The Doll Girl [discontinued and horribly cringey]

Chapter Eight: Mia Studd

Mia rang the bell. No answer. She pressed down on the buzzer for five seconds. There were rushed footsteps. Then the door opened.

Mrs. Willow swung the door wide open. Mia.

"Hey, Mia!" she greeted.

"Hey, Marilyn. Where's Brook? She wasn't at school, and I was just wondering—"

"Well, sorry to say, but she's at the hospital, and I'm not sure you can see her right now."

"The hospital! What the— " remembering herself, Mia stopped. "I mean, why is she at the hospital?!"

"Well, she…  it's quite a story. Come in, I'll make you a cup of coffee or hot chocolate or what ever."

As she wiped her shoes on the mat, Mia asked, "Does she have her phone?"

"No, but I'll try to take you to see her and I can give Brook her phone. Then she can keep in touch with everyone," said Marilyn.

Over a cup of hot chocolate, Marilyn explained Brook's accident. "So that's why your silly best friend is in the hospital, and those foolish doctors won't say when she can come out," Marilyn finished with a sigh.

"Well, " began Mia brightly, "why don't we go see her?"

"Now?"

Mia cocked an eyebrow. "Why not?"

~~~~~~~

"Stupid traffic, why are there a million cars today? I'm trying to visit my injured daughter!" grumbled Mrs. Willow. She dug her fingers into the black leather of the steering wheel.

"It's after five, people are coming home from work right now," Mia noted, with a glance at her purple-and-silver digital watch.

"Hmmph."

"So you got your car back, then? Someone said it was stolen!"

"Oh, those rumors! Phil just parked his car in a reserved spot and it was towed away. We got it back. We had a fine to pay, but that's all over and done with now.

"That's actually why Brook fell. When Phil went to the car for some water, he obviously saw it was gone. He came and told us, and then Brook fell... and, oh, now she's in the hospital! And I don't even know when she'll be out, and Phil's going on a business trip tomorrow... I just don't know what to do!" Tears bubbled up in Marilyn's eyes.

Mia looked at the backseat uncomfortably. She had no idea what to say.

Eventually, Marilyn dried her eyes. "Sorry, Mia," she murmured. Then she focused on driving.

Mia muttered, "Mhmm..." Her eyes were on her iPhone now. There was a text from her mom.

where are you, i've been looking for ages!

im gonna visit brook, Mia texted back.

Mom replied immediately. how long is that going to take? you've been gone hours

shes in the hospital n its rushour. Marilyns driving me

what, the hospital?

ya, she hit her head

mia! is this a joke?

no. shes really in the hospital

but... why?

she was rockclimbing and she fell + she banged her head on the wall so shes in the hopsital
*hospital, she corrected after a moment.