Caroline

"Hey, Mum," I said through the phone immediately she picked up. 

"Hey, sweetheart," she answered and somehow, I could hear the exhaustion in her voice. 

"Are you good, mum? You don't sound so great," 

"It's probably because I have a spatula in between my teeth. I'm making a pancake and it's not looking so good," she laughed before coughing. 

"Why would you hold a spatula in between your teeth though?" I asked as I smiled. "You could drop it on a plate or somewhere else other than your mouth,"

"Let that rest. Why haven't you been home?" 

"Oh, yeah. That's why I called and I'm so sorry I didn't call earlier than this!"

"I doubt if that apology should be for me," 

"Alex. How is he?" I asked with a sullen voice as I looked over at Sharon who hasn't opened her eyes nor has she moved for the past two days.