Jackie's just dropped the girl's off to school, the next morning, when her phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Jackie, this is Elaina, from Dr. Marks office. He wanted me to schedule a follow up appointment with you."
"A follow up appointment? Why?"
"He just wanted to go over your lab work with you."
"Just send it to me."
"He wants to go over it with you in person."
"Is something wrong?"
"He just asked me to call you."
"Ok, when does he want to see me?"
"Today."
"Today?! Are you sure?"
"As soon as possible. When is the soonest you can be here? Do you work today?"
"No, I'm off."
"Will eight o'clock work for you?"
Jackie looks at her watch, "It's seven twenty."
"So will it?"
"Ok. I'll be there at eight."
"Great, I'll see you then."
Jackie hangs up the phone, and hails a cab. Half an hour later, she finds herself at the doctor's office. She signs in, and takes a seat in the waiting room, with about a dozen other women, who have all been there longer than she has. Her name is the first to be called.
She follows the nurse back to the exam room. She takes a seat, and waits on the doctor. She watches the clock on the wall, just waiting for her fate. Her thoughts run rampant. Less than two minutes later the doctor knocks on the door. He comes in, and shakes her hand.
"So," Jackie starts, "by the sense of urgency I assume that you found something?"
"You're a nurse?"
"Yes," she nods.
He opens the manila folder, and hands the lab work to her. She thumbs through it, reading each page, carefully. She looks up at him.
"They're all negative," she shoots him a questioning look.
He slides the paper out of her hands. He takes the final sheet out of the manila folder.
"Correct," he holds out the final sheet of paper.
"What's this?" she questions, without looking at it.
He hands it to her. She studies the final page very carefully. She reads, and re-reads it. She looks up at him, in confusion.
"There's been some mistake," Jackie tells him.
"No mistake."
"A mix up," Jackie suggests.
"It's easy enough to find out."
"But..."
Before she can argue anymore, the nurse is coming into the room. The next several minutes, are a blur. When she leaves the doctor's office she feels numb, and confused. She heads home, in silence. Before she gets there she pulls out her phone. She dials a familiar number.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Kevin, it's me."
"Did you get the girls off to school?"
"Yeah."
"Jackie, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she lies.
"You don't sound fine."
"I just called to ask you a favor."
"Ok?"
"Can you pick the girls up from school tonight?"
"It's your night," he points out.
"I know. I'm sorry. You probably have plans..."
"Jackie, what's going on?"
"Can you keep them?"
"Of course I can. Are you alright?"
"I'll be fine."
"Are you sure?"
"I just found out that I have strep, and I don't want to give it to the girls. They don't need to miss any school."
"Ok," he agrees.
"Thanks," she hangs up.
When she gets home, she takes a shower, and puts a clean pair of pajamas on. Emotionally defeated, she climbs into bed. She's made it all the way from the bed, to the couch, by the time Zoey gets home.
"Why are you on the couch?" Zoey questions, walking in the door.
"I just am."
"You look defeated."
"Pretty much."
"Where are the girls?"
"With Kevin."
"Why?"
"It's a long story."
"What's going on?"
"Nothing," she lies.
"O'Hara told me."
"Told you what?"
"What Cruz said."
"Oh."
"Is this about that?"
"No."
"Jackie, are you ok? You don't look very good."
"I think I'm just going to go to bed."
"It's not even eight o'clock, and you're in your pajama's already. Something is going on," Zoey confronts her.
"Drop it Zoey."
"I can't."