Disclaimer: I only own Maureen…the rest are too important for me to own.
A/N: So it's been quite a while since I last updated, but thanks to SpyKid16 and twinmuse, I've brought it back. I'm still not sure whether to go Carby or Luby, so if you're out there let me know which you'd prefer. Happy reading!
Chapter Four
"Good morning!" Maggie greeted cheerily, practically bouncing into Maureen's room the next morning with a vase of colorful flowers, "For you."
"Hey Mom," she set down her magazine on the table at her bedside, watching her put the vase near the window, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. How are you feeling?" she busied herself pulling over a chair.
"Eh, okay. They moved me out of ICU this morning" she shrugged, "How are you?"
"I'm just fine, but you aren't," Maggie's eyes drifted to the IV pole, "I should have come by last night."
"It's okay."
"It's not," she stood up, "I got into a fight with Abby, and I was distracted and I left my baby girl in the hospital all alone without even seeing her."
"It's okay," Maureen broke in, resting her hand on her mother's arm, "You're here now."
"Are you feeling better?" she sat back down, repeating her earlier question.
"Thanks to my happy juice," she wiggled her fingers on the hand with the IV. They began to lapse into silence, and Maureen glanced around the room searching for conversation. Her eyes settled on the window, "It looks like a nice day outside."
"Looks are deceiving, it's freezing."
"I like the cold."
"I know, you always have," she paused to think, "There was this one winter—it was before Abby turned seventeen, so that made Eric fourteen, and you about two—anyway, there was this terrible snowstorm and school was cancelled. Abby and Eric were having a snowball fight and you wanted desperately to join them, but I wouldn't let you off the porch you were getting over a cold. You were upset and when I wasn't looking you filled your bucket with snow and dumped it on my head."
"Did I?"
"Yes," Maggie laughed, "I was so mad at you, but when I saw you in your little pink snowsuit with that look of victory on your face I started laughing and we joined your brother and sister."
"I wish I remembered that," she smiled.
"We have pictures somewhere."
"I remember other winters in Minnesota," Maureen changed the topic, knowing those pictures were probably long gone, 'when Abby could come home on breaks, and she and Eric would take me sledding."
"You guys would be gone for hours," she remembered fondly, "And you would come home so tired. You look tired now."
"I am a little tired suddenly," she yawned, "It must be the medicine."
"I'll let you sleep then," she stood up, "I'll come back around four."
"Okay," she reclined the bed."
"Sleep well, snow angel," Maggie kissed her forehead and closed the drapes.
"Thanks Mommy," she whispered, closing her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, Maureen thought about what life would have been like if Maggie was normal.
"Hey, where were you?" Abby grabbed her jacket from her locker, surprised to see Luka walk into the lounge with is coat already on.
"I had an errand to run," he smiled, "You ready for lunch?"
"Yeah," they left the lounge, "What's in the bag?"
"Books."
"Books?"
"Yes, books."
"What kind of books?" she asked as they crossed the ambulance bay to Doc Magoo's.
"The school called when you were in trauma, so I picked up Maureen's books for you."
"You didn't have to."
"I wanted to," he smiled, "You have enough on your tray right now."
"Thanks," she grinned, "And Luka, it's plate, not tray."
"You know what I meant."
"Yeah, sure."
"So," he began once they had ordered, "When are you going to tell your mother that Maureen's going to stay with you?"
"I was hoping I'd mention it when I put her on the bus tomorrow."
"Abby."
"What?" she sighed, "A girl can hope."
"She's still your mother."
"Unfortunately," Abby continued before he could break in, "I know that sounds terrible, but something big must have happened for Maureen to come all the way up here. With everything we've seen, it would take a lot to justify a bus ride from Tampa to Chicago."
"She's a teenager, maybe she was just angry," she looked at him skeptically as the waitress set down their food, "I know it sounds simple, but I'm sure you were tempted to do the same at that age."
"Yeah, but I could have never left Maureen and Eric."
"Well, Maureen's the youngest, right?" Luka asked and she nodded, "So there's no one keeping her from running."
"Here's hoping you're right," she mock–toasted him with her coffee mug.
"Cheers," he clinked his mug against hers, making her smile.
"And I meant it when I said thanks."
"I know," he took her hand and squeezed it, "You're welcome."
"Please tell me that bag is filled with food from the outside world," Maureen greeted Abby that afternoon."
"Even better," she handed her the bag.
"Books?"
"Homework."
"Hate to break it to you Abby, but these aren't part of my curriculum," she flipped through the books.
"Starting next week they will be."
"Are you referring to what I think you're referring?" she laid the books on her lap, "I get to stay with you?"
"I enrolled you at the high school here this morning."
"That was fast," Maureen was obviously excited by the news, "What did you tell the school."
"That our mother was ill and that you'll be staying with me for the rest of the school year. Your school in Tampa faxed your transcripts this morning."
"Have you figured out how to tell Mom about this?"
"I was going to let you do that."
"Why me?"
"You're the one who decided to come to Chicago," Abby leaned back in the chair, propping her feet on the edge of the bed.
"You're the responsible adult."
"Yeah, right," she snorted.
"Plus, I shouldn't have to," she waved her hand with the IV, "I'm sickly!"
"Exactly! You can pull the sympathy card."
"Oh, you wouldn't want me to do that."
"Why not?"
"She'd feel guilty and want to stay," Maureen crossed her arms defiantly, "Unless that's what you want."
"Fine, we'll do it together," she relented, "I get off at three."
"She said she'd be back around four-ish."
"Good," she sighed, not looking forward to that conversation.
"Now that we have that settled," she folded her hands primly, "Tell me about your apartment."
"It's not that exciting. It's an apartment."
"Do I get my own room?"
"Yes," Abby rolled her eyes, "You get the extra bedroom, but it's really just a glorified closet."
"I can handle it," her mind drifted back to their mother, "How long are you going to let Mom stay with you?"
"I'm putting her on a bus back to Florida tomorrow."
"You are aware that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, aren't you?"
"Doesn't matter," she folded her arms, "She belongs in Florida."
"She'll fight it."
"I know," she unfolded her arms and sat up straight in the chair.
"What if she won't let me stay?" Maureen asked softly, voicing the concern that had been lingering in the back of her mind since Maggie followed her onto the bus in Tampa, "Then what will we do?"
"We'll make it work," she promised, "I won't let you go back to dealing with that alone."
"Even if it means going to court?"
"It won't come to that."
"How can you be sure?"
"I just am," she assured her. If Maggie went far enough as to argue custody, Abby knew that the disease would rear its ugly head before the case even appeared before a judge, "I also know you need your rest."
"What do you think I've been doing all morning?"
"Entertaining visitors," Abby glanced at the flowers by the window.
"From my bed," she argued.
"You have pneumonia," she stood up.
"I'm aware," she watched Abby dim the lights.
"Then you're only protesting because you know I'm right," Maureen stuck out her tongue, but Abby kept walking, "Sweet dreams."
A/N: Now make me smile by clicking that little review button!