Good news will work its way to all them plans

 

"What are you talking about?" Raney didn't like Harley's tone, but he never expected her to come to the hospital. "Things are fine with Kimmy and me."

Honestly, he didn't have time for this. It was so unexpected, yet he should have expected it with his mom. He knew she couldn't help it, but things had been splendid as of late and now this. The hardships of being a grownup. 

"Is Kimmy even here?" Harley paced in the waiting room with him. The doctors suddenly had to go in when the alarms of the machines went off. Of course, his mother wasn't even conscious.

Raney shot her a look. "She said she was coming." 

His frown was small. He did have faith in Kimmy who showered him with so much affection these last few weeks. She was a good listener and she liked him. He believed anyway, but listening Harley talk of Kimmy's problem. It just made him sad. It couldn't be true.

He hugged himself, knowing he'd be alone. It always turned out this way. What would he do with the house? So much he hadn't tended to. He'd vowed he would go to art school and now it was looking as if he couldn't even get through the first year without this hardship.

"She'll be here?" He'd said hours ago. But no Kimmy. No word from the doctors. All he had was Harley to lean on.

Yes, they talked about their classes and classmates. But no mention of Maddie. Which might have been a relief. He took refuge in the cozy sofa of the ICU waiting room. He asked about Brick as they sat together. Harley stayed with him, as if it was the least she could do.

"Oh, you know, he's busy." She looked away as if she didn't want him to see her true emotions of his circumstance which had little to do with Kimmy. "I don't think he has time for me."

"But, you guys have been together so long." He looked at her as if she truly was not like her cousin. Yes, there was that vibe of Kimmy's to always be fashionable.

"Not that long," she spoke of how he used to be with Lily. "Not that he talks about her, but I know it was something special, not like me." She melted into tears.

"What happened?" He wanted to know.

"It's nothing., really." She shook her head, no. She said this was about his mother. 

"I don't want to talk about her," Raney shook his head, no. They'd made their peace when she was well and they went to her favorite places to eat and trips to the zoo. 

Harley sniffed back tears, as if she might disappoint him if she said.

"Just tell me," Raney looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

"It's just, I know I'm not well either, and I hate for Brick to have to go through this," she apologized.

"You have nothing to be sorry about," he told her that Brick probably knew this. 

She took his hand when the doctor came. It seemed they knew it would be bad news, but somehow he'd suffice with Harley here.