Amy had set her alarm for 7:00 am, but that had proven to be unnecessary. She'd woken up around 6:00 and nerves, anxiety and adrenaline made it impossible for her to go back to sleep. So she threw on some clothes, left a note for her mother and headed out.

**********************************

Karma was walking into the hospital with her family when she spotted her.

Amy was sitting there, just a few feet a way from her. The sight flooded Karma with emotions she couldn't begin to articulate.

Amy looked up from her phone, saw Karma's face and smiled. She couldn't help it.

Karma ran over and gave Amy a huge hug. She glanced back towards her mom and then looked at Amy. "Thank you," she said. She let go of Amy's arms, only now realizing she was how tightly she was holding onto them. "I have to go," karma said, gesturing toward her mother.

Amy nodded. "I'll be here," she replied. Karma liked the sound of that.

About 20 minutes later, Karma returned. "We're just hanging out in my mom's room. Come join us. Zen's grabbing an extra chair."

"Thanks," Amy said. "I'm glad you came back. I was waiting to give you this." She whipped out a tub of cookie dough, offering it to Karma. She could see the excitement in Karma's eyes and she smiled. "I would've brought the ice cream too, but I was afraid it would melt." Karma wrapped Amy in a tight hug. "Alright Karma," she said, pulling away,"It's just cookie dough. Let's go see your mom."

Clearly, it wasn't just cookie dough to Karma, but after one more second she let go pf Amy and they proceeded to her mom's room.

"Amy!" Karma's mom cheered when she came in the room. Karma had always sworn her mom liked Amy better than her.

"Hi Mrs. Ashcroft," Amy said. "How are you feeling?"

"Aww I'm feeling alright at the moment, dear. Thanks." She turned to her daughter. "Karma, why don't you two go to the cafeteria and get a snack." Even she knew they needed to catch up.

Karma nodded. "You want anything?"

Her mom shook her head.

"I'll take a pudding cup!" Zen shouted. Karma rolled her eyes.

The cafeteria was empty. Karma and Amy sat down. "Hang on," Karma said. She went into the cafeteria and got two spoons and reached into her bag, pulled out the tub of cookie dough and set it on the table. "Much better," she said. Amy smiled.

"I just can't believe you're here. Karma reached out and placed her fingertips over Amy's knuckles. Karma realized the awkwardness of the gesture when she saw the surprise in Amy's face. Even though she didn't want to, she pulled her hand away.

"So," Karma began. "What are your plans?"

"My plans?" Amy questioned.

"We're off of school for four more weeks. I know you'll be spending lots of it with me," she smiled "but any thoughts as to how you'll spend your days?"

Amy was confused. She hadn't really thought it through. She just envisioned "being there for Karma" as a full time job. She was suddenly doubting her decision to come back. Was it stupid? What was she expecting? She was beginning to feel angry, misled, when she reminded herself that Karma hadn't asked her to do this. Well she did. But then she unasked.

Karma could see Amy's brain was going a mile a minute. She tried to stave off the impending meltdown. "You could come with me to the pool," she suggested. "It's been pretty dull lately. You, me and Shane enjoying the beautiful summer weather..."

"You mean excruciating heat?" Amy corrected. "And wait when are you going back to work?"

"Tomorrow," Karma replied.

"What? They wouldn't give you more time off. That's BS."

"They would give me as much time as I wanted but well, we need the money." Amy nodded. She'd almost forgotten.

"So yes?" Karma said eagerly. "You'll spend the summer poolside?"

Alarms were blaring in Amy's head. Uninterrupted time with Karma, in a bathing suit, whistle around her neck, sitting up in that chair all sexy...

"Maybe we'll find you a cute girl..." Karma continued.

Even worse, Karma trying to pawn her off on any girl she could find that had short hair and carefully maintained fingernails.

"Ummm," Amy stalled eloquently. "We'll see."

Karma frowned but tried to shake it off, taking another spoonful of cookie dough.

The silence had become awkward. "Should we go back to check on your mom?" Amy suggested.

Karma hated that they'd gotten to the point that they needed to avoid being alone together. She shouldn't have let herself imagine that Amy coming back meant everything was back to "normal." But she'd been hanging onto that hope.

She nodded and stood up. Amy followed. They walked back to the room in silence. Amy was kicking herself. How did she think she'd be able to come back and just be the friend that Karma needed? Why didn't she realize how difficult this would be?

"Back already?" Karma's mom asked.
"I'm only here for today. I want to be by your side," Karma replied. Her mom wasn't buying it but she let it slide.

"Wait your not staying with mom tomorrow?" Zen asked.

"No, I told them I'd be back. We need my puny paycheck. I thought you were staying with her in the morning while dad has his job interview."

"No. I can't I promised my friend I'd cover his shift tomorrow."

"Ugh," Karma huffed with annoyance. "I guess I could see if my boss will..."

"I can come," Amy offered. Everyone in the room turned to her. "Sure, I've got nothing to do," she turned to Karma's mom. "I'll hang around. Keep you company."

"Amy, it's really -" Karma said, surprised by her offer.

"Sounds like fun!" Karma's mom responded cheerily. "You always were my second daughter."

"See," Amy said to Karma, "problem solved.

Karma nodded. She had no objections to voice, but she still felt unsettled. Would Amy really rather sit in a hospital room than be at the pool with her? Karma's brain began fighting itself.

Amy was supposed to come home to help her deal. To be with her. Not her mother.

But wasn't Amy helping Karma's mom really helping Karma? Of course it was. But it wasn't the help Karma wanted.

All Karma wanted was for those hands to hold hers. For that voice to soothe her. For those eyes to look at her as if she was the only one in the world.

Karma shook her head trying to clear her mind. A knot of guilt and fear settled in her stomach. She had a feeling it would be there for a while.