"Are you sure you're comfortable? You can go home, you know.I'll be fine."
"I know, but I want to stay here, Mom. Watching you sleep just makes my day."
The pale, elegant woman on the hospital bed rolled her eyes, then smiled faintly.
"What did I ever do to deserve a daughter like you, Ana?" Her voice had a playful tease to it.
Anastasia, who was spreading out her book on the table in the corner of the room, shrugged.
"I don't know. You were just lucky."
The woman on the bed burst out laughing and Anastasia joined her too. But the sound quickly broke into a harsh fit of cough. Anastasia was at her side in an instant.
"Are you okay? Should I call the doctor?" She asked in concern.
She started toward the door, but her mother caught her hand.
"Don't go. I'm fine. Something just got caught in my throat."
