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"You will not. That's ridiculous."

"But--"

"Think about it, Miss Prudent Behavior, Miss Adult Behavior. Why would you? You're just a guest here," she reminded me sharply.

I swallowed my disappointment. I had been hoping she had come to see me differently, but holding onto our secret was still important to her. Family name remained the highest priority to be guarded at all costs. I might always be a stranger in this home and family. It was a hard lump to swallow.

"What about my mother and Victoria?"

"Reluctantly, I phoned them. Victoria will be here shortly. Megan says she'll be at the hospital tomorrow. I'd be better off if neither of them showed up," she added.

"Why? They're your daughters. They should be at your side."

"Holding my hand?" She laughed. "They'll only make everyone nervous and Victoria will argue with the doctors and the hospital administrator about the cost of an aspirin," she said.

I had to laugh, envisioning just what she described. She calmed down and asked me to tell her about school, my riding lessons and the play rehearsals. I showed her some of my test scores and grades on essays and she lifted her eyebrows, impressed.

"I must confess," she said, "that when Megan told me about you and it was decided you would attend Dogwood, I didn't think it would be for long. I couldn't imagine anyone coming from where you come from and doing well in that school?'

"Thank you," I said. "I think."

She laughed and then she told me to go see about dinner.

"That girl will be a slacker if we don't watch her," Grandmother Hudson said. I smiled to myself. For the first time since I had come, she had said, "we."

Merilyn was sullen, especially when she found out I wasn't in any serious trouble. I thought she had overcooked the roast beef and made the potatoes too greasy. I wasn't anxious about having her bring the food up to Grandmother Hudson, but she ignored my comments and acted as if I wasn't even in the same room. When I finished eating what I could, I went back up to Grandmother Hudson's bedroom and as I expected, discovered she had eaten little.

My Aunt Victoria arrived about an hour after dinner. Despite her mother's health crisis, she'd made sure she completed her business at work before she'd come. She as much as said so when she came up to Grandmother Hudson's room. I know she was surprised to see me there. She carried a briefcase and put it on the bed. Then she turned to me.

"I understand you were the one who called the doctor," she said to me.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you call me or my sister first?" she demanded.

"I thought it was important to get the doctor as quickly as possible and you never gave me your phone number," I said.

"Did my mother ask you to call the doctor?" she cross-examined.

"Stop treating the girl as if she is a common criminal, Victoria;' Grandmother Hudson said.

Victoria glared at me for a moment and then turned away, mumbling.

"It was still a nervy thing to do. She's only a guest in this house."

"I did what I thought was right and the doctor apparently agrees," I fired back at her.

She ignored me and opened the briefcase.

"We have a few papers to review, Mother, and documents you must sign," she said taking out one folder after another and laying them at Grandmother Hudson's feet.

"Now?"

"I didn't get much warning about all this," she complained. "You're going to have a serious procedure on your heart, Mother. There are some loose ends to close with the estate," she told her.

I nearly gasped aloud. This is what concerned her? Loose ends with the estate? She had yet to ask a single question about the medical procedure or the diagnosis. She saw my mouth fall open and smirked at me.

"Could you excuse us, please," she