When Maureen came to, she looked around and noticed that she was on a beach. She saw, lying face down, a few feet away from her, was her unconscious mother. "Mom!" Maureen ran and tried to wake her mom up. She stood and looked around, "help! Somebody, please, help!" She heard moaning and realized her mother was waking up. "Mom," Maureen knelt next to her mother.
"Maureen," Della mumbled, "you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
Della rolled over, "where are we?"
"I don't know." When Della tried to sit up, the Earth started to spin. She moaned and laid back down. "Mom, just stay here. I'll look around for a bit."
"No," Della said, "you're not leaving my sight."
Maureen looked around, "at least let me find stuff for a fire."
"Only if you keep talking to me."
"Okay," Maureen stood and went to gather what she needed. She kept talking to her mother about nothing in particular. The girl had noticed that her mother had lost weight and looked exhausted. The woman was also coughing.
Maureen set up the items and actually managed to start a fire. She noticed her mother was sitting up with her head in her hand. "Mom, what are you doing?"
"Trying to move."
Maureen walked over, "here, you'll hurt yourself if you try on your own." The teen managed to get her mother on her feet long enough to sit her near the fire. "You're probably getting sick again."
"I'm fine," Della said.
Maureen had questions for her mother but wasn't ready to ask them yet. "Are you warming up?"
"Yes," Della said, "are you?"
"Yes," Maureen answered. "I know you're exhausted, but you should probably stay awake for now."
"I'll try, sweetheart." Della was having trouble keeping her eyes open. She felt tired and weak. "Maureen, I just need to close them for a minute."
"Mom, no," Maureen said, "you might have a head injury."
"I'm sorry I gave up on you."
"I didn't give you much choice."
"It was wrong."
"It's okay, mom."
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I can't stay awake. Don't be frightened. I'm sure daddy's almost here," Della shut her eyes.
"Mom? Mom?" Maureen tried to wake her mother up. When she couldn't, she began to cry.
After what felt like hours, Maureen heard a voice. "Maureen!" Perry yelled when he spotted his daughter.
"Daddy! Hurry!"
Perry ran over, "is she alright?"
Maureen was crying, "she couldn't stay awake any longer. She was coughing and dizzy."
"Are you alright?"
"I think so. Where are we?"
"Not far from that cliff."
The paramedics arrived and began to treat Della. She was taken to the hospital in an ambulance. Tragg drove Perry and Maureen to the hospital. Maureen was checked out and aside from some bruising and cuts, she was fine. She just had to take it easy for a little while. The doctors were concerned about Della developing pneumonia again.
Maureen walked into her mother's room, "hi, mom."
"Hi, sweetheart," Della smiled.
Maureen walked over and gently hugged her mom before taking a seat. "Why did you do it?"
"Why did I do what?"
"Jump in after me."
"You're my daughter."
"I've been so horrible to you."
"You've been a teenager."
"You could have died. I mean, you just got over being sick."
"It's a small price to pay if it means my child is safe." Della looked closely at her daughter and knew what the girl was thinking, "Maureen, I don't want you to blame yourself. None of this is your fault."
"I know, but it's hard."
Della moved over a bit, "come here," she patted the spot next to her. Maureen carefully climbed onto the bed and into her mother's arms. Della held her daughter as the girl began to cry. "That's it," she said softly, "just let it all out. You're safe now." The girl cried herself to sleep and then Della allowed herself to silently cry. That's when Perry walked in.
"Everything okay?"
Della just nodded, "don't wake her." She could tell her husband had been crying too.
"I wouldn't dare. However, I would like you to go to sleep for a bit."
"Are you mad at me?"
"For what?"
"Jumping off that cliff."
"I was worried, but not mad. I would have done the same thing. I'm just glad you're both alright. Now, you can start eating regularly again. Don't think I haven't noticed you not taking care of yourself."
"I was desperate to find her. I didn't have time."
"Well, you have time now."
"I'm so tired."
"Then go to sleep."
"I feel like I've been sleeping for months."
"Your body needs the rest." Perry leaned in closer to his wife, "Maureen is safe. I'm not going anywhere. I'll be here when you wake up and so will Maureen."
"We almost lost her."
"But we didn't. Now, go to sleep."
Della closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep. When he was sure she was out, Perry started to cry again. Della was right. They had come so close to losing Maureen. He also came close to losing Della. Something he wasn't ready for. Something he'd never be ready for.
