You can't help Erin if you collapse from exhaustion."

Her mother calmed. Dr. Duncan stepped back, allowing Annabelle to manage her mother.

"I'll never be able to sleep. I'll stay, too."

"Oh, no." Annabelle shook her head. "Absolutely not. The doctor is going to give you something to help you sleep. You are going home, taking a pill, getting into bed and sleeping. I'll stay with Erin and call you if there's any change, for better or worse."

Susan held onto Annabelle's hands and soon her breathing was slowing to match Annabelle's consciously slow breaths.

"Doctor, can you give my mother something to help her sleep?"

"I'd be glad to." The tiny woman went to the nurse's station.

While she was gone, Annabelle sat her mother down. "Thank you, Mom. This will be better, I promise."

"All right, dear," Susan sighed. "I'm sorry I'm so useless."

"You're not useless," Annabelle offered helplessly.

Susan gazed at her, her eyes swimming. "I know I am, but you're an angel to try to say otherwise. Just like your father was an angel." She sighed.

Annabelle wished she could say something to help.

"If there's any change?"

"Yes, I'll call. Promise."

Susan wrapped her in a big hug that went on and on. "Thank you for coming so quickly."

Annabelle squeezed back, breathing in the subtle fragrance of her mother's ginseng soap. It was a familiar scent, comforting. Something that said, everything's going to be okay, in spite of her own sick feeling this situation would blow her own life completely to Neptune.

Whatcha gonna do?

It was what her Dad had always asked in such situations. Somehow everything had always turned out okay.

Except when he'd said it about himself, and the illness that smothered the life out of him.

Whatcha gonna do?

Her mother's gentle chuckle shook her. Annabelle realized with a start she'd spoken the mantra aloud.

"Oh, how I've wished to hear those words today! You sounded just like your father." Susan squeezed tighter. "Thank you."

Was that all it took?

Susan eased her embrace and stood back a step. "I'll be all right, dear. You take care of Erin, and I'll be good."

"Here you are, Mrs. Tinker. There are two. Should be enough."

"I won't need them now, doctor."

The doctor pressed the tiny envelope into Susan's hand.

"Take it, just in case."

Susan accepted the sedative and dropped it in her purse. She squeezed Annabelle's hand and left.

After the elevator doors closed on Susan, Dr. Duncan said, "You handled that very well. Ever think of being a shrink?"

Annabelle chuckled. "No, thanks."

Dr. Duncan smiled. "I'm going to see Erin now. I'll come find you when you can go back to sit with her."

Annabelle sighed as the weight of it all settled on her shoulders. First, a fragile, grieving, dependent mother to take care of, and now, a demented sister.

Who was going to take care of her?



Chapter Two



The next few hours crept by.