I opened my eyes to see Sister Martha standing above me. Sitting up slowly, I yawned and took the tray that she held out to me. Quickly, I ate my breakfast, for I expected Skittery to drop by any minute.

"Oh, Hannah, S�amas won't be by today," Sister Martha said.

My heart nearly stopped. His father?

"We asked him not to come by this week since we're starting your therapy," she continued.

My mouth dropped open. "And whyever not?"

"Well, dear, it's just not proper for you two to be shut up in this room together all day. You wouldn't have time to see him, anyway, what with you getting your excercise."

"That's unfair! He's the only one able to come see me, and you take him away from me?" I wailed, lying back down and burying my face in the pillow.

Sister Martha placed a hand on my back. "Now, now, you needn't be vexed. You'll see him - "

"In two weeks! In two weeks I'll see him! I know you're going to send him away next week, too," I cut in angrily.

"It's for your health - "

"Pardon me, Sister Martha, but if any of you cared for my health you would let me see him! He makes me laugh! Isn't laughter the best medicine?"

She clicked her tounge and shook her head thoughtfully. "Children in love," she muttered to herself. "Well, Hannah, I'm not going to stand for this. I'll have Sister Gretta work with you today, and pray that you aren't so much a burden on her."

With that, Sister Martha left the room angrily. Tears came to my eyes quickly, but I tried to blink them back. However, I was a failure, and I cried my eyes out for the first time since I had been cooped up in that awful hospital. A gruff voice brought my face out of the pillow.

"Stop crying, girl!"

At the doorway stood an old, gruff nun with a scowl on her drawn face. "I'm Sister Gretta. Stand up!"

I tried. Really, I tried. But as soon as my feet hit the cold floor, I toppled over, landing with a thud on the hard tile.

"Get up now!" she persisted, banging the end of her cane on the floor. I tried to push myself up with my arms, but they gave way and I collapsed again. I heard Sister Gretta heave an exhasperated sigh. "Oh, all right, I'll help you up, but mark my word, you'll put my back out!"

She helped me stand, and gave me her cane to use as a support. I wobbled terribly, unable to make my legs work properly. Sister Gretta helped me hobble across the small room, back and forth, back and forth, and I was sure that I would collapse when she finally said, "That's all for now. Eat your lunch and get some rest. I'll be back tomorrow morning."

With that, she took her cane away from me and left me standing there in the middle of the room, unable to walk and barely able to stand. I turned my torso toward the bed and attempted to tip forward and catch myself on the side. Unfortunately, this failed and I landed hard on the tile. Frustrated tears came to my eyes and I reached up, pulled the blanket off the bed, and curled up on the floor, covering up and propping an arm behind my head. I lay there and cried for goodness knows how long, unaware that no one had even bothered to bring me my lunch.

I went through a similar ordeal for the next two days. Sister Gretta would come in the morning, make me hobble around my room for a long time, and then leave me to fend for myself. However, I got stronger with each passing day and was able to get back to the bed without falling down. On the third day of this routine, I had just finished my "excercise" and my lunch and was about to take a much-needed nap when the door creaked open and Skittery's head popped in.

I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was when I saw him. Before I could yell, "Skit!", he motioned for me to hush as he quickly and quietly slipped in and shut the door behind him.

"How did you get in here?" I asked, on the brink of laughter. "I was sure I wouldn't see you for two weeks, at least!"

"Snuck. Those bloody nuns - 'scuse me - told me ta go away. It's not right, th' way they've been treatin' ya all of a sudden. The nuns at th' sanitorium are always kind."

"I wish you could just get me out of here," I sighed. "This is terrible."

"I wish I could, too, Hannah, but I want ya to get well, an' th' lodgin' house certainly wouldn't do th' trick," he answered, stroking my hair. "I miss ya, ya know?"

I nodded. "I can't wait until I get out of here. Then I can see your father again, and - "

"Hannah..." Skittery cut in, taking my hand.

"Yes?"

"I...I don' think you'll be seein' Dad again."

I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out. He continued. "He's worse, Hannah, much worse than when ya saw 'im th' first time. I can hardly get in ta see 'im now, an' a priest stays in there with him at all hours, in case..." Skittery dropped his gaze to my hand. "Anyway, they wouldn't let ya in ta see 'im, in your condition."

"May I write to him, then?" I asked.

"He'd love that," Skittery answered, brightening a bit. "I can see about gettin' ya some paper an' a pen. I'll bring it tomorrow, same time?"

I nodded. "That's good. I'll write him a nice, long letter, and I'll tell him what a wonderful friend you are."

He blushed and shook his head. "Nah. Ya don' have ta go braggin' on about me."

I smiled up at him. Standing and moving the chair to its previous location, he said, "I must go now, before th' nuns get suspicious." Winking at me, he kissed my hand and slipped out of the room as quietly as he had slipped in a few minutes earlier.

Settling back into my pillow, I remembered something Sister Martha had muttered a few days before. "Children in love"...do you suppose...no, Hannah, stop this! You're just bored and trying to find a way to pass the time! Trying to stop thinking of Skittery, I buried my face in my pillow and found sleep rather quickly.