(no subject)
Alex sees Maria scanning the baggage claim at the airport. He pauses for a moment, calculating what he will do and say when he and Maria are united. He clears his throat and walks towards his sister.
Alex comes level to Maria. He places his hand on her shoulder. Maria turns to face him. “Alex,” she says. She hugs him and begins to cry. “What did the doctors say? Is Tony going to be all right?”
“Yes. He’ll be fine. They need to put him through surgery, and he’ll be in rehab for a while, but he’ll be okay.” Alex rubs a hand up and down Maria’s back.
“What about mom and dad?”
Alex pauses. “I can take you to see the bodies as soon as we get you into a hotel.”
Maria pulls herself back. “No. I want to see them now. Can you take me to them?”
Alex nods. “Okay. Get your bags…oh, and Michelle is coming.”
“Coming?” Maria gives him a quizzical look. “What do you mean coming? I thought she was already here?”
“Apparently she was in San Francisco on business.”
“Oh.” Maria folds her arms and looks back to the baggage claim. “When will she be here?”
“Soon. She’s…” Alex stops. He had done it before, this very day, on the way to and from the hospital, and to the airport, but it is still difficult to say. “She’s driving down here.”
Maria doesn’t move. She continues to look at the baggage claim, arms folded across her chest. “I hope she drives safely.”
“I hope so, too,” says Alex.
Alex comes level to Maria. He places his hand on her shoulder. Maria turns to face him. “Alex,” she says. She hugs him and begins to cry. “What did the doctors say? Is Tony going to be all right?”
“Yes. He’ll be fine. They need to put him through surgery, and he’ll be in rehab for a while, but he’ll be okay.” Alex rubs a hand up and down Maria’s back.
“What about mom and dad?”
Alex pauses. “I can take you to see the bodies as soon as we get you into a hotel.”
Maria pulls herself back. “No. I want to see them now. Can you take me to them?”
Alex nods. “Okay. Get your bags…oh, and Michelle is coming.”
“Coming?” Maria gives him a quizzical look. “What do you mean coming? I thought she was already here?”
“Apparently she was in San Francisco on business.”
“Oh.” Maria folds her arms and looks back to the baggage claim. “When will she be here?”
“Soon. She’s…” Alex stops. He had done it before, this very day, on the way to and from the hospital, and to the airport, but it is still difficult to say. “She’s driving down here.”
Maria doesn’t move. She continues to look at the baggage claim, arms folded across her chest. “I hope she drives safely.”
“I hope so, too,” says Alex.