Clara was at a loss. She wondered if Sarah might be at the Shelby residence and was just about to hail a cab to go check when her phone rang. It was Sarah. She answered at once.
"Sarah, where are you? I heard from your classmates you haven't been to a single class since school started. What's going on?"
"Clara..." Sarah's voice sounded strained. "I'm at the hospital right now."
Clara's heart skipped a beat. "Are you okay? Which hospital? I'll be right over."
"It's not me. It's my mom..." Sarah said, glancing at the unconscious Cherie Rhodes. After a sniffle, she added, "We're at XX Hospital. Come over."
"Wait for me. I'll be right there." Clara hung up, hailed a taxi, and got in.
...
When Clara arrived at Cherie Rhodes's hospital room, she pushed open the door and saw Sarah sitting dazedly by the bed. Cherie Rhodes lay quietly in it, her face haggard and pale.
Clara froze for a moment, then quickly walked toward Sarah, calling out worriedly, "Sarah."
