“Mama.” Cassie said entering the kitchen.

“Yeah, sweetie.”

“I really don’t feel good.”

“Where?” Diana put her forearm on her forehead.

“Everywhere.”

“I think you have a small fever. How long haven’t you felt good?”

“For a couple of weeks.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” Diana put the thermometer in her mouth. She just shrugged. It beeped a while later. She had a temp of 99.

“I’ve had a headache for about a month solid.”

“Well, we better go to the doctor just to be on the safe side.” Diana was worried now. They were able to get her in. The doctor examined her

“You say you’ve had a headache for a month?”

"Yeah. It just keeps getting worse.”

“Mrs. Hanson, take her to the hospital I want to run some tests on her. I’ll call the hospital.”

“Cassie, you go out there, sweetie. I‘ve got to talk to the doctor.” Cassie was too tired to protest. She got up and left quietly. “What do you think is wrong?”

“What is my guess? My guess is that she may have a brain tumor at the worst…at the best maybe a migraine.”

“Oh God.”

“I’m not certain that it’s a tumor or anything. That’s why I want to run some tests get a look at what’s going on in her head.”

“If you ask her brothers they’ll tell you not much.” Diana laughed slightly. The doctor just smiled. “If it is a tumor is there a possibility that it could be cancerous?”

"Yes there is.”

“Thank you.” Diana grabbed her purse and got Cassie and headed for the hospital.

“Sorry for causing a fuss Mom, I know how much work there needs to be done at home.”

Diana looked at her and then put her hand atop her daughters. “No need to be sorry. It’s my job to take care of you kids. We can’t have you sick.”

The doctor took Cassie when they got there, “Cass, I’ll be right there I want call your dad and let him know where we are.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Diana squeezed her daughter's hand and let her be wheeled away. She found a pay phone and called home. “Hello.” Avie answered.

“Avie, this is Mommy. Could I talk to Daddy?”

“Okay…. Daddy!” She yelled.

“Hello?”

“Walker.”

“Where are you? Is the doctor running late or something?”

“No, actually we are at the hospital.”

“Oh God, what’s wrong?”

“They don’t know. We’re here for tests. The doctor thinks it may be a brain tumor. But they don’t know for sure.”

“Oh dear God.”

“We’ll be here for a while. Tell the older ones if they ask. Be home soon.”

“Okay. Tell Cassie I love her.”

“I will bye.”

“Hey Dad.” Taylor bounded down the stairs.

“Yeah?” He said not really paying attention to his son.

“When are mom and Cass getting home? I need to ask Cass if she’s seen my Third Eye Blind CD.”

“They’re at the hospital.”

“Why?” Taylor asked confused and worried.

“You’re sister may have a brain tumor at worst bad migraines at best.” Taylor’s eyes became saucers.

“Oh God.” He stood there frozen like a statue totally unable to speak or think. Finally his mouth was able to make the words. “Will she be okay?”

“I don’t’ know Taylor, I just don’t know.”

Diana came into the room just as Cassie was getting on the bed. “You’re daddy says hi and he loves you.”

Cassie smiled and lay down.

“Mrs. Hanson, this is going to take an hour maybe longer. You may just want to wait outside.”

“Yeah, Mom. You may just want to do that.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Go ahead. Oh, if you call home again tell Tay that his Third Eye Blind CD is in my player.”

“Okay baby, I will. I’ll be right outside don’t be scared.”

“I’ll try, Mom.”

Diana smiled and left and closed the door behind her.

She sat nervously tapping her foot. She laughed as she thought of how many times she had yelled at Taylor for tapping his foot to a phantom beat, one that was never in the air just in his nervous mind.

Thinking of Taylor she got up and called home.

“Hello?” A nervous male voice answered.

“Isaac how is everyone?”

“Okay… well nervous. How is she? Is she coming home tonight… Mom will she die?” He asked the last question quietly.

“I don’t know, baby. I just don’t know. Do me a favor will you?”

“Sure Mom, anything.”

“Tell Tay that his CD is in Cassie’s player. She wanted me to relay the message to him.”

“Okay Mom, I’ll tell him. Do you need to talk to Dad?”

“No actually the doctor is motioning for me to come in now. I’ll call back in a bit. Love you. Be good.” She wasn’t real sure why she just told her eighteen-year-old son to be good. But it just felt right.

“Okay love you too. Tell Cass I love her…. Okay Tay… that we all love her.

“Okay Ike, bye.”

“Bye.”