I was a tense mess the next morning, waiting for Raina's test results.  I was so tense that I was being really short with the kids.

"Mom, where's that cardigan?" Molly asked me, looking around frantically.

"I don't know, Molly," I told her, my tone impatient.  "Where you last left it probably."

"I asked you to iron it last night!" she reminded me, going through a pile of clothes on the dryer.

"Molly, I've had other things on my mind," I told her honestly as I packed snacks for the twins.

"Yeah, I know," she said, with an attitude.  She found it, but it was wrinkled.

"Hey!" I snapped.  "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," she muttered.

Lin tried to swoop in to help.  "Molly, we've got some wrinkle releaser.  Let's try that."

Molly gratefully took Lin's help as I stuffed some Goldfish crackers into plastic bags.  I put them in each twin's backpack.

"Felix, Raina, find your shoes," I told them.  They were both still at the table eating breakfast, taking their time today.  It was like the universe was descending to make me more anxious.

"But I'm not done yet!" Felix complained.

"Shoes!  Now!" I told them.  Felix started crying and I leaned my elbows on the counter, putting my hands in my face.  Lin picked up our son to comfort him, whispering something.  I immediately felt awful.

"Felix, I'm sorry," I told him.  "Mommy's just a little worried this morning."

He rubbed at his eyes as Lin held him.

"Will you forgive me?" I asked him as I held out my arms.  He nodded and reached for me, so Lin transferred him to my arms.  The twins were almost too big to carry now, but I would try for as long as I could.  I hugged my son and kissed his cheek.

"Good boy," I told him gently.  "Now, will you please go find your shoes so you're not late to school?"

He nodded and I set him down on the ground.  He and Raina both found their shoes and managed to get them on the right feet.  I knelt down and got a hug and kiss from both of them. Molly and Cam told us goodbye and soon everyone was gone.  I felt Lin's hand on my upper back, rubbing.

"You okay?" he asked gently.

"No," I told him honestly, turning around for a hug.  I let my cheek rest against his as he just held me.  My problems were always a little more tolerable in his arms.

"I'm sure it'll be negative," he told me, trying to reassure me.

"You don't know that," I reminded him.  He didn't try to shower me with more empty hopeful words.  We both knew it was a possibility her cancer was back.  After he'd held me for a couple minutes, he pulled back and kissed my forehead.

"C'mon," he urged me.  "Let's get out of the apartment.  It'll take your mind off things."

I agreed, so we finished getting ready and found our shoes.  We walked around a park close to our place, holding hands, then went to a coffee shop to relax for a while.  I treated myself to a pastry and latte.  Lin tried to talk about things other than the kids.  I was grateful he was making the effort, but I kept glancing down at my phone, which was face-up on the table.

"Where's your phone?" I asked him.

"In my pocket.  Why?"

"Maybe you should have it out, just in case they call you," I suggested.  He looked at me a moment, then must have realized it would help calm my anxiety.  He reached into his pocket and set it face-up on the table, next to mine.

After a couple hours out and about, we went home to make some lunch.  I couldn't understand why the office hadn't called yet.  Wouldn't they have had the results this morning?  Were they not calling because the cancer was back and they were trying to figure out a game plan before telling us?

Lin knew my mind was racing.  He took my hand as we sat on the couch after eating.  I knew he'd had places to go and people and see today.  He was sticking around because he knew I'd be going crazy.  Finally, the phone rang.  I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"This is Pippa Miranda," I answered, trying to sound as calm as I could.

"Yes, this is Dr. Folger's office, calling with Raina's test results," the nurse began.  I stood up, and so did Lin.  He took my hand again.

"Yes, what is it?"

"It's negative," she told me.  "No sign of any cancer."

I let out a relieved sob and Lin caught me before I fell to the floor.  He gently guided me to sit on the couch as he shooshed me.  I couldn't really talk any more at that point, so Lin took the phone from me and thanked the nurse, then hung up.

I felt my husband's arms around me as I sobbed in relief.  She was okay.  She was perfectly healthy.  Lin just held me and gently shooshed me for several minutes.  When I had finally calmed down a bit, he kissed my temple and stroked my hair.

"There," he said gently.  "Now we can breathe a little."

"Yeah," I agreed, wiping away some of my tears.  Lin guided me to lay down on the couch with him, facing each other.  He continued to be gently affectionate, running a hand up and down my arm, kissing my forehead occasionally.  This is what I needed right now.  Reassurance that everything was okay and the presence of someone I loved.

After a good half hour I was finally feeling stable again.  We both slowly got up and Lin went to the kitchen to make us some tea.  I went to the bathroom to freshen myself up.  I felt like a weight had been lifted off of me and I could finally walk.

When the kids all got home around 3:30, I think they could tell I felt different.  Raina ran to me and I scooped her up.

"Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah," she said.  "We got to go to art and I made a pot for you out of clay!"

"That sounds great," I praised her, setting her down on the counter.  "I can't wait to see it.  Did you know the doctor called while you were at school?"

"He did?" she asked, a little nervously.

"Mmmhmm," I told her.  "And she said the cancer is still all gone.  You're a perfect, healthy little girl."

"Yay!" she said, her eyes lighting up.  "Does that mean I get more ice cream?"

"No!" I laughed, tickling her sides.  "But you can have a snack.  What do you want?"

"Graham crackers?"

"Graham crackers it is," I told her, gently setting her down.  Lin got the twins their snack as Molly set her violin case on the counter.

"My violin still doesn't sound right," she complained as she opened it up.

"Didn't you take it to your teacher to tune it?" I asked.

"She didn't have time today," she said, taking the violin out.  Molly positioned it on her chin and took out the bow.  She began stroking the bow back and forth on one of the strings slowly, her face showing deep concentration.  Her hand flew to a knob at the top and she adjusted it a little bit.  This continued for a good five minutes.  Finally, she let out an annoyed huff and put the instrument away.

"I give up," she decided, snapping the case shut.

"Tomorrow's another day," I reminded her as she went to her room.  I sighed and looked to Cam.

"How was your day?" I asked her.

"Fine," she replied.  "America hasn't been there for two days."

"Two days," I mused.  "Wow.  I wonder if she's sick."

"Or maybe she and her mother were both admitted to an insane asylum."

Just then, there was a knock at our door.  Lin opened it to reveal a police officer.

"Officer," he tucked his hands in his pockets.  "How can I help you?"

"I'm looking for a Miss Maria Fernandez," he told Lin.  I walked over and joined my husband.  He held up a photo for both of us to look at.  "I was told she might live in this building?"

The woman on the picture looked exactly like Sofia Martinez, our nightmare of a neighbor.  "That looks a lot like our neighbor," Lin told him, pointing down the hall.  "She moved in a couple months ago."

We chatted with the police officer for a couple minutes, answering questions about her.  We told him about our restraining orders and all the incidents.  It was worrying that Sofia Martinez was apparently an alias.  We were dealing with a real criminal of sorts here.

"She's wanted for fraud and extortion," he told us, pulling out his card.  "If you see her or her daughter, will you please give me a call?"

"Certainly," Lin said, taking the card.  We closed the door and looked at each other.  Somehow, it wasn't surprising that she was wanted for extortion.

"Cam?" Lin asked his daughter.  "Have you seen America at all the last couple days?"

"Nope," she said.  "Not since the weekend."

"Huh," he said.  "Well, tell me if you see her.  Police are looking for her and her mom."

The twins wanted to go outside and play, so after their snack was done, we both took them out, leaving the older girls at home alone.  It was reassuring to see Raina running around with her brother, not just keeping up but wearing him out.  Around 5:30, we decided it was time to go home.  We called them and they reluctantly came.  Lin gave Raina a shoulder ride, and I gave Felix a piggy-back ride.

After the twins had been put to bed that night, I decided to take a nice hot bubble bath to relax.  I had been so tense the last couple days.  I burned a couple candles and turned out the other lights.  It was pure serenity.  Afterwards, I dried myself off and put on my pajamas, then climbed onto my bed.  I pulled out a novel I'd been reading and curled up.  A few minutes into my reading, Molly knocked at the open door.

"Mom?" she called, and I smiled at her.  "Can...can I talk to you?"