Chapter 2: Transition

Well, this was it, Shawn thought as he loaded the last box into the moving truck. Somehow the nightmare was real, his dad was dead and he was moving in with his mother. This oughta be interesting. The last time they spent more than a weekend together they ended up fighting and Shawn had returned to his father’s house six hours earlier than the original arrangement. Shawn knew that wouldn’t be an option anymore so his first order of business would have to be to find a place of his own. A place where he could go to be alone. A place where he could hide when he couldn’t take the chaos anymore. It would have to be somewhere quiet. And not somewhere too obvious, like a treehouse or something lame like that. Something exciting, like a secret cave or hidden passageway or something. Of course, the chances of finding such a thing in the little house his mom lived in would be next to impossible, but Shawn held on to the little bit of hope that he had. There must be somewhere…In the end he found a little crawl space in the back of his bedroom closet. It was perfect. Shawn lay down on his bed, exhausted from the move, and promptly fell asleep.
Shortly after waking up Shawn found himself sitting beside his mother on the couch pretending to watch a tv. show. Celia must have noticed his distraction and she asked him if he wanted anything to eat.

“Not really.”
“A drink then?” she paused, waiting for a response. When none came she continued, “anything at all?”
“No thanks.” Shawn started to pick at the fabric of a button adorning the seat cushion beside him.
“Honey,” his mom began. “I know things look dark right now, but we’re gonna get through this. I promise.”
“I know mom.” Shawn said noncommittally. “I’m fine, really.”
Celia knew he wasn’t really fine, how could he be when he had just lost his father, but decided not to press the issue further. They watched tv together until Shawn silently got up from the couch and went to his bedroom, closing the door softly behind him. Celia went to fix herself another drink then retired to her own bedroom for the night.

Shawn woke up feeling worse than he had felt in years. Not only did the memory of his recent loss hit him like a suckerpunch to the stomach, but he felt shaky and achy and desperately dizzy. No wonder he had been feeling so lousy lately, he was sick. He called for his mom who entered his room with a look of concern.
“Oh no, you’re not sick are you?” She immediately laid a cool hand on his forehead to check his temperature. He felt a little warm, but Celia wanted to be sure. “I’ll get the thermometre.”
It was established that Shawn was indeed sick with a low-grade fever. Celia hadn’t planned on sending him to school for a few days in order to help him transition and grieve but with him sick he would have to stay in bed. She couldn’t help a swell of panic that rose in her throat as she thought about how she was going to care for him. Permanently. With no safety net. She pushed her worries to the back of her mind and went to fix herself a drink. It was a little early in the day, but it was sure to be stressful and she needed all the extra oomph she could get. She took a sip and put her glass down on the kitchen counter, then returned to Shawn’s room.

“You know,” she said. “When I was a little girl and I got sick, my mom used to read me stories. Would you like me to read to you?”
“Maybe later.” Shawn was a little embarrassed at the thought of his mom reading to him like a little kid. “I just want to sleep.”
“Okay kiddo.” Celia left him with a kiss on the forehead.
“I don’t know what to do, Shar, I just can’t seem to connect with him.” Celia said to her sister over the phone. “He shoots down anything I suggest we do together unless it involves sitting in front of the tv. I feel like I don’t even know my own son.”

“Give it time.” Sharon’s voice, a little tinny over the receiver, rang out like a beautiful melody. “He’s going through a lot right now.”
“I know, I’m trying to be patient with him but it’s been like this for years.” Celia said. “This isn’t something new I’m dealing with, it’s just piled underneath all the new stuff. I don’t know if I’m cut out for this.”
“Try to relax. I’ll help out as much as I can, but remember, this is a big transition for you too. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”
“I know. I know.” Celia sighed. “My anxiety is off the charts. I’m so scared I won’t be a good mom to him.”
“You’re a great mom!” Sharon reassured her. “I mean, you probably should drink a little less, and stop worrying so much, but otherwise you’re amazing!”
“Thanks…I think.”
“No, really! You’re gonna be great! Just be patient and try to understand how he feels. He just lost his father.”
“I know.” Celia stood up and started pacing the room. “Thanks Sharon.”
“Hey, anytime. You know I love you.”
“Love you too.”

The funeral was small, very beautiful, and horrifically sad. Shawn, finally over his little bout of illness, sat dry-eyed and stared at the other, mostly weeping, guests. He felt so hollow, so empty inside, that he couldn’t even summon the energy to cry. He didn’t understand how this could be happening. He kept expecting to wake up and find everything back to normal. But the longer this nightmare continued, the more real it became, and Shawn began to fear the inevitable reality of his situation. He thought of all the great times he shared with his dad. He remembered the day they spent together at the beach the previous summer. He remembered how his dad kept pretending to fall down when they played volleyball. He could be such a comedian sometimes, always trying to make Shawn laugh. He remembered the football game they went to, and every fishing trip they ever went on. He remembered the smell of his father’s aftershave and the way his belly would bounce when he laughed too hard. How could this man, this hero, possibly be gone? Shawn would never see him again, would never hear him laugh again or give him another hug goodnight. He was gone. Shawn wept silently as his Uncle Paul sang Amazing Grace, bringing the service to an end.

“Man, am I ever glad to see you back!” Colby came running up to Shawn as soon as he saw him enter the schoolyard. “We have a substitute teacher today!”
“Really?” Shawn’s heart started beating a little faster at the promise of mischief. “What’s the plan?”
“Well, some of us guys caught a garter snake and put it in her desk drawer.” Colby grinned. “Do you have any other ideas?”
“We can switch names again.” Shawn suggested. “Or maybe pretend we don’t speak english.”
“Names for sure!” Colby agreed. “Let’s go tell the others before the bell rings.”

Miss. Heinz, it turned out, loved snakes. When she opened the drawer of the desk she appeared delighted at her little surprise and insisted on finding a little box to keep him in until she could release him during recess. The boys all let out sighs of disappointment. Their little name switching plan had failed also. Rebecca, one of the prettiest yet most annoying girls in his class, had decided to kiss up to the teacher and offered to take attendance. Since she knew everyone in the class there was no way the boys would be able to trick her into believing their names had all changed spontaneously. They abandoned their plan and put all their collective hope in the surprise waiting in the darkness of the desk drawer. It was probably better this way anyway, thought Shawn. At least now nobody would get in trouble.
“Wanna come over to my house after school?” Colby whispered to Shawn.
“Yeah.” Shawn agreed. That sounded like fun and he could use some fun. Shawn had been feeling mostly sad and angry for what felt like a long time. A little fun might be just what he needed.

You Gotta Play the Hand You’re Dealt

Chapter 1: Shattered

Shawn woke up feeling sluggish and weak. He hoped he wasn’t coming down with a cold as he got out of bed and started getting ready for school. His heart lifted a little as he smelled breakfast cooking downstairs so he picked up the pace and made it to the table in record time. His dad was a successful attorney and often very busy so a hot breakfast on a school day was an unexpected treat. Shawn had lived with his dad all his life. His parents got divorced when Shawn was only a baby. He loved living with his dad though. It was like the two of them against the world. He just wished his dad didn’t have to work quite so much so they could spend more time together. On the way to school Shawn always met up with his best friend Colby and they would walk together the rest of the way. Today was different, though, since Colby had a dentist appointment and wouldn’t be at school until later in the afternoon. Shawn dragged his feet in silence, counting the cracks in the sidewalk, and managed to slip into his desk at the exact moment the bell rang. He still couldn’t shake his feelings of weakness and fatigue and by the time Colby showed up Shawn was feeling so bad that he thought he might need to go home. “What’s wrong with you?” Colby said when Shawn dropped the ball they were tossing on the playground for the third time.

“Nothing.” Shawn replied quickly. “I’m just not feeling very well today.”

“Like how?”  “Nothing serious, I just feel tired and my legs are kind of rubbery.”

“I hope you’re better in time for tomorrow’s game!” Colby warned. “We have to beat the Tigers or we won’t qualify for next week’s tournament.”

“I know.” Shawn said. “I want to win as much as you do, believe me!”

“What are you doing after school? Wanna come to my house and play the X-Station? I just got Killer Llamas last night!”

“That sounds awesome but I have to visit my mom tonight.”

“That sucks”

“I know but I haven’t seen her in a month so my dad says I have to go.”

The bell rang signalling the end of lunch and all the kids raced to the doors. Colby and Shawn lagged behind, snickering at some of the other kids along the way. The rest of the day was uneventful and soon Shawn found himself on the way to his mom’s house across town. He was riding the bus-he hated riding the bus! The smell of people as they brush by, the sticky feel of the floor, the pieces of garbage stuffed between the seats. Shawn thought riding the bus had to be the dirtiest most disgusting thing in the world but he’d never admit that to any of his friends. They’d call him a girl for being worried about a little dirt but if you really think about it there are probably a million germs on each seat, not that he cared about germs usually, but there was just something about busses. He hated them, and that was that. By the time he had reached his mom’s place not only was Shawn feeling under the weather, but he was in a really bad mood. “Hi honey.” Shawn’s mom, Celia, greeted him at the door. “Wanna watch a movie with me?”

“Yeah, ok.” He kicked off his shoes, leaving them in the middle of the floor, and plunked down on the couch. His mom had chosen some old movie she had loved as a kid-she usually chose stuff like that-and before long Shawn was snoring. Celia, not wanting to disturb him, slowly reached under the couch and carefully brought a bottle of something to her lips. That was better. The next day Shawn awoke feeling much better than he had the day before. Maybe he wasn’t getting sick after all. In any case, he quickly got ready for school and was soon walking alongside Colby.

“How was your visit with your mom last night?”

“It sucked.” Shawn sighed. “I fell asleep watching another one of her boring movies and when I woke up she was drunk again.”

“Wow, that does suck.” Colby said awkwardly.

“At least I got to change the channel.” Shawn laughed. “She didn’t even notice!”

“Nice!”

Everyone was sitting quietly in his or her desk, either working on their math problems or doodling, when life came to an abrupt halt for Shawn. A voice rang out over the P.A system asking for Shawn to go to the office right away. Shawn was terrified…he didn’t remember doing anything wrong. It turned out it wasn’t anything he had done at all, yet was still a nighmare made into reality.

“What do you mean?” Shawn was astonished, unable to believe what he was hearing. “I just saw him this morning, he was fine!”

“Honey, I’m so sorry.” Mrs. Tate, the school principal, had tears in her own eyes as she spoke. Her heart went out to this poor boy, about to experience the full scope of grief and loss that defined life. “He had what’s called an anneurism. Nobody could have predicted this.”

“I don’t believe you!” Fighting back tears Shawn jumped to his feet. “My dad is fine! I’m not going to live with my mom! I’m going home!” Shawn stomped out of the office, slamming the door behind him and collapsed in a puddle on the floor in the hallway. It couldn’t be true!

Coming Soon…

After his father’s unexpected death Shawn has to move in with his troubled mother. Without his father to guide him how will he ever make it through his confusing teen years?

 

Jo’s World: China

 

October 5
Shang Simla China

Well I finally did it! I managed to save up enough money to take a 3 day trip to Shang Simla China! The flight was so amazing, I had never been in an airplane before! I was so excited to finally be travelling, just like I had dreamed. It didn’t feel real in a way, almost like I was dreaming. But I’m here and it’s real. The first thing I did was hit a souvenir shop so I could pick up a cheap camera and a little trinket to bring home with me. I’ve been taking pictures like crazy and I’m putting a bunch of them together in a scrapbook which I’ll include in my diary too I think. So now I’m going to take my camera and go on a little exploration.

Wow, so a local told me about this place called the Dragon’s Maw so I decided to go check it out. The place was massive and totally awesome! I found a secret entrance which led to a staircase leading down into a dark void. I was terrified but so excited at the same time…I really can’t describe it, I’ve never felt like that before! So anyway, I went down the stairs and found myself in a huge room full of statues. Along the sides were small ponds with gorgeous lilies growing on the surface of the water. It was amazing! I even managed to move one of the statues and found a pile of gold behind it. I started to think I might make some money off of this little adventure! I went through the door at the far end of the room in the hopes of finding more treasure and I was not disappointed. As I entered the long L-shaped corridor a glittering caught the corner of my eye and I realized it was yet another pile of gold. I was gonna be rich! I continued exploring this magical place, collecting gold as I went. Then I went through the next door and found myself in a huge room will flames shooting up from the floor. I carefully searched the room and by some stroke of good luck I chanced on a mechanism that not only stopped the fire, but revealed a secret door. With the flames extinguished I was also able to see that this room was full of treasure! I was so overjoyed to have found such an amazing secret hideout that I decided to pitch a tent and sleep here. I’ll find my way back out in the morning and then go to town to see how much this gold is worth!

October 6

Waking up in a tomb was incredibly disorienting! It took me a few minutes to remember where I was, and then realized there was no bathroom here and I really REALLY had to go! So I quickly packed up all my gear and retraced my steps until I was back in the great outdoors. Of China! It still feels surreal that I’m here! So anyway, I went into town and sold my treasure to a cute little shop full of local relics. I made almost 2000 simoleons just from the little bit of treasure that I found, which is more than I paid for this trip! I’m starting to think I could make a living this way…if I could just find more places to explore. I think I should do some local research and see what I can find out about the area…or better yet, maybe I could plan my next trip to Egypt and find some pyramids to explore! I think I’ll do that! For now I’m just going to enjoy the rest of my trip and see what I can find out about local landmarks.

October 7

Today is my last day here in China. I’m a little sad about having to return to everyday work and routines but in a way I’m glad too. I’ve missed the comfort of home, even if the house is ugly, and I’ve been craving normal food the whole time I’ve been here. I never have been too keen on Chinese food, and here it’s not even the same as the Chinese food we have back home. Everything is strange…it’s not bad, just different. But I sure could go for a nice hot stack of fluffy pancakes! Anyway, I made a very useful discovery today while taking pictures around the base camp. There is a message board where people post want ads and flyers and stuff and I found the thing was plastered with small jobs. I answered one for a guy who wants to recover a specific relic but is too chicken to explore the tomb himself. I was shocked! It was exactly the kind of thing I was looking for, and when I spoke to him I found out that all he wants is the relic so any other treasure I find I can keep for myself! So I’m off now in search of more treasure. I hope I can find it before I have to catch my plane!
Well, it was a lot more work than I had expected trying to figure out all the booby traps in the place, but I managed to find the missing relic with just over an hour before my flight. It was a close one, but overall I’m satisfied. I’m so glad I managed to take this trip, it was exactly what I needed!

Jo’s World

Note: This is just a small story to try and help me get back into things.

Jo Johnson’s Diary:

September 5

When I first heard that my Uncle Robert had died I felt sad, of course, but really I didn’t think it would change much in my life. I felt a little guilty about my lack of tears, but I hadn’t seen him since I was a little kid and I barely even remembered him to be perfectly honest. So you can imagine my shock when I learned of my inheritance. Uncle Robert didn’t have much in life, it seemed, but all that was his became mine once all the legalities were complete. My mom thought I should sell the house and use the money to go to college, but I’m still not sure what I want to do with my life yet so I decided to keep the house and move in.

I just arrived today and naturally I’m starting to doubt my choice. This has to be the ugliest house I have ever seen!

I’m trying to be positive though so I’m telling myself that although the house isn’t the greatest, it’s a starting point and I can redecorate a little at a time. Before I know it I’m sure I’ll have a cozy home. As for what to do with the rest of my life I have no clue. I’m pretty good at taking pictures, but I don’t know if I could make a living off of it. One of the things I’ve always wanted to do was travel the world. I could take some really awesome pictures on my trips and maybe put them into a book. If I’m ever gonna get the money to go anywhere, though, I suppose what I need to do first is find a job. Nothing special, just a steady paycheck. Something to put food on the table and all that. Tomorrow, I’m gonna hit the pavement and…well, I’ll check the newspaper and see what there is.

September 6

Well today seemed to be my lucky day! First thing I did when I got up this morning was check the paper for jobs. I found a great one that pays 44 simoleons an hour and all I have to do is be a guinea pig for a bunch of science geeks. I’m actually not sure of all the details yet, but it seems great to me. I start tomorrow morning at 9 and I’m really looking forward to it! I called my mom to tell her the good news but that call didn’t go anything like I had expected! My mom seems to think it’s dangerous to be a test subject so we ended up having a huge argument. It can’t be that dangerous or they wouldn’t be allowed to test it on humans right? I mean there are laws and stuff that they have to follow so by the time they’re allowed to test on people they already know it’s safe. My mom just doesn’t want to let me grow up and live my own life. She just wants me to go to school and nothing else is good enough for her.

September 7

Today was my first day on the job. I decided to do an experiment of my own by not wearing any socks or shoes. The experiment was a success, not one person even mentioned my barefeet! I may do that every day!
Work was actually a lot more boring than I expected. First I had to sign a bunch of forms, then I had to fill out numerous questionaires on everything from my medical history to my personal hobbies. Once the paperwork was complete I had lunch in the cafeteria, then I had to complete a physical exam. Finally I had to watch a training video and was given a book to take home and read, and then it was time to leave. I hope tomorrow will be more exciting!

September 8

Well, today didn’t go nearly as well as I had hoped. Apparently I was wrong about nobody noticing my lack of footwear…I’ve been flagged as having potential psychological problems and may find it difficult to move up in the company, not that I really mind to be honest. I’m really just looking for a paycheck and not a career. At work today I had to take a variety of pills then fill out a number of various questionaires. Some of the questions are really interesting though. For example, on one paper I’m asked if I’ve noticed the sudden growth of body hair in unusual places. I’m starting to wonder if perhaps my mom was right about this job though. Another question asks if I’m having trouble seeing the colour purple. They seem so random it’s actually kind of funny sometimes. Anyway, when I got home I somehow ended up breaking my sink so spent the rest of the evening trying to figure out how to fix it. After that I decided to work in the garden for a little while to relax before bed.

September 15

It’s been a while since I’ve written in my diary. I guess I just got caught up in day to day life. Things are going fairly well. I’m saving money to go on my very first trip. I’m hoping to be able to pull it off sometime next month but maybe not until November. The only thing is that I want a camera before I go so I can take loads of pictures but my camera broke a few days ago. I’m thinking I might just pick up a disposable camera and use that for my first trip then save up for a decent camera before my next one. I just don’t want to have to wait when I’m so eager to get going. Oh yeah, I also decided to throw a party last weekend but only three people showed up. Apparently the testers at the science facility are viewed as freaks. I’m having the hardest time making friends. It seems like no one wants to talk to me at all. I feel so alone all the time so I’m thinking of joining a book club or something. Maybe I’ll have Tina, my best friend since childhood, come visit me soon. I miss her.

Chapter 24: Remember to Breathe:

Chris walked in the house, locking the door behind her and took a moment to just stand there leaning against the wall. What a night!

She was shocked when Kevin had shown up earlier that night insisting they go out…even more shocked that she had agreed. It was only two days before Christmas and Chris had been so busy that she decided a night out would be a nice break from it all. Now, after all that had happened, Chris was unsure what to do next.

It was clear that she couldn’t keep fighting her feelings for Kevin. It seemed she was going to ride the rollercoaster whether she liked it or not. But even after her newfound resolve, Chris found herself absolutely terrified.

What if things didn’t work out? What if after all this time she lost his friendship again? What if she got hurt?

Even with all her fears and doubts, though, Chris felt excitement pulsating through her body. What if it worked? What if Kevin was the love of her life and everything would be perfect?

Sighing, she tried not to allow herself to hope for true love just in case. Just in case things fell through. Just in case her world crumbled beneath her. Just in case he broke her heart again.

 

After paying the babysitter Kevin kicked off his shoes and sunk into the couch.

Head whirling, he couldn’t believe what a great night he had. He knew it was bold of him to hire a sitter and just show up at Chris’s house like that insisting she go out with him, yet it seemed to have worked. With very little coercion Chris had agreed quite readily, and they had a wonderful night of dancing and partying at this cute little club downtown.

He even managed to kiss her again, and this time she didn’t run away. Was he finally getting through to her? Kevin wondered what was making her fight their obvious mutual attraction so much, but was also very glad that she seemed to be losing that battle. With a startled gasp Kevin realized that he was falling in love with her.

Well, better not dwell on that too much, he thought, as Chris was only starting to let him in as it was. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her away for good! Feeling light and a tad bit dizzy Kevin floated up to bed where he promptly fell asleep dreaming of the alluring woman next door.

Chapter 23: Dream or Reality?

Chapter 23: Dream or Reality?

Chapter 22: Emotional Bondage:

Chris sat shaking at the kitchen table, a steaming mug of herbal tea sitting untouched in front of her. What the heck just happened? She had come home from next door and retreated to the safety of her bed, only to be plagued by such a horrific dream.

Resting her face in the palms of her hands Chris tried to calm her nerves. She felt as though her whole body was on fire; she was tense and restless. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to slow her heart or stop the swimming in her head. This was going to be a problem, she thought; A big problem.

As much as she wanted to fight it, her feelings for Kevin seemed to be getting stronger rather than fading away into the night.

Sighing, Chris dumped the tea down the drain and decided to try and channel her frustrations into her current book.

Sitting in front of the computer a few minutes later, Chris kept finding her thoughts turning back to Kevin.

She had been madly in love with him way back when, not that he ever knew, and was devastated when she learned the things he had been saying about her behind her back. She remembered dozens of nights she spent crying herself to sleep and was positive that she could never survive such devastation again. Kevin had been her best friend. Somehow, she didn’t know why, but she had lost him. In spite of all her dreams and fantasies Kevin had thrown her hopes in her face and left her to rot in her own torment. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Chris had been able to pick up the pieces of her broken heart and move on. Now everything seemed to be crashing down on her again.

This is what she had always dreamed about, but now she feared it more than she feared anything in her life.

Shaking her head, leaning back in her chair to work out the kinks in her back, Chris tried to push her brain to focus on her story. She was writing a mystery novel for the first time, an accomplishment she had long aspired to attempt, and was having absolutely no luck at the moment. She just couldn’t seem to focus.

Finally, after a few minutes of deep breathing to release the tension in her soul, she found herself getting lost in the lives of her characters and began typing away furiously until late into the night.

Chapter 21:Regret:

Chapter 21:Regret:

Kevin sat at his desk, reeling from the night’s events.

“How could I have been so stupid!” he thought to himself. “I knew she wasn’t ready…now look what I’ve done!”

Thinking back to when they were standing together in his living room, talking easily with one another, Kevin struggled with his conflicted feelings. He wished that he had never kissed her-she had responded at first, even eagerly, but seemed to wake up as though dazed, pushing him away and walking out of the house without another word.

On the other hand, he had been dreaming of that moment for so long, which in reality had been so much more than he ever could have imagined, that he was still vibrating from the experience. She had been so much softer, so much sweeter than he had anticipated, letting her fingers get tangled in his hair and responding with so much enthusiasm that his whole world seemed to vanish except for her and that moment. What had happened? Why was she fighting this so much, when it was so obvious to him how great they could be together? Had he ruined things between them or would things go back to the way they were? Kevin didn’t know. Simultaneously feeling exhilarated and disappointed, Kevin decided it would be best to just go to bed and hope that things would resolve themselves in the morning.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Meanwhile, next door, Christina stirred uneasily in her sleep. The wind was singing outside and seemed to be announcing an oncoming storm, but the sound of the winter’s fury wasn’t what disturbed her.

She was deeply asleep, and dreaming. In her dream she was sitting alone at a table in a nightclub, drinking a cocktail and waiting for someone. She wasn’t sure who she was waiting for, however, and she felt restless and anxious.

It seemed like everyone there was staring at her, and she became increasingly uneasy. The music was loud; the pounding of the bass thrumming in her chest, and she watched as people danced together on the floor. She could see the door open, but was unable to see the man who entered through the crowd and Chris felt her heartbeat speed up in a mixture of fear and anticipation. Was this the person she was supposed to be meeting? Suddenly, everything stopped-the music was gone, the silence hanging heavily and seeming to press down on her chest, and every person in the building stopped what they were doing to stare openly at Christina. A sea of faces, all looking at her, seemed to swim in front of her eyes and Chris grew steadily more afraid. Then the lights went out and she was plunged into complete darkness.

Chapter 20: Shopping:

Chris checked her watch and saw that it was almost time to meet Liza at the mall.

“Come on, Joey, it’s time to put your shoes on!” She sang cheerfully. She and Liza had made plans to spend the day Christmas shopping. Chris was beside herself with excitement; she hadn’t been shopping with Liza in years! Also, little Joey would get to see Santa and Chris was eager to see the look of wonder on his little face.

Joey toddled over and allowed Chris to get him ready. “Bye-bye?”

“Yuppers! We’re going shopping today!”

“Shopping!” Joey started to chant. “Shopping shopping shopping shopping.”

Chris laughed, scooped the boy up in her arms and tickled his tummy. “Hey ho, let’s go!”

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

 

“Chris, there you are!” Liza called as she hurried over. “Sammy’s is having a sale! We should start there, I think.”

“Actually…” Chris glanced at Joey who was jumping up and down with excitement. “I promised Joey he could see Santa first.”

“Well…I suppose I could get a bite to eat before overdosing on a buyers’ high.”

“Sounds good.” Chris agreed. “Santa is in the centre square right near the food court. We’ll take Joey, then we’ll get some lunch.”

The mall was full of people hustling around, arms laden with bags and parcels, and children being pulled along by harried parents. Christmas carols were played from overhead speakers and there was a general feeling of excitement, mingled with a sense of time running out. As the small party entered the centre square Chris was aware of the excitement and awe Joey seemed to be exhibiting. As soon as Santa was in view Joey stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide. To Christina’s surprise, Joey immediately ran behind her, grabbed her legs, and burst into tears.

“Joey, honey, it’s ok.” Chris gathered him into her arms. “What’s wrong?”

Joey didn’t answer. He just buried his face into Christina’s shoulder.

Liza thought she’d give it a try. “Joey, Santa’s going to bring you lots of presents on Christmas! Do you want presents?” No response. “Toys?” she asked hopefully.

“Toys?” Joey repeated, looking cautiously over at Santa.

“Yes, toys!” Chris added. “And if you go sit on his lap and let me take a picture, he’ll give you a candy cane!”

“Candy!” Joey’s sweet little face, wet with tears, lit up as his lips turned into a big grin. “Want candy!”

Chris put Joey down and together they approached Santa. With Joey settled on his lap, Chris was able to get a picture.

*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *

Chris and Joey were snuggled up on the couch, Joey in his fuzzy blue sleeper looking like a little angel, watching TV when Kevin came home from work.

“How was your day, my little man!”

“Daddy!” Joey wiggled his way out of Chris’s arms and stumbled across the room to hug his father. Chris had to stifle a giggle as he tripped over a floppy sock. Suffering no indignity, Joey got back on his feet and continued his quest without hesitation. “Santa give Joey candy!”

“Wow, you got to see Santa?” Kevin sent a wink in Chris’s direction. “How is the jolly fatman anyway?”

“Santa bring Joey toys on Chrissmass!”

“Well, only if you’ve been a good boy!” Kevin chuckled. “Have you been a good boy Joey?”

Joey looked up at Kevin solemnly and nodded his head. “Joey good boy! Joey want toys!”

“Well, I don’t know…” Kevin winked again. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see…Why don’t you go in your room now and play with your toys while daddy and Chris talk for a bit.”

Joey obediently headed towards his room, and Kevin admired the picture Chris had hung on the wall of Joey on Santa’s lap.

“Turned out pretty well…” Kevin said absently. Chris told him about Joey’s reaction and they both chatted easily for about five minutes.

“Listen, I’ve been thinking…” Kevin started, suddenly feeling nervous. “Why don’t you spend Christmas with us? Joey would love to have you, and I would enjoy the company. What do you say?”

“Well…I was thinking of inviting Liza over for Christmas dinner, but I’d sure rather not have to cook the turkey myself!” Chris replied, feeling somewhat edgy and not knowing why. The idea of spending Christmas with Kevin seemed both exciting and terrifying. Chris wasn’t sure she’d be able to trust herself with spirits running high both from the magic of the season and the eggnog she was sure to drink. In fact, Chris thought a little sheepishly as she took in Kevin’s flushed cheeks and cheerful demeanour, she wasn’t sure she could trust herself now. Dressed in a reddish-brown t-shirt, hair tousled from a busy day a work, and his eyes dancing with excitement, Kevin was a treat to look at. Realizing where her thoughts were leading her, Chris hurriedly looked away.

“I was thinking you could spend the night on Christmas eve.” Startled, Chris snapped her head back up and met Kevin’s eyes. “That way you could be here for the morning gift extravaganza.”

Unable to respond, Chris just stood there gaping. Spend the night? Was that really a wise thing to do?

Kevin must have noticed her discomfort, and squirming a little himself, continued. “You could stay in the guest room upstairs.”

“Yeah.” Christina agreed hesitantly. “I think that would be fun.”

Unable to hold himself back any longer, Kevin suddenly put his arms around her. “Of course…we could always make other arrangements…”

Christina’s heart seemed to stop. A bolt of electricity worked through her body and she found herself trembling uncontrollably. She realized he was going to kiss her, and she found herself unable to stop him. She didn’t want to stop him, and that revelation seemed to terrify her more than anything else as Kevin’s lips met hers for the first time.

Chapter 19: Preparations:

Chapter 19: Preparations:

 

Perfect! Sometimes I amaze myself with my own cleverness! This cabin will truly be perfect! Okay, let’s check it out…

Well, I can’t say I like the decor too much, but who cares?

It’s a place to hide out for now and hopefully bring back my future bride…the owners won’t be coming back to their cabin this year…I made sure of that!

No one will know I’m here, and even better, no one will be able to connect me to this place!

I just have a few little things to do…gotta make a place for my bride to stay while I convince her…gotta convince her to love me. Then she’ll be with me…yes, she will! It’s only a matter of time!

Well, the cabin is ready now I think. Looking good! Time to go back to town and watch…what is she doing with Liza?

I guess I was right after all! Too bad I let the llama escape, I could have used her! Maybe next time! For now, I need to just watch….and wait.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 18: Lights Out:

Chapter 18: Lights Out:

Kevin found the right key and let himself into Chris’s house. He had decided to get some extra work done on her backyard since he and Mitch had finished up early.

The front was starting to look nice, now that the grass he had planted was starting to fill out, but the back was still a mess!

He supposed he could have stopped by at home first to let Chris know, but he was afraid that once Joey saw him at home he’d never get away again. Normally he wouldn’t bother to come inside but he needed to use the bathroom like he’d never felt before!

Suddenly Kevin felt a sharp pain in the back of his head and he felt the world slip away as he crumpled to the floor in a heap.

“Kevin, are you awake?” Kevin groaned as he became aware of a steady pain in his head. The room seemed hazy, as though he was looking through a fine mist, and he watched as a familiar face started to materialize in front of him.

“Kevin?” Chris said, her face radiating fear and concern. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” Kevin grabbed his head as he pushed himself up to a sitting position on Christina’s couch. “What happened?”

“I thought you were an intruder…” Liza came into the room, looking mortified, and holding Joey in her arms. “I’m really sorry…”

“Wha…who are you?” Kevin shut his eyes and tried to will his brain to function. Shockwaves of pain seemed to be stabbing into his head with every beat of his heart and he had to fight back the urge to vomit.

“Kevin, are you sure you’re okay?” Chris asked again. “Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“No, I’ll be fine, just…” Kevin swore vehemently under his breath as another cramp tightened his stomach and threatened to make him sick. “Do you have any painkillers? Aspirin, Tylenol…”

“I have some Advil in my purse.” Liza offered, and then scurried to get the pills.

A few minutes after taking the medicine Kevin realized he still had to go to the bathroom, and by the time he had relieved himself he felt he had enough of a handle on his pain to concentrate. He sat back on the couch and looked expectantly at the two women.

“Okay…explain.”

“I don’t know if you remember my friend Liza from high school,” Chris began, and then continued when Kevin nodded. “but not long ago she went through a traumatic event…Anyway, she’s been a little freaked out since and called me up last night when she heard a noise.” Chris cleared her throat a little, looked over at Liza for a brief moment of eye contact, and then started again. “I offered for her to come stay with me, but she declined. Then she called my cell around lunch time today and told me she had changed her mind, so I brought Joey over here for the afternoon to meet her.”

“Okay…” Kevin was beginning to understand what had happened. “So when I came in Liza thought I was a burglar or something and just…what, took me out?”

“Well, since the incident…”

“Since I was kidnapped I took a course in self-defence. I’m now teaching my own self-defence classes and when I saw you in Chrissy’s house I just reacted.” Liza explained. “Chrissy came running when she heard me scream and then explained who you are. Again, I’m really sorry…”

“It’s okay, it sounds like it was an honest mistake.”

Chapter 17: Middle of the Night Phone Call

Chapter 17: Middle of the Night Phone Call

Christina blinked back tears of joy as she stood waiting for her turn to walk down the aisle on her wedding day. The sky was a light and joyful blue, white clouds hung in the sky looking like overstuffed pillows and there was an unmistakable perfume of spring flowers in the air. She couldn’t have asked for nicer weather on the most important day of her life!

The music started and the first set of bridesmaids began their march. Chris reached beside her to grasp her father’s hand and was devastated to find that he wasn’t there. Looking around, Chris saw that the bridesmaids had also vanished and there were very few people around. The music picked up in volume and began the intro to the Wedding March. That was her cue and Chris hesitantly started to walk.

Trying desperately to control her jitters, Chris looked straight ahead in the hopes that if she met the eyes of her love she would care about little else. Frowning, Christina tried to remember just exactly who her love was…for some reason everything seemed a little hazy. Someone was indeed waiting for her ahead, but no matter how hard she squinted she couldn’t make out who it was. There was definitely something wrong…

Chris started to panic.

“What is going on here?” she said to no one in particular.

“Why, you’re getting married dear!” said a kindly looking woman whom Chris didn’t recognize. “Just smile and keep walking.”

“But…”

“No, dear!” The woman’s eyes took on a determined look. “You MUST keep walking!”

Chris found herself being gently pushed forwards by dozens of hands. Just as she was about to lose control of herself and launch into hysterical screaming Chris looked up and found herself in a dark room sitting on something cold and slightly damp.

“Where am I?” she thought to herself. A chill worked its way through her body and she began to shiver uncontrollably. There seemed to be a heavy, morbid feeling weighing down on her and soon Chris could think of nothing but finding a way to escape.

“Follow!” A small voice said from somewhere in the darkness. “Follow the…”

“What?” Christina couldn’t make out the words being said, and began searching for the owner of the voice.

“Follow the ghennkey…”

“Wait!” she screamed. The voice seemed to be getting farther away and Chris felt in the depths of her soul that whatever he was trying to tell her would be her salvation. “Please! I can’t tell what you’re saying!”

Suddenly a small and frightening looking creature materialized directly in front of her and said in a booming voice: “FOLLOW THE GHENNKEY!”

Chris snapped her eyes open and sat up, soaked to the skin in sweat, her sheets in a tight ball at the foot of her bed. The details of the dream already sliding through the holes in her consciousness like sand through a sieve until all that was left was a deep and disturbing feeling of discontent mixed with a touch of fear. Looking at the clock Chris realized it was only 3 am and listened for some sign of whatever woke her.

The phone rang. Startled, Chris picked up the receiver. Who on earth was calling her in the middle of the night?

Chapter 16: Local Celebrity

Chapter 16: Local Celebrity

The following is an article printed in The Twinbrook Times on June 2.

The Twinbrook Times

Tom Kilbo,        June 2

Free Self-Defence classes offered to people of all ages

Liza Parker, an aspiring actress currently living in Bridgeport, has organized a series of self-defence classes which will be held weekly at various locations throughout the region.

“There are a lot of strange people out there!” Liza told the Twinbrook Times. “Anyone who finds themselves in a dangerous position should know how to defend themselves!”

Liza Parker had found herself in such a dangerous circumstance about six months ago when she was kidnapped from the parking lot of her own apartment complex.

“I was on my way to work when I realized I forgot my cell phone so I decided to come back and get it. When I got out of my car I saw some creep peeking into my living room window so I yelled at him to get away.” Liza explained to our reporter. “Next thing I know I’m in the back of a moving van and my head is killing me! I panicked and managed to kick the back door open. I didn’t think; I just jumped. Then I woke up in the hospital.”

A citizen, who didn’t want to be identified, called 911 when he came across Liza lying unconscious in the middle of the road.

“I thought she was dead.” He stated. “If I hadn’t seen her there when I did I wouldn’t have had enough time to stop.”

Police are urging anyone with any information to please call the Twinbrook tips Line at 555-tips.

To register or for more information about Liza’s Self-Defence Academy please call 555-1234

Chapter 15: Smooth Sailing

The days turned into weeks and Kevin found himself falling into a routine. In the mornings he would make enough coffee for both himself and Chris, wake up Joey and stick him in his high chair with some cereal, and then count the minutes until Chris arrived.

Lingering over coffee they would chat until it was time for him to leave for work, during which he spent most of his time thinking about being home with Chris and Joey. When the day ended he would rush home, sometimes picking up dinner on the way, and the three of them would eat together, laughing about life’s little adventures and sharing the events of their day with one another.

On a couple occasions Chris stayed long enough to watch a movie with him and Joey before heading home and Kevin was starting to wonder how he ever got along without her. Absently he realized that he was coming to depend on her and was possibly even falling in love with her, but he never allowed those thoughts to reach his conscious awareness.

Joey no longer called her “Kissy” but had started to call her Mama…Kevin was worried about this development, but Chris seemed to find it cute. Joey was so little that he probably didn’t remember much about Sarah but Chris reassured him that she would always have a special place in his son’s heart and that as long as Joey was told about her and shown pictures that he would never forget her. Kevin felt better knowing that his wife’s memory would be honoured, but also that Joey had someone as special and nurturing as Chris in his life to fill the void Sarah had left behind.

Three weeks before Christmas Sally returned from Riverview and, apologizing, explained that she would be moving there to care for her ailing sister permanently. This might have distressed Kevin a few months previously but Chris agreed to stay on as Joey’s nanny full-time so Kevin wished Sally well, threw her a surprise going-away party and sent her on her way with his blessing and a promise to keep in touch.

Life sailed on calm waters and Kevin began to feel a warm glow of contentment. Of course, life’s waters rarely remained calm, but Kevin was happily oblivious of the storm brewing on the horizon.

Chapter 14: Child’s Play

Chris awoke two hours too early. No matter how she tried, however, she was unable to get back to sleep. Sighing, she rose from bed and began to get ready for the day.

After showering she went downstairs and prepared a full pot of coffee…she felt she was going to need it considering the sleep she didn’t get the night before. In fact, what little sleep she did get was peppered with dreams of her friend Liza being kidnapped, only in the dreams Chris was forced to watch all the horrendous things being committed. Chris had had a hard time believing the horrible things that had happened to her friend, but after visiting her in the hospital and seeing her injuries it became all too real. Liza had been happy to see her, even after all the time that had passed. Chris had meant to stay in touch over the years, but somehow life had other plans and directions for her. The fact that she had just called her for the first time in 2 years only three days before the “incident” sent a cold worm of terror burrowing into her marrow.

Somehow she felt responsible; as if her calling out of the blue had somehow placed a curse on her friend’s life. Chris knew that she was being silly and superstitious, but no matter what logic she used to convince herself somehow the guilt kept gnawing at her conscience. She must be missing something important…some connection that kept eluding her. Draining her coffee, Chris pushed her concerns to the back of her mind and made a conscious effort to focus on the day ahead.

In spite of her early misgivings, Chris was actually looking forward to spending the day with Joey. It had been years since she’d spent any real time with children and she remembered fondly how much she had enjoyed her babysitting days. Kids had a sense of wonder over everything and were a constant reminder to pay attention to the little things in life. The day promised to be sunny with very few clouds and Chris was toying with the idea of taking Joey out for a picnic. Maybe after lunch, if he didn’t need a nap, she would take him swimming at the community pool. Chris refilled her coffee cup, looked at her watch and made a dash for the door, leaving the steaming mug forgotten on the counter.

“Sorry I’m late.” Christina panted when Kevin opened the door to her knock.

“No problem, you’re only about five minutes behind.” Kevin was dressed in a black sleeveless shirt that seemed to accentuate the contours of muscle underneath. Chris had to deliberately force herself to look away, and ended up swimming in the depth of his eyes. “I don’t have to leave for the site for another fifteen. Coffee?”

“Uh, yeah, sure, thanks.” Why was she so flustered? The last thing she needed right now was a school-girl infatuation with the boy next door! With great relief Chris turned in time to see a sleepy-eyed little boy stagger into the room, rubbing his eyes. He was wearing a cute fuzzy blue sleeper and looked warm and snugly. Christina scooped him up into her arms and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

“Hi Joey! We’re gonna have lots of fun today!” she promised him, setting him down when he started to squirm. Joey gave her a huge grin, took her hand and led her toward his toybox where he immediately plopped down on the floor and started rummaging. Chris laughed and joined him on the floor, pausing to accept the mug of coffee Kevin had brought for her.

“If you want cream and sugar, they’re in the kitchen. Help yourself.”

“Black’s fine, thanks.” She replied absently. Joey had found a collection of blocks and the two of them were busy building a tower. The fun lasted barely a minute, though, since Joey decided it would be more entertaining to knock it over and watch the blocks as they pelted the floor like a sudden rainfall. Chris felt her heart begin to melt and knew she was going to thoroughly enjoy the day.

“Well, I’m off.” Kevin announced as he picked up his son for a goodbye hug. “The number’s on the fridge where you can reach me if you need to.”

“Thanks.” Chris said, and settled herself into the couch to watch Joey play while she finished her coffee. The day promised to be an adventure, and Chris could hardly wait to watch it unfold.

Chapter 13: Failure

Chapter 13: Failure

Stupid! I should have waited. Should have paid more attention and made sure of my move before I made it. All for nothing, too…she got away! And if the police are smart enough they can make the connection. Stupid! Really really stupid! Well, I sure won’t be making that mistake again! This time I’ll be sure first…this time I’ll MAKE sure! Find someone close…real close! But who? She doesn’t talk to her parents much so I doubt they would be much help…neighbour-boy is a definite possibility, but not yet…Wait. Better to wait and be sure. I won’t be making any more mistakes! She’ll be mine; she will! I just have to wait…and plan. No more impetuous moves! No more impulsive actions. Planning. That’s what I need to do. First I should prepare the cabin…get rid of any back trail…ensure my anonymity. Yes. That will be a good place to start! Then I’ll watch. Wait and watch until I know what to do next. Sleep soundly my sweet, the day will come soon when we’ll be together. And your tears will be my salvation! Goodnight my love.

Chapter 12: Struggle

Chapter 12: Struggle

Kevin rinsed out his coffee cup, refilled it from the pot, planted a kiss on an oatmeal covered cheek and headed out the door to his truck. He had a few things to pick up before work and he was already running late, so he hurriedly backed out of the drive and headed for the hardware store.

It was Sally’s last day before she left for Riverview and Kevin felt a wave of relief wash over him. Thank goodness he found a replacement in time! At first Kevin feared Chris was going to decline the trade, but she seemed to warm up to the idea quite a bit by the time she was ready to leave. Actually, Kevin thought, she even seemed to be excited by the idea once she had given it some thought. Without admitting it even to himself, Kevin was looking forward to her being around more often. Loneliness had crept in and seemed to have set up camp in Kevin’s heart since Sarah died. It would be nice to have someone his own age to talk to again. Kevin pulled into the parking lot and got out of the truck. He needed to pick up a new set of hedge clippers, and a couple bags of top soil for the yard he would be working on that day. The clippers he had been using up until then had suddenly disappeared…Kevin thought he may have forgotten them at a client’s home and decided to just buy new ones. It was about time to upgrade anyway, he thought. Looking at his watch he realized he had only a few more minutes so he grabbed the first decent pair he could find and headed on his way. When he arrived on site he had only two minutes to spare.

Mitchell waved him over to chit chat but Kevin ignored him and got right to work. “Hey, Kev!” Mitch called as he half jogged over to where Kevin was digging. “Dude, did you hear the news?” “No.” he replied curtly. “I don’t believe I pay you to be a news reporter either! Grab a shovel and get to work.” “No prob, boss.” Leisurely, he picked up a spade and started working it into the soil. Mitchell was a good guy, but easily distracted. Kevin had grown up with him, and though they hadn’t been very close as kids they had run into each other at the grocery store a couple months previously. Mitchell had mentioned that he was out of work and Kevin offered to hire him part time to help with some of his bigger jobs.

“Anyway, some chick got kidnapped last night. I saw it on TV this morning.” Kevin grunted noncommittally. “She got away though. That’s why it was on the news so soon…the story is amazing, man!” “I’ll bet. Hey, can you hand me that tiller?” Mitchell passed the tool and continued with his story. “She jumped from the car, can you believe it? Dude must have been going a good 80 km! She broke both legs, one of her arms, and her collar bone. She’s in the hospital, but she’s gonna be fine. It’s amazing that she even survived! Wanna know the best part?” “Sure, you’re gonna tell me anyway.” “We went to school with her. It was Liza Parker, remember her?”

Kevin remembered her all right. She was one of Chris’s uppity friends in high school, and one of Kevin’s most hated enemies. “Yeah.” “Wow, dude, don’t sound so enthusiastic!” Mitchell frowned at him. “What’s up with you today?” “Nothing, just got a lot on my mind I guess.” Actually, Kevin thought, it was more than that. He couldn’t stop thinking about Chris and it was starting to really get to him. Maybe asking her to substitute for Sally wasn’t such a good idea after all, but he really didn’t have much of a choice. Besides, Kevin thought, he was an adult. He was perfectly capable of having a mature business relationship with an attractive woman without making it anything more.

He didn’t want to make it into anything more; he wanted to spend the next few years quietly raising his son and establishing his business. He had no time for dating or any of the complications that came with it! So why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? Sighing heavily, Kevin dropped his tools, placed his hands behind him, leaned backwards and cracked his back. “Well, just thought you’d be interested.” Mitch grabbed the tiller Kevin had dropped and picked up where he left off. “Actually, I was thinking of going to see her in the hospital…show my support, you know? Did you want to come with me?” “No, thanks, I wasn’t really friends with Liza.” Kevin wondered if Chris was still in contact with her. “She probably wouldn’t remember me anyway.”

Chapter 11: The Business Proposal

Christina couldn’t believe how much the landscaping was going to cost! After offering a down payment to Kevin, he declined and offered for her to come back to his place and discuss another option. She had to admit that she was curious, so she followed him next door and allowed herself to be led inside.

Kevin asked her to have a seat, then went upstairs to check on Sally and Joey; let them know he was home, but in a meeting. Chris looked around.

Time seemed suspended and Chris had a vague feeling of being in two places at once. She was sitting on the couch, waiting for Kevin to join her and explain his alternative payment method, but she was also kneeling on the floor with a checker board in front of her, stuffing handfuls of popcorn in her mouth and taunting a baby-faced Kevin who glared at her while contemplating his next move.

The feeling was unsettling, but not entirely uncomfortable; almost like seeing a friendly ghost. Chris closed her eyes and let the years float lazily back to her childhood. The sound of footsteps on the stairs had Christina bolting upright as she realized she had started to doze off, dreaming of camp-outs and pyjama parties.

Without realizing what she was doing, Chris listened for the creak as Kevin reached the third stair from the bottom, knowing that would mean he was close. When they were kids they used to remind each other to skip that stair when they were sneaking into the kitchen for a forbidden snack; anyone who forgot, endangering their chances of stolen treats earned a punch on the shoulder. She had received about twice as many shoulder punches as she had administered over the years, but he had the home advantage. By the time they were ten it was a rare occasion for either of them to forget and get pummelled. She was still straining to hear when Kevin appeared in the doorway. Chris supposed Kevin must have skipped the step by habit and looked up as he entered the room.

“Sorry about that, I just wanted to check in.” Kevin sauntered into the living room and casually perched on the arm of the couch, hooking his thumb in his left pocket. Christina felt her pulse speed up as she took a good look at him for the first time in years. His hair was too long, but looked healthy, and his face had definitely matured over the years. His muscular build was a testimony to the amount of hard work he did on the job and his eyes were so deep she was afraid she might fall right in.

He didn’t look drastically different than he had when they were kids and it had Chris wondering if he had always radiated such a masculine appeal or if she had just been blind. Fear crept into Christina’s heart as she realized the potential this man had of ruining everything. She was happy the way things were with her life and didn’t want to deal with any complications…and Kevin definitely looked like he could be a complication! Above all else, Christina decided, she had to make sure to keep her defences up and to never let down her guard around him. She was a strong, capable woman, and would never need a man in her life to feel complete. “Okay, let’s get down to business. Sally just told me this morning that her sister in Riverview has taken ill and she wants to take time off to go stay with her. I’m in need of a temporary caregiver for Joey…”

“Babysitting?” Christina wasn’t sure what she expected, but her imaginings hadn’t been anything close to the truth. “I haven’t babysat since I was 17!”

“Well, it’s actually more like a nanny position than babysitting…” Kevin rubbed absently at his temple as he tried to explain. “You’d have to do some light housework and cooking too…possibly shopping and arranging play-dates for Joey…”  Kevin stood up and faced Christina, a pleading look in his eyes. “Look, basically I’d need you between 8 and 5, Monday through Friday, and sometimes on Saturdays too…whatever you earn you can get in cash or put towards your debt. Your wages would be the same as I’m paying Sally and you can take Joey with you while you run your own errands. Even bring him to your place if you want…”

Christina sighed. It was obvious to her that Kevin was trying to conceal his desperation but she could see it in his pleading eyes. She supposed that she could give it a try; after all, it was only temporary, and since she worked at home she didn’t have to be anywhere else during the day. Joey was a cute kid; she didn’t think it would be too difficult to spend her days with a toddler for a while. Why not?

Chapter 10: Surveillance

Watching that Llama through the window. Arguing with neighbour-boy again. Seems they don’t get along too well; not very “neighbourly” of them!

Better this way. She’s mine, and soon she’ll know it. But not yet. Too soon. Must prepare everything! Everything must be perfect! To make a perfect dish you have to let it stew in its own juices. Still some spices left to add…a dash of this, a dash of that….but soon enough this masterpiece will be ready for me to enjoy in all its succulence!

Seems neighbour boy and the princess made amends.

This will warrant some watching, I think. Wouldn’t want them getting too close after all. That would add a bitter flavour to this savoury delight! They’re standing up now…coming outside. Mustn’t be seen! Mustn’t be seen! Here, that’s better.

Okay, so what exactly are they talking about? Sweet princess keeps pointing at various spots in the yard and neighbour boy is nodding so much he looks like one of those dumb bobble-head things that morons like to stick on their dashboard. I bet neighbour boy has about as much brains as one of those bobble-heads too! Yuppers, I don’t doubt it one bit!

Okay, looks like they’re going back inside…wait, they’re gonna stand on the deck and keep talking. That’s right, neighbour boy, show her how well you can count on your fingers! That’s sure to prove your intelligence! Aw, how sad. Somehow your lack of intelligence seems to be a disappointment to her highness!

Well, now, this is interesting! What possible reason could the princess have to give Mr. Dumb-dumb over there so many simoleons? He’s shaking his head…pointing next door to his lair…I’m not sure I like where this is going.

No worries. The time will come. I just may have to prepare an extra surprise is all. Seems this feature presentation has a new character to consider.