He glanced at us and nodded. “That’s all right, Arianna. We’ll be all right. I told you not to think about any of that right now. Just concentrate on getting yourself stronger and better.”
“Daddy’s right, Mother,” Cassie chimed in. “You want to be able to attend the opening ten days from now. You should be at Daddy’s side when he meets the governor.”
Mother looked at her as if Cassie were speaking a foreign language.
“And don’t forget we have Semantha’s birthday soon, too,” Daddy added, smiling at me.
Mother gave me another short-lived smile an
d turned back to Daddy. “I’m tired, Teddy.”
“That’s the medicine still working,” he said. “You won’t need much of it soon.”
“Sure,” Uncle Perry said. “In a day or so, you’ll be on your feet, Arianna.”
Mother just shook her head. Daddy started to take the tray off her table, but Cassie shot forward to do it.
“That girl won’t let me lift a napkin,” Daddy told Mother.
She nodded, barely creasing her lips.
Uncle Perry stepped up to the foot of the bed. “Hey,” he said. “We need that smiling face of yours, Arianna. You can’t expect Teddy and me to make a good impression without you.”
Mother forced a smile again but turned back to Daddy, her eyes watering. “I’m so tired, Teddy, and so sorry.”
“It’s all right,” he said, patting her hand. “We’ll be all right. It’s not your fault.”
“Of course it isn’t,” Uncle Perry added. “You have to tell yourself, if it was meant to be, it would be.”
Behind him, Cassie rolled her eyes. The nurse’s aide came in, and Cassie gave her Mother’s tray.
“I know you all have so much to do,” Mother said “I don’t want to bring any more hardship to this family.”
“Arianna!” Daddy snapped. “Don’t say things like that. You haven’t brought any hardship. We’re all fine, fine.”
I couldn’t help myself. I started to cry. Instantly, Cassie seized my left arm at the elbow and tugged me back.
“Stop it!” she whispered. “You’ll make things even worse.”
I sucked in my breath and turned so Mother wouldn’t see. Cassie stepped in front of me and began to talk to Mother.
“Now, listen, Mother, Daddy’s right. Semantha and I have things under control at the house. We’ll both return to school tomorrow, and Daddy will return to work. We’ll come to see you as often as we can while you’re here, but Uncle Perry and Daddy are right. We need you well and home.” She spoke sternly, then glanced at Daddy and added, “We really need you, Mother. The house is empty without you. No matter what happened, you still have Semantha and me to care for and love, and we both love and need you.”
Daddy nearly came to tears. Mother reached up for Cassie’s hand, and Cassie leaned over to kiss her cheek. “Thank you, dear,” she told her.
I stood back, watching a little in awe but mostly in envy. I saw the way Mother had almost immediately changed her mood, and I saw how even Uncle Perry looked impressed with Cassie now. He glanced at me and nodded. I could hear his thoughts. See why I said she’s just like my aunt Agnes? If you’re in a crisis, they are the types of people you want.
Cassie stepped back and looked at me. It was her way of giving me permission—no, more like ordering me—to step forward, say my little piece, and retreat.
What could I say after that little speech she had made? Nothing could come up to it.
“Cassie’s right, Mother. We need you home. Please get well soon.”
I kissed her cheek, too, and then Cassie thought we should let Daddy and Mother be alone for a few minutes. She, Uncle Perry, and I said good-bye and went out into the corridor.
“I hope you really don’t mind my correcting your suggestion for the gala, Uncle Perry,” Cassie told him as we walked toward the waiting lounge.
“Why should I mind? I can see the point. After all, I want only what’s good for our business,” he said. “As your father always says, we have to keep our eyes on the bottom line.”