what would you think

Ian supposed Josie was dressing up for herself. No one else. He knew she'd been so down, lately. He wanted to ask if she brought another pair of shoes. Ian couldn't imagine her managing in those high heels for four hours.

"You know, even when he does wake up, don't expect him to be ready for a party." Ian told her it would be a slow go. It might take all summer for Henry to get back to normal.

"Don't make it sound so awful." She swelled a frown.

"I don't mean too. Just, I know, you care. I do. I know his family does too. But don't expect so much." He didn't mean to be a downer.

"I just want to know why, OK? Why did he let it get this far?" She sounded as if she was ready to slap some sense into Henry right now.

"You, may never know why." Ian reminded her that usually family was only suppose to be here in Henry's hospital room, but his parents had been happy for a few of Henry's friends to be around. "Stop being so mean. Especially, to Shan. This ..this isn't easy for any of us." He looked her in the eye, thinking she should be more grown up now, after all she'd been through.

"I don't think I should go with you, to visit your friends in England." She looked as if she needed her space.

"You're gonna be here for Henry? Is that it?" Ian didn't know if Henry were an excuse or just her way of saying they were finished.

She nodded.

"Hayley's been looking forward to seeing you, all year." Ian knew, after all she called him too. So did Gilly.  They were going to London and then to where he grew up. They were to leave a week after he graduated high school.

"I know. I want to see them. Its just-" She sighed as she looked at Henry hooked up to machines in a hospital bed.

"OK. If that's what you want." He'd already talked to her mother about their plans. Even she was OK with it.

A part of him felt that Josie was afraid to leave this little town in the heartland. It had nothing to do with Henry nor her mother. It was Dylan who she was afraid to leave, and he knew he couldn't hold that against her.