Madeline is anxiously sitting in the hospital lobby, waiting for some news about Katelyn. It's been over two hours and no one has told her a thing.

Glancing around, she notices tan chairs lined against the walls. In the center is a set of chairs enclosing an elongated table. To her left, she sees a kitchen area supplying basic essentials. Off of that is a smaller room, furnished with a similar style table and chairs.

Madeline notices a family tearfully waiting in the corner, and another is across the room.

No one has talked to them either, and they were here when I arrived. You'd think someone would be kind enough to tell us something. She looks over at the grieving family again. Well, I'm not as patient. Seeing a lady sitting behind a desk, Madeline walks towards her.

The lady looks up from her book as she approaches.

She's an older woman with short white hair and large thick-rimmed glasses. Her makeup is applied with such proficiency that it gives her a young, youthful appearance. Getting closer, Madeline realizes the older volunteer is petite in both size and stature. By the looks of her hands, she's worked hard her entire life. She reminds me of Grandma Betty. Madeline concludes, recalling her sweet, gentle face.

"Can I help you?" the volunteer asks, laying her book beside her.

"My name is Madeline Howard, and I was wondering if you've heard anything about my daughter, Katelyn Howard?"

"I'm just a volunteer here, but I'll try to find someone who can answer your questions." She slowly rises from her chair.

"My arthritis is giving me fits today," she explains, hobbling around her desk.

Madeline feels guilty for making her move, putting her through all of this pain. "That's ok, I can wait," she says, turning back around.

The lady grabs a hold of her arm as Madeline steps away. "Don't be silly, you want to know about your daughter and I'm going to find someone to help you." She gradually works her way to the door. Turning, she smiles at Madeline. "I'll be right back," she says, stepping into the hall.

I wished I hadn't asked now, Madeline gloomily thinks, walking to her chair.

A few minutes later a nurse steps into the room. Her manner and appearance display exemplary professionalism. She's wearing a crisp white uniform, her makeup is minimal and her hair is pulled neatly into a bun at the nape of her neck. "Mrs. Howard?" 

Madeline races to her. "I'm Madeline Howard."

"You were asking about your daughter, Katelyn?"

"Yes, yes, is she alright?"

"The doctors are still in surgery, but they should be finished soon. I'll make sure one of them talks to you as soon as they're done."

"Yes, please do."

"I will." Smiling, she quickly walks away.

"Wait..." Madeline begins as the door closes behind her.

Madeline starts to sit down when she sees her youngest daughter step into the room. 

"I got here as soon as I could," Katie says, eyeing her terrified mother. 

"I'm so glad you're here," Madeline says. Wrapping her arms around Katie, she begins to cry.

"How is she, mom?"

"Your sister is still in surgery, but they should be finished soon."

"Do you know what happened to her?"

"The policeman told me the van she was riding in flipped. I guess the driver tried to outrun the cops, lost control and crashed."

Katie gasps. "She could've been killed." 

"The driver and two passengers were. The officer said if she hadn't been tied down, she probably wouldn't have survived either."

"Tied down, why on earth was she tied down?"

"Those monsters were raping Katelyn, they were raping my poor baby." 

"It's alright, Mom, she's a strong woman, she'll pull through this," Katie says, hugging her again.

"I hope so," Madeline sobs, wearily plopping in a chair.

Sitting down beside her, Katie holds her mom's cold hands. Cold hands, warm heart. Katie smiles lovingly at her mother.

Madeline thinks back to all the letters Katelyn wrote when she was in prison and how she never answered a single one. "I've been such a terrible mom to her, Katie, just awful," she blubbers. "I should've made sure she had food in her stomach and a place to stay when she got out of prison. But I didn't, Katie, I didn't do any of those things, I turned my back on her instead. Only a monster would do that to her child, a cold heartless beast. I'm a terrible mom, Katie, a horrible mother like Stan's mother claims." 

"You're a great mother, a very loving, caring mom and we're lucky to have you."

"Oh, Katie." She cries, laying her head on her daughter's shoulder, she sobs like a baby.

"You're here now and that's all that really matters," Katie says, gently stroking her mom's hair.

"I just hope it's not too late, I hope it's not too late." 

"She'll pull through this, you'll see."

"I need to tell her I love her, that I'll always love her no matter what she does," Madeline blubbers, clinging on to Katie.
***
Stan drunkenly stumbles towards their house after a lengthy celebration. He knows he should be happy that he's received his long-awaited promotion, but he was so angry at his wife that his joyful ceremony quickly turned sour. He tried to drown his anger in a bottle, but that only enhanced his rage.

"How dare she do this to me, have the audacity to storm out on me on my special night. That, that arrogant bitch, she ruined my long-awaited commemoration. After everything I've done for her, all the nice things I've given her, all the support I've shown on her idiotic dream. She has the nerve to choose her demonic child over me." He drops the keys trying to unlock their door. Fumbling around, he finally manages to open it.

"It's that little hellion who's doing it. She's controlling Madeline like she's done before. Why does she let Katelyn dominate her like that, why? Can't she see Katelyn is manipulating her to get even with me? Katelyn has always wanted to destroy us, our family, our marriage. She almost did once, and now she's trying to do it again." He slams their door closed.

"I always pictured us celebrating this night together, the way we used to way back when, before we had the girls. But Katelyn had to ruin it, the way she's demolished everything else in our lives." He drunkenly stumbles into his den.

"You go on, Madeline and be manipulated by that little bitch, I'll just celebrate without you." Walking over to his bar, he pours a glass of scotch. Downing it, he pours another followed by a third. "I'll get you off my mind one way or another," he says. Throwing his glass across the room, he tips the bottle to his lips.
***
"Mrs. Howard?"

They look up to see a tall, thin surgeon dressed in blue standing in the doorway. Jumping up from their chairs, they scramble towards him.

"I'm Madeline Howard," she weakly replies.

"We're able to stop her bleeding and repair all of the damages to her internal organs."

"So Katelyn is going to be ok?" she asks, hopefully.

"As far as her internal bleeding goes, yes, but we've had to resuscitate her twice during surgery. So I'd like to keep her in ICU a few days until she's stable enough to be moved to the floor."

"Can we see her?"

"Yes, but only for a few minutes. She's been through a lot and needs plenty of rest."

"Yes, I understand."

The doctor takes them through a maze of long, sterile hallways before they reach their destination.

"Go to the far end, she's on your right," he informs them, pointing down the hall. He starts to turn toward the entrance when Madeline grabs his arm.

"Thank you for saving my baby," she cries, throwing her arms around him.

Katie could tell by the distressed look on the surgeon's face that he didn't appreciate her kind gesture. "It's ok, Mom, Katelyn is going to be alright," she says, trying to pull her away.

"Yeah, and it's all because of this saint right here," she bawls, hugging him again.

"She loves to hug," Katie explains, trying to separate them.

"Come on Mom, let's go see, Sis."

"Thank you," Madeline replies, finally letting go.

The doctor rushes down the hall before she can hug him again.

Running to the head of Katelyn's bed, Madeline grabs a hold of her hand.

"I'm so glad you're ok, Honey," she cries, gently kissing her daughter's forehead.

Opening her eyes, Katelyn glances up. "Mom?" she asks hoarsely, hoping she isn't hallucinating.

"Yes Honey, it's me." Realizing she's hooked up to numerous machines Madeline bawls again. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, so, so sorry, Baby," Madeline sobs. Gently stroking her daughter's face, she continues. "I'm never going to turn my back on you ever again, I promise, Honey I'll never do it again. I love you, Katelyn, I'll always love you no matter what you say or do. You're my precious Baby, my beloved child and nothing will ever change that." 

"I love you so much, Mom." Katelyn bursts into tears.

"Oh Katelyn baby, please don't cry, please don't cry." Madeline sobs, wiping tears from Katelyn's cheeks. Hearing someone sniffle, Madeline glances up to see Katie sobbing at the foot of the bed.

"You guys got me all choked up," she chuckles amongst her tears. Taking a Kleenex out of her purse, she dabs her face.

"Your sister came to see you too, Honey."

"Hi, Sis," Katie nervously replies as she continues to dry her face. They didn't part on good terms ten years ago, so she wasn't sure how Katelyn will react.

Turning her head towards her sister, Katelyn screams. "Get out of here, Katie!"

"Surely, you don't mean that Honey," Madeline says. 

"Get her out of here, right now, Mom!"

"Can't we just let the past be the past?" Madeline interjects.

"Get out, get out, get out!" Katelyn screams, rising up from her bed.

Dismayed by her sister's outburst, Katie tearfully runs down the hall.

Katelyn's frail body falls back on her bed, the alarms begin to scream.

Madeline sees Katelyn's eyes roll towards the back of her head. "Katelyn, honey, please wake up, please, please wake up," Madeline begs, frantically stroking her hair. Looking up, Madeline sees several nurses rushing into Katelyn's room.

"You need to leave," one of them informs her, escorting her to the door.

Madeline grabs the nurse's arm as she turns to leave. "What's happening to my baby?" Madeline fearfully questions.

"She's going into cardiac arrest." Pushing Madeline into the hallway, she closes Katelyn's door.

"No, don't die on me, Katelyn! Please, Baby, please don't die," Madeline sobs, falling to the floor.