CHAPTER 15: A Talk With Kristy

When we got home from the hospital, Nannie started dinner. Normally, I really like helping in the kitchen, but I was so wrapped up in worrying about Andrew that I couldn't really concentrate. In fact, I accidentally handed Nannie the chili powder instead of the paprika. It's a good thing she noticed.

After dinner, I decided to talk to Kristy. If there's one person I can always count on, she's the one. I don't know what I'd do without her.

I walked into Kristy's room and found her sitting on the bed. The look on her face was so blank that I couldn't tell whether or not she'd been crying. "Kristy?" I asked.

She looked startled, then saw me standing there. I guessed she hadn't heard me come in. "Yeah?" she asked.

"Can I talk to you?"

"Sure. Have a seat."

She scooted over, and I sat down beside her. I don't know why, but I couldn't help noticing that she was wearing the plaid slippers I'd gotten her for Christmas last year.

"So, how are you holding up?" she asked, putting an arm around me.

"I still can't get what happened today out of my head," I confessed. "I also couldn't help wondering how Andrew must feel about having to spend the night in the hospital."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Kristy said. "I felt the same way when I had my appendix out."

"Remember the card I sent?" I reminded her.

"Oh, yeah," she said. I could tell she was laughing, because her eyes get really narrow, and she gets little wrinkles in her face. It makes her look like that one girl elf from The Santa Clause. "I know what S.W.A.K. means, too."

"Do you?"

She nodded. "Sealed With A Kiss."

"Aaanywaaay..." we both said. I couldn't help giggling.

"Let's not forget the time I fell out of my treehouse at Mommy's and had my spleen removed," I pointed out.

"Ow," Kristy shuddered. "That had to have hurt, huh?"

"Oh, you have no idea," I said. "After I got out of the hospital, I was so afraid of having another accident that I actually considered making all of my clothes out of foam rubber!" Even though I don't like to talk about that, I had to laugh with Kristy.

"Boy, it's a good thing you saw Jason when you did," Kristy commented. "Otherwise, Andrew would still be lying there, and I would've lost it long before you did."

"I know. He was so nice to me when I was sitting on the curb and crying like a baby. And you know what? He called me 'love'."

"Really?"

I nodded. "I don't think he even noticed that I was getting his shirt all wet. I even kissed him."

"Yeah, I saw," Kristy said. "You know, just between the two of us, if I were you, I would've kissed him, too."

I knew you thought he was cute, I thought.

"So, do you think Andrew has a concussion?" I asked worriedly.

"I don't know, kiddo," Kristy sighed. "I hope not. But you know, if it wasn't for his helmet, he could've either busted his head open or suffered brain damage. So let's at least be thankful that he was wearing it."

"Oh, absolutely," I agreed, laying my head on Kristy's shoulder. I wasn't crying yet, but a tear slid down my face anyway. Kristy wiped it away with her thumb.

"Shh," she whispered. Normally, Kristy hates it when people cry, but considering what we'd just been through, she was willing to make an exception. "He'll be all right."

I gave Kristy a hug. I'm so glad I have someone like her to talk to.