The next morning, Saturday, Mykalla woke up to the sound of the telephone ringing on the desk in the corner. "Mike, it's for you," called Elizbaeth from the other end of the hallway.
Mykalla picked up the phone, "Hello? Oh, hi mom."
"You were suppossed to call me as soon as you got to Elizabeth's. I went crazy trying to find her number," said the voice on the other end of the line.
"Sorry mom. I was so tired that I unpacked and fell asleep. I had totally forgotten when I woke up. We went out to eat and then got stuck at County for awhile."
"You still should have called. I didn't know if you got there or if she was going to let you stay or not."
"Just because you treated she like shit when she asked hte first time doesn't mean she'd hold it against me. Although, she was totally surprised. You were supossed to call her and tell her I was coming!"
"I was busy trying to get you into a school. You start at Mary Mother of Charity Academy on Monday. Your uniform is in your small suitcase. I have arranged for oyu to take the same classes as you are now..."
Mykalla listened to her half heartedly. "Look mom, I have to go. talk to you soon. Bye."
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Elizbaeth and Mark were sitting downstairs eating breakfast. "How long is your shift today?" Elizbaeth asked Mark.
"Eight to noon. Only minor medical, no tramas."
"How about the three of us go out this afternoon. I have one surgery at nine, but that should be done by eleven. I'll hang around and give you a ride home."
"That sounds great. I feel kinda bad that Mykalla had to come with us last night. She said something to me about going to see Wrigley Field, we could do that."
"WHy don't you two go, I was never a big baseball fan. I'll make something special for dinner, and pick up a movie. I hae soem charts to look over, so I could get those done."
"You sure you don't want to come?"
"Yes I'm sure. You can get to know Mike a little better."
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Mark and Mykalla stepped onto the train and took a seat in the middle fo the car. They rode for a couple stops in uncomfortably silence. neither of them knew what to say to the other.
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"Hello," said Elizabeth as she picked up the phone. "Hi Jill. No Mike's not here. Mark took her over to Wrigley Field."
"Well," said the voice on the phone. "I would like to talk to my daughter when I spend this much money calling her."
"I'm sorry Jill, but she's out with Mark. I don't know when they'll be back. I cna have her call you when she gets in."
"And who is this Mark? She's only been there one day and you're already letting her out with guys? I just hope that it's not that Maria's brother. They aren't a good influence on her."
"No Jill. Mark would be Dr. Grenne, my fiancee. And don't worry about her, she's fine. I have work to do so..."
"Yeah well still... She starts at Mary Mother of Charity on Monday. I arranged the bus and everything. It's picking her up at seven in front of your house, make sure she doesn't miss it. What else? Oh yeah, make sure she calls me, and make sure she does her work. Just because she's there doesn't mean she can slack off."
"Jill I hate to interrupt but I really must go. I will give her your message. Bye."
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The train pulled away from a platform. "Wrigley is the next stop. There probably won't be anything going on," said Mark.
"That's alright. Just to say I was there. it's one of those places that I always wanted to see."
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The two were sitting in the lower bleachers eating hot dogs. "So why did you coem out here, if you don't mind me asking."
"I wanted a change," replied Mykalla. "my parents have been on my back about everything, especially the phone bill. My mom can't stand Elizbaeth almost as much as Maria, and seeing as how both of them live in Chicago, my mom is pissed off. My dad helped my convince her that it would be better if I came out here. He made this deal with me, if I keep my grades up-meaning no C's-then I can stay. I kinda calmed my mom down a bit."
"At least you have to work to stay. Your dad's probably right about it being a good way to make you keep your grades up," replied Mark.
"Yeah. My mom also said that I should keep away from Maria, but before I left my dad said that she was just overreacting and not to worry about it."
"You know other people out here?" asked Mark.
"Uh huh, Maria Johnson. We went to school togther, we've been best friends since we were three. She moved to Chicago after grade school. I still talk to her everyday, either on the phone or online."
"Maria Johnson, she was in the ER yesterday."
"What happened?" asked Mykalla.
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Mykalla sat in the car in silence as they rode in the bas home. Mark was on the cell phone talking to County. Mykalla was staring out the window as the city scenery passed by. She all she could to hold back the tears that were building up. A few stray ones rolled down her cheak. Mark put his phone in his pocket and slid closer to her. "Hey, are you ok?" he asked. Mykalla wiped her face and turned to face him. She tried to smile but shoiok her head. She buried her face in his hsoulder and allowed herself to cry. Mark put his arm around her and sympathetically rubbed herar,. "It's going to be all right. Elziabeth and Dr. Benton have been taking good care of her."
"Elizabeth's her doctor?" asked Mykalla. She picked her head up to look at Mark. Her eyes were bloodshot and her face red form crying, tears were still rolling down her cheaks. Mark couldn't help feeling sorry for her, and a little upset himself.
"Yes, She did the surgery last night and Dr. benton is watching her until Elizabeth goes into work on Monday. I told him to watch her closely and call us if anything changes. So don't worry too much."
"Thanks, but I do worry. I don't know what happened or anything. I couldn't stand to loose her, she was closer than a sister. She knows everything about me."
"She'll be fine, I promise. She's in ICU so they can moniter her closely. She came through the surgery and is resting. Normally it's family only, but I talked Benton into letting you visit for a little bit tomorrow. That is if you want to."
Mykalla nodded slightly and rested her ehad on Mark's shoulder. mark held her as they continued home. 'For Mykalla's sake I hope everything turns out ok,' he thought, 'She means to much to Elizbaeth for her to be like this.'
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When they got home, Mykalla went straight up to her room. Mark walked through the living room trying to find Elizabeth. He entered the kitchen adn saw her in the middle of making dinner. "So how was it?" she asked Mark.
"It was good, I think. We were sitting there talking, about all different stuff, and it turns out that she knows some other people out here."
"Her mom said something about a friend of hers that lives here. It seems Jill doesn't like her very much."
"She was telling me about her, Maria Johnson. They've been best friends since they were three."
"Johnson? Why does that name sound familiar?"
"The girl last night form the shooting that you did the surgery on."
Elizbaeth covered her mouth in shock. "Oh my God. I didn't even realize. Does she know what happened?"
"I told her what I knew, I also talked to Benton on the way home. Just to see how she was doing."
"Good news I hope."
"No news is good news, right?"
"Normally, but I think it would help Mike if there was some news, of either kind. I'm just worried about how she's taking this."
Mark walked around the island and sat down next to Elizabeth. " I know," he said.
