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that.” Grace leaned closer, her hand once again finding and curling around her daUghter’s. Her voice was low, meant forJessica’s ears only, but urgent. Her eyes were intent. “To begin with, you’re only fifteen. Drinking at your age is against the law. Even if you were old enough, which you certainly are not, you can’t, You’re not evcr going to be able to drink alcohol to excess, just like you can’t eat a dozen chocolate doughnuts or three boxes of Girl Scout cookies at a sitting. You ktiow that. You have to eat on schedule, and watch what you eat, and take your insulin. You can’t just go wild, Jessica, with alcohol or doughnuts or anything, because you’ll make yourself sick. You …”
    “Oh, God, Mom, don’t fuss. You always fuss.” JessicaIs eyes closed again, and her voice was weary. She tried to tug her hand from Grace’s.
    Grace broke off in midsentence, then clamped her lips together. Hurt swelled inside her. Her eyes closed as her fingers clung tenaciously to Jessica’s. What could she say that would get through to her? If only Jessica would listen! She had to be made to understand… .
    But this was not the time, or the place, for the discussion she and Jessica needed to have.
    When she felt better, they would talk. And more than talk. Guidelines had to be laid down. Consequences had to be imposed.
    Being a mother was a hundred times harder than Grace had ever imagined it would be. The responsibility was enormous, and the rewards were few. Even the
     
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    KAREN ROBARDS
    endless, boundless love she felt for her daughter was in itself a painful thing.
    “You in there?” The other cop, Dominick, stuck his head through the curtain. His voice was loud, inappropriately hearty, and caused Grace’s eyes to pop open at once.
    Her gaze flew from him to his partner, who was once again leaning impassively against the wall. For a few moments, she had forgotten he was there. He looked almost pale beneath his tan, much paler than she reinembered him being when they had entered the hospital, and she wondered if the sudden gray cast to his skin could be attributed to the harshness of the overhead lighting, or the sight-or smell-of Jessica being sick.
    Savagely she hoped it was the latter.
    For an instant, their gazes met. Again Grace got the feeling that he was judging her and finding her wanting.
    Seeing at a glance that he was indeed in the right place, Dominick came on through the curtain. His size made the small cubicle seem suddenly crowded.
    “How’s the little girl?” he asked in that same mapice.
    propriately hearty voi His partner shrugged.
    “They’re waiting for the results of a blood test,” Grace said.
    The two cops exchanged glances, then, as if one, looked at Grace. She’d had about enough of those weighing looks, she decided.
    “Don’t let us keep you,” she said politely. “I know you must have things you need to do.”
    THE MIDNIGHT HOUR
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    Again the cops exchdnged glances.
    “Yeah, we oughta be going,” Dominick said, and Grace got the impression that he was talking more to his partner than to her.
    “YOU Sure there’s nothing else you need us forThis was Mr. Obnoxious. His gaze met hers.
    “Fin sure.” Grace looked from one to the other. Standing side by side, they shared an obvious resemblance. Both were’ tal], dark, and disapproving. Were they related? She neither knew, nor cared. Common I
    civility plus a healthy dose of honesty prompted her to add, “Thank you for all you’ve done. Both of you.” They had found Jessica, after all, and she was grateful.
    She just didn’t much care for their bedside manner. “You’re welcome.” Her thanks must have lacked something in the way of graciousness, because Mr. Obnoxious s acknowledgment was clipped. Dominick nodded, and fixed his partner with a meaningful look. Mr. Obnoxious’s shoulders came away from the wall, and he headed toward the curtained exit with Dormnick behind him. As an obvious afterthought, just as