Chapter 19

I


As promised, Julia was headed back to Wyoming on November first.

Her left arm was braced against her body to aid in the healing of the broken collarbone; her shoulder still heavily bandaged from not only the gunshot wound, but the surgery she had to repair the damaged muscles. Her doctors and surgeons were pleased with the speedy progress with which her injuries were healing and saw no problem with sending her home just nine days after her ordeal with the stalker at the ranch.

She boarded a government jet that would take her to the small Riverton airport she had been to when she first came to Wyoming earlier in the year to pay a visit to John Christofferson, not knowing at the time that he was actually Jack Coltrane's new identity courtesy of the Disturbed Ones Hit-n-Run team that she helped him contact all those years ago. An Army transport would meet the jet and take her back to Jack's ranch where he and her children waited for her.

Though she was on heavy (for her weight and height) dosages of pain medication, Julia opted not to take anything during the flight and transfer to the place she had been calling home for the last three months. She was in a considerable amount of pain, but no one but her knew it.

She would be exhausted by the time she reached the ranch. At that time, she would take her pain meds and head off to bed. She didn't care if she got there at lunchtime, she was going to bed and sleep in a familiar place for the first time in a week and a half.

Julia knew that arriving by lunchtime, however, would only happen if she was flying the plane herself. Since she had no control over how long it would take, she'd accept arriving around supper. Not that she'd be too hungry; all her mind could think of was sleep and not feeling pain.

===

Rachel kept looking out the living room window to the road outside. She wanted to be the first to see the transport that would bring her mother home.

"Rachel, your mother isn't going to get here any faster if you keep looking out the window," Jack said to her. "She'll be here soon enough."

"I've missed Mom, Jack," she said; "I want to be the one who sees her first."

"Rachel," Miri said to her, "don't you have classwork to do?"

The girl sighed; "Yeah, Miri, I do, but I'm too excited about Mom finally coming home!"

"We all are," Jack said; "but that doesn't mean you can skip out on your schoolwork. Life still has to go on."

Rachel turned from the window and went to the dining room table to join her sisters and brother and finish her schoolwork for the day. Her mother always had a two week lesson plan, and so there was really no excuse for not doing the work associated with that plan. Julia planned her lessons the same way that Kiera San Marco did, in two week blocks. Three blocks, or six weeks, made up what in a conventional school setting would be half a semester. Then there was a week off between six week periods. Unless the family was on vacation, it was always six weeks on, one week off. The next week off wouldn't occur until the week of Thanksgiving.

When the children finished their schoolwork, the books were put away and the table set for dinner. Jack asked Jaime, whose job that week was to set and unset the table, to set a place for her mother in case she came home in time for dinner. Jack started preparing that evening's meal, beef ribs with vegetables and gravy.

"Where did you learn how to cook, Jack?" Jaime asked him.

"From my mother," Jack said; "I had watched her cook from the time I was very young, and when I was about six, she let me help. By the time I was ten, I was making whole meals for my family. My mother died when I was thirteen and I took over a lot of the cooking chores because my father couldn't even boil water right!"

"Why didn't your sister help?"

"She did, and she's a great cook," Jack said; "but she always said that her little brother could run rings around her in the kitchen."

"You were the youngest?" asked Jaime.

"Yes. My brother and sister were five and seven years older than me," Jack said; "I was an afterthought. One day my mother learned she was going to have another child, which was me. My father didn't name his oldest son after himself, so I got his name instead."

"Your dad's name was also Jack Christofferson?"

Jack wasn't sure if Julia had told her children, other than Miri, about his true identity. Based on Jaime's question, he guessed not, so he answered her question with,

"My dad's name was John Christofferson the third, I'm the fourth. My oldest son is the fifth. It stopped there. His son is named Hunter John."

"Why do some men do that, name their sons after themselves?" asked Jaime.

"Well, for some men it's a source of pride to have a child bear their name," Jack said; "My great-grandfather I'm sure didn't expect four more generations of sons being named after him. And, if I understand your mother correctly, your father was kind of named for his father as well."

"My grandfather Summers first name was Bryan," Jaime said; "I was named after my dad's grandmother. Rachel is named after our mom's middle name and our grandmother's first name. I don't think Zach was named after anyone."

"Sometimes names for babies are hard to come by," Jack said; "So a lot of people look to relatives names, celebrity names, look in baby name books. And I think that people just make up names for their children."

"When I have kids, I'm going to name my son after my dad," Jaime said.

Jack laughed; "I hope your older sister doesn't beat you to it, or your mother is going to have a couple of grandsons named Ryan."

===


Kathryn Marie's therapy to get Chastity under control was not going so well.

Cameron Chang had put Kathryn Marie under hypnosis to see if Chastity would come out to talk to her. Chastity did come out, she spoke to the psychotherapist in language as base as Chang had ever heard from any patient or alter. It was hell to get Chastity to surrender Kathryn Marie's body back to its original personality.

"I fuckin have work to do, bitch!" Chastity screamed at Chang. "I'm not letting that stupid crybaby whore take over! It's mine! It's mine!"

"Remember, Chastity," Chang said; "I call the shots here, bitch! As long as I'm in control, you will not be making any appearances unless I say it's okay. Kathryn Marie will have control soon and you'll like it, you got that, Chastity?"

"So I have to let that bitch take her body back?" asked Chastity. "She's nothing without me!"

"That's right, she is nothing without you," Chang said; "Because if she's does what she's told me she wants to do, and that's kill you, then her life is over as well. You are two people in one body and Kathryn Marie wants the life you hijacked from her when she was fifteen back."

"She'd have never made it in the world the way she is!" Chastity spat at Chang.

"That's because you never let her grow up, Chastity!" Chang said angrily. "You stole her life from her, and I'm going to help her defeat you to get it back!"

"That's one bet you won't win, sister," Chastity said smugly.

"Try me, Chastity," Chang said; "I've dealt with worse people than you. I usually win."

"Not this time, sister."

"Yes, Chastity," Chang said, determined to prove this alter wrong; "I will. Kathryn Marie will have her life back. You will surrender your control, your dominance to Kathryn Marie. You will not win this war. You've been in control long enough. Sleep, Chastity!"

Chang saw Chastity's head snap back towards the pillow on the bed and rest. Her eyes closed, her body relaxed.

"Kathryn Marie?" asked Chang softly; "Are you with me?"

Kathryn Marie opened her eyes. "Yes," she said weakly; "I'm here."

===

Niki was looking forward to having Thanksgiving with her family and Drake this year.

Kimber was coming home for the first time in three years, and Niki was excited to see her sister again. She only wished that Julia and her family could be there as well.

Sam and John would be turning eighteen soon and heading off to college the following summer. I wonder if this is the last Thanksgiving I'll have with them, Niki thought.

She had been feeling unwell that last couple of weeks, running a low grade fever and having body aches. Niki hoped it wasn't the flu, because that would send her to the hospital for weeks at a time. Her parents would take care of the high hospital bill, she was sure, but all she wanted was to beat the cancer and live a normal life. She wanted to finish her degree and get a real job. Her job since her diagnosis in June was fighting the monster that was trying to steal her life.

After making an appointment with her oncologist to discuss her concerns, Niki tried to think of something to bring to her family's Thanksgiving dinner. Her mind was cloudy and she felt like she had cotton in her head instead of a brain.

"I can't shake this," Niki said aloud. "I'm going to ask Drake to take me to the ER when he gets home."

She heard the phone ring, and she stumbled over to the table when her secure phone sat.

"Hello?" she said in a voice that didn't sound like hers.

"Niki? It's Dad; are you okay?"

"Yeah, Dad, just a little tired," said Niki.

"I was going to ask you about what you can't tolerate food-wise for Thanksgiving, but maybe you better lay down instead," said David.

"I will, Daddy," Niki said; "As soon as I hang up. Promise."

"Okay," David said; "I'll come over a little later. Would that be all right?"

"Yeah, Daddy," said Niki. "I'll be here."

She hung up the phone before her father could respond. Niki looked at the wall that had Drake's drawing of her parents house hanging on it.

Then everything went black.

===
II


David hung up the phone, but couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong over at Niki's.

He practically ran downstairs towards the living room. Sam was in there reading the galleys of his father book.

"Sam, where's your mom?" David asked his older son.

"She took John to work," Sam said; "Why?"

"I just got off the phone with Niki, and she doesn't sound right to me," David said, trying not to let the boy see that he was on the verge of panic.

"She told me a couple of days ago she wasn't feeling well, like she was getting the flu," Sam said. "Mom sent me over there with a gallon of orange juice."

"I'm heading over there," David said; "Come with me, please."

"Dad, I'm sure Niki's just fine."

"Samuel..." David said. "Let's go."

Dad's freaking out, Sam thought; he never calls me Samuel unless he's mad, stressed or upset with me for some reason.

"Okay, Dad," Sam said; "But I'm driving."

David said nothing. Sam's noticed that I'm upset, or else he wouldn't have offered to drive.

They went out to the massive garage where David kept all of his vehicles. Sam's truck was parked near the back, as he always tried to keep his old truck away from his father's collection of cars. Next to Sam's truck was John's 2014 Mustang, its engine sitting next to it while John refurbished the car's body.

David instinctively went to the driver's side of the truck, although it was not his vehicle. He then remembered and got in on the passenger's side.

Soon they were on the road and headed towards Niki's house. Sam noticed his father fidgeting, something he never did unless he was stressing out about something.

David was convinced that he'd spoken to his oldest daughter for the last time, and Sam's assessment that he was "freaking out" was pretty accurate.

"Can't you drive this damn thing any faster, boy?" David said impatiently.

"Dad, you need to calm down," Sam said; "I'm sure Niki's fine. If she isn't, we'll deal with it, okay?"

David said nothing. His sons were pretty observant, and getting angry at Sam wasn't helping matters any.

They arrived at Niki's and David practically lept from the truck before Sam had a chance to put the vehicle in park. David ran to the front door, and noticing it was locked, got out his keychain and used the key that Niki and Drake had given him when they moved into the house the year before.

"Nicole!" he cried out as he opened the door. "Nicole!"

There, collapsed on the floor, was Niki. David hit his knees and checked to see if she still had vital signs.

She did. A weak pulse and shallow breathing.

Sam came into the house and saw his sister and his father, and without saying a word got his phone out of his pocket and dialed the emergency services.

"Austin 9-1-1, what's your emergency?"

"My father and I just found my sister unconscious on the floor of her living room, we need an ambulance!"

"What's your sister's name?"

"Nicole Draiman," Sam said; "Please send someone over now!"

"I'm sending someone now," the dispatcher said; "What's your sister's date of birth?"

"April 23, 2015," Sam said.

"Does she have any medical issues?"

"She's a cancer patient," Sam said, amazed that he was so calm; "She has leukemia."

He heard the dispatcher relay information to the paramedics, then said,

"Paramedics should be there in less than five minutes. Please stay on the line until they arrive."

"Okay."

For as calm as Sam was, his father was a wreck. David was cradling Niki's head and shoulders in his arms, begging her, in Hebrew, not to die.

The paramedics had arrived and came into the house and began checking Niki over. Soon she was placed on a stretcher and taken out to the ambulance.

"Do one of you want to accompany the patient to the hospital?" asked one of the paramedics.

"We'll follow in our vehicle," Sam said; "You're taking her to UT?"

"Yes, we are."

"We'll go straight to the emergency room from here," Sam said. To David he said,

"We need to call Mom and Drake. Who do you want to call?"

David looked at his son. Sam saw that he was as white as ghost, and decided that he'd call both Drake and his mother.

"Dad, sit on the couch and get a hold of yourself," Sam told his father. "Niki's going to be okay, Dad."

David sat on the couch as he was asked. I can't lose my little girl, he kept thinking. I just can't.

"Dad, you're not helping Niki by being upset," Sam said; "You need to get yourself together!"

"You're right, son," David said. "Niki needs us to be strong. I'll call your mother. You call Drake."

David then got on the phone to make one of the hardest phone calls to Jordan he's ever made. Not even telling her that her three daughters were in prison when Niki and Kimber were three was as bad as this.

"David, where are you?" asked Jordan when she answered the call.

"Jordan, sit down," David said.

"I am sitting, what is it?"

David took a deep breath, then, "I'm at Niki's. Sam and I found her unconscious on the floor of her living room. We're headed to UT. Meet us there."

Jordan said nothing at first, then, "I'm on my way, David."

===

"Department of Fine Arts, Teaching Assistant office."

"I'm looking for Drake Campbell," Sam said. "It's an emergency."

"He's in a class now," the female who answered the phone said; "Can I take a message?"

Sam rolled his eyes, then said; "Tell him that Niki is at UT Hospital and that he needs to get there as soon as he's free."

"And you are?"

"My name is Sam Draiman. I'm Niki's brother."

"I'll let him know you called," the girl said. Sam had a feeling that the girl didn't even write down the message.

"Thank you."

Sam then hung up and sent Drake a text message:

THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!! Niki at UT Hospital. Dad and I found her on floor unconscious. Get over there as soon as you are able! --Sam

"Dad," Sam said; "Let's go. One way or another, Drake will meet us there."

"Mom's on her way," David said.

"What about John?" asked Sam.

"Let's find out what is going on before we get John all worked up," David said.

They then locked Niki's front door, got in the truck, and sped off to the hospital.


===

Drake felt his phone buzz in his pocket. The only person who would be sending me a text would be Niki, he thought.

Trouble was, he was in the middle of teaching a class at the time.

"Your pockets buzzing, Drake," one of the students said to him.

"I'm aware of that, thank you," Drake said; "I'm going to step out of the room for a moment."

He stepped out into the hall and opened his phone. When he saw the message was from Niki's brother, he became concerned. He then read the message and became alarmed.

Oh, dear God... Drake thought.

He ran down the hall to the office all the Teaching Assistants used for conferences, and as soon as he walked in, a female TA said to him,

"Someone saying he was Niki's brother called you. Niki's in the hospital?"

"I just got a text from him," Drake said; "Could you take over my class while I go see Niki?"

"I can't, I have a conference in about five minutes," the girl said.

Just then, one of the professors came into the office and ordered the girl to take over Drake's class, telling her,

"I'll handle your conference, Melissa," he said; "Please take over Mr. Campbell's class."

"Yes, Professor Martin."

To Drake he said, "I overheard the call that Melissa took from Niki's brother. If she didn't go down to your class to tell you, I was going to."

"Sam had the presence of mind to send a text as well," Drake said.

"Your place is with Niki, not here," Professor Martin said; "Please keep me updated as to her progress. You know I'm quite fond of you both, and I almost lost my daughter to cancer several years ago. So you need to be there."

"Thanks, Dr. Martin," Drake said; "I'll keep you updated."

Drake then ran full speed down the vacant corridor, out to the parking lot, and got in his car. Then he headed to the hospital.

God, please don't take Niki from me, was Drake's only thought.

===

Niki was hearing voices. One particular voice she knew she couldn't have heard because that person was dead.

I wonder if I'm dead and don't know it yet, Niki thought.

"Remember when you couldn't say my name properly?" Ryan asked Niki. "I was almost sad when you and your sister finally said it correctly. It was kind of cute the way you two mangled my name."

"Ryan?" asked Niki; "Am I dead?"

"What?" Ryan replied; "No, of course not. You needed a familiar voice from the past. So here I am."

"How will I know when I'm dead?"

"It will just happen," Ryan told her; "At least you still have time. I didn't get that. I had no idea that I was going to die. It just happened."

"Julia was very upset," Niki said.

"I know, Niki, and I wouldn't have wanted that if I had any say about it," Ryan said.

"What happens when you're dead?"

"You watch what's going on with those you leave behind," said Ryan. "It broke my heart to see Julia and the kids suffering. Julia was my world. My life. Then it ended. She's doing well now. I know she still thinks of me. She's making someone else happy for a little while. That person's time is short."

"It's not one of the kids, is it?" asked Niki.

"No, it's someone from Julia's past."

"Who?"

"I can't say," Ryan said; "All I can tell you is that you're going to live a long life. This is just a setback."

"How do you know?"

"I have my connections," Ryan said.

"Am I hallucinating all this?" asked Niki.

"No, but you won't remember any of it, I'm afraid," Ryan said.

"Why not?" asked Niki in anguish.

"Because that's just how it is," said Ryan. "I'm just here to comfort you, then I'll be gone. And you'll have no memory of our conversation. Even if you did remember bits and pieces, no one would believe you. I don't have all the answers, Nicole."

"You've never called me Nicole," Niki said.

"You're going to be fine," Ryan said, his voice fading. "Just remember this: Jordan Kathleen."

"Who's Jordan Kathleen?"

"Your daughter."

"The baby I lost?" asked Niki, emotional.

"No, Niki," Ryan said; "The one you're going to have when this drama is all over. I have to go now. Be strong, Nicole..."

"Ryan...wait!"

Niki then heard beeping sounds, and realized it was a heart monitor. It beeped with her heartbeat. Am I on life support?

Her parents, brothers, and Drake were in the room with someone laying in a hosptial bed. Niki then realized it was her. Ryan said I was going to have a long life, she thought. I better get back to where I belong.

The beeping became louder and stronger. She felt Drake's hand on her cheek. She heard her father's voice. Her mother crying.

"Looks like she's going to be okay, folks," Niki heard a doctor say. "We'll keep her here a few days and make sure she's over the infection. Worst case scenario is that she'll need a bone marrow transplant."

Niki heard her father sigh in relief.

And she fell asleep...

===
III


"She's here! She's here!" Rachel said, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as she saw the transport vehicle drive up to the house. "Mom's here!"

"Geez, Rach, calm down!" Jaime said; "I'm excited too, but you don't see me bouncing like a ball, do you?"

"You kids stay here," Jack said; "I'll go out and get your mother."

"He's afraid you're going to pounce on her as soon as she hits the door, Rach," Miri said; "But I'm glad she's finally home!"

"Me, too," said Zach.



"Mr. Christofferson?" a young Army officer asked as Jack approached.

"Yes, I'm John Christofferson," he said.

"We've brought Mrs. Summers back as ordered," the young officer said; "She'll be here momentarily. This is the decoy vehicle."

"You realize there's a very excited eight year old inside that house who thinks her mother is in that truck, don't you?" asked Jack. He had suspected that Julia wouldn't be in the first vehicle that arrived, though he couldn't convince any of the children of that.

"I'm sorry, sir," the officer said; "I'd forgotten that Mrs. Summers has young children."

"Only the youngest, who's eight," Jack said. "The others are a little older."

"I see."

A second transport approached from the opposite direction. Jack could see Julia in the passenger's seat. Her left arm was braced against her body and she waved to him with her right.

Another officer assisted Julia from the truck and brought her over to where Jack stood.

"Hello, stranger," Julia said; "Keeping the homefires burning?"

"Sure have," Jack said; "There are even beef ribs waiting if you're hungry."

"I should be," Julia said; "but I'm not. It's all this damn pain medication. I need to take some as soon as I get inside."

"Thank you for bringing her home," Jack said.

"It's an honor to assist one of the heroes of the Resistance," the officer said; "She helped end the Occupation."

"And you were probably still in grade school when it ended," Jack said, smiling. Julia cringed. She hated to be referred to as a "hero".

"Yes, sir."

Jack guided Julia up the steps and into the house, where pandemonium reigned.

That made Julia smile. Her family missed her. But now, all she wanted was a glass of water to take her pain meds and a comfortable bed so she could sleep.

===

"You think you can run things while I'm gone?" Pollard asked Krysta; "I've still got outside work to do."

"Yeah, and I'll run it the way it's supposed to be run, not what like you've been trying to do since you made yourself Chastity's replacement," Krysta said, not hiding her dislike for the man who horned his way into Chastity's position while she's on medical leave.

"You don't have to talk to me that way, Krysta," Pollard said; "We're on the same fucking side."

No we're not, Pollard, Krysta thought. You want to kill people without a plan. Chastity might be crude and coarse and oversexed, but she still has half a brain more than you do, Pollard.

"Just so you understand that this position is still Chastity's until she decides she doesn't want it any more. You will not be her automatic replacement, Pollard."

"Wanna bet, bitch?

"I don't bet with people who have everything to lose," said Krysta.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Take it any fucking way you like, Clayton," Krysta said. "Just get out of my way."

After Pollard was gone (to where, Krysta could only guess), she sat in Chastity's chair and looked at the plans Chastity had to eliminate The Triad. I hope that Cameron Chang can fix Kathryn Marie, Krysta thought. It's the only way that The Triad will survive, because God knows Pollard and his gang of Holdouts will probably screw it up.

Krysta, personally, was more afraid of Julia Summers' skills than she was of the people Pollard sent out to intimidate and eliminate The Triad. At least Summers can actually kill the people she's sent to eliminate, Krysta thought; these clowns of Pollard's, not so much. Summers' kids could probably do better.

Krysta had no idea how right she was.

But, she had a trip to a small house on the lake to take, and hoped that the man who lives there could help her.

===

Eric Hope made his monthly trip to Arlington, Virginia, to visit Helene's grave.

Since Kelly had been away at school, Eric made it a point to go at least once a month, instead of four times a year like he had in the almost three years since Helene passed away.

He knew, instinctively that Helene was not really in that box they buried in the ground, but the ritual of coming here to purge himself of the guilt he had since her death seemed to calm him.

Now he had another reason to purge himself of guilt. It was the knowledge that their daughter was growing mentally ill, and, not recognizing it as such, sent the girl away and told her to never return.

"She was sick then, and we didn't know to do anything to help her," Eric said to the marble marker that indicated Helene Hope's final resting place. "We sent her away, not knowing this. Now she's really sick and is trying to get well. All I wanted for her was to have a happy life, and we helped turn it into a nightmare."

Eric thought about the dark haired girl Kathryn had been before this other persona called Chastity took over. She had been the apple of her parents eyes; her brother adored her; she had lots of friends. Then she got mixed up with that crazy girl and her sisters, and everything changed.

He had heard that one of the older sisters had been murdered by her live in lover. The other sister seemingly disappeared off the face of the earth. As for Holly, Eric didn't care what had happened to her. Whatever it was, she probably deserved it. As he had told her when she showed up one day after Kathryn left home for good, "Whatever it was that you and your sick sisters did to my daughter to change her entire personality, I hope you all rot in hell!"

"Kathryn wanted to do those things because you wouldn't let her," the girl had snapped at him.

"You and your sisters abandoned Kathryn in that drug and sex den because you thought it was funny to see an uptight girl squirm," Eric shot back. "You laughed all the way home. How do I know? Because your mother told me before she died that your plans for Kathryn were to see if you could get her hooked on drugs. Congratulations, you achieved your goal. It only cost me my daughter. Your parents may not have cared what happened to you and your sisters, but my wife and I did care what happened to Kathryn."

"Then why did you kick her out of the house, Mr. Hope?" the girl sneered.

"Because I thought it would shock some sense into her," Eric said; "but it didn't. She just left. I haven't seen her in two years, and may never see her again. Thanks a lot. Now get out of my sight before I have you arrested for trespassing on my property."

And that was the last he'd heard from or about Holly Grant.

"Helene," he said to his wife's marker; "I was a bad husband and a bad father. I hope that one day, you can forgive me for failing you and our daughter."

I would do anything to save Kathryn, Eric thought; even kill her if that's what she wanted. I'm already in a prison, so it wouldn't matter anyway if I went for real.

===

Julia slept until late the next morning. When she woke up, she found she was in Jack's bed. But Jack wasn't there. How did I get here? Julia thought. I don't remember going to bed.

Julia pushed herself up to a sitting position with her right arm. She noticed that sometime while she was sleeping, the dressing on her shoulder got changed.

God, I'm starving, she thought. I better get up and get some breakfast.

Julia looked at the clock and then thought, or maybe lunch.

She got out of the bed and went to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and thought she looked like hell. She then heard Jack calling for her.

"In the bathroom, Jack," she said.

When he found her in there, he asked, "How are you feeling, Julia?"

"Hungry."

"I still have some of those ribs if you want them for lunch," said Jack.

"Sure, let me get presentable," Julia said; "I'm sorry I couldn't stay awake long enough to hear about all that's been going on here while I was in Denver."

"The kids understood, though Rachel wanted to keep talking to you after you'd fallen asleep on the couch," said Jack, chuckling.

"How did I get here?" asked Julia.

"I carried you in here," said Jack; "You were barely awake when I helped you change into your nightgown. I changed your dressing twice since you fell asleep."

"I noticed that," Julia said; "Did you sleep in here with me?"

"I did. I made sure that you were comfortable and not laying on your injured shoulder," he said.

"Those pain meds are pretty powerful," Julia said. "I never sleep this late."

"I'd probably cut them in half if they're too much for you," Jack said.

"That's a good idea," agreed Julia. "I barely remember anything from the time I walked in the door yesterday."

"Your next dose is at 1pm," Jack said; "but you have to eat something first. I'll bring in here for you."

"No, I'll go out to the dining room and eat."

"The kids are doing their lessons there at the moment," Jack said; "You can sit at the little table in the kitchen."

"Okay," Julia said.

Jack kissed the top of Julia's head. "Everything is going to be okay, my love," he said. "I promise."

All Julia could do is nod.

===