28

“SISTER? ARE YOU IN HERE?” the little head in the cracked-open door says.

I narrow my eyes at Mick and whisper, “You got lucky.” He’s smiling when I call out to my brother. “In here, Jersey. Just open the door.”

The door opens a little farther and his head comes in more. “Sister?” His face swivels around, taking in all the details. “This is a hospital room,” he says, talking to Mick.

“Yep.”

“You’re not Sister. You’re Mickey Mouse.”

“Yes, I am. How’ve you been, J-Man?” Mick holds up a hand for a high-

five.

Jersey comes the rest of the way in, completely ignoring me. “I’m good. I

got to leave Saturday school early. This place smells funny. I saw a doctor and a nurse and a dead body.” He stops at the side of Mick’s bed and gives him a high five that makes Mick wince with pain.

My mother comes in, her arms loaded down with flowers. She peeks through the colors and greenery and smiles tremulously. “Hi, baby. How are you feeling?”

I don’t know what it is about seeing my mom when I’m sick,