"She doesn't appear to have the will to live, Mr. Pleasant."
Daniel squeezed Mary-Sue's hand as the family gathered outside Angela's hospital room. The accident had put Angela in a coma, and Jennifer Burb, Daniel's sister, her husband John, and their daughter Lucy, and Herb and Coral Oldie, Mary-Sue's parents, had rushed over. Even Cassandra, Darren's wife, Angela's boyfriend Dustin, his mother Brandi, and his brother Beau were there.
Lilith, for whatever reason, felt tears welling in her eyes again. It was her fault Angela was like this, and she knew it.
She bit her quivering lip, but to no avail. She started bawling like a baby, which got everyone's attention. Here was Lilith, who hated Angela with a passion, now crying as if her heart would break—indeed, it was already breaking.
"If only," she sobbed, as Dirk took her in his arms and did his best to comfort her, "if only I had apologized and offered to end our silly feud once and for all—"
Then she cried again, which made Dirk hold her all the closer.
"So it took an accident to make you see the light?" he asked, not unkindly. He leaned in and kissed away the tears that fell from her eyes.
"I—I guess so," Lilith said, as he held her close. "I guess in the midst of everything, I almost forgot how much I really do love her."
"Is—is there anything we can do?" John asked, as he and Jennifer tried to comfort a crying Lucy.
"I don't think there's anything you can do," the doctor replied. "You can come back tomorrow, but I don't expect anything to change."
Reluctantly, the little band walked out of the hospital back to their cars. "Let us take Lilith," Cassandra offered. "Dirk thinks the world of her."
Mary-Sue smiled sadly, and nodded her approval. "Maybe being in different surroundings will do her some good," she admitted.
"Come on," Darren smiled encouragingly as they led Lilith to their waiting car. "You can sleep on our couch tonight if you want. It's downstairs, near Dirk's room." A quick trip back to the Pleasants' to pack an overnight bag, and they were on their way to Dirk's house.