"hey baby," lily said opening the door in her green silk pajamas.
In her other hand she was holding a glass of whiskey.
"hey lady where's the whiskey?" I asked.
"right here. You been drinkin?"
I took it from her and took a sip stepping inside the door closing behind me: "thanks. Yeah um I had a bit."
"there's more in the kitchen. How's she doin?"
"oh jasmine. Sorry I was just over at mogran's."
"ah ok."
"um but morgan's ok not that you asked."
lily smiled: "that's alrite."
"and rosemary's ok."
she knew it took me awhile sometimes. I had more of the whiskey as I headed into the kitchen w/ her following.
"you hungry or? I can make crepes."
lily knew how much I liked her crepes which she'd just recently learned to make.
"no i'm good. You're the third person who's asked me that today."
"oh."
"yeah so."
"right."
"um she's. Well she alternated between sleeping and being sick. And she has this terrible headache. God I just. I feel so bad for her ya know? I wish I could do more but there's really not. Much anyone can do just time really."
"patience and love."
"you sound like an eric benet album."
"that's where I got it from."
"you're an eric benet fan?" I said my voice going up in surprise.
"actually i'm not. I just like that phrase," my girlfriend answered.
"oh."
"but you're right. Love patience and time. Or w/e."
"mmm."
"and um. But I gave her ice though. She's not sure how well she'd do swallowing anything right now. Her tongue has trouble w/. things."
"mmm you want me to swallow anything for you?"
"do I want you to swallow anything for...oh," I said realising what she was getting at: "omygod. um. no. I just want to drink. And be here w/ you."
"mmm ok. Does she know about the other thing?"lily asked as I sat in an uncomfortable wooden chair at the small round table.
"no angela and I. Actually haven't yet discussed who's going to tell her. oh. God. It's been a long day. Actually it's been a long couple wks. Hey actually."
"yeah?"
"i'm having dinner tomorrow w/ angela, morgan and cory and topanga at angela's so that we can discuss this more. Leo will take alexa and lily out for pizza or something."
"oh ok."
"yeah."
"how's samantha doing w/ this?" lily asked referring to my sister sierra's daughter.
"oh she doesn't know far as I know. I'm not sure how she'd take it w/ how small and sensitive she is."
"yeah she does take after her uncle in that way."
lily was referring to cory's brother eric. He and samantha were 2 of the most sensitive people we knew.
"how's hannah doing?"
"hannah actually is doing great. She's been in remission for god what's it been 6 yrs. Now? But yeah she's great."
"she's a nurse right?"
"well actually she's in nursing school. She's a teacher."
"oh that's right."
I smiled.
"and amy and isabel?"
"are still together they just got back from brazil."
"where isabel's from," lily said.
"right," I said: "anyway."
"since hannah's in nursing school...she um. She might be able to..."
"yeah i'm not sure how jasmine would feel about that. Reallt tht less stimulation the better for her right now."
"oh. Well I know a bit about the brain. As do you. So if you want you're welcome to borrow my computer tonight..."
"yeah thanks I don't know."
another glass of whiskey appeared on the table as lily set to work on my shoulders.