(Dawn & Buffy sit with Joyce in her room at the hospital. Dawn is eating Joyce's green jello)

JOYCE: Listen you two, I know this creamed spinach is pretty delicious, but I promise, I won't be offended if you go out for some real food.

BUFFY: You kidding me? This is the good life. Relaxing in bed while people bring you food on trays.

DAWN: (licking fingers) I like the Jello.

JOYCE: (laughs) Help yourself. There's something about food that moves by itself that gives me the heebie-jeebies.

DAWN: It's good and wiggly. This girl at school told me that gelatin is made from ground-up cow's feet, and that if you eat Jello there's some cows out limping with no feet. But I told her I'm sure they kill 'em before they take off their feet. (Suddenly nervous) Right?

BUFFY: (to Joyce) You're the one who insisted on teaching her to talk.

(A doctor enters.)

JOYCE: Oh, hello, Dr. Kriegel, um, you know my girls, (gestures to them) Buffy and Dawn.

DR. KRIEGEL: Yes, of course. You two are becoming part of the regular crew around here.

BUFFY: Just keeping her company.

DR. KRIEGEL: Good. Just be careful you don't wear her out.

JOYCE: Ohh, don't worry about that. I woke up exhausted, there's really no more exhausted to get.

(The doctor takes Joyce's chart and looks at it.)

DR. KRIEGEL: Well, maybe some good news will help. The blood work's come back from the lab, and everything seems fine. So, we've scheduled your surgery for day after tomorrow at ten in the morning. How's that sound to you?

JOYCE: Oh, well, I think they had me scheduled for volleyball, but, ah, we can work around it.

DR. KRIEGEL: (laughs) All right. Joyce, you take care. Make sure you get some good solid rest. And I mean that.

(Exits)

JOYCE: Uhh, the day after tomorrow. I don't think I can stand to stay here another two days just waiting.

BUFFY: Waiting? Gimme a break, we got, we got tons to do.

DAWN: We have soap operas to watch and trashy magazines to read.

BUFFY: And an adjustable bed to fiddle with. That alone will keep me busy for four hours or so.

JOYCE: Oh, I really don't need you to stay here, Buffy. I know you've got patrolling to do.

BUFFY: Not tonight. Tonight I have mom-taking-care-of to do. And besides, Riley's filling in for me with the others. I'm sure they have everything under control.

• Buffy & her mom
• Joyce's Illness

written by: Jane Espenson; Transcribed by Joan the English Chick (pisces@englishchick.com).. Full transcript at:
http://www.studiesinwords.de/87listeningtofear.html