y；　and　my　fingers

started　drumming　against　the

counter。　I　should　have　insisted　on　driving　him　home。

I　watched　the　clock　as　the　minutes　ticked　by　Ten。　Fifteen。　Even　when　I　was

driving；　it　took　only　fifteen

minutes；　and　Jacob　drove　faster　than　I　did。　Eighteen　minutes。　I　picked　up　the

phone　and　dialed。

It　rang　and　rang。　Maybe　Billy　was　asleep。　Maybe　I'd　dialed　wrong。　I　tried

again。

On　the　eighth　ring；　just　as　I　was　about　to　hang　up；　Billy　answered。

〃Hello？〃　he　asked。　His　voice　was　wary；　like　he　was　expecting　bad　news。

〃Billy；　it's　me；　Bella—did　Jake　make　it　home　yet？　He　left　here　about　twenty

minutes　ago。〃

〃He's　here；〃　Billy　said　tonelessly。

〃He　was　supposed　to　call　me。〃　I　was　a　little　irritated。　〃He　was　getting　sick

when　he　left；　and　I　was

worried。〃

〃He　was　too　sick　to　call。　He's　not　feeling　well　right　now。〃　Billy　sounded

distant。　I　realized　he　must　want

to　be　with　Jacob。

〃Let　me　know　if　you　need　any　help；〃　I　offered。　〃I　could　e　down。〃　I　thought

of　Billy；　stuck　in　his　chair；

and　Jake　fending　for　himself

〃No；　no；〃　Billy　said　quickly。　〃We're　fine。　Stay　at　your　place。〃

The　way　he　said　it　was　almost　rude。

〃Okay；〃　I　agreed。

〃Bye；　Bella。〃

The　line　disconnected。

〃Bye；〃　I　muttered。

Well；　at　least　he'd　made　it　home。　Oddly；　I　didn't　feel　less　worried。　I　trudged

up　the　stairs；　fretting。　Maybe

I　would　go　down　before　work　tomorrow　to　check　on　him。　I　could　take　soup—we

had　to　have　a　can　of

Campbell's　around　here　somewhere。

I　realized　all　such　plans　were　canceled　when　I　woke　up　early—my　clock　said

four　thirty—and　sprinted　to

the　bathroom。