Two days hadn't produced much change in Abby's condition. Her fever remained the same, and she was still sluggish and miserable. Dean came and went. Sam tried to keep Abby's routine as normal as possible, which caused friction with Jess, who wanted to indulge Abby as much as she could. Abby picked up on the tension between her parents, but said nothing about it. She felt bad that they were fighting because of her. She felt bad that they had to sleep apart from each other, and miss each other, and that Kelsey didn't get to see mommy, all because of her.
When Daddy got ready to leave on the afternoon of the second day, Abby asked, "Daddy? You bringing Kessy tomorrow, right?"
Sam frowned. Abby hadn't made the progress in getting better that he'd been hoping for. "I don't know, sweetie."
"Sam…" Jess said from the chair next to the bed.
"Daddy, please bring her." Abby begged. "I trying to get better, but I need Kessy."
"Okay, baby. Okay. I'll bring Kelsey tomorrow after school. Promise."
Abby smiled. "Thank you, Daddy."
"You're welcome."
After a quick hug, Sam left the room. Kelsey done what she'd done the last three days. Ask about seeing Abby when Sam picked her up, did her homework, asked about seeing Abby again, ate her dinner, took a bath, then asked about seeing Abby one more time for good measure. Sam had been meaning to wait until he picked her up from school to tell her she was going, but after answering the question for the fifteenth time that week, he decided to do it as he tucked her into bed.
"I'm taking you to see Sissy tomorrow."
"REALLY?" Kelsey shouted, jumping up in bed and nearly knocking Sam down on the floor.
Sam laughed at her enthusiasm. "Yes. I know you're excited, but it's almost bedtime. Lay back down."
"When do we go?"
"After I pick you up from school. We'll stay until it's time for you to go to bed." Sam said.
"If you and mommy can spend the night, why can't I?" Kelsey asked.
"No. Absolutely not." Sam snapped. When Kelsey frowned and looked away, Sam forced himself to relax. "Listen, if it was up to me you could stay. But the hospital only lets a mommy or daddy stay with a kid overnight."
"It's okay, Daddy." Kelsey said. "I just really miss her."
"I know you do, kiddo." Sam said. "I know you do. But she has to get better first before she can come home."
"I know." Kelsey said. "Can we go back Saturday and Sunday?"
"Yeah." Sam promised. "Yeah, we'll go back."
"Will you do something for me, Daddy?"
"Do what?" Sam asked.
"Well, I like you being here, but I miss mommy. Will you stay with Abby tomorrow so mommy can come home? Just for one night?"
"I don't know, sweetie." Sam said. "I'll talk to mommy tomorrow, but I can't promise. Either way, we'll all be together this weekend. Okay?"
"'Kay." Kelsey answered with a yawn.
"Alright, my little noodle." Sam said, tickling Kelsey a little to try and cheer her up. "Time for sleep."
"Will you sing to me?"
"You bet. Close your eyes."
The conversation with Jess about going home with Kelsey went about as well as Sam had assumed it would. Jess didn't want to leave, and Sam was getting impatient.
"Jess, Kelsey needs you too…"
"Abby needs me more!" Jess said. "I'm sorry, I know she wants me to come home, Sam, but…"
"Mommy?"
Abby had been pretending to take a nap. She didn't want her parents to know that she'd heard them arguing, but she had to say something. She'd miss her mommy that night if she went home, but it wasn't fair that she got to see mommy and Kelsey didn't.
"Hey, baby. Did we wake you up?"
"Is okay." Abby said, rubbing her eyes so they wouldn't know she'd been awake the whole time.
"How are you feeling, baby?" Sam asked.
"I'm okay." Abby said. She turned to Jess and said, "Mommy, you should go home with Kessy tonight."
Jess took a long look at Abby, trying to decide if she was being sincere or not. "Why do you say that, honey?"
"'Cause you been here with me every day. It's not fair. Kessy needs you too."
"Honey, are you sure? If you want me to stay, I will." Jess said.
"Go, mommy. I'll be okay by myself tonight."
Sam was struck with a feeling of guilt so powerful that he felt physically ill. Why would Abby assume that they'd leave her alone rather than just switching places?
"Abby, honey, you wouldn't be by yourself. Mommy would go home with Kelsey and I'd stay here with you."
"Really?" Abby said with a smile.
"Really." Sam said. "So you're okay with it?"
"Yeah. I'm okay with it."
"Good." Sam checked the clock and saw it was almost lunchtime. "Why don't I go get her a little early?"
Abby's smile grew even bigger. "Yeah!"
"Okay. I'll be back."
Two hours later, Sam was wondering what he'd ever been thinking keeping the two girls apart. Kelsey sat on the bed with Abby, reading to her stories from Kelsey's second grade English book. The two of them were so absorbed in each other that Sam got an idea. He turned to Jess and whispered,
"Why don't we go to the cafeteria? Let them visit with each other for a few minutes?"
"Leave them alone?" Jess asked.
"They'll be fine for a few minutes." Sam said. "We just tell them not to leave the room, and to hit the pager button if there's an emergency."
"I don't know…"
"It'll be fine. I promise." Sam said. "Come on."
Jess sighed. "Only if both girls are okay with it."
"Deal." Sam said. He turned to the bed and asked, "Hey, girls. Mommy and I need to ask you something."
"What is it, Daddy?" Kelsey asked.
"Well, mom and I were talking about going down to the cafeteria and getting something to eat. Do you two think you'll be okay in here?"
"YEAH!" Both girls said at the same time, a little too eagerly for Sam's taste.
"You do not leave this room. Either of you. Understood?" Both girls nodded, and Sam pointed to the button on the wall. "If there's an emergency, press that button right there."
"We will, Daddy." Abby said.
"Alright. We'll be back soon."
When Sam and Jess walked out, Abby and Kelsey immediately started giggling. At least one of their parents was always with them, so the thought of them being able to be alone was irresistible to the two of them. Once the two giggling girls settled down, Abby looked at her sister again.
"Kessy, I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" Kelsey asked.
"For taking mommy away from you this week."
"That's not your fault." Kelsey said. "You're sick. You need mommy."
"It's not fair, Kessy." Abby said, hating herself for crying all over again. "I hate this. I want to go home."
Kelsey didn't know what to say, so she just put an arm around Abby's shoulder.
"I miss you and I miss Daddy and I miss Oscar and my bed and my clothes and my toys…" Abby cried to her sister. "And mommy and Daddy are fighting 'cause of me. I've made everybody sad."
"Sissy, it's not your fault. You can't help it that you're sick."
"I just want to go home." Abby stubbornly repeated.
Kelsey knew there wasn't a good chance it would work, but she suggested, "Maybe mommy and daddy'll let you come home for one night."
Abby thought about it, but shook her head. "No. Daddy'll never let me leave 'less the doctor says it's okay."
"Maybe I can talk to mommy about it tonight."
"You think so?" Abby asked. "You think she'll do it?"
"Maybe. I can try." Kelsey said.
"Thanks, Kessy. You're the best sister ever!" Abby grabbed her in a hug, then pointed at the book still in Kelsey's lap. "Will you read to me some more?"
"Yeah. Sure. Which one do you want?"
