Magnolia Blooms

28. Holding on to You

Maggie spent another three days in the hospital and went home on a Wednesday afternoon. Unbelievably, she hadn't missed Thanksgiving and they were still expected at Tyler and Jenna's. Debby picked up a pumpkin pie to bring for dessert, since she had promised to help with the meal, but had been ever so slightly preoccupied.

"Maggie!" Rosie cried as Maggie came into their house. She ran up to her friend and hugged her.

"Be careful, Rosie. Maggie just got home from the hospital," Jenna said.

"Are you still sick?" Rosie asked Maggie.

"No," Maggie said. "I don't think so."

"My mama said your mama said your tummy was sleeping," Rosie said.

"Something like that," Maggie said.

"Oh," Rosie said, and then dragged Maggie off to play.

"How's she doing?" Jenna asked Debby. It hadn't been long since Maggie started eating again, so she was still very, very thin. Her clothes were just hanging off of her.

"She's doing better. She really is. She's eating almost normally. Maybe a little less than before, considering she didn't eat anything for a week, but she's eating pretty much normally."

"She looks better. Less... grey?" Tyler said.

Josh nodded. The two couples sat and talked and had a glass of wine (and beer for the boys) and listened to the girls playing in the playroom.

"Mama!" Rosie called. Debby got up instinctively worried something had happened to Maggie.

"Yes Rosie?" Jenna called back.

"The alligator is back!"

"Excuse me," Jenna said, picking up a small spray bottle. "I have to go fight an alligator."

She was back in a few minutes smiling.

"The playroom is once again alligator free."

The adults laughed.

Maggie came out a little while later and leaned on Debby's legs.

"Hey Bug. You okay?" She asked. Maggie nodded but still leaned on Debby. Debby picked her up and placed her in her lap. "What's the matter?"

"I'm tired," Maggie whined a little.

"Oh. Okay Bug. You just rest on Mama, okay?"

Maggie nodded and leaned into Debby. Jenna and Tyler looked on curiously.

"She still gets tired easily," Debby said, stroking Maggie's hair. "But she's doing so much better, huh, Bug?"

Maggie looked up at Debby and smiled a tired smile. She nodded. She did feel better. Just tired. 

While the adults chatted, Maggie's thumb found its way into her mouth and Maggie fell asleep in Debby's arms.

When it was time to sit down for dinner, Debby tried to wake Maggie up.

"Dinner time, Bug," she said, shaking Maggie gently. Maggie moaned.

"I'm tired, Mama."

"Can you come try a little dinner please? Then you can come nap on the couch."

Maggie shook her head.

"Why don't we let her nap a little longer and we'll come get her for turkey," Josh said.

"That okay with you, Bug?" Debby asked. Maggie nodded. Debby stood up, placed Maggie onto the couch and took a blanket from Jenna, who was holding it out for her, and covered Maggie. She kissed her little girl on the forehead and followed the adults into the dining room. Tyler had gotten Rosie from the playroom.

"Where's Maggie?" Rosie asked.

"She's still a little tired," Jenna said. "She's having a little sleep right now."

"Oh," Rosie said. "She's not eating dinner?"

"She'll join us a little later. She's just having a nap. She's still getting better from being sick, and so she gets tired easier still," Debby explained.

"Ohhhh," Rosie said.

They got Rosie settled at the table then sat down themselves to have some salad. They'd take it slow and let Maggie sleep for a while.

They talked quietly, so as not to wake Maggie but about a half an hour later, Maggie was pulling on Debby's sleeve.

"Hi Bug," Debby smiled, picking Maggie up and placing her in her lap. "Did you have a good sleep?"

Maggie nodded.

"You hungry?" Debby asked.

Maggie shook her head. Debby was instantly on guard.

"My tummy's still sleepy," Maggie said.

"Okay. You want to stay in my lap for a bit?"

Maggie nodded. Debby held her with one hand while she ate her salad. She placed a kiss on Maggie's head once in a while.

"Maggie still sleeping?" Rosie asked, leaning forward and looking towards Maggie and Debby.

"No," Tyler said. "She's awake. I think she's just still a little tired, huh, Mags?"

Maggie nodded, sucking her thumb. Debby smiled down at her. Josh looked at her and smiled. Maggie smiled back, around her thumb.

"Okay, Bug," Debby said. "I'm going to go help Aunty Jenna. Can I put you in your chair?"

Maggie shook her head and reached for Josh. He took her into his lap and she curled into him. He wrapped one arm around her and kissed her head.

"Is she feeling okay?" Jenna asked Debby as the two of them cleaned some of the dishes or loaded them into the dishwasher.

"I think so. She's still really tired. She's basically been sleeping since we got home. She eats lunch or dinner and usually within an hour, she's asleep. She's like an infant in that way. She's napping twice for almost two hours."

"Have you spoken to her doctor?"

"I have. He went over everything from the hospital and he thinks she just needs to get back to eating normally and she'll get her energy back. He told us not to rush to send her back to school on Monday."

Jenna looked out the kitchen door at Josh and Tyler and their children. Maggie was listening to Tyler who was telling the girls a story. She was curled into Josh, but she was engaged. She was smiling and Jenna heard the girls laugh.

The two women smiled at their families.

Josh wound up keeping Maggie in his lap while they ate dinner. He shared his turkey and stuffing and veggies with Maggie. By the end of dinner she was sitting up on Josh's lap and stealing pieces of turkey from his plate.

Josh would make faces at her or pretend to be mad or sad when she ate something off his plate.

Maggie would giggle. It was a beautiful sound after the past week.