Shane tried to speak. “Molly,” she weakly called out.

            “Shhhh. Shhhh. I’m here, baby, I’m here,” Molly replied, her smile bright, amidst her tears. She pressed her fingers to Shane’s lips to silence her. “Don’t try to talk. You’re in the hospital. You were in an accident.” Molly turned her face towards the door and yelled out, “Nurse! Nurse! She’s awake!” She turned back to Shane and kissed her lips lightly.

            The nurse came running in with a doctor close behind. Upon seeing that Shane was in fact awake, they asked Molly to wait outside while they checked her out. She obliged, but not before squeezing Shane’s hand one more time and telling her she loved her. She walked outside of the room and leaned against the wall. She pressed her head against it and covered her face with her hands and smiled as tears of relief flowed from her eyes. For the first time since that dreaded phone call, she could breathe easy. She took a long, deep, cleansing breath and wiped the tears from her eyes, just as her friends and family rounded the corner.

            Seeing Molly outside the room, drying her eyes, Alice began to worry. She held Shay’s hand tightly as they made their way to Molly. “What’s up?” she asked tentatively.

            A wide smile spread across Molly’s face as she announced simply, “She’s awake.”

            “Awake?” Shay asked hopefully.

            “Yeah, bud. She’s awake,” Molly replied as she kneeled down in front of Shay and hugged him.

            “Oh thank God,” Phyllis said as she embraced Joyce.

            “Can we see her?” Jenny asked anxiously.

            “Not yet. They’re examining her, I think,” Molly replied.

            “Well, at least we know she’s awake,” Bette said confidently, as she wrapped her arms around Tina, who was holding Angelica, and Kit.

            They all waited patiently outside Shane’s room in the hall for the “go ahead” from Shane’s doctor. When it was established that she was okay, they permitted her to have visitors.

            “Hey there,” Alice said as she led the way into the room, followed by Jenny, max, Tom, Kit, Bette, Tina, Tasha, Helena, Phyllis, Joyce, Molly and Shay.

            “Hey,” Shane replied, her voice raspy. She greeted everyone with a somewhat tired smile, but when Molly and Shay walked into the room, her eyes lit up. She weakly patted the bed beside her, urging Shay to come sit next to her.