“I don’t know. He’s still in there.” Ulrike pointed at the door separating them from the treatment area.

They sank onto a padded bench in the waiting area, with Anja in the middle. “What happened?”

“He slipped and fell going up the stairs to my house,” Ulrike said. “I’m pretty sure he broke something. Maybe his hip or his tailbone. I think they’re doing X-rays right now.”

Anja slumped against Susanne’s side, and Susanne again wrapped one arm around her without much thought. It felt like the natural thing to do. Just providing some comfort, right?

They waited in silence for a minute, then Susanne realized that she hadn’t even introduced herself in the commotion. She extended her hand and reached around Anja. “I’m Susanne…Norbert’s niece.”

“Oh. You’re his niece? I thought you were…” Ulrike’s gaze went to Anja. “Her girlfriend.”

“Oh, no, no. I… No.” Of course Ulrike would think that. They sat much too close to be just co-workers, her arm was around Anja, and Anja’s head rested on her shoulder.

As if only now realizing what she’d been doing, Anja tried to slide back and put some distance between them, but Susanne squeezed softly, indicating that it was okay.

“Nice to meet you, even under the circumstances.” Ulrike shook her hand. “Nobby has promised to introduce us for years, but…” She trailed off with a vague gesture.

Susanne lowered her gaze to the grayish floor. “Well, I, um… My job kept me busy, so I didn’t visit very often.” Try never.

“You’re here now; that’s what counts,” Anja said.

Susanne gave her another squeeze and a grateful look.

Ulrike nodded. “I know Nobby will be very glad about that. That man!” She shook her head. “He didn’t want to go to the ER, even though he could hardly move.”

Anja and Ulrike talked about this and that to pass the time, while Susanne preferred to wait in silence, focused partially on the comforting pressure of Anja’s body against her side and partially on the sliding door to the treatment area.

Every time those doors swished open, they looked up, but each time, the nurse or doctor either called out another name or bustled through the waiting area on their way to someplace else.

The ER was busy, probably with cuts, intoxications, and other little injuries from the carnival parade.

Susanne glanced around for something to distract her, barely resisting the urge to tap her foot. Her gaze repeatedly went to Anja to see how she was holding up. A single piece of pink confetti still clung to Anja’s hair, and Susanne reached out to remove it. Then she felt Ulrike’s gaze on her and quickly let her hand drop back to her lap.

It seemed to take forever until a nurse stepped out and called, “Is somebody here for Norbert Wolff?”