The Siege by Alexie Aaron Page A

Okay, now my gift.”  Audrey reached into the bag and drew out one of the two John Lotton glass paperweights.
    “When Rosemary Dawson saw the footage, she insisted I give this to you.”
    “I’m touched, but this is so expensive,” Audrey whispered.
    “I’ll have your mother take it home tonight,” Mia whispered back.  “She’s in the hall waiting.”
    “Why are we whispering?” Audrey asked.
    “I don’t know, you started it,” Mia said returning to a normal voice level.
    “I was supposed to be able to come home tonight, but they want to get more money out of the insurance company,” Audrey said.
    “I’m sure it’s more than that,” Mia said, looking at the bruised and swollen woman.  “I’d enjoy the presence of Mr. Morphine a little longer, because when you leave, it doesn’t go with you.”
    “Damn.”
    “Cid’s supposed to drop by later today to go over what he needs to do when he finishes my assessment for me.”
    “He said he’d be here just before you eat.  Matt said you would be out of your haze by then.”
    “Cid and Matt, what a pair of bookends. They both have such a nice s…”
    “Excuse me, ladies,” Ted interrupted.  “I can see where this conversation is going.  I’ll send your mom in.  I expect she has her own views of the male anatomy that she’d like to share.”  Ted backed out of the room.
    Audrey looked at Mia.  “I was just going to say sense of humor.  Touchy male.”
    Mia laughed.
    “What are you two laughing at?” Erin McCarthy inquired as she entered the room.
    “The frailties of men,” Mia said.
    “That’s quite a lengthy discussion.  Mia, you look radiant.”
    “Thank you, it’s caused from overheating in this outfit.  It’s hot when you have two people under one skin.”
    “That it is, dear,” Erin said.
    “Mom, look what they brought.”
    Erin walked over to the bed, and her eyes roamed from the priceless paperweight to the handmade card.  She picked it up and asked, “Is this how it happened?”
    “Yes.”
    “Hmmm, I think you should have brought it in like a football instead of fielding it like a baseball.”
    Mia looked at the duo of tomboy mother and daughter.  Mia had assumed incorrectly that Audrey got her sports advice from her dad.
    “Mia, do you think we could have a copy of this for our Christmas letter?”
    “I’ll ask, but I’m sure it will be alright.”
    “Mom, lookie lookie, I caught two of these at once,” Audrey said lifting the colorful piece of art to the light.  “Oooh, it’s so beautiful.”
    “Where were you when this impromptu antique toss was going on?” Erin asked Mia.
    “I wasn’t allowed to come.  I spent my night reading baby furniture catalogs and stealing baked goods.  You know, normal boring stuff.”
    “It’s hard being sidelined.”
    “I offered to ride the bench, but Simon Legree had other ideas.”
    “Simon…  Oh, you mean Burt.  Audrey’s been telling me tales of the once-favored knight.  Seems to me, his suit of armor has tarnished.”
    “Seems so. I think he needs help.”
    “Harrumph!”
    “Did that just come out of my sweet daughter’s mouth,” Erin scolded. “I’m going to have to tell the nurse to turn down your drip.”
    “No, mommy, don’t.”
    Erin turned her face away from Audrey a moment to stop the laughter that wanted to bubble out.  She turned back and said sternly, “Then have some respect.”
    Mia was amazed.  She loved to watch the interaction between people that cared for each other.  Erin truly found Audrey funny but refused to show it.  Could this also be true of Mia’s mother?  Why did mothers hide their amusement?  Was she supposed to do that?  She would ask Glenda about it when they next met.
    “You were saying?” Erin prodded Mia.
    “I think he may have suffered some kind of trauma that is affecting his personality.  Mike thinks he’s possessed, but I didn’t sense anything else inside him.  Although, I have been wrong