A/N: First of course a big thanks to LorelaiAkaCoffeeAddict for proofreading!
Second, thanks for all of you that reviewed the last chapter. Again, so many reviews that made me happy, each of them! It's great to hear what you are thinking of the things I write. Most of you keep asking me about Rory, so I decided that she will show up in this chapter. But of course, in my own special way ;)
Lorelai woke up from a crazy sounds. When she opened her eyes she saw that Luke had woken up as well. It took them both a few seconds to realize that it was the phone that was ringing. Lorelai turned around to pick it up. "Hello?"
"Lorelai?"
"Dad?" Luke looked at her with questioning eyes. She lifted her shoulders and sat up a little so she could see the time on the alarm clock on Luke's side. It said 2.30 a.m. Lorelai waited for her father to say something, but nothing came. "Dad? What's wrong? It's 2.30 a.m. Why are you calling me?"
"It's…."
"What is it dad? Did something happened to mom?" Lorelai heard some sniffling. "Dad, talk to me. Where are you?"
Richard sighed and tried to compose himself. After a minute or so he found his voice and spoke. "I'm at the hospital. You're mother and I were in a car accident. We've been to a party and I drove back and a truck didn't see us. He drove over a red light and hit us in the right side of the car, where you're mother was seated. She didn't open her eyes. I asked her to open her eyes but she didn't. There was so much blood and she didn't react to anything. I used my cell phone to call an ambulance and we had to wait forever. I tried to get her out of the car but the door was stuck. The fireman's had to take her out. She wasn't breathing anymore so they put a tube down her throat to help her breath."
"How is she doing dad?"
"I don't know. They are still working on her and they won't tell me anything."
"How are you dad?"
"Only a few bruises, nothing serious."
"Okay. Which hospital are you?"
"Hartford Medical Centre."
"Okay hang on, okay dad? We'll be there as soon as we can."
"I'm scared Lorelai."
"I know dad. I know. We'll be there in half an hour or so."
"Okay."
After that all Lorelai heard was a beeping sound. She listened to it for a few seconds before she realized that her father had hung up. She dropped the phone on the bed and searched for Luke's eyes. She felt her words getting stuck in her throat as she wanted to speak. Luke laid his hand on hers and waited for Lorelai to find her voice again. "My parents were in a car accident. My father is okay, but my mom is seriously hurt." She whispered after a while.
Luke nodded and stepped out of bed, he walked to the closet and pulled out some jeans, a shirt and a flannel. Lorelai watched him for a few seconds before she walked to the closet herself, picking some jeans and a warm sweater to dress herself with. As soon as Luke was dressed he walked towards the nursery to get the baby. He dressed him in a ski suit. Lucan started to cry in confusion.
Lorelai walked into the room after a few seconds. "What are you doing?"
"Dressing him warm. It's cold outside."
"Why don't you leave him in bed?"
"Because he's too little to stay at home alone."
"But… you can stay with him. I can go to the hospital by myself."
"We aren't even going to argue about that. Hand me the car seat will ya?"
Lorelai nodded and did what was asked. Luke placed the baby in the car seat and they went downstairs to get their coats. Lorelai went back upstairs to get her purse, while Luke went outside to get Lucan in the car. He was done by the time she exited the house and locked the door behind her.
Lucan fell asleep soon after the car had started moving, Lorelai had to smile at that. "We walk around with him for over an hour, and all it takes for him to fall asleep is a 2 minute drive in the car."
"Good to know right?"
"Yeah I guess." She stared out the window doubting whether to call Rory or not.
Luke watched her and knew exactly what she was thinking. "You can call her as soon as we have some more information. We know nothing about your mom's condition, so she would only get more worried until we are able to tell her what's going on."
Lorelai looked at him and replied. "But she has to know right? I can't keep this from her."
"You won't. We'll tell her, just not immediately. It's better if we can give her more information than that we have right now."
"I guess.." She stared out of the window again. After a few minutes she said. "I can't believe he did this again."
"He did what?"
"This is the second time you rush me to the hospital. Although rush is probably a wrong word, considering all the people that were passing us the first time, and would be passing us now if it wasn't this crazy time. Who would be driving at this hour." At the same time a car passed them. "Well, obviously some people are. Where would they be going? Maybe they have to go to the hospital as well because their parents are scarring them to death. I can't believe they are doing this to me again. Getting hit by a truck. It's in the middle of the night. Why the hell are they outside driving a car. And why is someone driving over a red light? What the hell is going on there Luke? How hard can it be. Red you have to stop. Green you can drive.…" Tears were rolling down her cheek as she whispered. "I'm scared Luke. I promised Lucan he can grow up in front of his grandfather, that's why we didn't named him after him. But what about his grandmother? What if she dies? We're finally getting along, for the first time in my life I actually like to go to my mothers, and now…"
The only thing Luke could do at this moment was taking Lorelai's hand in his, while he kept the other one on the steering wheel. The gesture seemed to calm her down a little, but only a little.
She kept quiet during the rest of the trip as did Luke. He kept holding her hand, while he drove the car towards the hospital. When they were almost there he stopped in front of the main entrance. "You go inside. I'll park the car and take Lucan with me. I'll find you."
Lorelai nodded and kissed him on his cheek before stepping out of the car, running into the hospital.
She found her father in the emergency room waiting area. He had some cuts on his face and he looked devastated. He was sitting there with his head in his hands. Lorelai sat down next to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Dad?"
"Lorelai." Richard looked up. "In the ambulance her heart stopped beating, and they had to shock her. She is hurt so badly. She can't die Lorelai. She can't. I know I promised her she can go first, but not now. Not yet. She's too young. I need her."
"Where is she now?"
"They are still doing test on her. Nobody is telling me anything."
"You didn't go to find out?" Lorelai tried to hide that she was surprised.
"I tried, but I couldn't stand up. Will you?"
Lorelai nodded and walked to the admission desk. "Hello?"
"Hello. Can I help you?"
"My mother was brought in with an ambulance over an hour ago, and my father is waiting for someone to talk to, but no-one came so far. Isn't there anybody who can tell us anything about her condition?"
"What's your mother's name?"
"Emily Gilmore."
"Mrs Gilmore was brought in after a car accident. They are still working on her in trauma 2. You have to wait a little while longer before someone can talk to you. I'm sorry."
"Isn't there any doctor that can talk to my father? He looks devastated. Look at him." She pointed at her father. "That man over there isn't my father. He looks nothing like my father. My father doesn't get scared. And that man over there is terrified.
"I'm sorry ma'am. You have to wait. A doctor will be with you as soon as they have some information about your mother."
"That's not good enough."
"I'm sorry." The woman turned around and walked away.
"Hey…" Lorelai shouted after her. "This is no way to treat a person. I'm asking you politely and you just turn around and walk away from me?" The woman just kept walking.
Lorelai felt a hand on her shoulder and when she turned around she looked into Luke's eyes.
"How is she?"
"They won't tell us. She's in some trauma room and the doctors are still working on her. I asked if someone could go talk to my father, but that stupid nurse over there just walked away."
"Maybe she went to get someone?"
"She said she couldn't help me and that she was sorry, and then she walked away. Trust me, she's not getting someone."
"Oh.. How's your father holding up?"
"Look at him. That man sitting over there is nothing like my father. He's crying Luke. Never in my whole life have I seen my father cry. Not once. The closest he got was when my grandmother died 2 years ago. What am I supposed to do Luke? What am I supposed to do?"
"I think all we can do is sit down and wait as well…"
"That's not good enough Luke. I need to do something."
"I know you do, but unfortunately we don't have a choice right now."
"Yes I do…" Lorelai turned away from Luke and started walking.
"Lorelai." She didn't listened and kept walking. She looked at the signs on the doors, and after a few minutes she found the room she was looking for. 'Trauma 2.' She looked trough the window and saw a bed in the middle of the room, al lot of people around it. They were wearing green coats and there was blood on the floor. She tried to look at the face of the woman lying on the table, but they were in front of it so she couldn't see anything. All she saw was a couple of feet, but she couldn't tell if it were the feet of her mother.
Again she felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, expecting to see Luke's eyes, but she looked in the eyes of a woman. A nurse. "Ma'am, you shouldn't be here."
"That woman in there, is that my mother?"
"What's your mother's name?"
"Emily Gilmore."
"If you come with me, I'll try and see if I can find out anything. But you can't stay here, okay?"
Lorelai nodded and followed the woman. They walked back to the desk, where the lady from before was sitting again. The nurse looked at the board, than walked behind the desk to look at a chart. She nodded and walked back towards Lorelai. "It looks like that woman in the room is your mother. She was in a car accident. They brought her in over an hour ago. I don't know anything about her condition, but I will go into the room and see if I can find out anything. But you have to wait here okay?"
Lorelai nodded.
"Good. What's your name ma'am?"
"Lorelai. Lorelai Danes."
"Okay, are you alone here Mrs. Danes?"
"No, my father and my husband are sitting over there."
"Then why don't you go over there as well, and sit with them. I'll be back in a few minutes okay?"
Lorelai nodded. "Thanks."
She walked to the waiting area and sat down next to her father again. Luke was sitting on the other side. The car seat with Lucan in it, placed on the floor.
"A nurse will be here in a few minutes with some information."
Richard didn't even look up, but just nodded his head.
Lorelai stood up again and walked to the other side and sat down next to Luke. She looked at her son and saw his ski suit was still closed. She wanted to comment that, but just kneeled down next to him to do it herself instead. Because she was nervous she was a little more rough than intended, waking up the baby in the process, who of course started crying.
Luke watched his wife picking up the baby and shook his head. He intentionally left the ski suit on, noticing that the hospital wasn't that warm, so it wouldn't be a problem. Knowing she would start a scene if he told her that, he kept quiet as well.
Lorelai laid the baby against her chest as she started to walk around, trying to calm him down again. There were only a few people in the waiting area, but they all turned to watch her. Lorelai noticed this and felt very uncomfortable, knowing that she caused the scene.
The nurse from earlier came back after a few minutes, as promised. She had brought a doctor with her.
"Mrs Danes?"
"I'm sorry. He woke up and started crying. He's confused because he's not in bed and…."
"That's okay. We have crying children here all the time. People are used to it."
Lorelai looked around her and noticed that the people were back doing whatever they were doing before. "Oh. How is my mother?"
"Maybe you should take a seat."
"This is okay thanks." She nodded at the baby in her arms.
Luke stood up as well and put his arm around Lorelai's shoulder. Richard remained in his seat, but looked up at the nurse, his eyes hopeful.
"My name is Dr. Watters. I am one of the doctors that was working on your mother" he looked at Richard "and your wife. During the ride to the hospital her heart wasn't beating in the right rhythm. They shocked her heart to get it in the right rhythm again. When they brought her in here, her heartbeat was strong and regular, but she wasn't breathing on her own, that's why we put a tube down her throat to help her breath. Her blood pressure was very low so we gave her lots of fluid, hoping it would be better. It helped a little bit, but not as much as we hoped for. There were some x-rays taken in the trauma room from her spine and from her chest. Fortunately no fractures where to be seen, but one of her lungs collapsed. We had to put a tube in her chest to re-infiltrate it. When we were about to take her to x-ray for a CT her heartbeat was dropping again. We shocked her heart for a few times and were able to get it back into rhythm. We decided to skip CT and take her upstairs immediately. We did an ultrasound and she has fluid in the abdomen, so we had to bring her into surgery to see where the blood is coming from." He turned to Richard. "You have to sign the consent form."
Richard nodded and signed the papers the doctor handed him.
"Doctor, what are my mothers chances?" Lorelai wiped away some tears from her eyes.
"I can't say anything about that. We have to see how the surgery is going, and have to take it from there. Her condition is very serious."
"So she can die?"
"Unfortunately, yes, that could happen."
"Oh my God." Lorelai started crying harder.
The pager of the doctor started beeping. "They already took your mother upstairs. You can go to the surgical waiting room if you'd like. Julie here will take you there whenever you're ready. If you excuse me, they need me somewhere else." With that he turned around and walked away.
Lorelai turned to Luke and started sobbing even harder. He took her in his arms, carefully not to crush the baby in between them.
"It's going to be okay." He whispered, only hoping that he was right.
"Don't Luke.. don't." She cried as she held the still crying baby in her arms. As before, he became even more upset because his mother was upset as well.
"Lorelai." Julie placed an arm on her shoulder.
Lorelai turned around.
"Hand me the baby."
Lorelai did what she was told and turned around in her husbands embrace again. After a few minutes she was able to control herself. She looked at her father. He was staring in front of him. His face was showing no emotion at all.
"Dad?" She sat down next to him again, whipping away the tears from her eyes.
He didn't respond.
"Dad? You want to go upstairs now?"
He turned around and looked at his daughter. "What have I done?"
"What do you mean?"
"I lied before when I called you. The police told me after I hung up on you. The guy from the truck wasn't the one driving through the red light. It was me. If she dies, I can never forgive myself Lorelai."
Lorelai swallowed away the lump in her throat. "Mom's going to be okay. She's very strong. She's going to be pissed off at you for missing the red light, but she's going to be just fine. I promise you dad."
He just nodded, not being able to speak.
Lorelai turned to face Luke. "Can you take Lucan and my father upstairs to the surgical waiting room? I'm going outside to call Rory."
"I can do that."
"No. I appreciate the offer, but I have to do it myself. Just take care of my father and the baby okay?"
"Okay." He took Richard by his arm to pull him up from the chair. Than he picked up the car seat and followed Julie towards the elevator. Lorelai watched them leave, and headed outside to make the phone call.
Rory was just about to leave her dorm room when her phone rang. She took Warren's hand to stop him from walking out the door. "Just a sec. I have to take it." She picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Rory?"
"Mom? What's going on. I'm just leaving for class so it has to be in the middle of the night there. Did Lucan woke you up again?."
"No, not Lucan this time. Rory, sit down for me okay?"
"Why, what's going on?" She did as she was told. Warren looked at her, his eyes questioning. She mouthed 'my mother.' He nodded and sat down next to her. "Okay I'm sitting."
"About an hour ago your grandfather called me…"
"Oh my God, is he okay? Why is he calling you in the middle of the night?"
"Well hon, I was just about to tell you before you interrupted me."
"Oh right. Sorry."
"Okay, listen to me. He called me and told me that he and grandma were in a car accident. He is fine, just a few bruises, but grandma is hurt pretty bad."
Lorelai paused so Rory figured it was her time to speak. "How bad mom?"
"They just took her upstairs for surgery. She has a collapsed lung and she is bleeding internally. And she has some trouble with her heart as well. They had to shock her heart a few times to get it back into rhythm." Again she paused.
"Is she going to be okay?"
"They don't know Rory. She's hurt really really bad. They actually said that she could die." Lorelai's voice was shaking when she spoke the words out loud.
Immediately, Rory's eyes filled with tears. Warren put a arm around her shoulder, figuring she was getting some bad news. "She could die? Oh my God." She whispered the words.
"I know. I don't know what to do Rory. My father is completely in shock and Lucan won't stop crying as I accidentally woke him up and…."
"How long will the surgery take?"
"They don't know. As long as it takes I guess."
"Well, that's a vague answer."
"I know. I'm sorry honey. I.. I just don't know what to do."
"I'm coming home, right now."
"You don't have to."
"Mom, you just told me grandma could actually die. I'm not going to stay here and wait for some news. I'm asking Warren to take me to the airport and I'm going to take the next flight home."
"Okay." Lorelai let her daughters words sink in. "Who's Warren?"
"Oh.. eh.. my boyfriend."
"You have a boyfriend? And you tell me now? Why didn't you tell me before? Last time I asked you said, no boys, I'm being all serious and I can't use a boy for that."
"Well I lied okay? But do we have to talk about that now? We had our first date the last time you asked, I thought it was a little to soon to tell."
"You could have told me anyway. Besides, that was over 2 months ago."
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just, the last time all we talked about was Lucan really. Don't be mad mom. I just really want to pack and come home now."
"Okay. Just make sure you'll come home safe okay?"
"I promise. I call you from the airport."
"No cell phones allowed inside."
"Oh right… well I call the hospital. I'll search the number on the internet before I leave."
"Okay. That sounds like a good plan."
"Good. I'm going now mom. Just take care okay? Everything will be okay."
"I hope so babe. I hope so."
"I love you mom."
"I love you too Rory." With that Rory hang up.
"What's going on?" Warren turned Rory so she had to face him. "My grandmother was in a car accident. Her condition is critical. I have to take the next flight home. There is a chance that she dies. Can you please take me to the airport?"
He pulled a crying Rory to his chest and let her calm down. After a while she pulled back and asked. "Can you google the number of the Hartford Memorial Centre? I need the number to call my mother from the airport. I'll go pack my bag."
"Okay."
A few minutes later they were both ready and headed outside towards his car. Inside the car, Warren looked at Rory. "You haven't told your mother about me?"
"No, it didn't come up yet."
"Why not? We've been together for 2 months and not once did you mention me? You talk a lot, and not once you mentioned me Rory. Why?" He was hurt.
"Warren please, I have too much on my mind to fight about this now. I can't do that. I can explain though. My mother is afraid that I won't come home if I have a boyfriend. She had enough on her mind right now, so I didn't want to worry her."
"But…"
"Warren, I just really want to go home right now. I don't want to fight about this. I can't fight about this. Not now okay?"
He looked at her and saw the tears in her eyes. "Of course. Let's take you home." He smiled at her sympathetically.
Lorelai walked upstairs and found the surgical waiting room without a problem. Her father was sitting in the same position he was sitting downstairs earlier. Luke was holding a sleeping Lucan in his arms. She sat down next to him and he placed a hand on her knee.
"How did she take it?"
"She's coming home. I told her it wasn't necessary but she found it was." Tears filled her eyes. "I've been waiting for this moment forever but I never planned it to be like this. I don't want to get my daughter back and loose my mother in the process. This isn't fair."
"Nobody says it is."
Lorelai looked at him with questioning eyes. "What?"
"Nobody says it is fair." He simply replied.
"It's just hard you know." She decided to ignore his comment. "I want to be happy about her coming home, and I hope that she won't leave again, but it's not fair to think that. I hate myself for thinking that. This can't be a good thing because Rory is coming back. I can't look at this from the bright side. That wouldn't be fair to my mother now would it?"
"She'll understand." Richard looked up.
"What?" Lorelai stared at her father.
"When she wakes up and sees Rory standing next to her bed, she'll think it was worth it. She's a strong woman, your mother. She's not going to die, so you can be happy that Rory's coming back. I'm going to get a newspaper."
"What?" Lorelai was confused with her fathers sudden behaviour.
"I'm going to get myself a newspaper. Can I bring you anything? Coffee, tea? A magazine? We have to wait for a while so we better make the best out of it."
"Oh uhm… coffee please. I can come with you." Lorelai stood up as well.
"No sit. You stay with your son and your husband, I'll be right back."
Lorelai nodded and sat down next to Luke again, watching her father walk away. She rubbed her temples as she felt the stress providing her with a headache. After a few minutes she said: "What just happened?"
"Your father went to get a newspaper."
"What's getting into him. First he's just sitting there staring in front of him, showing no emotion, and now he's acting like nothing has happened? Like my mother can't die in the operating room over there."
"Lorelai." Luke turned a little so he could face her. You're father is in shock. I don't believe he completely understands what's going on. He knows, but he doesn't realize what's going on completely. His shock is acting, not your father himself. My father did the same thing when he found out my mother was sick. He didn't realize what was happening until it was too late."
Lorelai was at a loss of words. She had no idea what to say. A thousand thoughts filled her mind, making the headache even worse. She had to get out of the hospital. She had to go outside and run around like crazy. She wanted to fall apart and never stop crying. And she wanted to stay strong for her son, afraid that her stress would affect him again. So she just remained in her seat, letting Luke's words sink in. It was the first time he mentioned his mother. She looked at him again.
"Was she sick for long?"
"No, not really. My father told me and Liz when they had admitted her to the hospital for chemotherapy. She spent a few days at the hospital, then coming back home, while she was really sick, and then back to the hospital for more chemo. It didn't take long before they realized it wasn't working. She died within a few months."
"What about your father?"
"He visited her during visiting hours, and spent all the other time in the store. He worked so hard being in complete denial. He hired a nurse to take care of her during the time she spent at home. He just kept working. I knew he regretted that. He never talked about it though. A few days before he died he told me how he regretted not spending those last few months with my mother, and he made me promise that whenever I would be in the same situation, I'd do it differently. And I did."
"Were you close with your mother?" Lorelai took the opportunity of Luke's openness to get to know as much as possible.
"Not as close as with my father. I was a boy and I loved hanging around with him. I loved hanging around with my mother as well, but it was different."
"Like he was your role model?"
"Yeah, sort of." He thought for a few seconds before he continued. "I hope I can get the same relationship with Lucan as I had with my dad. Something like you have with Rory."
"Right now you're the one that got him to sleep. I'm the one that got him crying again, so far you're getting a head start." Lorelai laughed, although she thought it would have hurt to speak those words out loud. It didn't. Not when she saw the look in his eyes when he had spoken the words. She wished for him to have that, What her and Rory are sharing, even though that means that she can't have that with him.
"Actually he was asleep before that nurse handed him to me." He realized as well that if he wanted that relationship with Lucan, Lorelai couldn't get it, and that made him feel guilty.
Lorelai knew that however. "It's okay. I hope that you can have it. What I have with Rory. Just cherish it as long as you have it, because before you know they are all grown up and don't tell you everything anymore."
"What do you mean."
"Apparently Rory has a boyfriend. She's been dating him for over 2 months and not once she mentioned him."
"For over 2 months? And she never mentioned him? That doesn't sound like Rory."
"She's changing Luke. Like I said, before you know they don't need you anymore."
"She needs you Lorelai. There must be a reason why she didn't tell you."
"I know that. But it still hurts you know. She used to tell me everything. But lately things are changing, especially the past year and that hurts. No matter how many times I tell myself that she's growing up and that it's a good thing, I just want back the relationship we had before she went to college. I'd give anything for that."
"Maybe you will."
"No I won't. But that's okay. I'm getting used to the idea."
"There's still Lucan."
"That's different. I can never have the relationship with him I had with Rory. But I'm sure we'll get a special one for ourselves. I love him so much and I can't imagine our lives without him, anymore."
"Neither can I." Luke put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into it. Closing her eyes she dozed off, as Luke did the same.
Lucan woke them up an hour later. Lorelai decided to ask a nurse for a blanket so she could feed him. Then she realized that in all the hurry they forgot to take him any diapers, or clean clothes. Clothes wasn't a problem, but diapers were. Lucky for her they were in a hospital where a lot of children were, and where there are children, there are diapers too.
Just when she started to feed Lucan, a nurse approached them to notify her that there was someone on the phone.
"I'll go." Luke looked at her.
"Thanks."
Luke walked to the nurses desk and the nurse handed him the phone. "Hello, this is Luke?"
"Hey Luke, it's Rory. How are things going?"
"Your grandmother is still in surgery. We haven't heard anything yet but it can take a while until we do. Your mother is feeding Lucan."
"Well, I just bought myself a plane ticket. I was lucky to get the last seat on the plane. I'm arriving at JFK in about 7 and a half hours, and they were able to put me on an international flight to Hartford about an hour later. So I should be there within 10 hours."
"If you need me to pick you up from the airport let me know okay?"
"That's okay. You stay with mom and grandpa. I bet they need you now. I'll take a cab from the airport and meet you guys there."
"Okay. Sounds like a good plan. I'll let your mother know you're on your way."
"Thanks." She paused… "Hey Luke?"
"Yeah?"
"Was she really upset about Warren?"
"Warren?"
"My boyfriend. The last time she mentioned a boy was two and a half months ago. We were just going on our first date. Later all our conversations were about Lucan and I thought that she would be afraid that I wouldn't come home if she knew I was dating an English boy."
"Were you doubting about that?"
"No. I really wanted to come home, and if I could I would come faster. I feel kind of bad for being happy to go home because of grandma. But I can't wait to see mom again. I miss her so much."
"She misses you too. She's just disappointed that you didn't trust her enough to tell her what's going on. She really wanted to know."
"I know. I never meant to keep this from her. I should have told her, it's just…"
"I understand. Just remember that your mother is a very understanding woman. You can tell her everything. Don't be afraid to tell her the good things that are going on in your life okay? Otherwise you'll be really afraid to tell her the bad things."
"I promise."
"Good. Make sure you get here safe."
"I will."
"Okay. I love you Rory."
"I love you too Luke."
When Luke walked back to the waiting area Lucan was all fed. His eyes were closed and he was almost back to sleep. Luke kissed Lorelai's cheek and said "See, you can do it, too."
"Not so hard when you feed him. That makes him tired."
"Well, there you got something I can't give him."
She smiled "Yeah. That's true. So how was Rory?"
"She should be arriving in about 10 hours or so, maybe a little less. She's sorry about not mentioning Warren and she will never keep things from you again."
"She said that?"
"Yeah. She was afraid that you were angry. I told her that you were just disappointed. She really misses you, you know."
"I miss her too."
"You'll be able to see her in less than 10 hours."
"That sounds great." She lifted Luke's arms over her shoulders, leaning into his side and drifting of to sleep again, waiting till someone would wake her up and finally give her some news about her mother's condition.