Family Portrait - Homecoming

[x-wallflower-.livejournal.com]

Following her treatment, Gail is released from hospital. Laurie and Juanita Espinosa bring her home.



Laurie rushed around to the other side of the car before her mother could get out and stood there with a stubborn cast to her features. There was no way she was going to let her mother ruin all the good work the doctors had done by trying to do to much too fast.

"Mom, you know what they said, you've got to take it easy," she said .

"Laurie, I can still walk," Gail replied, just as stubbornly. Weeks of being hospitalised and she couldn't even stand up? "The door's just there, I'll be fine."

Laurie folded her arms and gave her mother a look. "Just because you can walk, doesn't mean you should be doing so. The doctors said you'd still be weak, and I don't want you falling over and injuring yourself."

Had anyone from the mansion heard Gail in Laurie's younger years, when Laurie been doing something particularly cheeky, they would have been amused at the fact that her daughter's tones now echoed her mother's then so completely.

There was an expression that looked remarkably like a pout on Gail's thin face. "Laurie..." she began, then caught the expression her daughter was wearing, and burst into laughter. "Tell me I don't look like that when I'm mad at you, please."

"I'm not sure, I'm usually too busy feeling guilty to notice," Laurie replied, face lighting up as she grinned. It was such a relief to see her mother doing better, despite the obvious signs that the sickness was far from over yet. She'd still need weekly treatments for the next month at least, but the doctors had said the cancer was shrinking and now that they'd found a treatment for Zach's influence, it wouldn't be returning.

"C'mere, brat." Gail held out her arm for Laurie to help her out of the car, turning the motion into a hug as she did. "It's good to be home. And for good, this time."

Laurie hugged her mother back, trying to balance the need to hold on tight with the knowledge that her mother was still somewhat frail.

"No more scaring me like that again, okay?" Laurie replied, voice muffled slightly by the fact she'd buried her face against her mother's shoulder. "You're not allowed to die, ever, I forbid it."

"I promise, no more scaring you." Gail pressed her lips to the top of her daughter's head. "You did so well, sweetheart, holding things together. I'm so proud of you."

"Good, because if you did, I'd have to get someone like Amanda to help me get you back," Laurie replied, completely serious.

She wasn't actually sure if that were even possible, and while she might not have done anything of the sort if her mother died of say, old age, anything else and she wouldn't have hesitated to ask about it.

Juanita was watching them through the driver's window, unwilling to interrupt but smiling to herself. She rolled down the window now, though, to offer lightly, "You two are both going to freeze if you stay out there too long."

Laurie huffed in annoyance but stepped back, allowing her mother to exit the car. She quickly insinuated herself under Gail's arm though when she seemed about to stumble, "Lean on me."

Gail was about to protest, but she was weaker than she'd been letting on. "Thank you so much for your help, Juanita," she said as the other woman came around to her other side with the wheelchair.

"It's nothing", Juanita said briskly. "I'm just glad to see you looking so much better."

Laurie stepped back as Gail lowered herself into the wheelchair and went to open the door.

"I'm getting there," Gail said, reaching to quickly squeeze Juanita's hand before she moved behind the chair to push after helping her in. "And I appreciate that my friends will be there to help me." She looked over at where Laurie was waiting. "It's been so hard on her. But it's over now, God willing. And continuing radiotherapy." She couldn't help but make a slight face at that thought.

"I'll be here whenever you need me", Juanita said quietly. "It hasn't exactly been easy on you, either - but even the radiotherapy will end before too long."

"And this time, it'll stick," Gail said, with heartfelt emphasis. "Now, we'd better get inside before my daughter decides to carry me bodily."


Juanita just chuckled and started pushing the chair towards the house. She knew all about protective children.