“Can she have a Coke?” Ink whispered.
“Technically, she’s not supposed to have anything to eat or drink, but she’s going to get another dose of charcoal soon, so I don’t think a few sips will hurt anything.”
“Point me in the direction of the vending machines,” Ink said.
“I hope it’s a crispy one,” Daphne mumbled. “Why aren’t they crispy anymore?”
I wrinkled my forehead in confusion, but Gabby seemed to understand.
“I know, right? Where have all the crispy Cokes gone?”
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
Gabby chuckled. “When’s the last time you had a Coke that made you go ‘ahhh’ after drinking it?”
“Well, now that you mention it, I don’t know. I guess it’s been a while.”
“Exactly. Cokes were crispy, and now they’re not. It’s a thing. I follow a lady on social media who talks about it frequently. That’s also why I drink ginger ales now. They’re still crispy.”
Ink returned with a Coke for Daphne, but she appeared to have fallen asleep again. “I’ll just leave it here for when she wakes up.”
“I’m awake,” she said quietly. “My dad’s here.”
“No, he’s not here yet, but he’s on his way,” I told her.
She shook her head. “He’s here.”
I turned to Gabby to ask if hallucinating was one of the symptoms, but Walter and Buck walked into the room before I had a chance.
“What?” he asked when he noticed we were all staring at him with looks of surprise on our faces.
“They’re wondering how I knew you were here before you were actually here.”
“She’s always been able to do that,” Walter explained. “It used to freak me out, too.” He walked over to the bed and picked up Daphne’s hand. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”
“I’ve been better,” she admitted.
“Well, you look like hell,” Buck said.
Daphne smiled. “So do you, old man.”
“Take it back, or I’ll call you the f-word.”
Daphne gasped and pretended to be offended. “You wouldn’t.”
“What’s the f-word?” Gabby whispered.
“Forty,” I told her.
“Oh, that’s just mean,” she scolded Buck.
He raised his hands in front of him. “Hey, she started it.”
“Dad,” Daphne whined.
“All right, children. Knock it off.”
Buck crossed his arms over his chest while Daphne stuck out her bottom lip.