"Have you called MaBe?" Tina asked, interrupting her daughter’s rant, referring to Bette, who had been baptized such after Angelica decided that "Mom" was too confusing for everyone concerned.

"Mommy, I’m in the hospital during school hours." Angelica reminded.

"Honey, okay. I’m on my way. Just call her."

"Mommy, no. No. No, she’s going to ground me forever and ever and until I’m thirty, and… no." Angelica pleaded.

"Send her a text message, that way she won’t yell at you right away." Tina advised. She glanced up at the elevator, which was on its way. "Baby, just sit and wait for me, okay? I’ll be there in thirty minutes, less."

"Okay." Angelica nodded. "I love you, Mommy."

"I love you too, Angel." Tina smiled, and waited for Angelica to end the call.

Silence continued.

"Baby?" Tina asked.

"I need to know you’re still there." Angelica said.

"Baby I’ll be right there." Tina promised. "Okay?"

"Okay." Angelica sighed in resignation. "Hurry. But not run-through-red-lights hurry, okay?"

Tina began to have a solid idea of just how Angelica and Terry ended up in the hospital. "I promise."

"’Bye, mommy." Angelica hung up.

Six "mommy’s". Tina was beginning to suspect things were a little worse than Angelica made it seem. Of course, that could simply her way of getting Tina before they had to face the wrath of Bette.

As Tina got to her car, her phone rang again, this time Bette was calling. "Hello?"

"Did she call you?" Bette demanded. "Angelica. Did she call you?"

"Yes."

"She’s at the hospital? Do you know what she’s talking about, T?"

"Apparently they’ve been in a car accident."

"What?" Bette screeched. "Are they okay? Wait, isn’t she supposed to be in school? She’s in an accident, and during school hours? What, were they cutting classes?"

"Bette, calm down. I don’t know all the details yet. I’m on my way to the hospital now."

"She’s grounded, you know that right? She’s grounded ’til, I don’t know, she’s thirty."

Tina rolled her eyes. How does Angelica know her mother so well? "Baby, I’m going to need you to pick up Katie from school."

"You’re keeping me from wringing Angie’s neck." Bette accused.

"Yes. That, I am." Tina nodded. "We’ll see you at home."

"You know, in some cultures, they eat their first born." Bette mused.

"I’ll tell Angie you love her." Tina said, ignoring Bette’s comment.

"T?"

"Yes?"

"She’s okay, though, right?"

"She’s okay."

"Good." Bette sighed. "Call me when you know more."

"I’ll do that." Tina assured her.

"I love you."

"I love you too." Tina hung up, and started her car. She and Angelica were going to need to brush up on their sweet talking if Angelica wanted to go to the prom. Thank God Katie still had five years before becoming a teenager. Tina had learned to count her blessings.