I placed a hand lightly on her arm, saying, "Hey." Nothing. I shook her gently, but the gesture didn't seem to register. She was submerged in the murky depths of alcohol, where sound couldn't penetrate and no light reached. I shook her again. She made a grunting noise, but otherwise remained unresponsive. I didn't think I should leave her in her present state. I looked for a telephone and finally spotted one in the kitchen, mounted on the wall near the hall door. I searched one drawer after another until I found the phone book. I looked up Justine's number and called her. She answered after four rings.

"Justine? This is Kinsey. I'm really sorry to bother you, but I stopped by your mother's house just now and found both doors standing open. She seems to have passed out. I think she's okay, but I'm having trouble rousing her. Could you come over here? I don't think I should leave her until you've seen for yourself."

"Damnation. Oh, hell. I'll be there as soon as possible." She hung up abruptly. I was sorry I'd annoyed her, but such is life. ~ I returned to the couch and perched on the edge of the coffee table. I took Medora's hand and slapped it lightly. "Medora, wake up. Can you wake up?"

Groggily, she opened her eyes. At first, she couldn't seem to focus, but she finally coordinated her eyes and looked around the room, disoriented.

"It's me, Kinsey. Can you hear me?"

She mumbled something I couldn't understand.

"Medora, did you take something for the pain? Let's get you up, okay?" I slid an arm under her head, trying to lift her into a sitting position. "I'm going to pull you up here, but I need your help."

She seemed to gather herself, pushing up on one elbow, which enabled me to haul her upright. Her gaze settled on mine with an expression of confusion. "What's happening?"

"I don't know, Medora. You tell me. Let's get you on your feet and take a walk. Can you do that?"

"What for? I'm fine. I don't want to walk."

"Well, sit then and let's talk. I don't want you falling asleep again. Did you take something?"

"A nap."

"I. know you took a nap, but your doors, were wide open and I was worried about you. Did you take any pills?

"Earlier."

"How many? Show me what you took, was it this?"

"And the other ones."

I checked the labels on the bottles: Valium, Tylenol with Codeine, Percocet, Xanax. "This is not a good idea. You're not supposed to take all of these at the same time, especially if you've had a drink. It's not safe. Are you feeling okay?"

"Dr. Belker gave me those."

"But you shouldn't take them when you drink. Didn't he explain that?"

"That case I couldn't take 'em at all. I drink every day." She smiled I at my goofiness, having settled that point.