r. I'm really hoping the treatment she's receiving works, since she's been in a stagnant condition since we found out about her sickness. It was really hard for both of

touched again and again. Ugh, you're so touchy." I pouted and stepped back. "Well then I wouldn't bother to come see you again. You clearly like your space." My mom laughed. "Aww, don't sulk, honey. The evil nurse might just come and give you some injections. I mean, she has an injection for everything, and a really big one for the bad girls." I pulled my cheeks and my mom gave me a forehead kiss. All the color drained from my face when she mentioned injections. I've always been scared of them, and I guess I always will be. She smirked when she saw my reaction, knowing my fear. "Don't be scared, honey. Me and your Grandpa won't let her touch you. But you have to be a good girl," she said with a cheeky smile. "Grandpa? Is he here? Is he coming?" I asked, surprised. I thought he was in Rome. "Ah yes. Your Grandpa is coming all the way from Rome to see his beautiful daughter and..." She paused, eyeing me. "Granddaughter." I would have laughed if I wasn't still shaken up by the injection comment. "Loosen up, girl. I'm the older and sick one here and I'm more loosened up than you. You're acting like a 90 year old," she said. "Okay. Don't just scare me like that again and I wouldn't act like a 90 year old," I replied hoarsely. The next thing I knew, I was getting hit behind my head. "Don't sass me, young lady! I warned you. For the last time, I'm the mother here and you're the daughter," she said. I was rubbing my head while glaring at her. She sure has a lot of strength. "What? Cat got your tongue?" she asked. "Lady, you are testing me," I said, laughing at her when I outsmarted her move by moving my head before her hand connected with my head. I had missed our playful bickering. We had always been like this, and seeing her sick before had killed me. But now that I knew she was better, I loved it. I had to thank the doctors before heading back. "Mother, where is Grandpa going to stay?" I asked while eating a chicken salad I had gotten for myself when I went out to smuggle her favorite food - pizza - from a nearby shop. I had been forced to do this because of her complaints about the cheap hospital food and her threat of giving me injections. I was so scared that I immediately ran out of the room, but I did miss my mother's laugh, which brought an automatic smile to my face. I was happy when she was happy. "You know your grandpa. He has many connections. He'll probably stay with an old friend or at a hotel. I haven't really asked him about it. But you don't need to worry about that. Give some rest to that little head of yours," she said with a mouth full of pizza. "Manners, mother," I said, receiving another hit on my head. I was going to have a concussion soon if she didn't stop hitting me like that. "Who's the mother?" she asked. "You are," I said, sulking. "Good, you're finally developing," she said. My mom gave me a look that I knew all too well. She thought it was funny, but it still hurt. After the meal, she got all serious on me. She looked like a high school teacher who had just caught her student without his homework. "So how do you pay the bills? Because this hospital isn't in our budget and I'm sure you haven't won the lottery," she said in a strict voice. "I work," I replied. She narrowed her eyes at me. She wasn't going to let this go. "I work as a maid for the Hubert'sand Mr Hubert helps me to pay your bills. He even helped me to clear all the bills from your previous hospital," I explained. "Hmm, seems like a nice man but I wonder why? Why would he help you to pay my bills? It's not like you are related to him or something," she asked. "I don't really know, Mom, but he seems like a really nice person. He is good to me and other workers too," I said. She sighed. "So any boys I need to take care of?" She asked, winking at me. I gasped as the thought of William filled my mind again and all the naughty things he did to me. I blushed hard thinking about him. I could never imagine telling all these things to my mother. She would kill William. "Oh my god, Mom! No! No boys," I replied, out of breath. "Aww. My baby has found a boyfriend. Is he hot? Is he a gentleman? Does he treat you properly?" She said in a sing-song voice.