"Hey mum," I said as I walked into the room. "Where have you been?" she asked. I told her I had gone to eat something and had just gotten back. There was no sense in upsetting her yet another asthma attack. "How is gran?" she asked. "She is fine, mum, how are you? Are you getting enough rest? Do you want to go home, rest, and get a shower?" "No," she said in a very forceful manner. "I am staying right here until she wakes up, do you understand me?"

I acquiesced and sat down on the chair by Gran. Mum looked over, smiled, and rested her head on the side of the recliner so she could look at us. "I missed you, you know," she said with a smile. "I missed you too, mom," I said. Her eyes started to look heavy, so I started humming quietly. My mum could never stay awake when I started humming. I had learned this trick when I was a pre-teen and tried to get her to let me play video games just a few minutes longer. I found if I hummed really quietly, she would fall asleep. It really did not matter what I chose to hum just so long as I did it quietly. That was the trick. Sure enough, within a few moments, mum was out like a light. I smiled to myself know she really needed the rest. I resumed my vigil with Gran. Instead of humming, I started telling Gran everything that I had been up to since the last time we spoke.