6 months later...
"Lila, take it easy. There are other people here and you'll hit someone else's feet."
"Yes, Mom," replied Annie's daughter and kept hopping merrily through the aisles of the supermarket while she followed her with the shopping cart. Her three other children were at home with their mother because Annie hadn't wanted to take them to the dentist.
Annie pulled two packets of oatmeal from the shelf when she heard a rattle in the next corridor and Lila shouting "Ouch".
She hurriedly tossed the pack into the cart and pushed it around the corner. There she saw a strange picture.
A woman with a brown ponytail was crouching in front of her daughter, she was holding a bag with the words 'First Aid' on it in one hand, in the other she was holding several brightly colored plasters that she offered Lila to choose one for her open knee.
Annie hurried closer. "Excuse me..."
The woman looked up, smiled at her, and held up a finger. Lila had taken a plaster, now the woman got up, put her first aid kit back in her pocket, took out an ID card and held it out to her.
Annie read 'Torrence Children's Hospital, Senior Head Nurse' next to the woman's photo. "You are a pediatric nurse," she made sure.
The woman nodded.
Lila had put her plaster on and sat up. "But she doesn't speak. Look, Mom," she pointed to the woman's neck, which was clearly scarred.
The stranger swapped the ID card in her hand for an old Blackberry and typed quickly. Then she held the device out to her. Annie took it and read it.
"'I had an accident and have to learn to speak again. At the moment I am only allowed to do this if my therapist is there. But I can hear quite normally. ' - Ah I understand. And my daughter fell right at your feet because once again she didn't listen."
The woman nodded with a smile and shrugged her shoulders, which should mean something like 'just children'. Annie agreed. "Lila was obviously very happy having escaped the dentist." The stranger made a face. "In any case, thanks for the plaster. And all the best for you. "
The other woman waved a hand, then put her hand on her heart and bowed slightly. In parting she waved to them again, then pushed her shopping cart on. Annie picked up a few last things from her list, then headed for the checkout with her daughter in tow.
When Deac got home it was late and the house was quiet. He looked after the sleeping younger ones, then he discovered Lila with Annie in the parents' bedroom. They had made themselves comfortable on the bed together and were reading a book.
"Daddy!"
Lila hopped off the bed and ran to meet him
"Hey, little one. What have you been up to? ", He asked, pointing to the colorful plaster with the unicorns on her knee below the shorts.
"I fell in the supermarket. There was a really nice woman who had a bag with colorful plasters and I was allowed to choose one. She couldn't talk, but she smiled really nice," his daughter gushed out.
"Soso." Deacon raised his head and looked at Annie, who nodded reassuringly. "It seems to me you had an exciting day. Hop into your bed, I'll say hello to Mummy and then I'll come and kiss you good night. "
"Okay." He put her down and his daughter ran to her mother, wished her good night and then danced out of the room with her book.
Deacon sat on the edge of the bed, kissed Annie and said, "A woman with plasters who couldn't talk?"
"Sounds strange, but it was like that." Annie reported on their encounter in short sentences. He listened thoughtfully to her. When she was done, he asked: "You couldn't happen to read the name on the ID?"
"Brown. I don't know first name. How so? Sounds familiar to you? "
"Mhm." Deacon hesitated, then cleared his throat. "That was in spring, just before the parade. The bus driver case?"
"That was the woman you took out?"
"I think so. In any case, your description and name match. But what is she doing in Van Nuys? They live in San Pedro."
"Maybe they moved after everything that happened? Or she was just around. I don't think you need to worry about that, David. Even if she knows who you are, how should she know about me or that we live here? "
"She has a lot of friends at LAPD."
"And even if she did, she could only be grateful to you and you. - Lila is waiting for you, "said Annie, kissed him and pointed towards the children's room."
"Okay."