Janey pulled up in front of the hospital. Susie immediately made a mad dash for Kasey's door. Kasey was unbuckled and lifted from her seat. It had been a long time since she had been picked up. She bounced with her mother's steps.

Entering a hospital was something Kasey had never done before. She turned her head as much as she could, taking in the new sights. Suddenly, her mother turned and stopped.

"Hi. My husband's here. Calvin Grayson. I need to see him." Susie sounded scared and rushed, her words slurring together and all in one breath.

Kasey was facing away from the counter, but the reply sounded friendly and calm. "Yes, Mrs. Grayson. Your husband is on the third floor. 318 C. The elevators are down the hall."

"Thank you," Susie exhaled. She put Kasey down. Just then, the doors opened and Janey entered the hospital. She followed them to the elevators.

Despite all this, Kasey was determined to look happy for her dad. She had to show him she was a big girl and wasn't scared. Yet, her heart continued to pound in her ears and her hands kept sweating.

The elevator made Kasey's stomach drop a little. When the elevator doors opened, the hallways were white with brown accents. The floors were shiny from being freshly washed. People in green uniforms walked briskly, eager to help all the people they could. Susie squeezed her hand.

"God, it smells like death. Calvin better get out of here soon," Susie muttered to Janey. Janey chuckled.

As the three of them walked down the seemingly endless hallway, they passed a child leaning on a hospital bed. Lying in the bed was a man limply holding her hand. The man had his eyes closed. Susie had stopped to ask a doctor for directions to Calvin's room, so Kasey continued to look in the room. The child's shoulders shook.

"What am I going to do without you Daddy?" the child cried, "I'm so scared."

A woman approached the child and put her hands on their shoulders. The child turned and embraced the woman and cried.

Suddenly, Kasey felt resistance on her hand. Susie was pulling her along. "Come on sweetie." She followed once again.

Look at that baby, Kasey thought, She's scared. I'll bet she's younger than me. I'm not scared…I'm not scared…

318 C. This was it. This was Calvin's room.

Susie was just standing there, not opening the door. Her eyes were huge and locked on the doorknob.

"Susie?" Janey said softly, "Do you want to go home?"

She snapped her head at Janey, her eyes still frightened. "No," she said quickly, "I-I have to see him."

"Maybe Kasey should stay out here with me." Janey lightly patted Susie's arm, but Susie yanked away abruptly.

"No," Susie said louder, "She needs to see her father. Come on Kasey." She took Kasey's hand and opened the door.

Calvin was awake, he had heard them outside. He was determined to cheer up his favorite girls. Next to his mother, of course. She had come by earlier, worrying her pretty little head off. She had asked the doctor ten times if he was sure Calvin was ok, Calvin and his dad exchanged that look, and they left.

In walked Susie and Kasey. Susie looked awful. She was terrified. Calvin smiled to show her he was alright, and she seemed to relax a little.

Kasey, on the other hand, looked almost confident. Calvin was skeptical. It wasn't like his daughter to look this optimistic. Something was going on.

"Hi Dad!" Kasey cried and ran up to Calvin's bed and hugged him the best she could. Calvin hugged her back. This is weird, he thought, She never hugs me.

Susie approached his bed without words and sat down in a chair beside him. When Kasey let go of Calvin, Susie held his hand. Calvin looked into her sweet eyes and tried to tell her everything would be ok without saying anything. Calvin wasn't sure she got the message or not, but she smiled at him.

"Dad, when are you coming home?" Kasey asked, looking up at Calvin innocently.

"Soon sweetie," Calvin replied, "Very soon."

Kasey crossed her arms and scowled. "You also say I'll be out of school soon, but that was forever ago. So, when are you going to come home?"

Calvin chuckled at his clever daughter. Before answering, he turned to Susie and said quietly, "Remind you of someone you know?" After Susie chuckled slightly, he turned to Kasey and said, "I'll be home in a couple days, ok Kasey? Is that soon enough?"

She smiled. "Yep! See? Isn't it better to be honest? Things work out a lot better that way."

"I wish the rest of the world knew that," said Calvin.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, never mind. How's Hobbes?"

"He's good. He was telling me about the things you and Mom would say to each other."

This time Susie laughed. "Oh that takes me back. Your dad and I loved to tease each other!"

Kasey nodded. "I know! You guys were really funny!"

Calvin nodded then said, "Kasey, honey, why don't you go out in the waiting room, ok? Mom and I need to talk for a little while."

"Yeah," Susie said, "Find Janey and tell her your dad is ok and she can find you something to do."

Calvin looked at Susie questioningly. "Janey brought you here?"

"Um…yeah," Susie muttered then lowered her eyes. Calvin squeezed her hand.

Though Kasey didn't really get why Susie was acting so strange all of a sudden, she did what she was told.

She found Janey sitting in a chair outside Calvin's room. Janey stood. "Is your dad ok?"

"Uh huh. But Mom wanted to talk to him for some reason. She's acting weird."

Janey looked through the window on Calvin's door. Susie had her face buried in Calvin's shoulder and Calvin was holding her. Janey bent down on one knee to see eye to eye with Kasey.

"Your mom is a little bit scared right now. She'll be fine; just don't worry her too much for the next few days while your dad is recovering, ok?"

Kasey scowled again. "Mom isn't scared. She's never scared. I'm not scared either! Mom and Dad are probably having an imperative conversation right now. They just want to converse in peace. Mom isn't scared!"

Janey stood up suddenly, taken aback. At the same time she suppressed a smile at Kasey's vocabulary. She frowned. "Kasey, don't argue with me. Let's go to the waiting room now." Janey held out her hand.

"No! I don't need to hold your hand! I'm not a baby!" Kasey crossed her arms and sulked to the elevator. Janey walked beside her.

They sat in the waiting room for a long time. At least, it was a long time to Kasey. All she had to do was watch the second hand go around and around the clock. Janey told her to go play with the toys, but Kasey refused. She didn't want to be seen with such babyish toys.

Finally, Susie walked into the waiting room with a solemn look on her face. Kasey ran up to her and hugged her. Susie was stiff, but smiled.

"Let's go home," she said and gestured Janey to follow them to the car.

"Ok Mom," said Kasey happily. There was no way Susie was scared.

And neither was she.