Madison slipped away unnoticed from the waiting room and knocked on a small windowless door.  Aiden answered letting the Latina enter, his eyes were glossy and puffy.  He had obviously been crying.  Madison swallowed dryly.  “Can I talk to Kasey for a sec?”  She caught glimpse of the girl sitting on the bed wiping her cheeks with the back of her hands.  The boy nodded and left the room, putting on a brave face for his uncle and ultimately for his cousin.

Kasey smiled as Madison settled down next to her in a small uncomfortable chair.  She wriggled in her seat trying to appease her mind before she spoke.  “I just wanted to say th-“  Kasey waved her hand cutting her off.  “No worries, all in a days work.”  She smiled yet quickly winced as the stitches pulled apart momentarily.  “Ow.”  She whispered trying to somehow disguise the pain emanating from her bottom lip.

“Please…let me get this off my chest.”  Madison’s eyes were brimmed with tears threatening to spill at any moment.  Kasey nodded, regaining a serious posture.

“You saved me, twice.  You did it without hesitation, never thinking about what could happen to you.”  She ran a digit along her eyes, wiping away some of the moisture.

“Kasey you put my safety ahead of your own and I’ll never be able to repay you for what you did.  But as a start I want to say thank you.”  Madison shivered, unsure of what to say next, her body felt frail.  Before she could start speaking again, Kasey had painfully hopped off the bed and hugged the Latina.  Madison buried her face into the brunette’s shoulder, letting Kasey’s shirt soak up her dissipating worry and sadness.

“Madison, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again a third, a fourth, or a tenth time for that matter.  That’s what friends are for.”  The embrace was tightened by Madison who sniffled in relief only to finally pull away with a glowing smile.

***

”Alright, let’s pack ‘er in folks.”  Kasey sauntered into the waiting room wearing the boxers and muscle shirt she had one beneath her costume.  She felt the tension of mixed emotions running through the room as Madison followed closely behind.  Quietly her eyes scanned their faces and noticed two were missing.