Author: Stacee

14 September 2006, Chicago, Illinois

The grungy little man from the junkyard had showed up on the doorstep to tell her that Rael had gone missing. Of course that was apparent, seeing as he didn't come back when he said he would. Rael was better about keeping to a schedule than any man that she'd ever met. The little man went on with a few details and explained that they'd sent him to deliver something to somewhere she had never heard of before and that he had arrived on the other end.

Of course, he hadn't come home yet, but they had gotten their message delivered. Apparently, not even the "Momma" could locate him, so they were assuming he was dead--something his mate didn't want or need to hear. He was gonna get a howl at the next moot, which meant nothing to Stacee. "Momma said to stop down and talk to 'bout it." then he looked her over and said "Well, you're a sweet looking honey, if you need a new Daddy-O, jes' come on down t' the junkyard....

Stacee was too stunned to do anything for half a second, then the outrage took over and she picked up he cane and cocked it back, green eyes flashing her outrage as she yelled, "Get out!". The little man ducked out the door quickly, dodging her cane as she slammed the door on him, a small yelp following. "And don't come back!" In a softer tone "And fuck what Enid wants. I don't care if she rips me apart. I'm not "breeding stock" for you bastards."

Settling her cane to the floor again, she leaned against the door, the huge Great Pyrenese padding down from upstairs to stand beside her, big brown eyes trying to fathom if she was okay. It was late afternoon and Cathy would bring the twins home from the playground soon. Time to be a mommy again.... She needed time to think and time to cry.

As the tears began to splash the floor by the door, Imp licked her hand and whined. She looked down at the huge dag, crying openly, and said through shaking lips "Ra's not coming home is he?"

The dog's mute stare was of no comfort.

Autumnal Equinox 2006, Chicago, Illinois, Middle of the Night

She took one last look around the bedroom to see if she had missed anything. The pregnancy test confirmed the source of the nausea two days previous and she had made the snap decision to leave. The feeling that she was being watched by left her feeling less than safe. Either way, she tossed Enid's note, ordering her to show up at the junkyard, in the trash and made a couple phone calls. She had some friends from the store over to help and the moving truck stashed in the garage for loading before Noon.

It had taken just over a day to pack things up and get things set to go. She talked to her lawyer, made some other arrangements for the store, and talked to her partners in the New Hampshire store. Things would be okay and she'd get the rest of the things from here when she was settled on the other end.

Her gaze caught the framed photo of the family sitting on a blanket in the park and she grabbed it. It was a happy time--and she was going to need to remember those. It just couldn't be in this house.

The ghosts were too real here.

7 April 2007, 4:03 am, In an apartment above the Fruited Plain

Damn clock. She hated it now.

Stacee laid in the most comfortable position that she could find on the bed. This really wasn't saying much, especially since the only spot she had found forced her to look at the large LED display on the alarm clock. Midnight to now had been a fitful time, waking at every sound and having to look at the time.

Jase had a coughing fit at 2:34 and momma had to hold him a while. One of the tenants came in at 3:02, the building was old and noisy--too noisy. Shauna crawled into bed, wheezing, at 3:48. Thankfully, after all of that, and the baby pounding her ribcage, sleep came to her, silent tears soaking into the bedsheets.