“now if she starts to slur her words and nothing makes sense, then that means the medicine is working. You only give her one a day with some water.”

“o.k.” Michael walked over to Abbie and saw the med’s were already taking affect.

“now you get better you hear me?” Michael said bending down to her level on where she was on the couch.

“don’t worrrrrrry Uncle M-M-Michael. Next time see me I be Flyin high!” she said with a laugh.

“You already are kid with the med‘s I just doped you on..” The next couple hours were pretty insane. Abbie talked and talked and talked about random things here and there. Finally around 12:00 that night she passed out on the couch with one hand dangling off. Evangeline rolled her up in the blanket that they provided for her, kissing her lightly on the forehead. Braden stayed the night and watched over Abbie. John told him he didn’t, but he wanted too. He felt bad the way he left things off with Abbie. He sat in the chair next to her watched some TV, and dosed off in the chair. He opened up one eye when he heard Abbie toss and turn. At one point, she kicked her blanket off of her and then curled up in a ball from the coldness. He got up slowly and wrapped her back up. She woke up a bit frightened from when Braden put the blanket on her.

“shhhh. Its me. Go back to sleep.” he said putting the blanket back on her. Abbie could smell the smoke from when Braden had his cigarette.

“Braden, do I smell smoke on you????”

“maybe”

“don’t lie.”

“well then yes.”

“Braden!” she said hitting him on the arm.

“ouch. What was that for?”

“Does dad or Uncle John know?”

“no, and there not going to either. Better keep this quiet.”

“o.k.” She laid back down and stared at the TV.

“I’m sorry.” Braden blurted.

“for what?”

“For saying that thing about dad.”

“I know that you didn’t mean it Braden. That’s all the really matters right now.”

“No, what matters is you getting better. Get some rest.” We went back to his chair and dosed off. The next day Evangeline went to make breakfast. She noticed how Braden was sitting in the chair. His head was back on the chair, one arm in his lap, the other behind his head. Evangeline went over to him and shook him softly.

“Braden, Honey,” His eyes slowly opened. His eyes tried to focous on Van.

“Why don’t you go in your room and sleep,” She said helping him up and out of the seat.

“gee I would but,” he looked at his watch.

“I have school in about an hour. I better get back to the university.” He grabbed his jean jacket and headed out the door.

“thanks, for everything.” He smiled.

“Its my pleasure. Really.” He shut the door just as John came in the kitchen. He wrapped his hands around Van’s waste. She leaned back into his chest as he kissed her on the top of her head.

“hey gorgeous.”

“hey,” She licked the jelly off of the knife that she used to make some toast. John grabbed her by the arm and gently pulled her into him for a kiss.

“mmmm. Jelly.” He smiled at her. She smiled back with a wider smile.

“oh I was digging threw you’re pockets yesterday and I found this in you pants,” She went to one of the draws and pulled out the letter that John had the discussion with Michael.

“I didn’t read it or anything but may I ask what’s it about?” John couldn’t lie to her. She might find out. So he let her read the letter and wait for her to regain her composure.

“So is this like a threat type thing?”

“I guessing.”

“well what are we going to do about Abbie, and Braden?”

“and you.”

“well yeah and me but,” John got close to Evangeline.

“wait no but’s. I can’t lose you. Not when I already have you.” She saw that he was scared, almost into tears. They only time she saw him cry was on there wedding day when he was saying his vowels. He was scared of losing her.

“oh baby,” She said pulling him into a hug. She could tell this was scaring him. She looked into his deep blue eyes. She ran her fingers threw his hair and calmed him down.

“baby Your not going to lose me or the kids.” They heard Abbie stirring around in the living room.

“Lets talk about this later. I don’t want to scare Abbie and have her think that someone after her or something.” She peeked in the living room and saw her sitting up.

“are you o.k.?” Abbie looked up and saw Evangeline there.

“ huh, what, yeah, I’m fine. But I’m hungry.”

“what would you like to eat???” Abbie put her finger on her lip and thought.

“that egg ham cheese thing that you made that one time.”

“you mean the omelet?”

“yeah! That was good.”

“come-in right up.” She put a smile on even though she just learned some shocking news. John came in the living room and sat down next to her, while Van made the omelet. He saw her reading a book while the T.V was on. He noticed that she read the book during commercials.

“what are you reading?”

“The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks.”

“A chick book?”

“yeah. Its good. I’ve read most of his books. Message in a Bottle and A Walk to Remember are good too.”

“I see. Listen, Van and I have to go to work today so Grandma is coming over to watch you.”

“o.k.” Since they’ve met, Abbie and Braden have leaned to call Eve, grandma. It took awhile, but they got used to it. Eve spoiled them a lot by buying them little things here and there. Evangeline came back in with two Big omelets.

“one for you,” she handed to Abbie.

“and one for you,” She handed the other to John.

“thanks” they both said at the same time. John kissed Van on the lips before she left to go to work. John stayed until his mother came to watch Abbie. He didn’t tell his mother about the letter. He didn’t want to worry her either.

“o.k. give me a call I anything happens.” John said as his mother pushed him out of the door so he wouldn’t be late for work.

“o.k.”

“oh and Michael is coming over to do a check up.

“John stop your stalling and go!”

“o.k. o.k.” he went flying out the door. And into his car. He went to in the office. He sat there working on some files. He couldn’t concentrate on them. He kept on thinking about the letter. He pulled it out of his pocket and re-read it. Like the thousands of times he has done before. Bo poked his head in,

“hey”

“hey Bo, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?” He walked up to him and handed him the letter.

“depends on what the favor is,”

“well, see, I got this in the mail about a week ago.” Bo eyes looked at the letter, reading every detail, looking at every crinkle in the paper.

“John why didn’t you tell me about this earlier??”

“well, at first I thought it was some prank, but when I thought about it harder, I realized that it wasn’t.”

“you still should of told me, I’ll get some men to guard your home, Your family needs protection.”

“are you saying that I can’t?”

“no, I’m just saying that you need extra help“ He said with a smile.

“well then get some for Shannon,Michael,and My mom if you could. I don’t want them getting hurt either. I was wonder if you could run some tests and see if there’s any finger prints,”

“no problem, now you have to do something.”

“sure but like you say, depends on what it is.”

“go home and get rest. I hate to say this, well actually this will be funny to me. You look like Shit. Go and spend time with your niece. Word around the station is that she got sick.”

“I didn’t tell no one. How word spreads around in this Place,” he said getting his coat.

“Bo,”

“huh?”

“thanks,”

“no problem” John left. And called his mother to tell her that she can go ahead and leave. She told him that Michael came over and checked her, he said that she was making progress. She should be better by tomorrow.