Previously, On Concrete Shelves
- Penelope reached out to Catalina.
- Adrian vowed his love for Gail.
- Abigail found out the truth about Damien and Caitlyn.
- Natalie woke up from her coma...
[.....]
[.....]
Scene One:
Chicago, Illinois.
Danielle’s Gravesite.
There was something different about her daughter’s gravestone today. Not that Caitlyn Thurlow could point it out since she hadn’t been here since she made peace with Danielle’s death years before. When she moved from Chicago she didn’t have much time to visit her daughter anyhow.
But there was indeed something different.
Her long locks of hair gathered in her face as she touched the stone and closed her eyes. “I don’t know what to say. I hardly even know how to feel to tell you the truth. Not even a month ago I thought you were alive and back in my life.”James Thurlow watched his wife from an old willow tree. He got the day off and decided to bring her to see Danielle in hopes that the visit would help his wife cope better. This also gave them time alone to just grieve Danielle’s loss for a second time.
“It was like god had answered all my prayers, you know? Like everything I had worked for so long to get was finally at my grasp. When you were a baby I always told you that faith was all you ever needed. My faith in you being alive never wavered Danielle, until now.”
A tear fell from her eye as she weeped for her daughter. “I know now that I have to let you go. I held on for so long that I forgot who you truly were. Who we were as a family. There is a young woman who got hurt because of my faith in you being alive.”
Caitlyn cut herself off, taking a deep breath and pulling her hair back. She slipped her sunglasses back on and placed the rose she had been holding next to the foot of her daughter’s gravestone. “You will be in my heart forever, but today, on this beautiful day, I am letting you go to rest in the heavens.”
She knew it was right.
There were so many people in Stone Creek that wanted to help Caitlyn heal and she had been pushing them at bay for so long that it exhausted her. Stepping away from the gravestone she turned to her husband, signaling to him that she was ready for James to meet her daughter, Danielle.
[.....]
Scene Two:
Sage Garden’s.
Stone Creek Community Park.
Abigail Jenkins peered out at the day before her. It had taken her awhile to get back to the way her life was before Damien was involved and way before she started to feel like she was apart of a family. She disconnected her phone so he wouldn’t call her anymore.She didn’t know if she was mad at him or disappointed.
But she knew that she couldn’t talk to him, nor could she face him. So Abigail had spent the entire day packing her things and loading them into her car.
There was something so special about Stone Creek’s Spring breeze that made Abigail remember her childhood. She had spent many hours at the Stone Creek Community Park just wasting away her thoughts and ideas and watching as families lived their lives.
Today was the day she would make peace with the town.
One thing was for sure about this town, the people know everything. She couldn’t take their stares anymore. Abigail could feel their pity in their glances while she was at work. So she quit her job at the cafe. She could feel their apologies as she waited in line at the grocery store, so she started ordering in.
She was becoming something else.
“If you stare at the grass long enough, sometimes, you can see it grow.” Abigail looked up to see a man standing over her. But she didn’t say anything besides smile weakly at him. She watched as he sat down next to her. “I like to come here when I’ve had a long day and do just that.”
Abigail looked at the green grass, prickly as it was, it didn’t seem to grow at all. “Maybe you just have a lot of time on your hands.”
He smiled. “Maybe I do.”
They both sat in silence for awhile before Abigail spoke up. “You’re the guy who is friends with that crazy woman, right?”
“Catalina’s not crazy!” Mac Kern spoke, taken back by his tone. He tried to smile politely at Abigail before returning his gaze back to the grass. “She just broke down. You know what it is like to have everyone in Stone Creek constantly remind you of your loss?”
“I’m sorry.”
Mac exhaled. “Me too.”
[.....]
Scene Three:
Stone Creek Police Station.
Gideon’s Office.
“You wanted to speak with me chief?” Miles Fowler asked, stepping foot into Gideon’s office and closing the door behind him. He stood up-straight, his attention on his girlfriend’s father as he acknowledged his presence.
Gideon slid off his hat and offered Miles a chair. “I’ve been watching you out in the field and I must say Officer Fowler, you have indeed made me proud to call you one of my officers. I understand that you have been training as a Detective for awhile now.”The younger man nodded eagerly. “Yes, sir. My understanding is that before my father left Stone Creek, he was a Detective underneath your watch as well. I know that my parents left the city because of my father’s situation with drugs, but sir-”
“Relax Fowler, this isn’t an interrogation.” Gideon chuckled. “You are not like your father, I can see that in you.”
Miles bowed his head. “Thank you, sir.”
“Listen, as you know I have a spot as a detective open currently.” Gideon shuffled through some papers until he found the one he was searching for. “After what happened at last year’s Founder’s Ball, we have been looking for someone sharp and determined.”
He could tell the young man was following. “Someone like you.”
The door to Gideon’s office slammed open and Penelope Wilkinson strutted into the room with a female officer trailing behind. “I tried to stop her chief!”
Penelope turned to the young woman and stare her down. “I know your grandmother! She would not like to hear that you were keeping me away from my son!” Then her attention turned to Gideon. “We need to discuss a few things!”
“Mother, I’m in the middle of something.”
“Miles, be a dear and leave us alone for a bit?” Penelope spoke, helping her granddaughter’s boyfriend up out of his chair and towards the door.
Gideon jumped from his seat. “Officer Fowler, if you would like to meet me in your new office for further briefing that would be swell. Sometimes Penelope Wilkinson doesn’t take no for an answer. We will be done shortly.”
Penelope scoffed.
When the two officer’s left the room she turned to her son. “Now, you need to tell me why you have Catalina Cortez behind bars and not in a hospital where they can give her the help that she needs!”
In the hall, Miles Fowler found his new office and like a gleeful little kid rushed inside. There was something so up-lifting about being promoted to Detective, although he knew it would be a hard task to tackle. Taking everything in, Miles found himself at his new desk.But a note brought his world crashing down. In front of him was a brick of chalk, with a note on it that read: Now that you have the drugs, how about you help us move it.
He sighed, he knew this was a prank of his fellow officers. Looking at the doorway he watched as a couple snickered and scattered. Miles knew that most the people on staff wouldn’t take him serious. He took a moment to be angry at their ignorance and then returned to the brick, sliding it into the trash can.
A trash can that now belonged to him. He was in an office that belonged to him and he wasn’t going to let anybody bring him down. Not even his fellow officers.
---
Our love. Our fights. Our friendships.
On Concrete Shelves.
Forever, they shall be remembered.
---
Scene Four:
2634 W. Parker St., Stone Creek. Callahan Condos #15
Marina, Cassie & Lucian’s Condo.
Waking from his sleep, Ian Kiefer looked at his phone and found a text message from his half-sister, Natalie. He hadn’t seen her since she woke up at the hospital and immediately he jumped up at the fact that she wanted to meet up with him.Ian looked at his girlfriend, kissed her on the forehead. “I have to go.”
“Go?” Marina asked, Ian threw the covers off of his naked body and started pulling on his clothes as he texted Natalie back. “Where are you going so early?”
“I have a few things I need to take care of.” He replied, reminding himself that it was okay if he kept a few of his own secrets since Marina had kept it a secret that she knew Ryan was back in town. He skipped the argument and grabbed his keys instead.
Marina followed him into the small living room of her apartment and kissed him goodbye. Then turned around to see that her roommate and best friend was up. “Why is everyone in this house not relishing in the fact that today is a Sunday? You know, the day you sleep in?”
Cassie smiled. “I just have a lot on my mind.” The brunette softened to her words. “Once I put Lucian back to sleep, I just couldn’t find the will to leave him vulnerable like that again.”
She could feel her friend’s presence by her side on the couch. “But nothing happened to your baby, Lucian was completely fine in the next room Cassie. Besides, you had us here all night and we would not let anything happen to him.”“What if he had woken up and cried before Clifton got there?” Cassie asked, she tried to hold back the tears. “I was tied up Marina, there was nothing I could have done if that woman would have picked him up and left with my baby.”
Marina patted her back. “Do you want to talk to Deborah?” But Cassie glared at her. “Right, you think therapists are bogus, look Cassie, we can sit here and you can tell me every ‘what if’ that is going through your mind right now, or we can thank god that Lucian was fine.”
“I just-” Cassie shook her head in fear. “I just want him to be safe.”
“He will be.” Marina grabbed her best friend’s hand. “Lucian will always be safe with us.”
[.....]
Scene Five:
Sage Gardens.
Hope Medical Clinic.
Taking a deep breath, Gail Schmidt watched the plastic clock on the wall as it ticked away. Somewhere along ten minutes ago she stopped staring at the posters on the walls and started counting time. But it kept her from thinking about how cold it was in the room, so she had nothing to complain about.The nurse had come and gone, there was a look of accusation on her face when she told Gail to put on the hospital gown. Although Gail wasn’t a nurse, she felt like the tables were turned.
Her working in the hospital and filling medications that is. Now, she was here, confidentially, of course. She thought about going to see her regular doctor at the hospital, but knew that he would tell her father, David about her visit.
So Gail came here.
The authentic smell of bleach filed her nostrils as the door to the room opened and revealed her doctor. “How are we feeling today,” She lowered her glasses and scanned her charts. “Miss Schmidt?”
She could feel the doctor asking her questions telepathically about why she came to a clinic when everyone knew that Gail’s father was a doctor, but Dr. Lieu didn’t word her concerns and instead repeated questions that the nurse had asked her earlier.
“How long have you felt sick?” She asked, pressing her stethoscope to Gail’s back.
Letting out a deep breath, Gail made eye contact with her doctor. “Dr. Lieu, with all do respect I need you to do me a favor?”
The doctor looked at her curiously. “Now, what is that?”
“I need you to keep this visit between the two of us.” Gail fidgeted with her fingers. “I’ve been feeling sick for a couple days now. It comes and goes, but it’s mostly just in the late morning. I’ve got it timed to the minute.” She takes a pause before continuing. “I think I might be pregnant.”
Her doctor nodded. “I think you might be right.”
As the two continued to exist in each other’s presence, Dr. Lieu jotted down a couple notes. “Have you been pregnant before? Are there any health concerns you would like to share with us? Anything that worries you Miss Schmidt?”
A flash to losing her first baby jolts Gail back, causing her to lose focus of the doctor’s questions. She tries to smile as if nothing is bothering her, but it creeps to the back of her mind. Which in turn starts to cause a migraine that she can’t seem to shake.
“Are you alright?” Dr. Lieu checks Gail’s pulse. “Have you felt faint in the last couple hours? Are you taking in fluids regularly?”
“I just need a moment to wrap my head around this.” Gail admitted. “I was pregnant before, nearly two years ago and I just need to focus on what I’m supposed to do now. I lost my first child well into my first trimester. It was an accident.”
The doctor listened carefully. “With all due respect Miss Schmidt, I’ve seen woman traumatized by a miscarriage before and it has hurt the second pregnancy tremendously. I would suggest you check-in with your normal doctor but while I have you here, we can do a couple tests to be accurate.”
Gail nodded. “Alright.”
[.....]
Scene Six:
Sage Garden’s.
Stone Creek Community Park.
“It was nice meeting you.” Abigail Jenkins spoke, offering her new companion a hand shake. When he accepted, she couldn’t help but smile. His grip was exactly what she needed to keep the demons at bay. “It’s a shame that I couldn’t have met you before.”
Mac stood there in the parking lot near the park. Peering into Abigail’s Toyota Camry he noticed a couple suitcases in the back seat. Mac tilted his head in disbelief. “You’re leaving town?”
“At first I wasn’t planning on it, but like you said, after facing something like what I had to with Damien and Caitlyn, everyone will always look at you differently.” Abigail peered down at her shoes and reminded herself to tie them later. “I just need a fresh start away from everyone, maybe try to find my real parents.”
“That’s a shame.”
Abigail groused. “Like I said, too bad I hadn’t met you earlier. You’re a good guy Mac Kern, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” For a moment she contemplated giving him a hug so that she could find a reason to stay in town, but she shot the suggestion down.
“I should get going, I have a couple things I need to do before I leave.”
He frowned. “Where you going?”It was a question she had no answer to. Well not an accurate answer, Abigail looked out at the open road that broke off towards the freeway and then returned her gaze to Mac. “I’m thinking of just heading that way, maybe visit a couple of friends, I don’t really have a clue.”
“There’s no way I can get you to stay?”
Abigail shook her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Be safe, okay?” Mac said, wrapping Abigail up in his arms. His cologne caused her stomach to jump and she wanted to melt in his arms. But she refrained and instead pulled away with a smile. “You take care of yourself and call me every once in awhile.”
“I’ll be sure to do that Mac.” She never knew that she would be driving away from this town with a friend, but Abigail was. Humored by his interest in her she assembled herself behind the wheel of her car and started the engine, leaving Mac to watch her go.
[.....]
Scene Seven:
Stone Creek Police Station.
Gideon’s Office.
“So what you are telling me is that there is nothing that we can do for her? That is bullshit Gideon!” Penelope snapped, folding her arms. She looked at her son, remorse on his face. The woman softened and took a seat in front of him. “I want to help her.”“I know you do mother, but I don’t know how we can.” Gideon gasped, he knew the type of person that Penelope was and knew she wasn’t going to stop until there was nothing left to do. Gideon admired her for that, especially after the Wilkinson’s took him in.
Penelope opened up her purse and shifted through it. “When Cory was in his coma, I didn’t think there was anything that I could do. I was pretty much hopeless after awhile and I blamed myself for leaving them behind for my own selfish reasons.”
“But you weren’t to blame.”
“I left!” Penelope snapped, she clutched a picture of her small family before the accident that sent her oldest son into his coma. “After everything that happened with Jeremy Joplin and I? How do you look your husband in the face? So I just, packed all my things and went back to my hometown.”
Gideon knew this story very well. This was the tragedy that led to him getting the best miracle in his life and when he was younger, her felt he was at fault for the accident, even though he wasn’t even around when it happened. “The boat accident that sent Cory to the hospital, it wasn’t your fault, remember? We found the guy who caused it.”
“When I came back to town,” The woman placed the picture back in her purse. “I need to help her Gideon, it is the least I can do. I have been in Catalina’s position, feeling that everything is your fault. There are things that I felt like doing-”
“But you didn’t kill anyone.” Gideon took his mother’s hand.
She shook her head. “I didn’t because your father wouldn’t let me. He reminded me that I had too much to live for. I had my children and they still needed me. Right now, even if she doesn’t know it, Catalina needs me.”
“But she hurt people we care about.”
Penelope sighed. “She’s hurting too.”
[.....]
Scene Eight:
2634 W. Parker St., Stone Creek. Callahan Condos #15
Marina, Cassie & Lucian’s Condo.
“I’m just glad that you were able to come by.” Cassie lingered, watching as Clifton Briggs played with their baby boy. It never surprised her how good he was with Lucian. As if it was his destiny to be a father to the little boy. She thought back to when she first met Clifton.
Today seemed to make Cassie feel vulnerable, just like the day she accused Clifton of raping her. To think, there was a time that she only saw bad in the man. But now, even if he did run a nightclub/stripclub, she was beginning to see a different side to him.
A side that she was sure that Audrey had saw in him. Then it hit her. “How is Audrey doing?”
Clifton tore his attention away from Lucian and took a moment to reflect. “She is settling for half of everything. It wasn’t my decision, I think she feels bad for what she put us all through.”“That was all Catalina Cortez.” Cassie acknowledged.
“But she brought Catalina into our lives.”
The assertiveness in his voice caught Cassie off-guard. “Do you blame her? I mean, I will not forgive her for putting Lucian in trouble like she did Clifton. But what she did, she did it out of fear of losing you. If I was in Audrey’s shoes-”
“You wouldn’t hire someone like Catalina!” Clifton snapped. He rubbed Lucian’s cheek, and then returned his attention to Cassie. Walking over to her, Clifton hugged her. “You wouldn’t seek revenge on someone you loved.”
“But I would be scared.”
“I love Audrey, I will admit that. We were together for a very long time and that is hard to get over.” There was a sparkle in his eye as he thought about it. “But her tactics, no matter how scared she was, were foolish. She is lucky that I am giving her anything at all in the divorce.”
“That’s not you.” Cassie responded. “The anger, holding grudges. I know that you would still do anything for Audrey, I can hear it in your tone. That’s what I like about you Clifton, you are a good man, even if you don’t always show it.”
Clifton smirked, then turned to their son. “I will do anything for that little man over there. I love him and I-” He caught himself with a smile. “I will do anything for his mother because she has done nothing but good for me. I have to get to work. Will the two of you be fine alone?”
She nodded. “We will manage.”
[.....]
Scene Nine:
2121 Mason St., Stone Creek. Hoffman Village Apartment #34
Ian’s Apartment.
Unlocking the door, Ian Kiefer let the girl into the apartment first before looking around and locking it up. He turned to watch as she slowly made her way to the couch. Her oversized coat and thick, round sunglasses covered most of her body, which he found strange.
“I’ve been trying to see you.”
She smiled sweetly, “I know, sometimes I stay up and I hear mom talking about how you are some weird guy stalking me. I don’t know where she gets these crazy ideas from-”“I kind of look like a crazed stalker, you know, since they don’t know the truth.” Ian spat, grabbing an ice cold water bottle and handing it to Natalie Marlowe. He noted that she still hadn’t taken her coat or sunglasses off. “What’s with the new wardrobe?”
The smile disappeared. “There has just been so much going on.” She avoided the question. “After the accident, well you know what happened, after everything my parents just kept me in their spare room. I was mostly disoriented, trying to recover.”
“I’m sorry for everything that happened to you.”
A shrug later, Natalie unscrewed the bottle of water and took a drink. “I’ve missed you, that whole time, I just missed having my brother around.”
“Natalie, what is going on?”
She looked up at him, then looked around the room, it was the same as it looked the last time she was there. The time when Ian threw her out and chose to side with Marina Thurlow. Natalie licked her lips and nervously took off her sunglasses.
She watched as Ian’s eyes grew wide.
“They said it was due to some electrical fire.” A tear formed at the edge of her eye, just where the scar started.
He could see it all now. When Natalie had the sunglasses on, it was hard to see the damage to her face. But Ian could see it clearly now. There was damaged skin starting from her left eye and going all the way down her cheek.
“It’s everywhere!” Taking a deep breath, Natalie covered her face back up. “It’s worse on my side, they said when they found me, I was near death Ian. Like, I was seriously near death. I don’t even know how to wrap my head around that!”
“You’re my sister.”
Natalie scoffed. “I’m a freak!”
Ian pulled Natalie into a hug. There wasn’t anything he could actually say to make her feel better, he knew that. But when he was a child, when he really remembered having a mother. She would hold him as he cried and it soothed him.
So he did just that. He held her as she cried.
[.....]
Scene Ten:
745 W. Lavender St., Stone Creek. “Old Granger Manor”
Damien & Gillian’s Home.
When Damien opened the door to see Abigail there, it was more than a surprise. He smiled warmly, but only received a cold response. “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon.” He spoke, welcoming her inside, but she declined. “How are you?”“I’m leaving town.”
He lowered his head. “I understand.”
“Do you?” Abigail groused. “I really don’t think you do understand Damien. How could you actually understand? For months you had me thinking that I was your daughter and that Caitlyn was my mother. I hated her for isolating us. And for what?”
The man knew grew stern.
“I was better off not knowing you.”
“Then why are you here?” Damien asked, his voice growing inpatient with her spite. “Why are you here telling me all of this? If you feel so strongly about me, then why come by and see me before you left town? I’m the man who turned your life upside-down.”
Abigail gathered her face into a frown. “Because for some weird reason, I still care about you. There was a time when I was so scared and I didn’t have anybody in this town to really lean on Damien and you were there. That is why I am here.”
“That man, he made me feel like I was a part of something.” She sighed, “Tell Gillian that I love her and that someday, when I finally find it in me to forgive you, I will come see her. Do me a favor? If you own me anything, it is that.”
“Very well.”
“Let Caitlyn mourn in peace.” Abigail turned to leave, she couldn’t believe she had come to see him. But there wasn’t anybody else she needed to see. She felt like she had come full circle with her life in Stone Creek and she needed to get out.
“Abigail.” Damien called out.
She turned to face him, if only for a second.
“I really did wish that you were my daughter, you’ve made me so proud.” He spoke, standing in the doorway, he watched as the sun set upon her troubled face. “You’ve made your real parents proud, where ever they are.”
“I really did wish they were here.” Abigail spoke, her tone solemn. “Here in Stone Creek. But now, I don’t even think I’ll ever know.”
With that, she left him alone. Gillian appeared in the doorway a couple seconds later, watching with a troubled look. Hoping that the destruction her fiance had caused wouldn’t ruin their future plans. But she knew, deep down, that Damien was a wild card.
[.....]
Scene Eleven:
Stone Creek Police Station.
Basement: Jail Cells.
“So, I have to plead insanity?” Catalina scoffed, taking everything in. She had spent hours in her current cell, just trying to wrap her head around everything that has happened. But she couldn’t. It felt as if she was watching a movie about her life, only she didn’t recognize any of it.Like they got everything wrong.
She then looked at Penelope Wilkinson. A woman who Catalina personally held at gunpoint. “I can’t do that. There is no way that I can do that. Listen, Ms. Wilkinson, you are a good woman, I am sure. But I can’t-”
“But you have to.” Penelope spit, she looked at the guard and then back to Catalina. “If you don’t plead insanity then you will be stuck in prison for the rest of your life.”
“What do you call a sanitarium?”
Penelope sighed. “Rehab. You don’t have to take my advice. This is your life and I know you will live it however you please. But I already talked to your lawyer and he said that you can get off easy if you plead the case. Once you are rehabilitated you can come back into the real world.”
“What is the real world?”
“You’re a good woman.”
Watching Penelope from the corner of her eye, Catalina had to disagree. “I hurt a lot of good people, I shot Patrick Sutton!”
“Well, who hasn’t tried to shoot Patrick Sutton?” Penelope bemused, her eyes flickered with fire. “My family stood by my side when I blamed myself for my son’s accident. Now, in true pay it forward fashion, I will be by your side.”
Catalina leaned back in her chair. “So I’m a charity case?”
“I don’t do charity cases Miss Cortez.” Penelope burned with impatience. “I want to help you, because you remind me of myself when I was younger. I want to help you because I know it wasn’t your fault for what happened.”
She could tell that Catalina was thinking it over.
“So that is it?” Catalina asked, finding her attention slowly focusing on Penelope. “I just plead insanity?”
Penelope nodded. “I will be here every step of the way.”
[.....]
Scene Twelve:
3647 Arabella St., Stone Creek. “Above Alice’s Haven Cafe”
Adrian’s Apartment.
Adrian Stone kissed Gail on the cheek, he didn’t want to part from her. He had spent most of their time together trying to convince her to stay the night, but she was distant. This made him uneasy, but knew it wasn’t wise to question her.
“Do you know how long it will take you to get home?” Adrian spoke, watching as she dressed. Every bit of him wanted to rush out of bed and scoop her up into his arms. “Then to fall asleep.”Gail turned to him. “Well then maybe I should leave this instant?”
Her boyfriend sighed. “This very instant?”
“I don’t even need to put my clothes on.” Gail smirked, watching as Adrian crawled over the sheets towards her. She watched as his boxer-briefs clung tight to his body. “I can walk out of this apartment right now, in my underwear.”
Adrian finally reached Gail and raised himself to her. “I like the underwear idea; hate the walking out part.”
“What do you want me to say?” She asked, moving closer to him. She could feel the arousal of her boyfriend, Gail smiled as he kissed her gently.
“That you will stay and make sweet, tender love to me.” Adrian spoke, rubbing her arms along her back and scooping her into his grasp. “That you will spend the night so that we could practice again in the morning once we wake up.”
“Practice?” She frowned.
Adrian chuckled. “Yeah, practice at making us a baby.” He placed a hand on his stomach, but was stunned when it was pushed away. “Gail, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She lied, regaining her composure. “I just really have to go.”
The woman pulled on her pants and stared at Adrian for a moment before she lifted her shirt over her head. “I just have an early meeting tomorrow at the hospital, someone is stealing pills and I need to find out who is doing it.”
“My girlfriend, superwoman.” Adrian responded.
He watched suspiciously as Gail grabbed the rest of her things, kissed his cheek, and then was out the door in a matter of minutes. Outside, Gail sifted through her purse for her keys and her phone. Flipping it open she dialed a number she hadn’t dialed in a very long time.
“Hello?” The voice asked, groggily.
Gail opened the door to her car and stopped momentarily as she let tears fall from her eyes. “I need you, I know I shouldn’t have left like I did, but I really do need you.”
“Gail. Where are you?”
“In Stone Creek.” She licked her lips as she ended the phone call, looking back at Adrian’s apartment, she began to wipe her eyes.
[.....]
Scene Thirteen:
505 Auburn Rd., Stone Creek. “Thurlow Cottage”
James & Caitlyn’s Home.
It had taken a few minutes to say goodbye to the family, as they were finally ready for bed. James had especially appreciated that Kirsten and Caitlyn had finally buried the hatchet and were getting along. It felt as if it was a delayed Christmas present, one in which, he was happy to open.
Getting Caitlyn to sleep was the hard part, but after a warm bath, she was relaxed into her slumber. Turning the light off, James took a moment to look outside at the full moon. It had been such a long day. It had been such a long time since he had a normal day.
He closed his eyes to sleep.
-----
“Do you think she can see us?” Caitlyn Thurlow asked, as the two of them sifted through a field of grass. It was long enough to hide them from the rest of the world. He watched as Caitlyn giggled, making her way through the thick field.
James followed his wife. “Right now, I think she can.”
Caitlyn turned to him. “Good. I would want her to see this, to see us so happy right now.”
There was a path at the end of the field, one in which James could see behind Caitlyn. He looked over her shoulder and watched as it wrapped around a tree and disappeared. “We will be happy from now on and nobody can tear that away from us.”
She caught eye of what James was staring at. “Should we go?”
“I don’t know where it leads.” He returned his gaze to Caitlyn who chuckled with amusement, then grabbed his hand and lead him towards the path and away from the safety of the grass. James looked back one last time before he let her guide him down the path.“Maybe there is a lake at the end of the path.” Caitlyn envisioned. “Maybe with a glistening pool of water that we can swim in? I could use a swim in this heat.”
Now that she had mention it, James could feel the heat bearing down on them. The wrapped around the huge tree, which appeared to him as an old, damaged willow tree. “Maybe we should return to the grass, Caitlyn.”
But she didn’t think too much of the option and instead led him closer to the end of the path. Then she let go and ran off. There was a horrible feeling in his stomach and James sprinted after her, only to find a woman in a white dress kneeling next to the lake that Caitlyn had described.
James cautiously walked up to her, “Caitlyn?”
No response. It didn’t look like his wife. This woman looked a bit younger than her and the dirty blond hair definitely didn’t belong to his wife. He touched her shoulder and she turned around to face him. “Shannon?”
His younger sister smiled. “I’ve been expecting you.”
-----
James jolted up in a fit of sweat, looking around the room the horrible feeling he had from the dream stuck with him and he looked at the clock on the side table. “Three in the morning.” He mumbled, then lay back down. There was something eerie about the dream.
He reminded himself to call his sister in the morning, it had been too long since they had talked.
[.....]
Next Time, On Concrete Shelves
- Ryan reminisces about old times.
- Helen gives Deborah something to worry about.
- Gail makes a decision.
- James gets unexpected news...
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