“Why hello stranger.” Lance smiled widely as he was engulfed in a hug from his recently absent baby sister, although you could hardly call her a baby.

“Oh I’ve not been that bad!” Maddy grimaced as she kissed her brother on the cheek and looked around the administration office he ran for the family air cargo business.

“Really? Well you could have fooled me Maddy; James and I were only talking about you last week as it happens. Dan… well Dan figures you’ve left the country.” Her brother grinned as he looked at her closely; she had never been the demonstrative type even when she was a kid. Maybe he was the substitute for the polar bear that she would drag everywhere when she was a five-year-old going on fifteen.

“I know, Jimmy told me Friday evening when we were out.”

“Oh so you still go out, I’m surprised, thought you had decided to become a permanent resident at the funny farm on the hill. Mom and Dad only wanted you to take over her few hours not devote the rest of your life!”

Maddy understood where her brother was coming from, as she shrugged her shoulders.

“You know me Lance when I get involved with something.”

“Yep I surely do, it’s the heart and soul Maddy. Guess that’s why we worry about you, even though you can usually handle everything on your own.”

Sitting down across the desk from her brother who twirled a pencil between his fingers as he waited for her to apprise him of why she was visiting.

“Heart and soul would be right in this case Lance. I need to speak to someone about what’s going on and now that Gran isn’t here, I guess I have to find another sympathetic ear.”

Settling back into his chair Lance sighed softly, he knew it, something was going on and he had an idea it was a romantic attachment.

“Jimmy was always good for you in that way.”

“I can’t talk to Jimmy about this!” It was romantic or she certainly would have. They had that type of deep friendship and Jimmy loved her and wanted only the best for her.

“Mom and Dad aren’t back for another two weeks, Dan is away up State, and I guess that leaves me? Unless of course you want to speak to Linda if it’s a sensitive woman’s subject, you know she’ll be there for you if you asked.”

“Yeah, I know that Lance. Actually I was wondering if…that is when do you have lunch today?”

He’d rarely heard hesitancy from his kid sister; she was always the confident bull-shitter even if things were going belly up on her.

“Sis if you need me I’ll have lunch now.” He glanced at the office clock it was ten am; okay it would be late breakfast.

“Aren’t you busy?” glancing round the room the only other occupant was Rosey Daniels who had worked for the business for thirty years, she knew everything there was to know about the administration.

“Yes as always, but Rosey can handle anything and probably better than I can, so let’s go, shall we?”

“Okay, I’ll meet you at the car.” Maddy grinned at him and shouted a brief goodbye to Rosey as Lance walked over to the older woman to explain his departure for a time.

* * *

“Things didn’t quite work out yesterday I hear Christine.” Doctor Shaw wondered when the bubble would burst. He considered it was close, as the woman hadn’t ventured out of her room since arriving back with Madison Smith yesterday afternoon.

“It worked out fine!” the voice shrilled around them and even Christine frowned at the tone.

“Madison said you were a little upset, you didn’t want to talk about it yesterday. It’s another day Christine, want to tell me what the problem was?”

“No!”

“I see. In that case are you going to join the others for breakfast as normal, or do I take it that the afternoon visit out of the building was a major mistake? I’ll inform Ms. Smith that we won’t let her take you again.”

He was goading her and he knew it, she had done so well. He had hoped that the outside venture yesterday was just the beginning of great things for her.

“It wasn’t a mistake, I…I just didn’t like what those ladies were saying about me. It wasn’t anything Maddy did, she was wonderful!”

The doctor heard the impassioned plea in the voice and wondered just how much Christine cared about Madison Smith. Conversely, he wondered the exact opposite with Madison, how did she regard her relationship with Christine.

“I must say your new-look is marvelous you should be on the cover of vogue.” Shaw smiled at her, and saw a hesitant smile drift for a fraction over her lips, in satisfaction of her new hairstyle.

“Thank you, Maddy’s friend thought it would suit me.”

“It does Christine.” He looked at her hairstyle. The raven flowing locks had been cut back to a more manageable off the shoulder style while the white streaks now matched her natural coloring. It now looked shiny and well cared for, giving the woman a younger, softer appearance than the ragged traditional lunatic appearance she had been sporting.

“What did the people say Christine to upset you?”

The quiet words settled in the confines of the room, awaiting a reply. As Christine walked over to her music system and selected a CD, not a good sign as the Doctor sat down heavily on one of the easy chairs.

Rather surprisingly, Christine responded.

“They called me names.”

“What kind of names?” This was an unexpected turn; usually you had to pry it out of her over time.

“They called me a crazy dangerous person, I shouldn’t be allowed out of the hospital. I was a mental case and their children shouldn’t have to have this threat of my type of people wandering around the town.”

The words were stated, no emotion behind them, the raw hurt however was in her stance as she shuffled around next to her beloved music system.

“Did Maddy hear this too?” He suspected not, for he doubted Madison Smith would have ignored the jibes on behalf of this woman.

“No, they waited until she wasn’t in the room.” Shaw looked up sharply had Christine been left alone to have people prey on her as they ignorantly assumed she did on others.

“Where did she go Christine?”

“The bathroom I think. I was frightened, they pointed fingers at me and I didn’t know what to do. Maddy wasn’t there you see and I ran outside to find her. I didn’t want to cause any trouble but those people hated me Doctor and I don’t know why.”

The tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke this time it was hard to understand people.

“If she was in the bathroom, why did you go outside? Surely you could have gone there to meet up with her or wait close by?”

“I didn’t know she was at the time, I needed to get away, so I made for the quickest exit.”

Shaw stroked his chin contemplating the facts. When you heard them, it was so simple and quite ludicrous that in this day and age people still regarded mentally ill people with so much hatred, anger and disrespect, when most were simply unable to cope with real life and had shutdown for a short break. Only the very ill were in secure units and Sinclair wasn’t a secure unit and never would be.

“What happened next Christine?”

“I was running up the street and I saw a group of young men, they were laughing and shouting, I was scared I tried to cross the road….”

The words trailed off and Shaw knew this was the reason for Madison Smith’s anger, she had returned and left as abruptly after signing Christine back into the building.

“And?”

“I didn’t look where I was going. A man stopped his car and took me back to Maddy that was all.” She gave him a sheepish glance and then turned back to her CD collection.

“Where you hurt? Was the man?”

“No! He stopped in time, it was a friend of Maddy’s…I think it was her…boyfriend.”

Shaw stood up at the last comment, so that was the problem, not the people in town but one person, this man who was a friend of Maddy’s. Jealousy! What a strange emotion it could be and why wouldn’t Christine be jealous, she probably felt threatened. Maybe to the extent that Maddy wouldn’t spend as much time with her.

“Well that was a piece of good fortune I would say Christine, what did Maddy say when you came back? I take it you did go straight back?”

“Yes, the man took me back.” She looked down at her hands that were shaking, what would she do if Maddy didn’t come by again. The voice had been quiet since Maddy started to visit everyday, what would happen if she didn’t come back!

The voice had already told her. She’ll be back; she always comes back to you.

It was incredible how it had gone, had she control over it like the doctor had said she would in the therapy sessions? If she did, was she cured? Could she go home now?

“Was Maddy angry with you Christine is that why you’re upset?”

“Maddy has never been angry with me, she can’t ever be angry with me.”

“Can’t? Now that’s a strong word to use and I hope you’re right. How would it be if you came and had breakfast with me? We can chat some more. What do you say?” He’d call Madison Smith, explain the situation and see what she made of it. He didn’t think she would stop coming over this little setback but it was always worth double-checking.

“Okay. Will Maddy come today do you think doctor?” The voice plaintive and anxious as she gave him a concentrated stare, the blue of her eyes no longer having the wild look of a frightened animal, no she looked like a frightened young woman and in a perverse way that was very promising.

“I think she will Christine, come on let’s have that breakfast shall we.”

* * *

“You’ve got to be joking Sis!” Lance was flabbergasted at the recent conversation with his sister, he knew she did crazy things from time to time but he didn’t think she was that off the wall.

“No I’m not joking! I’m perfectly serious and why should it be so out of the Ball Park?” Maddy had told Lance about her involvement with Christine and a brief background of the last two months culminating in the final trip yesterday. Which had been going so well and then turned into a disaster or so she thought.

“Maddy I love you but look at it logically, the woman is ill right?”

“Yes! But she’s getting better I know it.”

“How do you know, you’re no psychiatrist or was that something you forgot to mention?”

“Don’t be so facetious Lance you know I’m not! That isn’t the point and you know it.”

“That’s just it, what exactly are you trying to tell me here? That your new best buddy is a nutcase?”

Maddy scowled at him in ill-concealed anger and rapped her hand on the table rattling the cups that held their coffee. Thankfully they had eaten and the plates and cutlery had been taken away or Lance wasn’t sure baby sister wouldn’t throw something at him or worse.

“She’s not! Chris is a very sensitive woman. She loves music, has a degree in English literature and was taking a doctorate before her accident. It was like a breakdown Lance that’s all and she’ll get better and is rapidly.”

Holding his hand up in peace he smiled at her, “Exactly what do you need counseling on Maddy? All you’ve said so far is that you’re her friend and that you think she’s important in your life, that you don’t want her leaving your life. What else is there?”

Lance watched his sister; she had that closed look that told everyone she was thinking carefully before she spoke. Maybe she wouldn’t even speak the truth if she felt it wouldn’t suit the purpose.

“I feel connected to her like I did Gran, so much so I’d swear Gran was with me at times.”

The words spoken in awe at the situation she felt she was in.

“Maddy have you thought that maybe you’re spending too much time at Sinclair and for your own sanity you need a break? I can take this afternoon off and we can take Madeline over to the park for the afternoon. I’m sure the babysitter won’t mind, Mrs. Green wanted to go home early today anyway.”

Lance wished his parents were here; then again, none of this would be happening for Maddy and wouldn’t have been covering for their mother at the damn place.

“I…Lance she expects to see me everyday now! How can I not go and see her, she’ll think I’m angry with her for yesterday.”

“Maddy, you can go later, it will still be today, right? What about this evening they don’t lock them up and throw away the key until morning do they, as the lights are dimmed?”

Maddy stared at him and saw the laughter hidden within his eyes; he was trying to lighten the conversation.

“I guess that would be okay, as you say it would still be today wouldn’t it? Anyway the mood she was in when I dropped her off yesterday, I doubt she wants to see me at the moment.”

“Great, I’ll call the office and Mrs. Green, you can pay the bill.” He grinned as she scowled at him again, this time with a grin to follow it as he pulled out his phone.

Yeah Christine wouldn’t miss her would she? Will I miss her though? Oh yeah without a doubt, she’s part of me now.

* * *

Kate Calhoun watched Christine Andrews and saw the gradual deterioration of her mood as the day progressed. Doctor Shaw had called Madison Smith but he was only able to reach her answering machine. Now was a good test of Christine’s ability to make it in the real world again but would she? That was a question that no one would make bets on because they wanted her to get past this and continue the progress. If she did who knew by Christmas, which was three months away, she might actually join her family for the festivities.

No one in their right mind, oh yeah good pun, would have thought it possible three months ago. Now, well now anything was possible.

As she continued her observations of the younger woman, she thought about her own problems at home.

Ken had left her finally! In itself that wouldn’t have been so bad but to take all the good pieces of furniture, even some of the kid’s stuff, had been downright selfish and totally uncaring of his children’s welfare. She knew why he’d done it, that…that bitch he had left her for had two children about Micky and Janey’s ages. What do you tell twelve and ten year olds about stuff that had gone missing without being damn right obnoxious about their own father?

Two months ago she had been called by the next-door neighbor that maybe she should come home, something was happening at her house. Innocently thinking it was a burglary or something of that kind she’d gone immediately. In a way, it was an intrusion in her home, Ken had brought home his lady friend and they were making out in her bed! For the sake of the kids she’d not thrown him out immediately and she really should have done, what she had done was go back to work and try to make sense of the situation. Reflecting on where had the time gone, she’d met him fifteen years ago and married him six months later. Her mother hadn’t approved and would be saying I told you so in her grave, and she’d be right wouldn’t she? The kids had known something was wrong but she held up her end of the truce even though Ken tormented her with remarks about her and the comparison with his new girlfriend. The man was a selfish bastard who needed castrating and locking up!

This weekend had been the worse; he’d rolled home drunk and began to make remarks about his own children, and how they weren’t as smart as his girlfriend’s. That had been the final straw, he could call her what he wanted but not her children, they didn’t deserve it and were good kids. If he didn’t see the good, it was his loss, as she quietly told him to go live with the new woman in his life and don’t come back.

He’d virtually spat his compliance with that suggestion, along with a few other choice expressions. Fortunately, the kids had been over at a friend’s and they hadn’t noticed that Dad wasn’t home for dinner Saturday evening. Not wanting them to become involved unless it was necessary she’d taken them over to a friend’s as she had work, when she arrived home the scene had been one blow too many and she’d sobbed as she collapsed into one of the two easy chair’s left in the room.

The kids had thought they had had burglars and she’d let them think that for a little while until she could get things in order. What she needed was some time off work, that was impossible with the staff shortages, and then again what would she do at home?

Sometimes she wondered if she shouldn’t take the easy option and shutdown on life as some of the patients in this place had done, Christine in particular. Gazing at the pictures of her children in her purse, she thanked god that she had them and it was all going to work out, it might take time that was all.

“You look disturbed Kate?” Madison Smith said gently from the open doorway, not wanting to disturb the woman if she was deep in thought.

“Oh sorry I didn’t see you, we didn’t think you would be here today Madison. You surprised me there for a moment.” Kate shuffled her papers on her desk and looked up into the intelligent and concerned green gaze. Madison probably knew her problems it wasn’t exactly a large town and people talked.

“Is there anything I can do?” Maddy asked gently they both knew at those words that the subject wasn’t about the sanatorium but about her personally.

“No, no everything is under control thank you Madison.” The words spoken stiffly and politely they might have known each other years ago as children but they were totally different people these days.

“If you should change your mind and just need someone to talk to I’ll be here for you.”

Kate glanced up sharply trying to gauge if the comment was sincere those innocent looking eyes indicated that they were and she smiled briefly as she nodded towards the woman, Maddy had obviously come over to see this evening.

“She’s been waiting for you, I think she thought after yesterday that you wouldn’t be back."

“Why would she think that? I don’t even know what happened yesterday not really.”

Maddy also watched Christine who kept looking at the clock as she sat with a book on her lap but not turning any pages.

“Maybe I had better tell you what Doctor Shaw thought might be useful to us if she decides to…well become difficult.”

“Why not say it Kate if she tries to harm herself as she’s done in the past.”

“As you say. Her behavior hasn’t been as erratic as you would expect if something gets to her.”

“No, and I don’t think it will. I know she’s going to make it!”

“Why not go see her and put her mind at rest, I’m sure if you ask her she’ll tell you what happened yesterday.”

Maddy headed for the door and turned back suddenly, “I meant what I said Kate, if you need a shoulder or listening ear.”

Leaving the room, Kate had to choke back the tears at the genuine offer.

* * *

“Hi Chris.”

Maddy walked slowly into the room and felt it spin around her again as she was given the full force of that beautiful smile. That told her more and more that Christine Andrews was becoming an integral part of her life and she didn’t think she could do without it now.

“You came back?” The three words tumbled out of her mouth so tremulously that Maddy had to choke back a sob as she realized how much this woman had come to depend on her.

“Yes I came back, you knew I would though didn’t you? I thought you knew everything about me, especially now?”

“I know you Maddy, not everything about you.” The younger woman stood up and let the tears slip slowly down her cheeks as Maddy moved quickly to hug her close and whispered incoherent words into her hair.

Minutes later she was holding Chris away from her and they both had tears in their eyes. As Maddy gently traced a line down each cheek tenderly, her heart flipped over causing a lump to develop in her throat.

“Shall we sit down and you can tell me what happened yesterday, would that be okay with you?”

Christine stared at her and glanced around the room realizing that they were alone in the sitting area, everyone else had gone to their rooms or occupied elsewhere. Strange she hadn’t noticed that as she looked up at the clock in the room, which indicated she’d been here at least three hours.

Fifteen minutes later Maddy knew the story and she was inwardly seething at the ignorance and offending nature of people who lived in the town. Maybe she would go back and find out just who it was that was there yesterday afternoon with Chris!

“Chris next time, hopefully it won’t, but if it does happen again will you wait for me, and we can work on the problem together?”

“I know I should have yesterday, I wanted to get away from those women, they were horrible to me Maddy.”

“I know Chris and unfortunately in the world you always get people who will never understand no matter how you try to explain. That doesn’t mean it has to affect all the good work that you’ve done towards getting well does it?”

Maddy watched several expressions cross the face in front of her and she was delighted at the change in the countenance from the pallor of the first day they met, to the pink and healthy tinge of the skin tone now.

“I’m well now Maddy, as long as you are with me.”

Madison Smith had lived to be thirty-eight and made her fair share of friends and loved ones over the years. Not to the extent, this woman held her it reminded her of only one other person. Strangely enough, many of Chris’s manners reminded her of that person too, and that was her Gran, wonder what she would have made of it all.

“Chris if you carry on as you are, soon you will be able to return to your family and eventually back to your own personal path in life. We will always be friend’s though and you can rely on me to be there for you if you need me.”

Even as she said the words, she knew it would hurt her as much as she thought it might hurt Chris, a separation. However, wouldn’t that be the right and the kindest thing to do for them both?

“How can you think of living without me Maddy? Don’t you know yet what this is all about?”

Chris had felt herself growing with confidence each time Maddy visited her and in the last week she wanted to leave with Maddy when she went home, she wanted to be with her every single hour possible. The voice inside her head hadn’t bothered her and as she gradually sought out people and interacted with them, she began to feel that she was almost back to normal, if you could call anyone normal.

Maddy looked up to the ceiling in the hope of getting inspiration. Her heart was telling her to accept what Chris was saying, that they belonged together, her mind refused to acknowledge such a notion. Continuing to take the safe route that Chris was ill and didn’t know what she was saying, she was just a crutch that the woman needed at this moment in her life.

“Who said I was thinking of living without you.” The reply so softly spoken it was hard to hear. Chris did hear and responded with a magnificent smile that made all the older woman’s resolve melt.

“Did I ever tell you about my grandmother?”

“No.”

“Well tonight I’m going to share a story or two with you about her when I was a child, she knew me too.” Chuckling as she recalled such an episode when she was five years old and wanted to fly like her daddy.

“I’d like that, thank you.”

The two women settled down into the armchairs as Maddy began her story, there was an answer to all this, there had to be.

* * *

Homecoming

Jenny Smith looked over the neatly trimmed lawn in front of the house from her window view. The cruise had been marvelous and she was sure she had gained ten pounds but who was counting, Richard certainly wasn’t as he had possibly gained more.

Now she knew what had excited her mother-in-law so much about cruising, the sheer decadent feeling of allowing someone to do everything for you and all you had to do was turn up to eat, drink and be entertained.

The other interesting part was how you could be so friendly with complete strangers in such a short time. They had been fortunate with the people they had met and even been instrumental in a budding romance between two single people on the cruise. Hard to say if they would make it but you never knew. Hadn’t Madeline had a short interlude of that description she must check with Maddy if anyone would know Maddy would?

Speak of the devil there was her absent daughter, who was now running up the drive and taking the porch steps two at a time.

“Mom, Mom are you home?”

Jenny had to laugh, of course she was otherwise why would the door be open. Smiling she left, her bedroom and walked down the hallway to virtually collide with her youngest child.

“Darling I wasn’t expecting such a welcome.”

Maddy hugged her mother tightly and kissed her cheek in welcome, although she had been home almost forty-eight hours now.

“I thought you might have been over earlier, where have you been keeping yourself?”

Jenny watched a hooded look cross her face. Oh no, troubling brewing that’s all that expression had ever brought with it!

“Oh this and that, keeping up your responsibilities Mom.”

“Really and my responsibilities have increased to twenty-four hour coverage? I think not my dear daughter.” Jenny hooked her arm in her daughter’s as she guided her child towards the kitchen and the coffee she had brewing.

As they sat opposite each other on the breakfast stools, Maddy asked how the trip had gone.

“I’ll give you a brief description but your father and I hoped to get the family together Sunday for lunch. We can go over everything once rather than three times, not that I mind regaling everyone separately with our adventures but you know what your father is like.”

Richard wouldn’t want to keep repeating himself he never had and after all these years, she doubted it would change because of a magnificent vacation. Somehow, her reticent man wouldn’t change his spots and she didn’t want that either, after spending almost half a century with him, she had loved him from the first day she met him faults and all.

“Mom I….” Jenny Smith held up her hand to stop what she knew was a declining of the invitation it was all in the expression.

“Don’t Maddy. You must have known we would want this I’m sure you can rearrange whatever you have agreed to do. This is important to us darling.”

Maddy gazed into her coffee cup and wondered how she could tell Chris that their ‘date’ to the park had to be cancelled. Having totally forgotten that her parents would expect them all to get together the first Sunday they were back. Damn!

“I guess, okay Mom I’ll be there.”

“Good, I knew you would see it my way. Now Maddy what have you been getting into while we’ve been away. Please don’t say anything because Dan said you had become a stranger and spent all your time at Sinclair.”

“Oh typical, Dan doesn’t wait a moment before he mentions something that has nothing whatsoever to do with him.”

“Now Maddy that’s not the case and you know it. Dan said he was worried until you spoke with Lance. Let’s face it he takes his first born role seriously even if you can all look after yourselves.”

“Yes I know Mom but…I decided to put in extra hours at Sinclair they were short staffed that was all.”

“Really? Now how is it that Fay Castor told me only yesterday that you were taking patients out and about to the hairdressers and it shouldn’t be allowed.”

Jenny heard the groan of disgust from her daughter, she had felt much the same and had said so too, that had put Fay Castor’s nose out of joint and well deserved too.

“Mom you know how I like to help and I had the time…” As she narrated her three months at Sinclair, a splendid idea jumped around in her head!

* * *

“I wonder where she is?” Richard Smith looked out towards the drive at the vehicles belonging to the other members of the family except his youngest child.

“She’ll be here dear, Maddy has never missed an appointment in her life she’s like clockwork.” Jenny Smith placed the roast on the rack to let it rest for a time before carving, noting that the rest of the meal was almost ready and Maddy was late.

“I begin to wonder with what the boys have been saying, maybe it wasn’t a good idea she replaced you at Sinclair.”

“Don’t be silly Richard, Maddy is just fine and she’ll be here any moment.”

A vehicle approaching had Richard glancing back out of the window as Madeline the youngest grandchild whooped with joy at the sight of her aunt’s car. Her small legs gaining speed as she ran towards the steps of the porch before being caught by her father and held aloft in his arms as she screamed her delight at the action.

“It looks like she’s here now, I’ll see what kept her.” He strode off in the direction of the porch. Jenny shook her head as she contemplated the items for the dinner and Linda; Dan’s wife, came into the kitchen at that moment to offer her help.

Lance Smith watched his sister approach and the guest she had with her. No one mentioned that Maddy was bringing a friend. Not only that it was someone they didn’t know either, she wasn’t a local girl, at least none he recalled, then again, she did look younger than Maddy.

His father approached at that moment, “Didn’t know Maddy was bringing a friend Dad?”

Richard looked at the figure who was about five inches taller than Maddy, with dark hair that shone in the sunlight and a willowy body that made his daughter look rounder than she was, like little and large one extreme to another.

“Nor did I Lance. This will be a surprise for your mother, want to go inside and let her know, we will need to set another place at the table.”

“Sure thing Dad. Come on poppet let’s go talk with grandma and see what’s cooking.” Lance spoke to his daughter as he jogged into the house with her on his shoulders.

“Hi Dad.” Maddy said with a bright smile, one thing she was assured was her father’s politeness in front of a stranger. When they were alone, that might be something else.

“Maddy, glad you could make it.” Her father looked pointedly at the woman at her side who was so close to her he wondered if they were attached at the hip.

“I wouldn’t miss it Dad, this is a friend of mine Christine. Chris, meet my Dad.”

Maddy moved slightly to allow Chris a clear view of her father who immediately held out his hand in welcome.

“Hello Christine or would you prefer Chris? My name is Richard, Maddy forgets such things I’m afraid.” Winking at the younger woman, who visibly relaxed at his friendly overtures.

“Hello Richard thank you for allowing me to come to lunch. Christine or Chris is okay.”

Richard smiled, his weathered face gentle, as he heard the hesitation in the timid reply, wonder where Maddy met this woman?

“Any friend of Madison’s is a friend of the family, why not come inside and meet the rest of the clan. I can assure you they don’t bite but just in case I’ll accompany you while Maddy touches base with her mother for a few minutes.”

Maddy felt the tension in Chris at her father suggestion. Turning to face the woman, she smiled reassuringly at her.

“Go with Dad Chris I’ll be along real soon, Mom will want to know why I’m a little late.”

“I made you late Maddy I’m sorry.”

“Hey it’s fine Chris no problem. Dad, take care of Chris please and don’t let the boys monopolize her! You know what they are like around a pretty face. See you soon okay?”

Maddy gently squeezed Chris’s shoulder and ran up the porch steps to see her mother and explain the unexpected guest. Her dad was a sweet man who would let her do anything at all; her mother on the other hand was different. Regardless of what her mother said, Chris was worth it, even if it meant she had to wash up at the end of the meal.

“Well young lady shall I take you to meet the family?” Richard waved her forward and smiled warmly as she mounted the final steps and entered the house with him.

* * *

“Mom how can you say that?” Maddy retorted angrily.

“I can say it because you should be saying it too! For god’s sake Maddy where is your common sense in this?”

“She’s my friend I thought you didn’t mind if I brought home friends for lunch? Why has that suddenly changed?”

“No it hasn’t! Madison the woman is ill and she’s not known for her peaceful co-existent with others. Now you want her to mingle with our family and what about the children?”

“Mother! How can you say that are you preaching one thing but practicing the opposite? Chris is doing so well, trust me for once!”

“Chris now, not Christine? How much of a friend is she?” Jenny couldn’t believe that Maddy had a patient from Sinclair here in their home without at least advising them, had she taken leave of her senses.

“She’s a friend! Look Mom we’ll leave if that’s what you want, no problem to me at all.”

Maddy knew she was being awkward and in a way reckless but she needed Chris in her life and her mother couldn’t dictate whom she called a friend.

“Don’t be so childish Madison! Here take the roast, stop pouting and let’s have a civilized lunch, your friend included.”

As Maddy was thrust the roast she had no choice but to do as she was told and she retreated into the large dinning room where everyone was seated including Chris who had been placed next to her.

“Ah lunch is about to be served I see.” Richard Smith saw the thunderclouds in his youngest child’s eyes and knew that mother and daughter had been having words, better to let sleeping dogs lie in this instance he suspected.

Placing the roast in the center of the table Maddy quickly sat at her position next to Chris at the table and gave her a bright smile, which didn’t reach her eyes and faded quickly as her thoughts went over the conversation with her mother. She had never had her down as a hypocrite but you live and learn they say.

“Are you okay?” The words uttered so quietly only Maddy could hear them.

Turning to face her friend, this was like role reversal. It wasn’t Chris’s fault that she felt angry. This was only the start she suspected if everyone treated her friend like this. It was going to be a faith in her strength of purpose and feeling for Chris to stay the course.

“I’m okay, trust me Chris.” This time the smile did reach her eyes and it satisfied her friend.

Their eyes locked and Maddy felt her senses reel, with the impact of those blue eyes she wanted desperately to touch Chris to know this was real and she was feeling it too.

A voice was cleared behind them as Jenny Smith stood looking with a strange expression on her face, first at her daughter and then at the woman at her side.

“Hello Christine, welcome to our home. I hope you enjoy the fare we have today it’s traditional for us to have a roast on a family Sunday.”

Christine looked up at the woman who was her friend’s mother and gave her a smile. She had seen the woman before of course over the time she had been at the sanatorium but had never spoken to her before. Strange how fate put things so close and yet so far away and it wasn’t until you were face to face with something you really saw it for what it was.

“Thank you Mrs. Smith for allowing me to join you all for lunch.” Her voice was cautious but clear; something in the older woman’s body language said the exact opposite to her words and that puzzled Christine. However, she would take whatever was to come from the woman if it meant she could stay close to Maddy.

“Gran, Gran can we start now?” Leo anxiously asked, he was starving and they had had to wait for aunt Maddy to arrive, as she was late.

Jenny was taken up with the chorus of voices asking the same question jovially as the family began the meal and going over their parent’s vacation.

* * *

Sven watched his sister-in-law pensively look for her friend as the younger children had volunteered to show her the yard area.

“Penny for them Madison.” With a name like Sven Berlinger you expected him to have a thick European accent but he was three generations removed from his ancestors.

“Oh I was just thinking.” She smiled at him as he came to stand at her shoulder; he was a very handsome man, blonde, tall and athletic. Her brother was a lucky man for he was the more sensitive of the partnership she suspected. The children adored him and he loved them, it was clear in the way they interacted together.

“Would it have anything to do with your friend by any chance?”

“Yeah it would. How did you know?”

“Call it an educated guess. She’s very beautiful and seems to be a nice person, otherwise I doubt the kids would have anything to do with her, you know how objectionable they can be.”

Maddy laughed as she recalled one of Linda’s friends from her days in college spending a couple of weeks with Dan and his family. She had certainly gone through the mincer with the boys and when she met the rest of the family. As the kids reacted to her condescending attitude, it was everyone for themselves.

“Yes that’s true, Chris appears to have settled in with them quite well. Pity Mom hasn’t been so easy to convince.”

Sven had noticed a strained attitude between Maddy and her mother; it was also plain that Jenny had reservations about Christine too.

“Maybe she’s worried about you, we all have been lately you know. Especially your brothers, they love you very much Madison.”

“I know, I know Sven but I’m old enough to chose my own friends hell I am thirty-eight after all!” Maddy retorted bitterly as she recalled her mother’s earlier comments.

“Thirty-eight going on eight according to your brothers, I don’t think they see you as anything other than the kid sister Madison. I guess that’s the negative side of such a loving family if you can call it negative.”

Maddy gave the man at her side a wry smile, “you know I doubt that the future King of England would be good enough for my brother’s, a sibling thing I guess.”

“I’m sure you’re right. I know it may seem impertinent. Exactly what is your relationship to Christine, you appear very close.”

There was no mistaking the hidden question behind the words he spoke, oh well it was a sure thing that was going to be asked at some stage wasn’t it. How to answer it without lying to him that was the real killer, however the truth would be as good an answer as anything.

“We’re friends Sven, she says we share a soul.” The words were so quietly spoken Sven had to strain to hear them and he smiled slowly as he did so.

“Do you think you do?”

“Oh I’m practical Sven, I don’t exactly believe in the sharing of souls romantic crap they write in books.”

Sven looked down at his hands before he spoke again and then made a decision.

“Not always in books Madison, your grandmother believed now didn’t she?”

At the mention of her grandmother, Maddy’s face slipped from its normal happy countenance to take on a sad expression for a few moments, missing the old lady dreadfully.

As she spoke her, voice cracked with the emotion she felt at the loss of the woman she had felt so close to in life, and had never settled since her death until she had met Christine.

“Yes she did Sven, so very much. She found hers, did she ever tell you that?” At the shake of his head she continued. “His name was Chris…Chris Andrews!” As she said the words something clicked in her brain, then a scream was heard outside, it was a child screaming in fear and panic.

“Madeline!”

Both Sven and Maddy rushed out of the room and were met at the porch by her parents. They looked ashen as they pointed to a car at the end of the drive, which was now wrapped around a tree, three feet from the road, a very young man looking dazedly around him.

“What happened?” they asked in unison as they saw Dan and Lance huddled over a figure in the road. Sven groaned. What if it was one of his children?

“There was an accident, the children were playing hide and seek with your friend Christine. The car had already mounted the sidewalk Christi was so close to it, she wouldn’t have seen it coming….”

Sven rushed off his thoughts on his eldest child, oh god please don’t let it be Christi.

As Maddy was about to follow, Richard Smith pulled her back gently.

“Maddy he didn’t let me finish. Your friend saw the situation developing, she saved Christi by pushing her out of the way.”

Maddy’s eyes rapidly scanned the area for her friend, where was she?

“Where is she Dad?”

He released the gentle hold he had on her arm as he pointed towards her brother’s who were still crouched down by the sidewalk.

“She was hit by the car saving the child Maddy.”

Thinking this impossible, she ran as fast as she could to the people now gathering around her friend. It couldn’t be her friend! Her father must be mistaken! He was mistaken!

Pushing at Dan’s broad shoulders, she stood as rigid as stone looking down at Chris. Her friend deathly pale with blood trickling from her nose and a large bruise appearing on the side of her head.

“Is she…?” Maddy couldn’t formulate the words as she stared at her injured friend, this wasn’t happening, it wasn’t.

Dan placed a tender arm around her shoulders as he answered.

“She’s alive Maddy, the paramedics will be here soon.” Dropping to her knees she was given space to get close to her friend as she touched her face so fleetingly she barely felt the heat of the flesh beneath her fingertips.

“Oh god no.” Broken words uttered as she moved closer and placed a tender kiss on her friend’s forehead whispering softly, “don’t leave me Chris, please don’t leave me you’re my soulmate remember what would I do without you now.”

There was no movement and Dan was advising people to move away as the sirens could be heard from the emergency vehicle approaching.

“Nothing to see folks, she’s gonna be fine the experts are here now.”

Lance watched his kid sister as she cradled the lifeless hand of her friend. Even he could see this was no ordinary friendship as the tears crashed profusely onto her cheeks.

“She’ll be okay Maddy, she will.” He tried to reassure her but knew at this time no words were getting through. She was lost in her agony over her friend’s predicament.

The paramedics arrived at that moment along with a police vehicle they immediately sought out the young man at the wheel of the car involved in the accident.

“I’m here Chris I’ll always be here don’t you forget that!” As she relinquished her friend to the waiting paramedics, her voice was thick with tears.

* * *

A Promise

“What do you think they will do?” Charge nurse Kate Calhoun asked the Doctor who was pacing the floor in her office, waiting to be called to the internal hearing regarding negligence of staff at the Sinclair sanatorium.

“Do Kate? Oh maybe hit me over the head with a baseball bat and say naughty boy don’t do that again.” Doctor Ben Shaw remarked bitterly.

“Please Doctor, be serious.” Kate demanded quietly as she contemplated his boyish features and the obvious strain there. He was a good doctor, no maybe a great doctor; this was such a tragic accident.

“That’s just it Kate, who takes me seriously?” the voice rose several octaves as he turned to gaze at the woman his eyes filled with loathing for himself for allowing a novice person to take charge of one of their more volatile patients.

“I do.”

Ben Shaw wasn’t sure he heard correctly as he gazed at the charge nurse, who was smiling at him rather shyly.

Shaking his head, he answered her, “you do?”

“I do!” this time she left the confines of her desk and came to stand in front of him. “You are an excellent doctor and very compassionate, how can they see anything else.”

Ben Shaw has spent his life embroiled in his profession; he had rarely taken the time to consider a private life. Romance certainly hadn’t been part of his plan at all. Here was someone who was giving him professional respect; did she respect him as plain Ben Shaw too?

“Kate whatever happens will you have dinner with me sometime soon?”

He didn’t want to say tonight or rush her; he felt that she needed to make the decision. Having heard about the recent break-up of her marriage he didn’t want to intrude at all.

Kate was stunned, was this a date? She hadn’t been on a date in years and even then, they had been few and far between, as she had worked the late shift and Ken had been a long distance lorry driver.

“I…as you know Doctor I have a family it would be difficult.”

“I’m sorry Kate I didn’t want to…that is I hope you don’t think that I was taking advantage or anything.”

Ben didn’t know what to do next, he hadn’t obviously considered Kate’s circumstances only his own, damn he was some kind of stupid fool.

“No! No please Doctor Shaw, I’m home this evening, would you like to come over to dinner. You can meet my family, I vouch for your safety my kids are good, really!”

She smiled and Ben felt good, better than he had when he came into the room, it was kind of nice.

“I think that you need to call me Ben under the circumstances Kate.”

Grinning broadly as the phone rang Kate retrieved it, a wide smile still reciprocating his. “Hello Calhoun here…Okay I’ll advise him.”

“I know I need to go into the lions den.” Ben Shaw shrugged as Kate put down the receiver.

“Yes I’m afraid so.” She stared at him as he straightened his tie but it still looked crooked.

Moving over to him, she carefully arranged his tie to look straight. Then was caught by his brown eyes as she felt a shift in her equilibrium, her senses doing somersaults something she hadn’t experienced since she was a teenager.

“Thank you Kate.”

“You’re welcome Ben.”

Both smiled broadly, as they looked at each other, so close and yet so far apart.

“I’ll go then and tonight what time and where?”

“How about six, 439 West Street. Next to Walmart.”

“I’ll be there Kate, thank you.”

As he turned to leave the room, she placed a hand on his arm and he turned back to her quizzically.

“For luck, not that you need it.” She placed a swift fleeting kiss on his lips and pushed him out of the door.

He grinned like a schoolboy, and felt a bubble of adrenaline crash around him. No problem he was ready for anything, now!

* * *

“I’m sorry Maddy.” Jenny Smith said sincerely, she had been wrong! What else could she say in the circumstances?

No reply.

Richard grasped hold of his wife’s hand as she tried again; he now knew what had gone on between his wife and daughter. He didn’t approve but they would work it out, they always had.

“She saved Christi’s life, we are grateful to her. If there’s anything we can do…” Tears flowed as Jenny Smith cried openly and was pulled into a loving hug by her husband.

Vacant eyes turned to the pain of her mother and there was nothing, no emotion at all she was numb. Chris was the only factor here…nothing else mattered. How could it?

“Ms. Smith if you want, you may see the patient now.”

“Is she okay?“ Maddy asked eagerly of the nurse who had spoken.

“I can’t say you would have to speak to the doctor.”

The nurse didn’t wait for a reply as she went away to another situation.

Maddy walked towards the room and then suddenly turned to her parents speaking softly.

“I love her, I’m nothing without her!” Turning she resumed her vigil with her friend.

* * *

Madison’s voice was hoarse as she narrated another story from her grandmother’s journal reading virtually none-stop for twelve hours. The doctor in charge of the case had been cautious that had been worse than negative leaving her adrift in uncertainty. What did she do now?

Flicking through the pages she decided to start from the time her grandmother and her soulmate had admitted that much at least.

“I’ve missed you Madeline.”

“I know, I’ve missed you too Chris.”

* * *

Watching and waiting were the hardest things she’d ever done as she looked over to the sleeping form of Christine in the bed. The hospital room was so sterile and utilitarian not a place to stay for too long.

After keeping her vigilance for two days and going home only to shower and change, sleep unable to invade her need to be here close to her friend.

“You know Chris, it’s strange but you have the same name as my grandmother’s soul mate, how weird is that? Would you laugh or give me one of those concentrated looks that say I told you so?”

Flicking over the volume she held of her grandmother’s journals, she began to slowly read about the time her Gran had literally fallen into Christopher Andrews’ arms on the deck that first day. In many ways sharing her grandmother’s story helped Maddy as she waited patiently for Chris to wake up, she was going to she knew it.

The door opened at that moment and her mother quietly entered the room and for a moment tenderly watched her daughter narrate a story to the sleeping woman. Taking in a deep breath she moved forward to place a hand on Maddy’s shoulder.

“Hi, has she woken up yet?”

Maddy stopped her story as she stared up into her mother’s concerned face, “no not yet but she will the doctor’s say she’s sleeping.”

Taking a seat from the end of the bed, she pulled it to sit alongside her daughter. “Has Doctor Shaw been here?”

“Yes he comes every six hours or so, I don’t think he sleeps either. I guess I let him down and Kate too, they trusted me to keep Chris safe and I didn’t do that.”

Maddy choked on the words as her face crumbled with the guilt she felt.

“No! Darling no you didn’t let anyone down. You have been marvelous for Christine and no one thinks that at all, it was a terrible accident. Maddy, Christine saved Christi’s life how is that letting anyone down?”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached for Chris’s hand and held it tenderly, “ I feel I did, she trusted me Mom, she trusted me!”

“How could you have prevented it Maddy?”

The tears flowed now. She was unable to stop them as she continued to stare at the pale features of her friend.

“What will I do if she doesn’t recover Mom? How can I live without her, she’s what I’ve been waiting for all my life.”?

Jenny Smith moved to embrace her child and tenderly stroke the wayward hair that lack of attention over the past couple of days had allowed it to do its own thing.

“She will recover Maddy the doctors are hopeful, her body is just trying to heal itself before it comes back to us and faces the trauma of the situation.”

“I love her Mom, I don’t understand it, I can’t explain it but the feeling is so powerful. She calls me the other half of her soul and now I actually believe it is true! How ridiculous is that?”

“Not ridiculous at all darling, love is a very wonderful and powerful emotion, it transcends all boundaries. Look at how you and Christine met, I think that’s a perfectly good testament to its power don’t you?”

Jenny Smith had wondered about the relationship when Maddy was gutted at her friend’s accident, admittedly it was traumatic but it was her total breakdown of character that had given it away.

“I don’t care about anything but being with her Mom. It doesn’t matter if she’s ill I just want to help her. If my life has to be spent in and out of sanatoriums with her I’ll gladly do that, it really doesn’t matter. Chris is the only thing that matters to me, until I die that’s the only important thing in my life, her welfare and happiness.”

What did you say to an admission filled with such fever, it warmed the heart but at the same time chilled it in its single minded, bordering on obsessive behavior?

“I’ll leave you to finish your story Maddy and I’ll be back later you need a good square meal to keep you going. Christine wouldn’t be happy would she, if you neglected yourself?” Kissing her daughter tenderly, she gave her a reassuring smile.

“Thanks Mom.” Maddy stared unseeingly at the journal in front of her, so many words that now blurred rapidly as tears stung her eyes. She felt so weary now, wanting to sleep but unable to just in case Chris needed her.

Shaking her head to try and clear the tiredness she began the story again, taking up where Chris and Madeline were brought together again by their friends. Their first true admission on love as they walked the deck back to Madeline’s cabin.

Slowly Maddy’s eyes shut and her voice trailed off as she finally gave into the insidious craving of her body for sleep, her head tipping until it lay next to Chris’s hand on the bed.

* * *

Whispering white clouds, a fluffy intangible mist that moved away as you approached it, puzzled her for a few moments as she looked around to get her bearings. Had she been left on the side of a mountain and the night was drawing in, surely not?

Then she saw two figures approaching from different angles and the woman was running towards the man or at least that was how it looked to her, their faces she was unable to make out because of the swirling mist. However, she could hear the conversation as a voice she was sure she knew shouted out.

“Darling you’re here.”

The woman’s figure was running so fast she tripped and was saved from falling…maybe the ground but she wasn’t sure it didn’t look solid at all to her, by the man figure.

“My love, as always you know how to make a rather spectacular entrance.” The chuckle that followed sounded so very happy and content.

“Darling I love you and I’ve missed you so much.” The woman spoke quietly with a tone filled with happiness.

Was she dreaming? Yeah she must be it was the stories she had been reading to Chris they were causing her to hallucinate in her dreams…yet they seemed so real she thought she could touch the figures. Okay so it was a dream she would let it go it’s course and she’d wake up!

“I have always been with you my love.”

“I know. Every time I looked in her eyes I saw you there darling.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t wait. It was such a wonderful opportunity to be with you and love you once again. How could I resist the opportunity? Do you forgive me?”

The woman tenderly stroked a finger down the cheek of the man as she replied. “Of course I do, at least you didn’t cause any of the trouble I have. I never meant to cause her so much pain but I couldn’t live without you darling. I thought if I could get your attention then we could rekindle the love we once had. Do you forgive me?”

“I understand completely, we did it for love how can that be wrong?”

“I have to go back and wait you know don’t you? I believe I have tormented the poor creature too much already. Farewell, my darling I will wait for you patiently this time although it will be hard. Know this, I’ll never leave your heart, you will never be alone that is my promise for every lifetime.”

The figures embraced as they kissed in what appeared to be farewells, which didn’t make sense to her. How could that happen?

“I’ve loved you from the beginning of life, next time for sure will be our time together that’s my promise to you.”

“I’ll wait for you whatever it takes love, but please don’t take too long next time we have a souvenir hunt to finish remember?”

The figures seemed to dissipate in front of her eyes as she tried but failed to see where they had gone. Then the swirling mists thickened and she felt herself pulled from the scene, as she awoke to find one of the nurses shaking her.

“What? Where am I, oh right”? Maddy blinked away the sleep and focused on the woman who had dragged her out of sleep.

“Your friend is waking.” The nurse said quietly pointing in the direction of Chris who was slowly trying to open her eyes. “I’ve buzzed for the doctor.”

Maddy couldn’t help it she was grinning and had tears rolling down her cheeks, as she watched Chris open those wonderful blue eyes to the world.

“Chris? How are you feeling?”

Christine Andrews gaze attached to the concerned green eyes staring at her from the side of the bed.

“I feel…light headed I guess.”

Maddy turned to the nurse anxiously. “Understandable in the circumstances Ms. Smith, the doctor will check it all out.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

Christine glanced around the room and shook her head slowly; wincing as the headache made itself known.

“Not really I was in a car accident I think.”

“Yes, yes that’s right Chris you were you saved….” Maddy stopped as Chris continued absently, what she said shook Maddy to the core.

“I was driving home from the University wasn’t I? The roads were icy, I skidded and lost control and hit a tree, that’s all I remember.”

Maddy stood up abruptly and the chair fell backward clattering to the ground as she did so. “I’m sorry.”

The words whispered as she picked up the chair and righted it. What did this mean? Did Chris know her at all?

“Do you know who I am Chris?”

Christine looked at her closely and the blue eyes scanned her face for any familiar features, there wasn’t any. “Are you a doctor?”

Madison Smith breathed in deeply this was not what she was expecting at all, no one told her this could happen, why didn’t they tell her?

“No, not a doctor a friend.”

“I’m sorry but have we met before?” Christine thought there was something familiar about the woman but she wasn’t very sure what it was.

Maddy turned to the nurse who shook her head; she didn’t know what to tell the woman. “No, we haven’t met before. I hope we can be friends though Chris and would you mind if I come visit you while you are in the hospital?”

“Sure, what’s your name?”

Christine wasn’t sure what to make of this, she had expected her Mom and Dad to be here not some stranger, albeit the woman did look concerned for her but she was still a stranger.

“Maddy, Madison Smith, I’ll let the doctor’s see you now and I’ll check back later okay?”

“Sure, are my folks here?” the bright blue eyes went from Maddy to the nurse.

“No, not yet but they are due anytime don’t worry they will be here soon.” Maddy turned to leave the room and then spun back with a question.

“Is there anything that you would like me to bring in for you?”

Sparkling blue eyes trapped her green ones as the wonderful smile that had captured Maddy’s heart shone out.

“Any chance of strawberries?”

Maddy closed her eyes briefly as she wondered for a moment where that came from and then she opened them again as she reciprocated with a warm smile of her own.

“A great chance, they’re my favorite I’ll bring them later.” Maddy left the room her heart heavy but not out for the count yet. She needed to talk with Doctor Shaw.

Suddenly the dream she just had came back vividly to her and she realized what it meant and why she would have to let Christine go. Understanding that for a brief moment, their two souls met and that had to be enough for this lifetime….

* * *

Time to say farewell…for now

Maddy looked out over the hill as she placed a suitcase at her feet from the trunk of the car, having arrived at the rail station a few minutes earlier.

“Thank you Maddy.”

Turning to her companion, she smiled at the younger woman as Christine Andrews climbed out of the vehicle depositing her hand luggage at the side of the suitcase.

“Are you ready? The train is at the platform and they’ve never been known to be late leaving the station.”

Christine turned her eyes to the sanatorium on the hill and her features turned reflective as she recalled being told of the past two years of her life. They had insisted that she stay for a few weeks to ensure themselves and her parents that she was…normal and back to the woman she used to be. Losing two years of your life was rather disconcerting but the woman here with her now had made the situation easier with her devotion and caring. She had never experienced having a best friend before having always been too busy studying but Maddy had proved that she could have both and they would remain friends for the rest of their lives she knew it deep inside.

“I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, you won’t forget to visit will you Maddy, you did promise.”

“No, I won’t forget to visit and don’t you forget to come back for Christi’s birthday party you are guest of honor remember?”

Both women laughed as they agreed to the respective visits. The sound of the station speaker calling for the final passengers gallivanted them both into action, as they walked towards the steps of one of the carriages.

Stowing the suitcase in a free baggage space, Maddy retreated to the door so she wouldn’t be stuck on the train as Chris found her seat and placed a magazine and book on it as she turned to look at Maddy.

“I don’t know how to thank you for my sanity Maddy.” “No thanks necessary Chris it was my pleasure. I’m glad you’re going back to the University to finish your doctorate, everything will be okay now.”

“You won’t forget me will you Maddy?” the words spoken quietly.

Maddy moved forward back into the carriage beside Chris as she tenderly traced a finger down her cheek, “How could I ever forget you Chris.”

The tears she had been holding back sprang to the fore as they welled threatening to fall and embarrass her, she had steeled herself for this and she would do it without causing a scene.

Chris felt the gentle caress and reacted to the motion, she had a feeling that this was goodbye and she didn’t want that.

“I will never forget you ever Maddy! I will be back you can count on it.”

The whistle blew on the platform as Maddy removed her hand and swiftly exited the train to stand watching the train pull away and with it a large piece of her heart.

“I love you Chris Andrews, safe journey.”

Maddy turned and left the station and walked up to her car and before she climbed inside she looked up at the hill and the sunlight streaming through the trees giving the Sinclair Sanatorium a serene peace. Shaking her head she sat in the driver’s seat, put on her sunglasses and turned the ignition on the car, setting off for home.

Today had been a painful time for her and she had lived through it. Tomorrow was another day and glancing down at the package peeking out of the glove compartment, she smiled wryly.

Yes, tomorrow was another day and she was going to live them as best she could, after all, she was experiencing life for two, hers and her soulmate.

“I’ll have to check how Gran started her first journal, got to keep in tradition.” She spoke to herself as she left the station behind and her old life, as she knew it.

There was a promise to keep!