Part 43

It wasn't long after breakfast that the Panchot-Westing brigade invaded the hospital. This time instead of visiting Jenny, she was leading their charge, bursting through her mother's door singing, "I am Mrs. Turkey, Turkey, Turkey. I am Mrs. Turkey big and fat." Her sisters were close behind giggling. And following them, with two grande Annie's coffees, for Sam and Charlotte, were Charlie and Angie, neither smiling, both looking quite tired.

"When I walk I wabble, wabble, waaaabble...."

Looking at Angie, not to talk over her daughter's singing Charlotte mouthed,"Everything all right?"

Angie shot her a pensive smile.

"When I walk I wabble, what do you think of that?"

Laughter burst out of everyone, while Charlotte watched for signs of her daughter's paralysis. There were none. She was a walking miracle. Content to be among her family, she waved for the girls to crawl up on her bed with her. Lovie was the first up. Cozying up close, tucked tight to her mother's side. Next was Jenny, a little snarly that she wasn't first, and last was Sarah who happily grabbed the open spot by her mother's feet, and asked, "How's it going?"

"Everything is going to be fine."

"And the baby?"

Charlotte looked towards Sam, and then swept the crowd before saying, "Your brother is just fine."

"A boy," screamed Jenny, "We get to have a brother!" She was practically jumping up and down on the bed.

Sam put out his hand, "Careful Jenny, mommy still has to be careful."

"But we get to have a brother." Then turning to Charlotte she asked, "How do you know?"

"It's just a feeling your father and I have. Sometimes the parents know..."

Sarah, who had been listening to her iPod chimed in, "I thought parents weren't suppose to be having those feelings."

Charlotte couldn't tell if it was a joke or just a teen covertly spouting off about her apparent parental affections. With all the brain rewiring that takes place in the teen years it was tough to keep things sorted. As she went offer a retort, her cell phone started to ring from within the bedside table.

"I'll get it," offered Sam, his hand already in the drawer and pushing the accept call button. "Hello... No she can't talk now... No... No... I don't think she's up to anymore editting until further notice... Yes, I'll have her call you back. bye," and then hung up the phone.

Charlotte made a mental note to call John back later, but nothing was said further just then.
In the pregnant pause between the end of one conversation and the start of the next, in walked Dr. Houseman. Reaching for the charter, he announced with a bit of a flair, "Hail, hail the gang's all here!" The girls giggled some more.

"Looking good Charlotte." Then turning to Jenny right before dashing off said, "It's good to see you on the otherside of the hospital fence young lady."

Jenny smiled and waved her arm at him. He responded with a nod as he dashed off.

Charlotte noticed that Angie and Charlie, who had been keeping out of the mix, were still seemingly restless. She asked again, "Everything okay?"

Angie nodded again , but Charlie answered, "No."

Charlotte marveled at his honesty. "What's up?"

"We hate to do this to you, but we have to go to Dallas for a week or so. Angie's dad is expecting us for the holiday."

"We hate to leave, it being Thanksgiving and all" added Angie, "But..."

"There are no buts, " interrupted Sam. "Of course you'll go. We'll be fine. Won't we girls?"

The girls nodded their heads in a sing song kind of way, while Charlotte was hoping they wouldn't be eating turkey hospital style.