Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Ladder 49; lyrics are Illume by Stevie Nicks.

Chapter 3

As Linda opened the door to the house, she was surprised to find it spotless. Her mother had vacuumed, and cleaned the entire house.

"Mom, what are you still doing here?"

"Well hello to you too. Hi Nicky, dear. I just noticed that there were a few chores that I could do around here. And I think I should stay here for a little while longer. Seems as though I'm needed.?

"Mother, I told you. We're fine, and we don't need your help."

"That's what you want to think. Listen, if you're going to be sick now, the children need someone here to help with things. I'm not busy at all, and I want to help you."

"Listen mother, I can handle things. I don't need you to help me run my life and raise my kids. Unless you're Jack, butt out," demanded Linda, surprised at how sharp she'd said that, and at the mention of Jack.

Gloria just turned around and finished dusting a bookshelf.

"Out, right now. I don't want you here. I need to do this for myself."

Gloria looked at her daughter. She mumbled something under her breath and grabbed a duffel bag, and stormed out the door, kissing Nicky on the way out. Just as she was about to close the door, Linda yelled, "Freeze", demanded the spare keys back and Gloria proceeded out the door.

"Alright Nicky. What happened at school?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

Linda pondered for a moment. She knew Nicky should open up and get his feelings out, but she didn't want to force him too much.

"Alright. Just know that whenever you're ready to tell me, I'll be ready too. And your principal thinks that you should see the psychiatrist at school. I happen to agree. You can stay home for the rest of the week, but when you go back, you're going to talk to Dr. Epstein."

"Do I have to?" argued Nicky.

"Yes."

The afternoon passed by relatively uneventfully. Linda got sick again, but when Mike and Katie came home, she already had a snack for Katie and coffee for her and Mike.

"I just want to thank you for volunteering to do this, Mike. For helping Katie's class."

"Well, I actually get paid to do it," he said with a wink.

"What did you do to make Katie so comfortable. I thought she would have gotten upset like Nicky."

"Well, I tried to be extra careful, but I think Katie has just accepted it. I know she misses him and all, but it just isn't hitting her as it is to Nicky. How is he anyways?"

"He is pretty quiet about it all. Mr. Jones thinks he should see the school shrink. I wasn't sure at first. My mother even wants me to see someone, thinks that I'm sick over Jack."

"You're sick?" inquired Mike, with a worried expression.

"Oh, no, she is just exaggerating. She walked in on me, well, with my head in the toilet."

"Linda, I think you should go see someone. If not a shrink, at least a doctor. I would hate for you to ignore a problem and regret it later. And no offence, but you don't look well. You look tired, and I really am worried. Please promise me that you'll see a doctor."

"You too!"

"Linda, please, I've seen things happen to other families, people get torn up and neglect themselves. Promise you'll see someone."

"Mike, come on."

"Promise."

"Fine, I'll go. But it's nothing."