Hey everybody! Thanks for all of the reviews! In case of any confusion on last night's update (Ch. 9) the last two sentences were talking about Ethne, not Clare's mother, obviously.

Here is chapter ten!

I was laying on the bed, curled up into a ball, when Eli came in and sat down beside me. Eli frequently had to check on me during the day, because sometimes I'd just lay there for hours, staring blankly at the wall.

"It should have been me." I whispered.

"Clare, don't ever say that."

Without my mother, I didn't know what to do anymore. Things were turning complicated. There were funeral arrangements, that I had no idea how to handle, and wills, and lawyers... My life was turning into one big business transaction.

And, even with all of that going on, I still had too much alone time. Alone time was no good for me; it gave me time to dwell on the negative, which was the last thing I needed.

After a few days of this, I decided it was taking a huge toll on my health. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't end up depressed, or crazy... That's exactly what Ethne was hoping for, and I couldn't let her win.

So, I started to eat again. And actually get up during the day.

I was slowly coming back to life. Maybe I wasn't happy, but at least I was healthy. That's what I kept telling myself, to get through the day.

Finally all of the arrangements were taken care of, and the funeral date was set for the end of the week, on Saturday. Saturday came much too fast.

We had a short little service at the funeral home. The whole family showed up, but I barely noticed. After that, we followed the hearse out to the burial site. Eli was a paul bearer. I'd kept myself together through must of the day, but as they carried the casket, the reality of it all finally set in, and I broke down.

I fell to my knees, tears streaming down my face.

"Why, God?" I whispered. "Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did you let this happen?" I asked, my voice getting louder.

I knew I shouldn't take it out on God, but I just couldn't help it. I had too much suppressed anger, and I desperately needed an outlet.

As I got back to my feet, and wiped away my tears, I looked out across the cemetery. About a hundred feet away was Eli, and the rest of the people that came.

Farther out than that, was one person, with hair the color of fire. I didn't recognize her. She was too far away for me to really get a glimpse of her face, but I figured that she was one of my mother's friends, or colleagues.

I walked over to Eli, to stand beside him. The strange woman with orange hair, walked towards us.

As I took in her face, I still didn't recognize her; she was a complete stranger.

"You're Clare?" She murmured.

"Yeah?" I answered. It sounded more like a question.

"I'm Rosemary. I worked with your mother.

"Oh..." Was all I could say.

"I'm sorry about what happened, Clare." She patted my back.

"Thanks." I muttered, politely.

She walked away, but stopped calling over her shoulder, "See you soon."

I had no words for her. How would we see each other soon? She was just my mother's coworker. I waved and she walked off.

"Weird." I muttered, under my breath.

The funeral was over, so Eli drove us home.

In an odd way, the funeral gave me some of the closure I'd been needing for the past couple of days. Exhausted, I went to bed early that night.

When I woke up in the morning, there was one thing I couldn't shake from my mind.
The strange orange-haired woman from the day before.

I wanted to talk to her again, to ask her some questions, but I didn't know how to contact her. Finally, I decided I'd just call up to her work.

I grabbed the phone, and dialed the number.

"Hello?" A voice answered.

"Hi, I need to speak with Rosemary. What time does she come in to work today?" I wondered.

"I'm sorry Ma'am, there is nobody by that name who works here."

"Uh...Thanks."

I clicked the phone off, and went to take a shower, sorting through my jumbled thoughts.

After that I got dressed, and went downsatirs.

Eli was already dressed too, sitting on the sofa. I sat down beside him.

A little while later the doorbell rung. Eli walked to the door, slowly. The doorbell rung again.

"It's Rosemary. I brought cookies!" She yelled, through the door.

Eli had his hand on the knob, when I pushed him out of the way.

"Do not open that." I whispered.

I locked the dead bolt, and drug him back to the living room to explain.

The doorbell rung again. And again. And again.

And, the pieces came together like a puzzle.

There was no Rosemary. Somehow, under all of that make-up, and under that awful wig, was Ethne. She was back. For me. And, she was never going to give up...

Short chapter, I know...but there will be more updates to come, I promise. I enjoy writing this as much as you all enjoy reading it...So there will be plenty more to come. :))

Anyways, tell me what you think! Review! ;)