“Well, you’re doing great,” I assured her. “Kallie adores you and I know Alice likes you being around more. I like it too.”

“Good. I’d hope that I can continue being around once the baby’s born. I was actually thinking of getting a place in LA, Alice’s bother and sister don’t seem to have much use for me anymore, not that I blame them –"

She’d have continued, but a sharp cry from Alice’s room stopped us both cold. “Al?” I called, already out of my chair. Lenore motioned that she was going to put Kallie into bed and she’d be right in.

“It hurts,” Alice mumbled, nearly incoherently when I came into the bedroom. She was pale and shivering. 

“It’s okay,” I told her calmly, but inside I was screaming. Alice had told me that Lenore had had some problems when pregnant with her, but Dr. Wilson had told us there was no cause for alarm.

I was pretty fucking alarmed looking at her though, and when Lenore came into the room I could tell she was too. She stepped outside to call an ambulance and I waited with Alice. Although it turned out to be fine, it was probably the scariest hour of my life.

**********

She had the flu. I barely heard the words before almost collapsing back onto the bed. The paramedic said they’d take her in anyway just to be sure, though. I nodded and walked out to the ambulance with her. I asked to ride along since she wouldn’t have wanted anything else.

At the hospital, we were told that she’d survive but that they wanted to keep her overnight for observation. Alice hated it, but I insisted, and in the morning Dr. Wilson said it was good that I had. She ordered Alice to spend most of her days on bed rest, and told her to take a walk for half an hour or so each day.

It was harder for her than I’d expected, but I wasn’t about to go against the doctor’s orders. I made sure she took a walk every day, either with me or one of our friends. She’d write an hour or so a day on her laptop, and watch movies with Kallie and just stay there and talk to her.