Abby was still grinning when Deb walked away. She was really excited about going to the ball, but she was really nervous at the same time. She was about to go into the room when she felt the familiar vibration of her pager on her hip. Looking at it, she saw the code for visitor. Walking past the nurse’s station, she told Deb that she was taking her lunch break and headed out into the waiting room.

Her best friend Sasha greeted her, “Were you busy?”

“Nope. Come on, I gotta talk to you about something.”

“Where are we going?”

“I don’t know, but I want real food and not this hospital stuff for the forth day this week. Chinese or BBQ?” Before she finished her sentence Sasha picked Chinese. They took the short drive down the road to the restaurant, and sipped on their drinks while waiting for their food to come. “You busy this weekend?” Abby asked playing with her straw.

“Not that I know of, why?”

“Deb gave me two tickets to this big charity ball on Saturday night, and she talked me into going so that means you have to come with me.”

“Me? Go to a ball? Girl you know I don't wear dresses or skirts.”

“Neither do I, but I told Deb that I would go to help out the kids. Please come... pretty please.”

Sasha smiled, “Alright. But if I don't get hit on at least once I'm leaving with no explanation.”

“I wasn't planning on staying that long anyway, just long enough to make it count as being there. Can you imagine going into this place that we can't even afford to look at surrounded by all those famous people?”

Sasha’s eyebrow rose, “Famous people?”

“Yeah... didn't I tell you?” Abby asked as their food was brought out to them.

“No you just said that Deb gave you some tickets to a ball. You didn't way anything about celebrities. Warning, if James Woods is there, I'm pulling him into the nearest closet.”

Abby laughed, “I'm not sure who or how many people are going to be there.”

*****

Brian had just stepped out of the shower when the phone rang. He quickly draped the towel around his waist and ran to the phone, "I'm coming, I'm coming." He stood in the beside his bed with water dripping on the light colored carpet as he picked it up, "Yeah?"

AJ's raspy voice quickly spoke up over background voices. He was on his cell phone and by the way his voice was shaking, Brian knew he was walking in a public place at a fast pace. "Hey Rok. Just wanted to remind you not to make any plans this weekend."

Brian removed the towel and started to dry his hair with one hand in attempt to keep the water from dripping on the phone, "Why? And where are you?"

"How did you forget so soon little boy? Oh, I'm at the mall trying to find my girl a gift. But uh... remember we all agreed to go to one of those charity balls for a local children's hospital." AJ's voice trailed off for a few minutes while talking to one of the cashiers at some clothing store. He started laughing and quickly continued walking, "They had a shirt that said 'Touch My Monkey' with this monkey and another one that said 'Porn Star' with a guy eating out a girl. Man I need to get one."

Brian let out a soft laugh, "I'm still trying to recover from your shirt with the arrow saying 'Don't Get To Comey.' But when is the ball?"

"Saturday, I think. I'm not to sure, but I know that Kevin will call us up and make sure that we have the 411. Hey Rok?" The surrounding noise disappeared and the sound of cars driving quickly replaced it.

"Yeah?"

"How you holding up?"

Brian let out a sigh and sat on the edge of the bed with the towel draped around one leg, "It still hurts but... yeah I'm good."

AJ got into his car and stared at the steering wheel, "Cool. You know we're all here if you need one of us."

"Yeah, I know."

“Well, I gotta get home to my baby and I'll talk to you later. See you later man." AJ quickly hung up his phone while Brian placed the phone back and slowly walked back into the bathroom.