Part 34

Jenny home. The hospital wasn't quite the same. The hustle and bustle of life was out beyond the privacy curtain that was pulled halfway across the door. In the relative quiet Charlotte's eyes were closing in on nap when her cell phone rang. Half in this world and half in a dream, it took her awhile to find the dam thing. But it always took her a while.

"Hello."

"Charlotte, this is John."

Oh God, the editor... "Hi John, how are you?"

"Fine, and how are things with you?" Then cutting to the chase. "How's the article coming?"

She'd forgotten about this month's assignment. How could she? How could she not? Life was just rolling along, with or without her private band. "I haven't had time to work on it. Jenny's was sick. I'm really not up to snuff..."

"Can you get it to me by Wednesday? The layout artists are looking for copy."

"But you haven't seen word one." She hadn't written word one. "What about the usual 47 rounds of what you want and what I'm willing to write?"

"No time. I trust you. Can you do it?"

What should she tell him? As her editor they had a close working relationship. Calling at all hours of the night, interrupting dinners, homework. There was even the phone call in the children's clothing store dressing room. Two kids trying on clothes, and he wanted to mince words over the copy. But despite their apparent ability to work together, now for over a year, they had never met. How much do you share with an email address, and a voice on the phone?

"When's the deadline?"

"Wednesday," he shot back... his voice a bit annoyed. "Two days."

"Yeah, I have some ideas. I'll do it."

"Get me a rough draft by this afternoon."

"All right." And their conversation ended.

Charlotte paused for a minute, to wonder about internet access in the hospital, before calling home. "Hi Sam, it's me."

"Hi me, it's Sam."

She was smiling, picturing his own smiling face on the other end of the line.

"I need my laptop."

"It's packed by the door. I figured you would. John just called and I told him you were out, but he might be able to reach you on your cell."

"Yeah, he called. I have till this after to get him a rough copy."

"Charlie and I'll bring it over after dropping the girls at school, and before our meeting."

A bit surprised to hear the girls were being dropped off at school, Charlotte asked, "And Jenny too?"

"Oh no, Dr. Reid has prescribed bed rest, but it's tough. Angie is with her."

Charlotte could just imagine. When that 10 year old was ready to go, there was no way to hold her back. "Good luck, and thanks for dropping off the laptop."

"You're welcome."

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