The second floor was busy with nurses carrying charts and orderlies pushing carts. No one paid much attention to her, and she found Tim’s room easily. She took a deep breath, fixed the hair that had fallen out of place earlier, and pushed open the door.

He was lying in the bed with a blanket pulled up to his chin. His forehead was bandaged, and she could see him twitching beneath, so she knew he was awake and just ignoring her entrance. Her attention was drawn to the other side of the room where an enormous woman wearing a hot pink dress was sitting in a chair. Therese composed herself and extended her hand. “I’m Therese Wolley.”

“Barbara Yaga.” She didn’t look at Therese and instead spit something into a paper cup. Therese was prepared for the various turns this meeting might take and the fact that Tim probably hadn’t mentioned her to his mother. “I’m a friend of Tim’s. He called from the emergency room when he was admitted. He wanted to make sure that you would be taken care of. He talks about you often. He loves you very much.”

Her details about Tim’s relationship with his mother were basic, and she had to prevent herself from adding anything that would raise suspicion. “He asked me to move in with you for a few days to make sure you aren’t alone while he is here. He is such a good son. You must be so proud.” She watched Tim’s face for a reaction when she spoke to Barbara, and wasn’t surprised to see his eyebrows furrow in frustration. She’d lied and he knew it, but would he call her out in front of his mother?

It was clear that years of smoking had turned the woman’s face a lighter shade of the tobacco she seemed to love. The large jowls that hung on either side of her mouth jiggled delicately when she spoke. “Timmy is a good boy.”

Tim’s eyes were still closed, feigning sleep, but she could see his teeth grinding through the thin, pale skin of his cheeks. Therese couldn’t tell if he was furious or irritated or maybe just mildly impressed. He lifted the worn green hospital blanket up to his ears. While Therese began to work out the details of her new living arrangement, he pulled it completely over his head.

Franny

Leah walked over to a bookshelf beside the fireplace stacked with board games. She pulled out a familiar maroon box that was so old, the corners were worn soft as tissue paper. I followed her into her stark white kitchen and sat at the table.

I opened the Scrabble game and ran my fingers across the wooden tiles, flipping them over and rubbing them between my fingers. Touching the letters made them feel more real than when they were just randomly floating around in my head.