in the mood

"Wow, this is exciting." Charlotte walked the corridors of the hospital with Whitney. She'd decided to come. She couldn't remember the last time she actually went to the hospital. Part of it felt like the mall and then there were patients. She was giddy and practically dizzy. "This is where you'll have your baby?"

"Yeah," Whitney smiled. "Archie works here, you know. I'm glad I came so I could get an unofficial visit at the way things work. I'm glad Kal's with Gib."

"How do you think Gib will feel about the baby?" Charlotte asked.

"He's so little he'll always think his sister was with him, I guess. That's the way it was with my sister. For awhile, anyway." Whitney shrugged.

"Oh. How is your sister?"

"Fine, I suppose."

Charlotte could see she'd hit a nerve. She really hadn't meant too. She looped her arm around Whitney's and grinned.

"I never had a sister." She told her.

"Well, then I guess you'll have to settle for me," Whitney told her. "Of course, I might not fuss enough to be an official one."

"Don't worry, I have Rachel to fuss with all the time."

They both laughed then.

"We should get together, you know." Whitney shrugged. "But I know, Rachel is on the outs with Serena, still. And she doesn't like Bella at all, especially not Emily."

"We'll see them at Thanksgiving." Charlotte looked at Whitney.

"Yes, of course, sometimes, though, I think we need a rehearsal of some kind, so we'll be on our best behavior." Whitney sighed.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Cheese." Whitney smiled.

"Cheese?" Charlotte almost cracked up.

"Well, its a start. We could have a little welcome home baby and me party for Bella." Whitney nodded.

"You'd do that?"

"Perhaps its just the holiday spirit wooing me," Whitney nodded. "Really, I want us to get along. I'm tired of all the hatefulness."

"All right, I'm in. Just tell me what you need." Charlotte smile, hugging her arm more. It was time to see Sophie.