I am still achy, my body is not the temple I want it to be, and my dad has gone for the afternoon to do God knows what. Perhaps he has decided that being cooped up in the house with me for three days straight wasn't the adventure he thought it would be. I don't mind the bonding either, but not when we are both cooped up, our resources of fun depleted. I get up from my bed, wandering aimlessly around my house, trying to find something to do. Melissa isn't picking up her phone, Lucy isn't picking hers up either, and Dad isn't picking up his cell either. That leaves Cedric and Hannah to harass.

I call Hannah first, knowing she might respond sooner and faster than Cedric would. She picks up the phone in a wonderfully delightful tone that makes my day since I haven't seen her since the get together I had for Melissa's boytoy; plus, I feel so crappy anyway, that she makes my day better. We talk for a bit and I ask her to come over. I need some girl time anyway, and asked her if Cedric could come over; she said it was fine, but she wanted to be alone for a bit, so have him come over in an hour or so. Knowing Cedric, he might get here in an hour anyway. We hang up and I start dialing Cedric's number; I hear a knock at the door and put the phone down.

I wasn't expecting anyone, other than Hannah and Cedric (and even he didn't know he was coming over yet). I hesitate at the door, knowing that Hannah isn't here THIS soon. I look through the peephole and see that it's Regina, from work. I am surprised, because I know that I told work that I was very sick and that I might be out for the rest of the week. I open the door, letting her in.

"I'm so sorry to come to your house, but I thought I should come over," said Regina, rushing past me, with a worried look on her face.

"What's wrong, Regina?" I ask, a little scared. "Is something wrong?"

"Well, it's just that you haven't been at work and we were getting worried. I've covered for you the past couple days, saying you were out sick."

She looks me up and down and sees that what she said is true; or rather, it appears to be true, but she isn't sure.

"Are you sick, Piper? You don't look well."

"I am sick, actually. I have the flu, I think. My dad is taking care of me.... Regina, why'd you say that you have been covering for me? I did call."

I look at her worried, trying to trace back to when I thought I had called. I knew she had picked up, I swear I remember her sniffling a little anyway. I usher the two of us to my couch and we sit down.

"Regina, I called and talked to you, remember? I was sick. I know you picked up! You had to."

"I don't remember talking to you. I know you always ask to speak with me when you are running late, things like that, but you never called me. Are you sure you didn't call another receptionist? Maybe you called the wrong number and you thought it was us."

At that moment, the doorbell rings and I get up to answer it. On the way out, I ask Regina if she wanted anything to drink; she politely declined, insisting that she should probably go, saying we could talk later. I tell her no, while still on the way to the door. I open it, and there is Hannah, with some food in a to go bag from my favorite fast food restaurant, Braum's. I have her come in, telling her I have another guest, but that she can go in the kitchen and set up. I go back to Regina, sitting back down on the couch.

"I don't know where my head is, I am so sorry to put you in that position! I could have sworn that I had called. Maybe I just dialed the wrong number or something," I say.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Regina said, relieved. "I just thought I would come by and see how you were doing. I hadn't heard from you and I just wanted to make sure you were OK."

"Oh, I am, thank you. Is work OK?"

"Oh yes, they're fine. Like I said, I told them that you were sick and I called all of your clients telling them the same. Tony is covering your cases until you come back."

I fall back onto the couch, relieved as well. I guess the fever really got to me.

"Well, do you want to join me for dinner with my friend, Hannah? I can order a pizza for you or heat up some soup that my dad made. It's really great soup!"

"Oh, no thank you. I really should be going. It's nice knowing you are OK. You had me worried!"

We both laughed a little, getting up from the couch. I walk her to the door, hugging her. I really do appreciate what she did, knowing I'll have to repay her somehow. Maybe I can take her out to dinner or buy her some jewelry; her birthday IS coming up, so I will have to pull double time with the present. We say our good-byes and I shut the door, running as fast as I can to the kitchen.

Hannah has everything set up; she is sitting on one of the stools, munching on a french fry, reading a magazine. She looks up and gets out of the stool, running over to me to give me a hug. She lets go quickly, inching away from my sick face.

"You smell nice," Hannah says.

"Of all the things you can say, that's what you come out with?" I laugh.

"Haha, yeah. Hey, I got you your usual, cheeseburger, fries, and a Mint Chocolate Chip milkshake."

"You know me so well, Hanny!"

We sit down, gouging down the food. As much as I love Dad's soup, this really is a great substitute. If he gets here while we are eating, he may just have a hissy-fit. Braums always has the best food in the world! The best thing too, is that I can eat lunch, or dinner, and also shop for some quick groceries, while I am there. The family that owns it also make their own ice cream, milk, etc., so you know it is fresher than what you might buy from a regular grocery store; at least that is what I think whenever I go there.

"What have you been up to?" I ask, mouth full of food.

"What have I been up to? Let's see," Hannah says, looking around, thinking. "I have been working a lot. I've been showing some of the same houses, trying to get them sold, but the market just hasn't been what it is. It's such a buyer's market right now, but no body is buying."

"Oh, yeah. I was talking to my dad about that yesterday. He was giving me this great lecture on the stock market and how that ties into the selling of houses, yada yada. I started tuning out mid-way through the lecture. While interesting, I wasn't really in the mood to be lectured to about stock markets and buying/selling houses."

"Well, maybe he's right."

"Well, sure, I suppose, but still."

"Still, nothing."

We look at each other, mocking serious faces, and start to laugh.

"Seriously, though," Hannah says. "He is right, if I am following his lecture, what little you have told me. Since we've come into this recession, things just haven't been the same. Stock market is down, people are not buying houses, more people seem to be selling, etc., etc. It just isn't what it used to be. I think it will take a couple of years for it all to come back to where it once was; and even then, that isn't a safe bet. More and more, we are being told that we might be coming out of the recession, that things are looking up. But, who can really say for sure, about what the future holds?"

I look at her, still a little dazed, not sure how to respond.

"I am sickly, you know. I still am not up for such a lively debate."

"What are you up for then?"

"I don't know. After eating all of this, I think I might want to go into my bed, watch a movie, and maybe paint my nails."

I look at her, pleading in my eyes.

"Oh, alright," relents Hannah. "By the way, is Cedric coming over at all?"

"I didn't even call him. After I got off the phone with you, Regina, the woman who was just here, knocked on the door. For a second, I thought it was you."

"What did she want?"

"Oh, she came over to see if I was alright. Apparently I didn't call work."

"Didn't you?"

"I thought I had; in fact, I swear I did. I remember thinking I had to have gotten my cold from her, actually. Either way, she covered for me and said I was sick. I should be better next by next week."

"That sounds odd. Well, at least that was taken cared of. Let's clean up and go to your room. Can we watch Mama Mia?"

"We watched that the last time you were here!", I said, getting up from the counter, starting to throw things away.

"So? We practically watch the same things over at my house," Hannah retorts.

"So?"

"So, nothing. Come on, let's go up to your room!"

We fly up the stairs, more her running, me huffing and puffing my way up the stairs. We end up watching American Psycho, making pretty eyes whenever we see Christian Bale semi-nude or full on nude. Nothing like Christian Bale naked; it's a highlight of my life!