I'm sick of being sick, Vivienne thought, as she sat on the couch feeling sorry for herself. It was about 4:30 in the afternoon, she was wearing sweats, wrapped in a blanket, and sipping tea. Her main problem was that she wasn't sick sick; she had gotten a pretty bad cold a couple weeks earlier, and she was still stuck with a pretty bad cough, and she was more tired than usual. It was bad enough to be annoying and uncomfortable, without making her sick enough to miss school. Still, her grandmother had told her to stay warm and rest so she wouldn't get any worse.

Vivienne sighed. She'd spent the past three days not doing much of anything, and that felt like forever to the eleven-year-old. She started to cough again, which sounded gross from all of the gunk in her lungs and made her chest hurt. She groaned and leaned back against the pillows. For once, grandma's advice did not appear to be doing much good. Vivienne didn't want to feel like this anymore. She wanted to go run around outside with her friends for more than two minutes before she felt like she couldn't breathe and wanted to go lie down.

"Hey, Vivienne?"

Charlotte had appeared in the doorway. She had changed out of her green and white school uniform and into a hot pink sweater dress and black leggings. The top of her caramel brown hair was pulled back, but for the most part it tumbled in loose curls down her back.

"Hey, Vivienne," the almost eight year old repeated. "You know the skating party they're having in Pearson Plaza?"

"Yeah," Vivienne responded. Pearson Plaza was a shopping center in their town, and in the center there was an outdoor skating rink. Every year at Christmas time they had a party where all of the food places in the Plaza provided refreshments and some of the stores set up booths and the stores all decorated their windows with different themes. One of the local radio stations played music and everyone skated and had a great time. Most of the town was probably there right now.

"Well, I'm too young to go alone, so can you come with me?" Charlotte asked.

Vivienne desperately wanted to say yes. She wanted to do something, and she didn't think it was fair that Charlotte would have to miss it. But skating around in the cold was probably not the best thing for he at the moment.

"Gee, Lottie I wish I could but I can't. I'm sick, remember." She gestured down at her sweats and the cup of tea. "Where's Mom?"

"Um, she's running some errands," Charlotte said to her shoes. "For you know, the dinner she's getting together for Toby when he comes home."

Vivienne's heart twisted. Toby was always still the priority child to mom, even now that he was off at boarding school. If anything, that had made it worse. Now whenever he came home, her mother made it into a huge deal. At the moment she was probably off renting a part room at some restaurant or something.

Vivienne saw the look of disappointment on Charlotte's face. She clearly really wanted to go. It wasn't fair that she had to miss out because of Toby when he wasn't even there. Vivienne thought about it for a moment. She had been pretty upset herself when she'd realized she was going to miss the skating party this year. And she was so bored just sitting on the couch doing nothing. She wanted to get up and move and see her friends. She decided one afternoon skating party wouldn't hurt.

"You know what Charlotte," she said. "I can go with you. Some fresh air would probably be good for me. We probably can't stay long, though."

Charlotte's face lit up, she dove onto the couch, threw her arms around Vivienne, and hissed her cheek.

"Oh, really, Vivienne? Thank you, thank you thank you so, so much!" she squealed excitedly. Vivienne grinned. If this was going to make her sister this happy, it had to be worth it.

"You're welcome," Vivienne said. "Just let me go get changed, okay? Can you tell Mr. Lawrence to get the car?"

"Uh-huh," Charlotte chirped, hopping off of the couch. She practically skipped out of the room as she went to look for the family's chauffer. Vivienne went to get changed into something nicer. To uphold her promise to her grandmother that she would keep warm, she piled on layers: a long-sleeved t-shirt, a sweater, and a sweatshirt all under her heavy winter coat, leggings under her jeans, gloves, a scarf, and a hat. She was practically sweating as she stood in the hallway waiting for the car. Beside her, Charlotte couldn't stand still. She was a little blur of fluffy pink bouncing up and down and left and right. When the car pulled up in front of the house, she shot out of the door like a bottle rocket and was practically buckled up before Vivienne even reached the bottom of the stairs.

"C'mon, slow poke!" Charlotte called out after her sister.

Vivienne stuck her tongue out at her sister, and paused at the bottom of the stairs. She took a deep breath, loving the feeling of the cold, fresh air. It made her cough a little bit, but she hardly noticed. It was so nice to really be outside for the first time in a few days.

"Vivienne!" Charlotte called again. Vivienne rolled her eyes and climbed in the car.

"Well somebody's impatient," Vivienne teased. Charlotte blushed a little.

"Sorry," she said. "I've just been waiting for this party since Thanksgiving!"

"I know," Vivienne grinned.

"I wish it was snowing," Charlotte confessed. "I remember two years ago, when Daddy took us to the skating party, and it snowed. It was so pretty! Do you remember that, Vivvie?"

"Uh-huh," Vivienne nodded. "I remember we stayed until the party was over, and then Daddy took us to the diner for dinner, and then you fell asleep on the car ride home."

"That was the last time Toby was at home for the skating party," Charlotte reminisced. "But he didn't go with us. He went with is friends."

"Yeah," Vivienne said. Sometimes, it was hardly noticeable that Toby was at boarding school. For most of his seventh and eighth grade years, he had hardly been at home; he had always been out with his friends. And when he was home, he hadn't been very pleasant, so Vivienne couldn't say she exactly missed him either.

As the car drove on, Vivienne and Charlotte talked; about school, Christmas, books they were reading, Charlotte's cheerleading, Vivienne's play. It startled Vivienne a little that she was having such a normal conversation with her sister. She had always seen Charlotte as the Baby, but she suddenly realized that Charlotte wasn't much of a baby anymore.

When the car arrived at Pearson's Plaza, Vivienne and Charlotte were practically out of the car before it stopped moving.

"Thank you Mr. Lawrence!" Vivienne called over her shoulder as she and Charlotte raced to join the entrance line. The party had only started about 20 minutes earlier, so the line was still pretty short, and it wasn't very long before the girls found themselves in what felt like was another world. Pearson's Plaza went all out for the holiday season: all of the shops had a wreath on the door, there were garlands strung from the rooftops and around lampposts and benches, and fake snow was dusted on all of the trees and bushes. It was a surprising a plane didn't accidentally land on the plaza because of how brightly it was lit up: everywhere one looked sparkled and glowed with lights of all colors. Vivienne thought it looked like all of the stars had come down from the sky and landed on the Plaza. The most amazing part was the tree. It was about 30 feet tall and glowed brightly enough to light up half of the town. It was covered in glass ornaments that sparkled and reflected everywhere.

For a moment, Vivienne and Charlotte just stood and looked around admiringly, huge smiles on their faces. The Pearson's Plaza skating party was one of those magical things about Christmas that no matter how old they got, they always felt like they were four again. They stood there, almost as if they were under a spell, drinking in the magic and happiness of it all. It wasn't until they heard someone calling their names that they snapped out of it.

"Viv! Charlotte!" Jessie Stencer called as she marched across the plaza, her 3-year-old brother Michael in one hand and her brother Benny, who was 8, followed behind. Also with them was Vivienne and Jessie's friend Maya Wilkerson. The group was grinning from ear to ear as they rushed over to the Kensington sisters.

"Vivienne!" Jessie squealed as she and Maya threw their arms around their best friend.

"Hi," Vivienne giggled.

"We didn't think you we're going to come," Maya explained. "How do you feel?"

"Better, thanks," Vivienne said. "Besides, I've never missed the skating party!"

"It's one of the best things about Christmas," Charlotte added.

"Let's hurry up and get our skates on while the ice is still nice and smooth," Maya suggested.

This suggestion was met with enthusiasm, and they raced to put on their skates and get out on the ice. Benny and Charlotte broke went off, leaving the rest behind. They were only a few months apart, but Benny was in third grade and Charlotte was in second because she had been born after the cut off date. Even though they weren't in the same class they still got along pretty well because their sisters were best friends. Little Mikey had to stay with Jessie because he was too young to go off by himself and no one trusted the 8-year-olds to take care of the toddler. But if he had any problem being stuck with his older sister and her friends, Mikey didn't show it. He looked around with the biggest smile on his face, drinking in all of the magic.

There was no doubt Vivienne, Jessie, and Maya were having the times of their lives. They shrieked with giggles as the glided over the ice, talking and singing and having a blast. Once they got tired of skating they darted around the plaza, eating and admiring all of the booths and window displays. Vivienne had only intended to stay for an hour or so, but the party was almost over before she called Mr. Lawrence to come pick her and Charlotte up.

Vivienne hadn't been coughing- or at least hadn't been noticing it- the entire evening, but once she was no longer in constant motion it seemed to start up again. The coughing attack seemed to be a little worse and last a little longer than it had earlier, but Vivienne brushed aside, mainly because she was too tired and cold to care. She had realized until her friends left how much energy she had been spending and just how low the temperature had gotten. Even once she got inside the car, she couldn't stop shivering. At home, she had just enough energy to kiss her parents goodnight, put on her pajamas, and crawl into bed.

The next morning Vivienne woke up cocooned in several warm blankets, but she found herself shivering. And she was still really tired… she had been coughing so badly last night that's she'd woken herself up at least five times. Her throat was starting to feel sore because of it. She went to sit up and was doubled over by another coughing fit. There was no mistake, her cough was definitely much worse than it had been the day before. Maybe going to that skating party wasn't such a good idea after all.

She dressed as quickly as she could and stumbled down to breakfast, where Charlotte was entertaining their parents with every detail of the skating party the night before.

"And then I started to fall so I grabbed Benny's hand, and then we both fell and slid in to the wall and it was so funny and we started laughing!" The little girl giggled. She noticed her older sister had entered the room. "Good morning Vivvie! Did you see that happen?"

"No I didn't," Vivienne said, "but sure sounds like it was funny!"

"It's funny because no one got hurt," Daddy said. "Then it would have been hysterical!"

His daughter's laughed (well, Vivienne half-laughed, half-coughed), but his wife gave him a reproachful look.

"It wouldn't have been funny if anyone had gotten hurt, or if your clothes had been ruined," she said. "Charlotte, you're getting a little old to play so rough."

"Oh, come on Elizabeth, anyone can fall while they're ice-skating," Mr. Kensington said defensively. "Besides, she's still practically a baby."

"Eight years old is hardly a baby, William," her mother replied.

Vivienne and Charlotte looked silently between their parents. They could sense a fight would be coming. Seeing the desperate looks in his daughter's eyes, William Kensington swallowed.

"We'll have this discussion later, Liz," he said coolly. "Vivienne, Sweet Pea, eat your breakfast."

"Okay," Vivienne said. She looked down at the waffles on her plate and her stomach churned. She didn't feel hungry at all she felt sick. She was wondering if it was because she had clearly come down with something, or just because it wasn't even 8 in the morning and her parents were already revving up for a full-blown fight. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

Although her parents managed to remain civil at least as long as their children were in the house, it was the kick-off to a fairly lousy day for Vivienne. As hard as she tried not to let how she felt affect her, it did. She was too tired and out of it to concentrate on her work, which aggravated her teachers when they had to call her name at least three times before she responded. She had forgotten to read for English class the night before and failed a pop quiz. She got hit with a basketball during gym class, and her head didn't stop hurting all day. Jessie noticed that Vivienne didn't seem herself and asked her if she was okay.

"I'm fine," Vivienne snapped. Pain flashed through Jessie's eyes, and Vivienne felt guilty. She muttered an apology. She hadn't been trying to be mean to Jessie; but she wasn't feeling well, and that always made her cranky.

The end of the day could not have come to soon for Vivienne. She changed out of her uniform, showered, and put her pajamas on as soon as she got home. She wouldn't usually have done that, but after being uncomfortable all day she couldn't handle having to wear real clothes.

Unfortunately, the shower did not relax her or make her comfortable enough to be able to concentrate on her homework. She kept zoning out, making it take twice as long to get her homework done. She made herself a sandwich for dinner- she didn't really feel hungry,- but she still wasn't finished by the time her mother got home that evening. Mrs. Kensington was less than thrilled to find her older daughter already wearing her pajamas and still doing her homework.

"Well, I see someone was feeling lazy today," she said.

"Hi mom," Vivienne responded weakly. "Sorry I just… there's a lot of it."

"Toby had the same teachers as you do and he always managed to get his homework done in a timely fashion."

"Yes mom," Vivienne replied. She wasn't up to having an argument with her mother about how she wasn't her brother.

"And, really Vivienne, you're a young lady now, you can't just lounge around the house in your pajamas all day," Mrs. Kensington pressed.

This time, Vivienne didn't respond. She knew whatever she said wouldn't have been the right thing. Only Toby apparently had that special ability.

Vivienne kept working on her homework. She wasn't sure when she fell asleep, but she must have because at around 9 o'clock her father came found and found her fast asleep with her head on her homework. Gently, he shook her awake.

"Vivvie? Vivienne baby, wake up," he said softly.

Vivienne's eyes opened. For a moment she was confused. She sat up looked around before remembering.

"Hi Daddy," she coughed. It ripped at her already raw throat, sent a throb of pain through her already pounding head, and made her chest ache. "When did you come home?"

"Just now," her father responded as rubbed her back with one hand. The other hand he used to feel her forehead and cheeks. "Viv, are you feeling okay? You feel sort of warm."

"I think I caught another cold," she responded.

"Hmm," he said, sounding a little worried. "Do think you could go to school tomorrow?"

For a moment, Vivienne considered telling him that she didn't. But she knew he had a lot to do at work so he couldn't take the day off, and her mother was also busy and wouldn't be happy having to interrupt her day to take care of Vivienne, so the eleven-year-old girl decided to bite the bullet for the sake of family peace.

"Yeah, I'll be fine," she assured him. "It's just a cold."

"Hm," her father repeated, as if he didn't quite believe her. "Well, we'll see how you feel tomorrow. If you still really don't feel well, I'll take you to the doctor's, okay?"

"Okay," Vivienne agreed.

"C'mon," her dad said as he patted her back. "Why don't you get up to bed?"

"But my homework…" Vivienne protested.

"Isn't as important as your health," Mr. Kensington cut in. "No arguments Vivvie, you need your rest."

As Vivienne climbed up the stairs to her bedroom, she caught herself smiling. She remembered one Toby had gotten a cold and had complained that he couldn't finish his book report. Daddy hadn't told him that his health was more important than his homework. Daddy had told him to be a man and finish it.

Maybe Toby didn't always win after all.

…

"Vivienne, I know you might get mad at me for saying this, like you got mad at Jessie yesterday. But I'm not gonna ask you, I'm just gonna tell you: you're not okay, you need to go home," Maya said firmly.

Vivienne was leaning on the wall outside of her history classroom with her eyes closed. Her cheeks were flushed but the rest of her face was bloodless and her eyes were shadowed with dark smudges. She opened her eyes. They were glassy with fever, and she looked dazed.

"'M okay," she said hoarsely. Another wave of coughing caused her to bring up mucus and she swayed on her feet. With a terrified expression on her face Jessie handed her friend a tissue and then put a hand to the sick girls forehead.

"Oh, Viv, you're face is on fire!" she exclaimed, shocked, "Vivienne, not you're not okay. Please go home and go to the doctor's!"

Vivienne folded the tissue quickly so her friends couldn't see the pinkish tinge in the mucus.

"Jessie, I really want to, but I can't," Vivienne croaked. "Toby's coming home tomorrow afternoon and we're having the dinner and my mom is really busy. And I can't ask my Dad to drive all of the way home."

"What about your grandma," Maya suggested. "Doesn't she get home from Paris today?"

"Not until this afternoon," Vivienne said

"My mom will take you," Jessie offered. "She'd have no problem, really. She loves you."

"I couldn't do that to her," Vivienne said. "It's Christmas, she's got enough to do plus your Mikey, she doesn't need me to worry about."

"But you need someone to worry about you," Jessie said desperately. The class started to file into the classroom. Jessie and Maya exchanged a look. Maya took the books out of Vivienne's arms and carried them for her and Jessie kept her hand on her friends elbow, trying to support her as best she could.

"Look, I'll be fine," Vivienne insisted as she took her seat and Maya plopped her books in front of her. "It's probably just…"

Her sentence was cut off by another coughing fit.

"Vivienne Thelma Kensington if you dare say this is just a cold I will smack Jessie," Maya warned.

"Hey!" Jessie exclaimed indignantly.

"Well, I can't slap her, she's sick!" Maya explained. "You were the next best option!"

"Alright, alright, fine I don't have a cold," Vivienne sighed. She had been using what was left of her strength to try to persuade her friends she was okay, but that was depleting. She couldn't hold up an argument much longer. "I think it's just the flu."

"Just the flu?" Jessie said. "Vivienne, when I had the flu I missed school for a whole week! When you get the flu it's not a 'just' kind of thing!"

"My grandma will be home tomorrow, I'll stay home," Vivienne compromised. "I just I have to make it through today."

"Put your head down," Jessie advised. "Mr. Graber won't notice; he never does."

"Okay," Vivienne relented. Normally, she never would have agreed, but she didn't have the strength to keep her head up. Vivienne always paid attention in class and did very well; her parents expected nothing less from their children. But today she just couldn't do it. She folded her arms and rested her head on the desk. She felt Jessie pat her head.

"Poor kid," Vivienne heard Maya say.

Vivienne smiled to herself. Maya called everybody "kid" no matter how old they were.

The rest of Vivienne's day was hazy. She felt too sock to even try to eat something at lunch, but her friends made her drink water. She was barely aware that the bell even rang at the end of the day. Jessie and Maya walked her to her locker, backed her bags, and made sure she got into the car safely. During the car ride, Vivienne could hear Charlotte chattering, but couldn't focus on what the younger girl was saying. When the car got to the mansion. Vivienne stumbled into the kitchen where her mother was on the phone.

Mrs. Kensington waved quickly "hello" to her daughter and then turned away.

"Mom," Vivienne tried to say, but her mother didn't respond. She felt dizzy. "Mom I…"

She doubled over from another fit of coughing. In the mucus that was expelled from her lungs she could taste blood. The world spun faster, and it was starting to turn gray. She gripped the counter. Her mother tried to wave her to silence.

"Mommy please," Vivienne managed to wheeze before the floor tilted up to meet her and the world dissolved into darkness.

…

Vivienne woke up in a bed. The smell of hand sanitizer was overwhelming. The room was cool, and the bed didn't feel like her bed, and whatever she was wearing definitely weren't her pajamas. She felt like there was something pricking her arm. She could hear people talking.

"Liz, take her home."

"I don't wanna go! I wanna stay here with Vivvie!"

Vivienne's eyes fluttered open. She was in a hospital room. The prick in her arm was an IV drip. She watched as her father turned from her mother to Charlotte, who was standing with her feet firmly planted and her balled fists at her side. Grandma was standing behind her granddaughter with her hands on the little girl's shoulders. Daddy knelt down in front of Charlotte

"It's getting late, honey, you need to go to sleep," he explained.

"Me?" Mrs. Kensington cut in, indignantly. "Why do I have to leave? She's my daughter too!"

"Oh, now you want to pay her attention?" Mr. Kensington snapped, as he whirled to face her. "How could you not see how sick she was?"

"I was distracted!" his wife shot back. "She came in while I was on the phone and she just collapsed!"

"Vivienne was trying to tell you she was sick and you told her to be quiet I heard you!" Charlotte announced, her small frame trembling. She spun around and buried her head against her grandmother. Grandma wrapped her arms around Charlotte and looked up.

"If you weren't always so concerned with Toby, Elizabeth…" she started.

"Well I'm sorry that I can't be like you two brush Toby off while I treat the girls like they're perfect princesses," Elizabeth snapped.

"Oh come off of it Liz you pamper that boy so much we have to indulge the girls or they'll feel like no one loves them," William replied. "They're already sure you don't."

"Now don't you dare accuse me…" Vivienne's mother started

"Please don't fight," Vivienne croaked. The entire family silenced and turned around to look at her, relief flooding each face.

"Vivienne!" Charlotte said excitedly as she bounded over. In a matter of moments the entire family had gathered around her bed. Charlotte threw herself at Vivienne and hugged her. Mr. Kensington knelt by his daughter's bed and stroked her hair with one hand. As he bent forward to kiss her forehead, she could see his eyes were filled with tears. Her mother was actually crying, and her grandmother was looking gratefully upwards, her hands clasped together.

"Hey everybody," Vivienne whispered.

"Hey honey," her father said quietly. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired and feel kind of achy still," Vivienne told him. "What happened?"

She had some foggy memories of being carried and people crying and a car ride and the hospital, but nothing was clear enough to make any sense.

"You fainted," her mother her explained. She was now sitting on her daughter's bed, clutching Vivienne's hand and crying. "I brought you to the ER. You've got double pneumonia, Sweat Pea. Your fever was 105.7 when I brought you in, and they said you were exhausted and dehydrated. They're giving you an IV for the antibiotics and to rehydrate you."

"Oh," Vivienne said. "What time is it?"

"It's 10 o'clock," her grandma said.. "You've been out for about six and a half hours." She smoothed some hair off of Vivienne's face, leaned forward and kissed her. "Some one should tell the nurse."

No one moved, no one wanted to leave Vivienne right after she'd just woken up.

"Well alright then," Grandma said as she stood. "I'll be right back, honey."

"Oh, Vivvie," her father said, "Why didn't you tell me last night how sick you were?"

"Because I knew you were busy at work and mommy was busy with the party and I didn't want to cause any trouble," Vivienne told him. She coughed a little. It still hurt, but it felt a little better than before.

"Oh, Vivvie," her mother said. She leaned forward and rubbed Vivienne's back, her eyes filled with pain and fear. "Is that what you really thought?"

Vivienne looked down at her lap. Her mother wasn't perfect; she clearly favored her Toby over Vivienne and Charlotte, and could be self-absorbed. But despite it all, she still loved her daughters more than anything; the thought of losing Vivienne had terrified her, and it hurt her to know Vivienne didn't think she was important enough to her mother. But both mother and daughter had to wonder: would Mrs. Kensington have realized just how unwell her daughter actually was? Or would she have assumed it was a cold too?

Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her daughter and held her, burying her face in the little girls hair. Vivienne felt tears land on the top of her head. She hugged her mother back. Mrs. Kensington only let go of her daughter when Grandma came back with the nurse. The nurse quickly examined Vivienne before announcing she was responding well to treatment, and told the rest of the family they had to leave. Vivienne needed to rest.

Saying goodbye took about half an hour, but after her family left, it took Vivienne a while before she went to sleep. It felt strange to be alone in the hospital at night, listening to things beep all around her. The bed also didn't feel right. She wanted to be home in her own bed, with her pillows and blankets and stuffed animals. Eventually she drifted off, and it must have been for a very long time, because when she woke up again her mother was there with Charlotte.

"Good morning, honey," her mom said when she realized Vivienne was awake. "How are you feeling? Did you sleep okay?"

"Hi, mom," Vivienne replied. "Yeah, I slept okay. And I'm starting to feel better."

Elizabeth went over to the bed and laid her hand across her daughter's forehead.

"Your temperature's gone down and your color looks better," she said, before she kissed her daughter's cheek. "Do you want anything, Vivienne?"

"Can I have some breakfast?" Vivienne asked, easing her self into a sitting position. "I'm kind of hungry."

"Of course," her mother said. "I'll go find a nurse and ask."

As Mrs. Kensington left, Charlotte came over to Vivienne's bed. She knelt down next to it, folded her arms and buried her head in them on the bed, and started to cry.

"Charlotte, what's wrong?" Vivienne asked, startled.

"I thought you were gonna die and it would've been my fault I don't know what I'd do without my big sister!" Charlotte sobbed.

"Oh Lottie," Vivienne said, stroking her sister's honey colored hair. "It wouldn't have been you're fault. I just got sick, that's all."

"Mommy told the doctor about how you got worse after the skating party and he said that probably made you get as sick as you did," Charlotte sniffled. "And you only went to the party because of me."

"Charlotte, all you did was ask me if I would go," Vivienne told her. "I could've said no, but I didn't. It's my fault I got really sick, not yours okay?"

"Okay," Charlotte agreed, looking up. "But I still thought I was going to lose you."

Vivienne wiped the tears from her little sister's face.

"I'm okay," Vivienne assured her. "It takes more than a little case of double pneumonia to get rid of me."

Charlotte smiled, hopped up onto the bed, and embraced Vivienne.

"I love you Vivvie," she said, kissing her sister's cheek.

"Love you too, Lottie," Vivienne smiled, returning the favor.

…

Despite the fact that she was in the hospital, Vivienne's day wasn't so bad for the most part. Everyone was doting on her. Her parents even let her open one of her Christmas presents- some books- a few days early so she'd have something to do in the hospital. Jessie and Maya came to visit her.

"Vivienne, I was so worried about you!" Jessie exclaimed as she rushed to her best friend's bedside. "Your mom called my mom last night and told us you were in the hospital-"

"And she lost it," Maya cut in. "She was hysterical when she called me. I could barely understand what she was saying."

"Oh, please, you were just as scared as I was!" Jessie protested. "You asked your mom to bring you to the hospital and told her you'd walk when she said no."

"Guys, guys, guys," Vivienne giggled. "I'm glad to know you were worried about me."

"Of course we were! We thought you were dying!" Maya exclaimed. "You see, this is why you should have listened me when I told you to go home."

"I still would've had double pneumonia," Vivienne pointed out.

"But still…" Maya protested. "I wouldn't have had to hit Jessie."

"She did," Jessie told Vivienne. "She punched my arm because she told you that you were really sick and you didn't believe her, but she can't hit you because you're hospitalized and you can't hit a sick kid."

Maya and Jessie spent a few hours in the hospital room talking to Vivienne and keeping her very entertained. At one point the nurse had to come in and tell them to calm down because they were making Vivienne laugh so hard she was coughing badly. It was only after they left that Vivienne's day stopped being okay. After they left, Toby showed up.

"You know, the just the other day I said to myself 'when I get home, I want to go straight to the hospital'," he snipped as he sauntered in. He appraised his sister coolly. "You don't look that sick."

"Yesterday your sister collapsed and was rushed to the ER with a dangerously high fever, Tobias," Grandma told him. She was sitting next to Vivienne's bed looking through magazines with her granddaughters. "Perhaps you could be a little kinder to her."

"When are you getting out?" Toby asked.

"They said tomorrow night, hopefully," Vivienne told him. "Maybe Christmas morning. I'm bouncing back quickly, according to the doctor."

"He said that except for the pneumonia, Vivienne was perfectly healthy," Daddy said.

"That's good," Toby said, sounding like he couldn't care less. "So when is my coming-home party?"

For a moment no one spoke, and then Mrs. Kensington said, "Oh my God."

"What?" her husband asked, turning around.

"I was so worried about Vivienne I forgot to call and cancel everything," she groaned into her hands.

"Is there still time?" Grandma asked.

"No," Mrs. Kensington said. "It was scheduled to start in an hour."

"Wait, you were going to cancel my party?" Toby asked. "I mean, c'mon she's not dying."

"Tobias perhaps you don't understand how sick your sister is," his father said harshly. "She's in the hospital, for crying out loud! That is nothing to sneeze at, young man."

"I'm not saying she's not sick," Toby said, "but it's not like we can't go to dinner and she won't be okay."

William turned to his wife expecting her to speak up on her daughter's behalf, but she just bit her lip. She turned to Vivienne.

"What do you say, Viv?" she asked. "Would you be okay if we went to dinner?"

All eyes were in Vivienne. She wanted to say that no, it would not be okay. She considered making herself cough. But that party had cost her parents a lot. They were far from poor, but it was never a good idea to waste money, and at this late hour the chances of getting a refund would be slim. Her mother had also spent a lot of time getting everything together. Besides, Toby would be nothing but cranky and annoying is she said no, and she'd rather not have him around.

"It's fine," she said.

"Vivienne honey, are you sure?" Grandma asked.

"Uh-huh," Vivienne nodded. "I need to rest if I want to get home tomorrow night, anyways."

Her mother looked relieved and thanked Vivienne before kissing her goodbye. Toby just walked out of the room without a single thank you or "get well" to Vivienne. Charlotte practically had to be dragged out of the room by Grandma and Dad, who both lingered at their goodbye. Vivienne sighed as she watched them go. Maybe someday she'd be better at fighting for what she wanted.

…

A few hours later Vivienne was sitting on her bed reading when a voice caught her attention.

"Vivvie?" Charlotte said.

"Charlotte?" Vivienne could not hide the surprise in her voice.

Charlotte entered the room. She was wearing pajamas under her little pink coat. Behind her, Vivienne's father entered with Jessie and Grandma.

"Guys? What's going on?" Vivienne asked.

"Well, Charlotte wanted to go home, and then Jessie called and asked if we could still visit you and we all figured you'd be lonely," her father said.

"We brought Little Women!" Charlotte exclaimed, waving the VHS around. "Here you go, Daddy!"

"Thank you, Pumpkin," her father said, taking the tape and reaching up to put it in the VHS player in the room.

"Maya left for her Aunts tonight, or she would've come, but my mom ran into your mom at the bank and she told her about the party and I didn't want you to be lonely," Jessie explained.

"And neither did we," Grandma told her, stroking Vivienne's hair. "None of us were having any fun without you here alone."

The T.V. screen flickered and the movie started. Charlotte hopped onto the foot of Vivienne's bed, and then Vivienne scooted over so Jessie could sit next to her. Grandma and Dad pulled up chairs. Vivienne fell asleep smiling that night, even though the nurse had made her family and friend leave before the movie finished. It had been one of the best nights of her life. Maybe even better than the skate party.

…

Vivienne was released from the hospital the next night with a prescription and strict orders to keep rested and warm for the next four weeks. When she got home, her family started their usual Christmas tradition: Mr. and Mrs. Kensington gave their children one present each (always pajamas), and the children gave their parents and siblings the presents that they had bought for them.

"Oh no!" Vivienne exclaimed as Charlotte handed her a box. "I completely forgot to get you guys presents."

Toby rolled his eyes.

"This is what happens when you procrastinate," he told her.

"Tobias," William warned.

"What?" Toby said. "I've never forgotten to buy you guys presents."

"Shut up," his father said.

"That's okay, Vivvie," Charlotte smiled. She plucked a bow off of a present and stuck it to Vivienne's forehead.

"You're our present this year."