I nodded, feeling decidedly woozy as I did so. “Charlie?” I asked, hating the way my voice sounded slurred.

“Yeah, Ma?” he asked, turning back to me in concern.

“Can you get me the Tylenol? My head is killing me,” I said softly. I hated taking pills for pain and never did unless I was in absolute agony, and Charlie looked pretty concerned as he went to the bathroom and came back quickly with the bottle of extra-strength.

I swallowed two of the pills with a grimace as soon as Shane brought me in a glass of water. Jenny came trailing in after her with some orange juice, and they all just sort of stood there awkwardly as I tried to will my headache to go away, or at least subside a little bit.

“You don’t have to stand here and stare at me, you guys. I don’t think I’m gonna die or anything,” I said weakly without opening my eyes.

“That’s really not something you should be joking about,” I heard Jenny say. I opened my eyes to the tiniest slits I possibly could and still see, and looked at her. She looked upset, probably because Shane and Charlie did.

“Sorry, bad joke,” I mumbled, closing my eyes again. My head hurt too much to keep them open any longer.

“All your jokes are pretty bad,” Charlie informed me. “But we love you anyway.” With that, he kissed my forehead. “I should get going. I told Angie I’d stop and get some ice cream for Brendan. They’re both probably wondering where the hell I am.” I nodded but didn’t say anything; I was way too sleepy for that. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Take it easy,” he said, and I heard him moving away from me. He said a quiet goodbye to Shane and Jenny, and then I heard the front door opening and closing as he left the house.

“We’re gonna go watch some TV or something, Dana,” Jenny told me. “If you need anything, just yell.” I nodded in what I hoped was her general direction.

“She already left,” Shane informed me with a little bit of a laugh in her voice. “Try and get some sleep. We’re just in the other room, and you’re not bothering us at all if you need something. I’ll come check on you before we go to bed.” With that, she seemed to be gone, so I finally decided I should listen to her and gave in to my body’s desperate plea for rest.