The Running Dream

Jessica’s mother comes home while she is in the shower and becomes upset when she can’t find Jessica. She is shocked and asks Jessica if Fiona helped her into the shower. When Jessica says no, her mother lectures her, saying she shouldn’t have come upstairs alone. But Jessica points out that she is just fine and now clean. She proudly explains to her mother how she got up the stairs and into the tub.

Jessica continues to surprise her mother by telling her that she is going out for food with Fiona. She has also surprised herself, and she wonders how she could be in such a good mood.

Fiona arrives to take Jessica out to lunch. Jessica’s mother frets about Jessica taking care of herself when Jessica chooses to use her crutches instead of the wheelchair. She waves goodbye to her mother but sees the worry in her mother’s face. Suddenly Jessica realizes that her mother isn’t really worried that Jessica will fall; rather, Jessica realizes that her mother is worried about Jessica coming home alive. The last time Fiona picked Jessica up was on the way to the bus for the track meet.