Welcome to Glen Oak
Chapter One
Floyd Camden was making some waffles and breakfast sausages for several members of his family one October morning before school. His two oldest daughters of five wanted some, and so did his second and third sons of four. Three other children of his were having cereal, juice, and eggs for breakfast. Two other children were not yet old enough for school. Those other two children were still in their respective beds at the current time.
Floyd's nine children were named Israel, Celeste, Jonathan, Naomi, Daniel, Abigail, Elijah, Priscilla, and Deborah, in that particular order. He and his wife, the former Janice Patrick, had produced them all over the last roughly fifteen or so years. Of their nine children to date, all but three weren't multiples. The three children of the nine who were multiples were Jonathan, Naomi, and Daniel, in that exact order, and they were all a little more than three years younger than the 15-year-old Israel.
Floyd was the pastor at the Mount Moriah Tabernacle church a few blocks away from the family's residence in Glen Oak. He now had been the pastor there for about fifteen or so years, more or less, after being hired to replace a now-long-deceased pastor who'd turned his church over to Floyd when he'd retired from the pulpit. Floyd and his family were all Protestants, at least in terms of their known religious beliefs.
Floyd was now in his late thirties or so, and looked a few years younger than he actually was. And his wife was just about as old as he was, in fact. Floyd was about 6'3" and about 205 pounds, with a broad-shouldered build to him. He had deep-set blue eyes like two chunks of lapis lazuli. His hair was fine and wavy brown hair often worn in a style reminiscent of a helmet. He had light-colored skin, as did his children and wife, generally. His wardrobe was usually artistic and businesslike, with a mostly blue color scheme. At the current time, he had a cooking apron over his navy blue sweater and blue jeans, so as to protect them from any possible danger that might arise while he was making food for four of his seven currently-present children.
It was a typical Wednesday morning in the six-bedroom Camden residence, and a few of the seven children were conversing at some length with each other at the present time. Whether through sign language or spoken words, they were still doing so, if and whenever the need arose for them to do so. The two that were mainly conversing in sign language with each other were Naomi and Daniel, for Naomi had been totally deaf since her birth in 1994. She would most often converse with the other Camdens through Daniel, if and whenever possible.
Most, if not all, of the other Camdens were not as good as Naomi and Daniel in using sign language. So they'd usually have to resort to using the written word on paper or wipe-away boards and things if and/or whenever they needed or wanted to communicate with Naomi so that she could understand them well enough in her life.
Floyd said, "More waffles are ready, kids," once several more waffles had been cooked well enough for human consumption. Celeste then rose from her chair at the eight-foot-long table, and came to where he was in the Camdens' combination kitchen/dining room area. She took a few dozen more waffles from him on a heaping platter of them, as well as almost as many more breakfast sausages on another similar platter, and then smiled at her father rather sweetly.
"What do you want, Celeste?" Floyd asked this because she had often given him such a look when she wanted something from him in the past.
"Tallulah would like me to stay over at her place tonight, if at all possible, Dad. Do you think that you could let me do that tonight?"
"I don't know. I'd have to check with your mother, C.J., to see if she won't mind you doing so tonight. I think that the Skyheart parents were planning to go out tonight, and leave Tallulah home alone while they were out tonight."
"Tallulah's an only child. So what?"
"They don't want anything bad to happen to Tallulah while they're out for the night, Celeste. So they're often quite cautious with what they'll allow her to do whenever they're not home. Remember, the Skyhearts don't live in a neighborhood that is generally as safe as ours is, if I'm not too mistaken here."
"Just think about it, please, Dad. That's all I ask."
"Fair enough, I suppose. But if your mother doesn't think you can go there tonight, then you must accept that fact."
"Understood." Then Celeste brought the food that she'd just picked up from her father to the rest of the Camdens still at the dining room-area table. And she soon took some of that food for herself, of course.
Fifteen to twenty minutes or so later, then, at most, all seven of the currently-present Camden children were on the necessary school buses to their respective schools elsewhere in Glen Oak, California. The oldest five went to Glen Oak High School, and the next two went to Mount Moriah Elementary School, on two different buses.
After his seven oldest children were all off to their schools as needed, Floyd then went to the master bedroom, where Janice was by now quietly checking on their youngest child, Deborah. Priscilla was still asleep in the bedroom she shared with Abigail, as well. He asked his wife of about twenty years, "How are Priscilla and Deborah?"
"Just fine. I expect, though, that Priscilla will be up within an hour or two, at most. She usually arises by 9:30, if I remember well enough here."
"And Deborah?" asked Floyd, as he came up behind her and gently brushed his fingertips over the slightly-tanned skin of her arms a bit.
"I finished nursing her while you were busy in the kitchen getting breakfast ready for the other kids." Deborah wasn't fully weaned yet from her mother's milk, but Janice hoped that would change in the near future. For Deborah was now just about a month, more or less, from her second birthday. "After I finished nursing her, I changed her diaper and did anything else that I needed with her, before putting her in her crib again."
"How soon do you think that I could spend a little time reading with you in the living room, then, my little English lady?" Janice was from Bristol, England.
"Give me about another hour, at least, and I'll see if I can make up at least one of those batches of cookies that you like so much, Floyd. I probably won't be able to spend enough time doing that with you at least until P.T. wakes up and is taken care of well enough, though, my beloved American painter." Floyd was from Buffalo, New York.
"Fine. I'll be in the living room reading the morning papers, probably, if you need me. Or in my office doing my usual team monitoring, et cetera."
"Did you win trophies in your assorted rounders leagues this year?"
"My what?"
"Your bat-and-ball diamond leagues."
"Oh, my baseball leagues."
"Yes, I think that's what I'm talking about here."
"No championships, unfortunately. I got two seconds, four thirds, a fourth, a fifth, two sixths, one seventh, and three eighths," said Floyd, with a bit of disappointment then on his face, as he told her those things.
"Well, are there any other leagues you're going to be part of this fall and winter, at least?"
"I'm in eight football leagues, four basketball leagues, and four ice hockey leagues."
"American football leagues, no doubt?"
"Of course, my love. I've never participated in any soccer fantasy leagues, if I remember correctly enough here."
The two of them talked quietly with each other for a few more minutes, before they parted on the way to other parts of their residence. Floyd went to the living room downstairs, and Janice to the kitchen/dining room area, which was also downstairs.
Floyd read the morning papers, which included USA Today, The Los Angeles Times, The Glen Oak Gazette, and The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, until about 9:45 in the morning. Eventually, he finished reading them, and went to his office with one of them, which was Sports Weekly, a paper that covered baseball, football, and auto racing.
He kicked up his computer, and began accessing his electronic mail. It took him about half an hour or so to deal with all of it, more or less. After he finished attending to it, he began checking his various teams that were currently available for play, and setting the necessary lineups for them where needed and/or desired. He worked with those teams until just about 11:45 in the morning, and logged off the necessary sites by noon. But only after first posting in several groups that he was now part of on one of them, in fact.
That done, he soon left his office area again, and went in search of Janice. Janice was with Priscilla when he found them both in the family's living room watching some Christian-oriented cartoons on the television there. They were watching cartoons on video tapes that Janice and Floyd had recorded at least a few years before the present time, in fact.
For a while, then, the three Camdens watched those cartoons with each other, until the show that they were watching at that time ended. When it ended at about 12:20 or so in the afternoon, Janice put Priscilla back in the bedroom she shared currently with Abigail, for a nap. For Priscilla was starting to drift off again to sleep rather quickly. Once Janice was absolutely sure that Priscilla and Deborah would be just fine for at least the next few hours, she returned to where Floyd now was sitting near the morning papers again.
After Janice rejoined him there, the two of them went to the kitchen, and got themselves both some lunch that they could then have with each other while their two youngest children were quite soundly asleep. It took about ten minutes, more or less, for Janice to brew herself some peppermint and cinnamon tea, and for Floyd to get some things for them to have together. Among those things that he got for them both were several cookies of assorted varieties, including several sandwich-style cookies with assorted fillings between them, whenever and wherever possible. He also made up some sandwiches with assorted meats, cheeses, and other items in them. Such as dried banana chips, for example. He also took a pitcher of lemonade out of the Camdens' fridge for them to have glasses of, if they'd want to have any lemonade while alone with each other.
A few trips between the kitchen and the living room later, by way of the dining room, all the food and drink that they'd then most likely want to have with each other at the current time was collected in the living room. Floyd and Janice put all those things on a medium-sized coffee table of sorts with a checkerboard-like design usually present on its top. However, at the current time, Floyd had decided to draw a cover of sorts over that design, so as not to potentially mar the appearance of that design for the table. This cover was made of several moderately-thin wood slats, much like Venetian blinds might often be. And it could normally be drawn from one side of the table to the other, if needed or desired, by anyone who was then sitting at the table well enough. The cover was attached to one roll on one side of the table at all times, if and whenever possible. And it could be extended toward another roll on the other side of the table far enough to be attachable to that roll as well. Small handles were attached to either end of both rolls, in fact.
Once all the needed food and drink items were on the applicable table, both of them sat down at it directly across from each other. Janice soon asked, "Are you probably done with your teams for the rest of the day, Floyd?"
"I suppose you might say that. Why do you ask?"
"Just wondering. That's all. What were your plans for the rest of the day, then?"
"See what comes my way today, I suppose." Floyd took a few chocolate chip cookies for himself from a platter that some cookies were on in the middle of the table.
"Did any of the older kids ask you anything during breakfast?"
"Celeste wanted to stay over at Tallulah's tonight." Floyd said this as he took a bite from one of those cookies, and just before he sipped a bit of lemonade in his glass.
"I see. Well, I don't think it would be a good idea. Granted, they need to be able to spend time with each other outside of school, but I really don't think that it'd be a good idea for her and Tallulah to be at Tallulah's place without the Skyhearts being home. Remember, the Skyhearts don't live in as good a neighborhood as we might, from what I know of them well enough now."
"How will we make that possible, then, Janice? Celeste won't be very happy if we tell her that she can't go there tonight, I'm sure."
Janice sipped some tea in her glass, and then said, "Perhaps some other time, when one of Tallulah's parents is home, if not both of them, we could let Celeste spend the night there. But I really don't like the idea of Celeste being at Tallulah's without suitable enough adult monitoring. True, she might be quite responsible and know how to take care of herself well enough. But I still don't want her in any unnecessary danger, if it can possibly be avoided at all."
"Nor do I. But things often happen in life that people might not normally expect. And they can often be quite dangerous indeed, if I'm not too mistaken here about such things."
"Things like drug consumption, for example?"
"Of course, Janice. What were things like for you when you were younger, and in the Bristol area of England?"
Janice thought for a while, and then answered, "They were generally fine, for the most part. I went to a school called 'Eaglehurst," from about four or five years old, and went there until I left it in 1984. We met the following summer, as you know, and you know the rest."
"How were the teachers at Eaglehurst?"
"They were fine, generally. I liked them a lot, for the most part. There were a few teachers during what you might call 7th, 8th, and 9th Grades for me that were quite a bit stricter than most of my teachers in my pre-university scholastic career." She took a few cookies for herself, if she'd not already done so by then.
"Can you think of one right off the top of your head, then?"
"Mrs. Juliana Veltarvez Fowler, if I remember her name correctly enough here, Floyd. She had brown hair and her working attire normally had a lot of brown and white often present in it. Mrs. Fowler married when I was still young, like about seven or eight, maybe, at the latest. And she also taught Spanish to me and to many others when I was in what you Americans might call high school. I happened to draw her my last four years of pre-university schooling, in fact."
"I see. And was she often difficult for you to get along with? Or was it often difficult for you to do well enough in her classes?"
"She was often prone to give rather difficult tests to us, and didn't tolerate mistakes very easily. She periodically would make us recite at least fifty Spanish phrases at a time without prior warning, and she had very acute hearing. If we messed up big enough, she often would make us all write the messed-up phrases at least fifty to a hundred times apiece, as part of our daily homework for that day or those days."
"So are you saying she was a taskmistress?"
"She was extremely strict. But normally, she was a very good teacher. When her husband wasn't drinking, that is."
"Do you know what happened to her husband?"
"The last I heard, I think he was killed in a construction accident a few years ago, after coming to work in Los Angeles on a construction project related to a fairly big house. He came to work at least partially drunk, if not totally so, and fell off the still-uncompleted house's roof. He was killed on impact with the ground after being partially impaled on a tree branch just below the rain gutters on one side of that house. From what I read at the time, right after his accident, his momentum from falling off the roof was so great, that not even the tree branch could break his fall well enough to keep him from hitting the ground at a few miles an hour. The pictures I saw were quite bloody, if I remember correctly enough. The medical people learned that he had a Blood Alcohol Content level of at least 0.26, if not more, I believe. But he seemed to be able to function well enough, for some reason, when he was at about a BAC level of 0.18, from what I know of him well enough."
"Where is she now?"
"She lives in Glen Oak now, I believe. She teaches at the high school now. Same subject as she used to teach when I was younger, in fact."
The two of them consumed more of the available food and drink items for a while, before he asked, "When did she move here?"
"About 1997, I think. One of her sons, who was a professional hockey defenseman in a minor league at the time, bought her and her husband a house here, and they have lived here ever since. She lost her husband a few years ago, and things improved considerably for her and the rest of their family. Mrs. Fowler now has twelve grandchildren through her three sons and one daughter, and it seems that two more grandchildren are on the way."
"How do you know this?"
"I hear things around town, from shopping expeditions, for example. That's how I know, Floyd. And she is periodically spotted buying baby-related things at stores I've frequented over the years, for the obvious reasons."
"I see. Are nine children enough for you, or would you mind having more?"
"Whatever the Lord chooses to do for us in that regard is just fine with me. I've been with at least one child seven times, as you know. If He means for us to continue adding to our brood, then we will, I'm sure."
"Is she part of our church?"
"As far as I know?" When he nodded, she said, "If so, I haven't really seen her before, I think. I think she attends either the First Community Church or First Bethlehem Church, if either of those are the name of her church elsewhere in Glen Oak. Both of which, in fact, seem to be pastored by Camdens, for some yet-unknown reason."
"I've heard that as well, at least in terms of them being pastored by Camdens. I wonder if they're actually related to us, somehow, or if their last names are actually the same as ours by random chance."
Janice eventually finished all the food and drink items she wanted or needed to finish at the current time. After he did the same for himself at the current time, not too much later, she then said, "I believe the other two Camden pastors' first names are Eric and Boyd. I don't know if they're actually related to you or not. I just know that their last names are also Camden, whether their first names are actually Eric and Boyd or not."
They talked with each other until about 3 or so in the afternoon, after which Deborah soon woke up. Necessitating, of course, a trip by Janice back to the master bedroom to attend to her well enough here, once she knew Deborah was sufficiently awake again. Before she parted from Floyd again to do that, she briefly kissed him a few times, and asked him to check on Priscilla for a little while. He gladly agreed to do that here, in fact.
They soon parted from each other, with her heading to the master bedroom and him to Abigail and Priscilla's room. Floyd checked on Priscilla, and soon saw she was still napping. He didn't stay long in the room, after checking his fourth daughter's status there. For he didn't want to take the chance of waking her up needlessly, if he didn't absolutely have to. Seeing as Priscilla wasn't likely to arise for at least a little while longer, he then went back to the living room to await the return of his other children.
Until they started arriving, then, he read several of the available newspapers for a while, so that he'd be doing something they were quite familiar with whenever they arrived home from school at their respective schools. They all returned around 3:45 in the afternoon, starting with Israel and Celeste, in fact. And they soon finished doing so with Abigail and Elijah's return home by 3:50 in the afternoon.
When Celeste came to the living room, she asked Floyd, "What did Mother say?"
"She said she didn't think it would be a good idea for you to go to Tallulah's tonight, Celeste. If at least one of the Skyheart parents were home, she might not mind so much. But if they're going out, she'd prefer you not go there tonight. She understands where you might be coming from here, but still thinks it wouldn't be wise enough for us to let you do that here. At least not at this time, anyway."
"Where is she?"
"I believe she's taking care of Deborah in our master bedroom. I have a feeling, though, that you won't be able to change her mind here, Celeste."
"Fine. But we need to be able to spend time with each other outside of school. Meaning Tallulah and I, of course."
"Yes, that's logical. She agrees with you on that point, at least. But she doesn't want you to go to Tallulah's tonight, Celeste, for the obvious reasons."
"Fine. When does she think I might be able to do that?"
"I don't know yet. You'll have to ask her, when you get a chance, Celeste."
Israel then asked, "Dad, are you likely going to be busy tonight?"
"It remains to be seen. What are your plans for the night, most likely?"
"To stay home and work on homework or assorted stories of mine, I think."
"I see. And you're not intending to go to the Promenade, for example, Israel?"
"No. I'd need my driver's license for that, unless one of you parents took me there, of course, Dad. I don't have my driver's license yet, and I won't be able to get it until May, at the earliest, in fact."
"True enough, Israel. True enough. What about the rest of you kids, then?" asked Floyd, as he turned to his other present children.
"We're staying home tonight, Dad," said Naomi, eventually, through Daniel, as needed. "Many of us seem to have a good deal of homework to attend to tonight." The others with her soon concurred with her opinion, generally, over the next few minutes, at least, if they'd not yet said anything to him before then.
"Very well. What would you all like for supper tonight, if at all possible?" asked Floyd, after everyone had told him what they then wanted or needed to tell him here. He soon said, after they answered him, "I don't know if we have enough money free at the current time for several pizzas, kids. But I'll see what I can do."
Just then, the nearest phone in the living room rang. Floyd rose from where he was then sitting, and went to the phone. It was a police Sergeant on the line. He shushed his children, and briefly conversed with the Sergeant for a few moments, before hanging up. He then said, in a rather firm manner indeed, "Kids, I have to go out on the town now. Seems there's something I have to attend to now. Nobody's leaving here except me until further notice. You all understand me well enough?"
The kids briefly conversed with each other, before letting Israel speak for them here. Israel said, "We do. Be careful."
"I don't know when I'll be back, but it might be late. Israel and Celeste, you're responsible for all the other kids, if Mother isn't currently available to help you at any time."
Israel and Celeste nodded moments later, showing they understood his instructions here well enough. Floyd then went to the master bedroom briefly, in order to talk with Janice for a few moments, at least, of course.
Janice asked, "What's going on, Floyd?"
"Seems there's been an accident or something involving at least one member of our congregation, if not more than one member of it. And the police want me around to help them, if needed. I don't know when I'll be back tonight. The kids are staying home tonight, by my orders."
"And how did Celeste deal with my position regarding her going or not going to Tallulah's tonight?"
"She wasn't happy, of course. I suppose you'll be discussing the idea with her eventually, because of that fact. Just not for a little while, I believe. Such as tonight, for instance. But we'll see what happens, Janice."
"Be careful, my beloved."
"Always. For I don't want to leave you if I don't have to, and if God doesn't need me with Him right now."
He briefly kissed her and hugged her, before gathering up a few things on top of a dresser in their bedroom. He did that so that he'd have them with him when he went to see what the problem was which required his attention at the present time, in fact. Among those things was his billfold, for instance. He also donned a jacket from a nearby closet in their room, before waving to her briefly again. That done, he then left their room, and minutes later, the house, in the Camdens' main vehicle, a school bus-like van that had a normal riding capacity of about 20 or so persons, whenever possible.
This van was painted mostly navy blue with cardinal red and white stripes often present on its sides, thanks to some considerable amounts of painting done by most of the Camdens after Floyd and Janice had purchased it for about $400. during the summer after Elijah's birth, from a now-closed private school somewhere in the St. Louis, Missouri, area. They purchased it while on a family trip to elsewhere in the United States, and most of the Camdens spent most of the rest of the summer painting it, even while making their way back to California on it. By the time they arrived back in California, the vehicle was painted entirely like they'd wanted it painted then. And it hadn't needed to be repainted ever since that time, as well.
He started up the van, and set off toward Sherman Oaks, in very short order. Floyd drove for some time, mainly taking Interstates 5 and 405, when needed. Eventually, he came to where the Sergeant who'd called him was. The Sergeant was standing next to his patrol car when Floyd pulled up and stopped near him on the nearest side of the road. Floyd parked the van behind the patrol car, in fact.
As soon as Floyd was close enough for them to talk in a quiet enough voice, the Sergeant said, "There are several cars that were in a multi-car accident here on Ventura Boulevard, after a truck driver slowed suddenly to avoid running over some children. These children were crossing the street just west of the intersection of Van Nuys and Ventura Boulevards. Several cars couldn't stop in time, and the intersection was soon filled with crashing cars. It seems that there are now several fatalities, and several others are injured. We've run a few plate checks, and it seems that at least one of the cars in the accident belonged to somebody from Glen Oak. At least one or two of the survivors asked me to call you, if not more than that here, so I did."
"Who asked for me, Sergeant?"
The sergeant reached in the upper left interior pocket of his black leather jacket, and took out a pad and a pen from it. As he did so, Floyd saw his name tag well enough for the first time during their current meeting. The sergeant's name tag read "Arphanes," which was actually a considerable contraction of his real last name Aristomestophanes. His actual full name was Gordon John Aristomestophanes, but most people just called him Arphanes, due to the true length of his last name. Arphanes said, as he opened his pad up, and began running his pen over some notes he'd made earlier, "It seems, Reverend, that somebody by the name of Mallory Taylor wanted me to contact you. She was riding with a few young friends in another friend's car, and their car became part of the accident, in due time. The driver was from your part of California, in fact. And they were high school-aged, it seems. She thought you might want to notify their parents about the accident, seeing as one of their children, at least, was in the car with her. And that one of them, at least, was killed in the accident almost instantly, or not too long after it."
"Who was killed near Miss Taylor in that car, as far as you can currently tell?"
"As far as we can currently tell, a Mister Jason Wayne and a Miss Christina McGee, at least, seem to have been killed almost instantly when the car they were in crashed into the mess that you still see here, or not too long after that. Miss Taylor and a Mister Allen Wayne, however seem to have suffered no physical injuries at the present time. Another two passengers by the name of Mister Shinji Kwan and Miss Victoria Barnes both seem to have been at least a little bit injured in the accident, but they should live well enough here, I think."
"I see. Where were they in the Wayne vehicle, then, if you can tell me?"
"Jason was evidently the driver. Directly behind him, Christina seems to have been seated. It seems that their car got hit on the driver's side, and the doors on that side of the vehicle caved in at least a bit, crushing Jason and Christina as they did so. The doors evidently caved in enough to injure Shinji and Victoria at least a bit apiece, but not enough to do the same for Mallory and Allen. We were able to get all the vehicle's occupants out before it burst into flame and exploded. Some damage to surrounding vehicles and buildings resulted when it did so, of course, but nothing that couldn't be attended to easily enough, of course. For we were already on the scene here, for the obvious reasons."
"How many other fatalities have you people confirmed yet here, as far as you know?"
Another police officer said, just after coming up to the sergeant momentarily, and conversing briefly with him, "There are now about twenty confirmed fatalities, Reverend. At least four of which seem to be from your part of California, if we're able to read their plates well enough here, considering the current mess here."
"When will you likely know the names of all the fatalities well enough, Lieutenant Francisco?" asked Floyd.
"Read the Los Angeles papers over the next few days, at least, for this accident will obviously be big news, I'm sure, for some time. I don't know just how soon we might know all the names for the fatalities yet, of course, Reverend. Do you want us to contact you before we tell the press the names of those fatalities in the near future, if at all possible?"
"Of course I do, Lieutenant. That's for all the obvious reasons, quite naturally enough."
Floyd eventually left the scene by about 7 pm local time, when he could probably do nothing else for anyone at the current time. As he drove back to the Glen Oak area, he prayed for all the necessary people here, for all the obvious reasons.
By about 8:30 pm or so local time, he was back in Glen Oak, and beginning to notify all the necessary people that he knew had lost relatives of theirs here, in whatever ways that he then could do that here. He spent at least the next few hours with those people, if and whenever possible, before finally returning home for the rest of the night. He didn't return back to his family's residence until just after local midnight.
When he returned there, the two oldest children and Janice were in the kitchen/dining room area, getting some things for themselves, in terms of bedtime snacks and things. He came in rather silently, with a worried look on his face, as he did so. Celeste was the first of the other three Camdens here to see him enter that part of the Camdens' residence.
When she did, she asked, "What's the problem, Dad?"
"It seems that at least four people from around here were killed today near Sherman Oaks. There was a big accident just west of the intersections of Van Nuys and Ventura Boulevards there, and it involved many vehicles. There are about twenty or so confirmed fatalities, at least as far as I know, due to the accident. Many others were injured, and others weren't hurt at all."
Celeste, Janice, and Israel thought about what he just said here, and then Israel asked, "What people that you know of well enough here were killed in the accident, as far as you know right now, Dad?"
"For sure, at least Jason Wayne and Christina McGee, if not anyone else as well."
"Christina has gone away?" asked Celeste.
"I'm afraid so, Celeste."
"She was rather nice, and seemed to have a bright future ahead of her in journalism and in acting. I will miss her, Dad. She often helped me learn my lines in whatever school plays we were in together. It will be much emptier at rehearsals without her bubbly personality around us any longer, I think."
"She could also often turn a phrase well in her writing, it seems, Christina. I have often enjoyed reading her articles in the school paper and her stories on assorted websites, for that matter, while we're talking about her. It is a shame that we won't likely be reading her work any longer. Or at least not very much longer, I think," said Israel, a few minutes later.
Janice asked, "How did the assorted relatives that you talked to earlier take the news you had for them all?"
"Not very well, of course, Janice. But that's to be expected in situations that are enough like this for the obvious reasons, right?"
"True enough, I suppose. These sorts of things are often quite hard to take for a while, at least, I'm sure, of course."
The four oldest Camdens spent only about the next ten or so minutes together with each other in relative silence, if and whenever possible. They eventually parted from each other, and retired to the necessary bedrooms elsewhere in the residence, just as soon as they could do so well enough here. They didn't stay up too much longer after they all did so, with each of them falling asleep no more than about five or ten minutes after they returned to those rooms there, in fact.