Maleficent breathed a sigh of relief. It'd been a long time since she'd had a job where she wasn't her own boss, and calling in had always stressed her out. It was good to have someone on the other end that understood, and who knew how important family was.
"Thank you," she swallowed hard again this time against the lump that had formed in her throat. "It's Alzheimer's. Just for future reference if I do have to call out again. She wasn't diagnosed until this past year, and it's at Stage 4 now." Reaching up, Maleficent pinched the bridge of her nose, "Some days are better than others, this is a bad day where she's screaming at my father one minute then planning on cooking him a big dinner the next. He's just at his wits end, and needs a break."
She paused for a moment, "Thank you, by the way, for being so understanding. I appreciate it."