"Mom. Really, you don't need to tuck me into bed. I'm 29 years old. It's okay." April sighs as she crawls into the old twin bed later that night. She had been stuffed at dinner beyond comprehension, and singlehandedly schooled her dad in two games of gin rummy before deciding to turn in and get some sleep in the same familiar room she had grown up in. Her 4H ribbons still plastered the walls, and her science fair trophies were badly in need of dusting.
"nonsense" Karen shushed her. "You're my baby, and you're home, and I'll tuck you in whether you like it or not." Karen raises an eyebrow that April dare not question. She smiles as Karen adjusts the pillows behind her daughter's head. "I thought maybe you'd want to stop by the school tomorrow, see your mom in action in the classroom? Maybe be our mystery reader?"
April nods. "I'd love to."
"Goodnight Cricket." Karen kisses her forehead. "I'm just glad you're home."
She has grown accustomed to the same recurring nightmare, of being terrorized on the bridge of the hospital, tripping over Reid's dead body, watching Derek get shot because of her. And tonight it's no different. Gary Clark and his particular brand of terror have become familiar in the past week. So too have the feelings of waking up sick to her stomach, and sometimes, even waking up in tears. However unlike other nights, tonight, April is startled awake from the nightmares by a noise coming from downstairs. Her eyes dart wildly, and her body is frozen in terror. "it's nothing" she assures herself. "It's just my mind playing tricks on me. " But there was no denying that there was activity going on in the kitchen directly below her.
"Cricket?" Alice appears in her doorway, "did you hear something downstairs?" Alice's voice is full of fear.
April sits up, "Come here Alice." Alice races into the room, just as she had when she was 5, and turned to April to comfort her from bad dreams. April swallows the numbing terror that has gripped her body. "Stay. Here. Do you understand me?" she instructs Alice.
"Your softball bat is still in the c-c-closet" Alice stammers.
April nods gratefully, and quickly finds it before heading downstairs, wondering how on earth she had summoned the courage to confront the intruder.
She swallows hard, as she tiptoes down the stairs, fully prepared to do what she had only just recently done, and potentially beg for her life. Again.
She counts to three, and stalks directly into the kitchen, and is immediately confused with what she sees before her. Whoever had just broken in had felt it necessary to root around in the fridge before terrorizing her family. It didn't make sense. And all at once, April drops the baseball bat. She knows by the shape of the intruders frame, and her jet black hair, exactly who she is dealing with.
"Kimberly Brooke Kepner" She commands, causing Kimmy to spin around and drop the jar of pickles in her hand. What the hell are you doing sneaking into this house at 2 in the morning?