Chapter Four

In the hospital waiting room, four women sat uncomfortably upon the plastic benches. One paced. One looked lost. One was trying not to have a panic attack and one was about to go on a coffee run.

The one who had gathered her purse and was taking notes on the back of an old envelope verbally listed the three orders and headed for the door with a swiftness that no one noticed. Rebbecca was personally pleased for the excuse to get out of the florescent lit room of chaos and saddness. She was also glad to have a purpose.

"I don't understand," Penny said pausing in mind pace,"Who is this woman that they thought was me?" She personally would have liked to have been the one on the coffee run, rather than being left here to put the pieces together. Her mind was a bit unhinged at present and any meaningful thought was lost in a vacuum of her confusion. A little voice told her she should be more worried about Rog, but she felt that he would be fine. His prognosis was good. The concussion, which the doctor had insisted on calling a "TBI" (traumatic brain injury) was mild, as were the fractures in his left arm. He was currently having a cast put on and then would be discharged to their care.

Madeline looked up her daughter, "I don't know who this person is. Joan are you sure you don't know her?" Joan just shook her head and sunk down more in her misery, almost balling herself into a smaller frame. Penny wondered if this pathetic puddle would actually be able to care for Rog while he healed. The doctor said he should spend the next few days resting at home. Was there anything restful about Joan, she wondered, let alone whatever weirdness had happened earlier. What a strange and awful day it had been.

Penny had been allowed to view the person who had briefly hijacked her persona. They looked nothing alike. Penny was a blond, this woman was a brunette.

Madeline had continued to speak, "You know Rog will need a lot of peace and quiet once they release him, Joan. I know you will want to take care of him, but I think he should come home with me. I can take care of him. In fact, I think you should stay with me as well."

Penny was a little surprised when the younger girl just nodded, not really leaving the quiet misery that appeared to be keeping her company. That was very diplomatic, Mom, she thought and decided against letting this be vocalized. Then she realized she needed to fill Madeline in on the events that had transpired earlier with Joan. What if that happened again? How would Madeline function with the monster? She could not leave her mother to deal with that.

Feeling the burden of heavy responsibility sinking her down into the ground, Penny asked the slumped mess, "Joan, I was wondering if instead, you might like to stay with me tonight? We could talk about your wedding plans and get your mind off the worry you must be feeling about Rog." Again Joan just nodded. Madeline cocked her eyebrow at Penny in a questioning look that asked, "What gives?"