Summoned

Chapter 10

It was a few days later.

Junie was fast asleep when her phone rang, startling her awake. A deep dread filled her as she reached over for it, not even bothering to check who it was.

Levi stirred next to her. He didn't sleep, but he must have been close to it.

"Hello?" Junie answered groggily, scrubbing her face with her hand.

"Junie," Maisy sobbed. "It's MiMi."

Junie was suddenly wide awake and she got out of bed, pulling on a pair of pants and a sweatshirt, and nearly tripping over her own feet in the dark.

"What happened?" she asked. "Where are you?"

Levi flipped on the light, pulling a shirt over his head.

"Maybe a stroke, I don't know yet. She fell and broke her arm. I'm at the hospital. Can you please come? I'm scared," she cried.

"I'm on my way. I'll call you when I get there," she said, ending the call.

Junie rushed out of her room with Levi close behind.

He took the keys from her.

"I'm driving," he said. 

"What? Levi, you don't know how to drive."

"I'll figure it out. I'm not letting you get behind the wheel like this. You just woke up."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he stopped her.

"I'm not arguing, Juniper," he said sternly, holding the front door open for her.

She put the GPS on for him. He drove surprisingly smooth, but her mind was elsewhere.

MiMi had raised her and loved her more than her mother had. She and Maisy had taken her in. Junie couldn't be without her.

Her tears fell without her having to think much about them, and she smeared them away with her palm. Levi took her other hand supportively, and she appreciated his company.

They found Maisy in a waiting room. She stood up as soon as she saw them, and Junie pulled in her into a hug when she was in arms reach.

"What happened?" Junie asked, rubbing her back.

"She called me saying something wasn't right. I had to hang up to call an ambulance for her, and I guess she had fallen while I was on the phone with them because she wouldn't answer me," Maisy said, sobbing painfully. "What if we took too long to get over there?"

Junie hushed her, trying to soothe her despite her own fears and pain that she felt.

Maisy took a deep breath. "The ambulance had arrived before I did. They had firefighters there trying to get the door open. I didn't even get to see her before they took her away."

She continued. "They are running some tests or something, I don't know. I'm scared, Junie. I can't lose her."

"It's going to be okay," Junie whispered, coaxing her to take a seat.

Levi placed a supportive hand on her back and she settled a bit. She was really glad he was there.

---

They sat for nearly two hours before a doctor came looking for Maisy.

"Your grandmother had a mini stroke. She did fall on her arm, resulting in a fracture in her radial bone, but she is awake and asking for you all, just please keep it to one person at a time until visiting hours start in a bit."

Maisy thanked her before rushing down the hallway.

Junie sagged into her chair, relieved that this wasn't much worse. It still didn't make it any less scary. She never wanted to think of MiMi as older and fragile.

"Come here," Levi whispered, extending his arm out so she could curl close. She turned sideways in her chair, placing her legs on top of his and putting her head on his shoulder.

He kissed her forehead, running his hand down her arm.

"Thank you for coming with me," she said.

"You don't have to thank me, angel," he said. "I'm here for you and whatever you need."

She sat contentedly with him for a little while, until she noticed sun peeking from the large window in front of them, turning the sky into a soothing pink that scattered across the whole horizon.

Maisy entered the waiting room.

"I'm sorry that you guys had to wait," she said apologetically. She looked exhausted. "The nurse said you can come in now if you would like."

"I'll hang back here," Levi said.

"Are you sure?" Junie asked, untangling herself from him.

He nodded, kissing her forehead.

Junie followed Maisy down the hall and into a small room.

MiMi smiled when she entered.

"Someone doesn't want to sleep," the nurse said, teasing, as she inspected the IV.

"MiMi," Maisy scolded. "You should rest."

"I told you that I wanted to see Junie first, since you dragged the poor girl out of bed in the middle of the night."

MiMi looked small and pale in that hospital bed. Junie did not like the sight at all and her heart clenched painfully.

"I'm fine," MiMi insisted, holding out her hand. Her left arm was in a cast against her chest. "Just a little scare is all."

Junie sniffled. "A little?"

MiMi yawned, and Maisy pulled the blanket up around her, using the controls to have the bed lay back down into a more comfortable position.

"They gave me the good stuff," MiMi teased, settling back. Her eyes fluttered, and she was asleep almost immediately.

Maisy and Junie sat in the chairs beside the bed together.

"The doctor said that her left side went numb, probably why she took a fall," Maisy said quietly. "They have her on a medication that will clear the blockage. The timing was good."

"Good," Junie said. "The hardest part is going to be getting her to actually sit still enough to recover."

Maisy giggled a little and agreed.

"I appreciate you being here," Maisy said. "I don't know what I would do without you."

"Me too," Junie whispered.

It was quiet for a few minutes. Junie felt her eyes get heavy.

"Why don't you go home? Catch up on some sleep? I'm sure MiMi is going to sleep awhile too."

Junie slowly nodded. "I'll bring you some food in a few hours. We can switch out, so you can go home and bring back whatever you need."

Maisy agreed.