infection as well as it could if she was older and it was sunny out."

"Ok I'll be careful with her."

Lu gave Lizzy her shots and then asked Jamie if she could ask her a question.

"Honey how would you like to come and stay with me?" Lu asked in a gentle tone.

"w-what why?"

"Jamie you are a young girl you and your sisters need a motherly figure your sisters and yourself need some stability and we need to get you back into school."

Jamie saw the pleading look in Lu's eyes she realized how mad she was at her mom and how her little sisters really needed a since of security she realized how far down in the dumps her future was because of her mother's not being responsible for her actions. All of this is what finally determined her decision.

"OK…OK sure thanks Lu."

"After my shift is over we can go and get your things but until then you and the babies are staying here. I don't want anything to happen to yall while I'm working and Emily is sick enough already yall can wait in my office or yall can go browse the gift shop and the cafeteria."