When Isobel and Evan walked into the room, there was still a nurse in there. He looked up and smiled, even though he was clearly exhausted, and said, "Hey guys, how's it going? She's just sleeping."

Glory lay in the bed with her eyes closed and her breathing calm. Her tarot cards and a giant hospital water cup sat on the bedside table. The cards were wrapped in black cloth. Isobel couldn't stop staring at them.

When the nurse wrapped up his work and left quietly—staring at Isobel and her unclothed state—Isobel and Evan both sat down on opposite sides of the bed. Glory opened her eyes and looked over at them.

"Thank God, I thought he'd never leave," she said with a grin.

Isobel rolled her eyes. "Are you getting tired of having attractive young men fawn over you?"

Evan set himself down in the chair and watched the monitors beep steadily. The room was quiet. After a few minutes, Glory looked over at Isobel, and Isobel's outfit, and said, "What are you wearing?"

"Nothing," Isobel said glibly. "Literally nothing."

"I can see that. I think I can see into your uterus."

"Yeah, well you're so skinny I can see your ear bones. What are you wearing? The curtains?"

Glory grinned. Evan sat in his chair with his hand on his mouth. He was pale, and drawn, and looked as exhausted as Isobel probably felt. Glory was drowning in an overly large hospital gown that made her seem even more pale and wasted than she already looked.

In a vague way, Isobel wondered what exactly she had done to end up in this position. What had she done to deserve being shoved into this family's crazy, upsetting emotional life?

"They said you weren't feeling well today," Isobel said as an opener. Evan looked up. Glory nodded and sighed.

"I've had a hard time staying awake, that's all. I'm old. It happens. Did they tell you kids when I would get to go home? I'm kind of starting to get tired of being in here. I can't see the sun, they keep the window closed all the time."

Evan's eyes were awfully shiny. Isobel said, "I'm sure they'll let you go home soon. We can hang out, and I'll spin, and you can crochet, and you can be loud and unbearable and I'll be mousy and practical."

"I don't know if you can be practical anymore, Isobel. I used to think you were such a good girl, but your ass hangs out of that dress."

"Yeah, I like it. You're just jealous you aren't getting a real show. Little chilly though."

"Where did you even get that?" Glory asked with a disgusted look on her face. It wasn't true disgust.

"Where do you think?"

Glory hissed out a laugh. "Tanya?"

"Tanya," said Isobel with a nod. She was struggling to keep the mood light, given that Evan looked like he was going to start spilling tears and she was trying pretty hard not to let it break her heart.

"That tramp. She's the best. God love her. You too. Isobel, you are such a good girl. I mean that in the good way, not the mean ass way we usually do. We give you shit for it, but you really are such a wonderful girl."

Isobel blushed and smiled. She knew it was a bad sign that Glory was saying such nice things about her, but she admired the attention anyway. She didn't get a lot of positive affirmations in that way.

Glory reached over and grabbed her tarot deck, and handed it over to Isobel. Her gut dropped. Evan turned his face away, pretending to be looking for something behind his seat. Isobel took the wrapped deck and opened the hankie, revealing the blue and black striped backs of her deck. It was a Rider-Waite deck, classic and utilitarian. It was nice to look at, but that wasn't the goal—it was also easy to understand.

Isobel shuffled the deck the way that Glory had taught her.

"Draw me a card, will you?"

Isobel suddenly felt full of anxiety. She was afraid. She wanted to make Glory happy, but at the same time, if she drew the death card, Evan might panic. He didn't like all this witchcraft stuff anyway, and if it started to predict her death . . . Well, Isobel was a little concerned.

The room was silent, aside of the soft beeps of monitors, as Isobel shuffled the deck. The cards fell soft and comfortable into her palm. It was as if the cards themselves knew that they would be hers soon. Their weight was a comfort.

Setting the cards on her lap, she lifted the top one, her hand shaking. The card was reversed, but neither of them needed to know that.

"Four of cups."

In his chair, Evan relaxed a little. He had no idea what the four of cups meant, but it wasn't the death card, or anything obviously miserable, so he was more relaxed.

Glory smiled. "Do you remember what it means?"

"No," Isobel said. "I don't even think you know the card meanings."

"I don't know all the card meanings. This is a good card. It wasn't reversed, was it?"

"Nope."

Isobel and Glory shared a moment of eye contact that Evan didn't catch. Isobel's eyebrow twitched up for just a split second, and Glory nodded, looking over at Evan. "See, kid? The cards say everything will be fine."

Evan snorted.

"What if Isobel takes up the craft, huh? You gonna be a jerk to her about it?"

Evan shook his head. "No. I might tease her though."

Isobel stuck her tongue out at him.

"Evan, I'm wondering if I should maybe get the lawyer involved. Just . . . Just in case. I'm sure now that everything will be fine, but this whole thing really has me shaken up. I want to make sure everything will be properly settled and there are no unnecessary hardships. Of course, everything would go to you."

Evan looked up. "What about Aunt Maura or Uncle Craig?"

Glory said, "You're the one that's here now. I ain't got much anyway, nothing they'd want. Your grandpa's pension is almost gone anyway."

He nodded. "We'll get the lawyer for you."

Glory turned back to Isobel. "Where is Tanya, anyway?"

"She probably stopped to get something to eat. She's probably bringing food for all of us. Which would be cool, I'm starving."

The text from Tanya came through a minute later, to both Isobel and Evan's phones. Isobel read, "Evan is in trouble. Rodney made a big stink. There may be a big fight. Will bring food soon. Tacos. Tell Glory about the tacos."

Isobel said, "She's bringing tacos."

"Excellent. Tell her to bring sauce."

Isobel typed, "Because of me? And bring sauce."

"Yes. And OK."