Chapter 7

Before it got any later, Nina suggested to Robbie that she would go with him to pick up the necessary items needed for tonight and the next morning.

Robbie agreed, but first asked Crystal and Rosie if they had anything in particular they needed for the night.

"Crys, what do you want me to bring with me back from our house for you to have to sleep in and stuff?"

"I will just go with you to get them in order to make it easier on you. I can even pick out Rosie's stuff as well." Crystal said in a very quiet voice.

Robbie wanted to make sure Rosie didn't need anything even though Crystal knew some stuff.

Rosie replied,"Yea can you please bring me my bear Blueberry?" she responded in a tiny voice

"Sure thing, Rosie! Crys and I are going to go home and get our stuff, okay you stay here and finish watching the movie and we will be back in a few minutes."

"Okay"

Robbie, Crystal and Nina head next door and get their belongings. It only took Robbie and Crystal a few minutes to get their things together that they would need for the night and the next morning. When they were done and after Crystal grabbed Rosie's bear they left heading back to the Brown's after locking up.

When they returned the movie was just getting ready to end. So Nina decided to take Sam home since it was getting late while Crystal, Robbie and Rosie headed upstairs to use the bathroom and get ready for bed.

"Nina, thanks again for helping me out with this today. We just have to take this a day at at time." said Andy

"Its no problem at all Andy. Call me if anything happens and I will be right over."

Andy tells Ephram and Delia they should get ready for bed as well since it was getting late and they head upstairs while Andy starts to close up downstairs.

Crystal and Robbie head into Delia's room to tuck Rosie in bed. She just lies there looking up at Crystal and Robbie not really knowing what to say next.

"Good night Rosie! I love you!" said Crystal and Robbie placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Good night Crys and Robbie."

Crys and Robbie head out of her room and tell their goodnights to each other and Robbie heads into Ephrams room while Crystal heads into the guestroom.

Shortly after everyone falling asleep, Rosie wakes up screaming and crying causing Delia to ran and get her dad in the other room.

"Daddy, Rosie is screaming and crying. You have to come quick!"

"Honey, its Andy, what's wrong?"

"I want Crys and Robbie" in a muffled voice

"Okay I will get them hold on a second"

Andy heads into Ephram's room walking over to Robbie and shaking him saying Rosie is crying out for him and Crystal. Robbie agrees and gets up and follows Andy out to Crystal's room where she appears and they all head into Delia's room where Rosie is just crying now.

"Rosie are you okay?" asked Robbie in a concerned way

"No, I am scared."

"What are you scared of?" asked Crystal

"I wanna sleep with one of you"

"Rosie do you wanna stay the night with me in the guestroom?" asked Crystal knowing that there was no room in Ephram's room.

"Okay."

Crystal picks her up while Robbie hands Rosie her teddybear and gives her one last kiss good night.

Everyone else says good night and they all sleep peacefully throughout the rest of the night.

"Good morning Ephram." Andy greets as Ephram makes his way quietly down the stairs the next morning. "Is Robbie still asleep?"

"Yeah he is." Ephram responds pulling Poptarts out of the cupboard. "I'm assuming they are staying home."

"Of course." Andy nods, "they can go back whenever they want. I'm keeping Delia home too, Rosie's nightmare really shook her up."

"Delia had nightmares too after Mom tied." Ephram informs quietly.

"She did?" Andy asks taken aback by this news.

Ephram nods, "every night for the first week or two. She slept with me every night."

"How come I didn't know about this, I would have done something." Andy responds.

Ephram shrugs and quickly changing the topic he asks, "so then what's going on today?"

"Nina doesn't have to work today," Andy begins glad for the topic change, "she'll probably take Delia for the day. I'm staying home from work today to be there if Robbie, Crystal and Rosie need me. There are other things that need to be taken care of too."

"Funeral arrangements." Ephram states bluntly.

"Yes." Andy nods sadly, "Robbie all ready said he would take care of it all. But I don't want him to have to deal with this all on his own."

"Crystal." Ephram looks up and past his father as Crystal comes down stairs fully dressed in jeans and a plain dark top.

"Crystal you didn't have to get up, you could have slept in." Andy turns quickly to face the teenage girl.

I know." Crystal nods, "I don't think I can sit here all day, I have to do something. Would it be all right if I go to school?"

Andy looks surprised, "are you sure that's what you want? Nobody expects you to go to school today."

Crystal nods, "this is what I want."

"All right." Andy nods, "can I make you anything for breakfast?"

"Umm..." Crystal bites her lip.

"Don't take anything he makes you." Ephram jibes quietly, "you could be poisoned."

Crystal offers a very small, weak smile.

"Why don't you guys pick something up at Mama Joy's?" Andy suggest reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "You are both running early, and you don't have to worry about taking Delia to school today."

"All right." Ephram nods taking the money from his father. "Thanks."

"Yeah, thanks Dr. Brown." Crystal responds softly.

"Are you ready to go?" Ephram asks Crystal.

Crystal nods grabbing her backpack that had been left at the Brown's house and follows Ephram out of the house.

"So do you want to eat something?" Ephram asks once they are in the car.

Crystal nods, "sure, I could eat something I guess."

Once they arrive at Mama Joy's everyone's attention falls on Crystal, and Ephram can see the sympathetic looks all ready. But before anyone can approach the couple Edna and Dr. Abbot appear at their sides, almost magically and as people walk up to them Edna orders them to move.

In now time the two are sitting in a booth and Edna states, "we're really sorry about your loss, but don't worry junior and I will make sure yo u don't hear it a million times, your brother and sister either."

Crystal smiles gently and mouths thank you as the two walk back to their own tables, with their spouses.

Ephram's gaze falls on Crystal towards the end of first period, she was staring out the window, her face thoughtful. Moving his vision away from Crystal, Ephram roves the class room his eyes falling on all of the spaced out students as their teacher drones on an on.

But the entire class jumps when the door is pushed open and a crying Rosie calls out, "Crystal! You weren't there when I woke up!"

Crystal jumps to her feet as Rosie launches herself at Crystal, wrapping her arms tightly around Crystal's neck.

"I thought you had gone away forever." Rosie sobs into Crystal's neck.

"No, I just came to school." Crystal whispers soothingly as Andy makes his entrance in the room.

Andy directs his attention toward Mrs. Carmichael, "Is it all right if Crystal leaves for the day?"

Mrs. Carmichael nods, "under the circumstances, yes, Dr. Brown."

Andy drops down onto the chair next to the couch in the living room where Nina sits with Rosie resting her head on Nina's lap. The rest of the kids were all asleep upstairs, Crystal who Rosie had been clinging to had slipped upstairs 15 minutes ago.

"I don't think I can do this again." Andy states rubbing his bearded chin at the end of the day.

Nina nods, "it's going to be difficult, especially now that we found out that there is no family. Their orphan's Andy, your kids lucked out, they at least had you."

Andy sighs, "I don't know what to do with Rosie. She won't let Robbie or Crystal out of her sight at any point in time."

Nina nods, "I was thinking, I have heard of this really great counselor that is about a half an hour outside of town. I thought maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea if you signed the kids up to go."

Andy laughs bitterly, "my kids or the Carter's?"

Nina shrugs, "I don't know, maybe all of them."

Andy thinks about it and agrees with Nina about seeing a counselor for Crystal, Robbie and Rosie. He hopes that will help with Rosie's fears. Nina asks him, "Well shouldn't you ask Robbie and Crystal before deciding for them to see a counselor?" Andy replies "Yes I will ask Crystal and Robbie the first thing in the morning. Hopefully they will wake up before Rosie wakes up so we can have a discussion without Rosie getting frightened without neither Robbie or Crystal near her." As Andy and Nina continue to talk quietly, they end up falling asleep on the couch for the rest of the night. The next morning, Nina opens up her eyes and realizes shes still sitting on the Brown's couch holding sleeping Rosie and Andy is next to her still asleep. She decides to just sit there for a few more minutes before waking up Andy. Finally Andy wakes up a few minutes later and saw that Nina is already awake but Rosie is still sound asleep. "Good Morning Nina! How did you sleep?" asked Andy. "Okay thanks how about you?" "The same. I bet Crystal and Robbie will be awake before the others since they went to sleep last night extremely early." "Yea I agree" said Nina. "Andy, Crystal and Robbie are coming downstairs right now" said Nina in a very small voice. Andy tells Crystal and Robbie good morning and asks if he can get you two something to eat or drink?" "Um no thanks. I think I will just get myself some juice to drink." replied Crystal. "Same here" said Robbie. After getting their juice, Robbie and Crystal come back into the living room and they both ask Nina and Andy how Rosie is doing. Andy replies, "well shes been asleep ever since you went upstairs to go to sleep and she hasn't woken up yet." "Okay, I was really shocked to see her come into the school yesterday. I didn't know she was going to react that way, said Crystal to Andy." "Don't worry about it. When she woke up, all she kept on saying was Crystal and nothing helped" said Andy.