Raleigh laughed and then covered her mouth, turning to Olivia and widening her eyes as if she could have woken her up.
“It’s okay. I’m awake,” Olivia spoke before her eyes opened. “And, really, Hollis? No underwear?”
“I was just joking,” Hollis said, moving to the side of her mother’s bed. “You’re supposed to be asleep.”
“I have to go to the bathroom,” her mom replied.
“Okay. I’ll get the nurse.”
“I’ve stolen your keys,” Raleigh stated.
Hollis turned to see that Raleigh was holding up the house keys.
“Hey!” she said.
“I’ll be back in thirty minutes, okay? Is there anything specific you want me to bring?”
“Underwear,” Olivia replied for her.
Hollis and Raleigh laughed this time.
“No, whatever is fine. My suitcase is–”
“I’ll figure it out,” Raleigh told her.
“Who exactly are you?”
“Oh, sorry. Mom, this is Raleigh.”
“The Raleigh?”
“I’m the Raleigh?” Raleigh asked, moving to the other side of the bed.
“I’ve told her about you, yes,” Hollis explained. “Raleigh stopped by to check on me.”
“I like her already.” Olivia smiled a little.
“She likes me,” Raleigh replied, smirking at Hollis.
Hollis rolled her eyes and said, “I’ll get the nurse.”
“I’ll be right back, okay?” Raleigh repeated. “Text me the address, please.”
“Yes. And thank you,” Hollis said.
“No problem.”
Raleigh left with Hollis’s keys, and Hollis hit the button to call the nurse for her mom.
“She’s nice.”
“She is, yeah,” Hollis agreed as she pulled out her phone and sent Raleigh that text. “Can I get you some water?”
“No, I’m okay. She came here for you?”
“She helped me yesterday when you arrived. Today, she just stopped by to force me to eat, and, I guess, she’s going to get me some things from the house so I can stay again.”
“That’s nice of her,” her mom noted, trying to sit up a little.