*** Just to note,
Jo is still in the ICU; however, she is now in London. I visited her after school. The doctor said she should be able to leave once she wakess up; her blood count is low, almost back to normal!

Now to the 2nd part of the story.

---

"Dwayne, how will I tell Rusty?" Erika asked over her lunch. She didn’t have the stomach to eat.

Dwayne ran his hand along her chin, lifting her face towards him. "You will be fine. We’ll have to tell him the truth, though. He will understand."

"He’s only a boy. Are you sure he can understand?" Erika looked at her lunch. "I can’t eat...."

"That’s all right; I am done," Dwayne told her as he waved down their young waitress. "Can I have the check, please"

The waitress smiled as she gave them the check. "You can pay at the front of the restaurant."

"Thank you," Erika told the young waitress.

"How much should we leave her?" Erika wondered as she got out her purse.

"Give her a ten. From where I’m standing she’s a soon-to-be mother." Dwayne pointed to the waitress as she was helping some other people. "She looks 4 months, plus she was very nice to us."

"That’s fine with me." Erika put down the ten as they got up.

 

As Erika got settled into her new room at the hospital, she began to feel more and more worried about what the next couple months might bring.

"Should I bring Rusty in tonight?" Dwayne asked as he tried to help Erika settle in.