November 1st, 2000

Nicolena was getting so big. Lucy and Tom could not believe it. They could already tell how smart she was. She was rolling completely over and grasping things. When Tom sang to her, her eyes focused so intently on him. Her appearance seemed to be changing every day. She seemed to be getting a lot more red curls. And she was cutting her first tooth. Her laughter made Lucy and Tom so happy.

"And the monkey climbed up the tree, but it got to...What's this word?" Tom asked pointing to the book. Lucy glanced up from her sewing.

"Sound it out." She said.

"Sl....Slip...Slippers?" Tom asked. Nicolena hit the page demanding more story.

"No. There is no S at the end. You know this word, Tom." She said. Tom looked back at the book.

"Slipper...Slippery. Ooooh." Tom chuckled. "But it got too slippery." Lucy smiled softly. She was glad Tom loved reading to Nicolena.

"Daddy?" Lawrence stood in the doorway. "Guess what?"

"What?" Tom looked at him.

"Aunt Frannie said it's gonna snow tonight." Lawrence smiled, "There's gonna be no school tomorrow. Can we make snowmen?"

"Laws yes we can!" Tom chuckled giving Nicolena a slight squeeze. "And snow forts."

"Great!" Lawrence giggled and ran out of the room.

"It better not snow tonight." Lucy said, "I don't want you driving in the snow. You're not that good at it yet." Tom frowned deeply.

"I can do it, Lucy. I can drive in rain good!" Tom insisted.

"Drive in rain well." Lucy corrected.

"Yeah, that too." Tom said getting out of the bed. He slid Nicolena in her swing. "Vivian said I was a good driver."

"You are an okay driver. You don't really have enough experience." Lucy said.

"Well, teach me how to drive in the snow Lucy." Tom said. "Don't say I can't when No one has even showed me. That's not fair to me. Laws no it's not." Lucy stared at him and sighed.

"You're right." She said, "If it snow I'll teach you. It's a lot similar to driving in the rain, except there's black ice."

"Then I will drive slowly, Lucy." Tom said. Lucy smiled softly.

"You're right." She leaned over and kissed him softly. Nicolena giggled. "I think she wants you to finish reading the book to her. I'll be downstairs cooking some dinner."

"All right." Tom said turning back to the book. "Then the Monkey turned and smiled." Tom looked down at his daughter, "Do you like this book?" Nicolena cooed as Tom slid off of the bed, "Do you need a diaper change?" He smelled her butt and groaned. "Laws yes you do."

Tom went into the nursery. He carefully laid Nicci on her changing table. Ten years ago he didn't think he'd ever be in this position. He never thought he would be a father. He had come along so well.

November 15th, 2000

Abagail was the big six years old. Fran and Stu could not believe their baby girl was getting older. Today they had a huge party at their house. Every child Abagail was friends with was there. The snow was deep but they still insisted on being outside.

"Baby can you dig your man! He's a righteous man!" Lawrence sang as they ran along a snowy pathway in the woods behind Abagail's house. Abagail giggled softly.

"Just call me Mother Abagail." She said kicking a snow pile, "Why don't you have your guitar, Larry?"

"Nadine took it and sold it to the Flagg man." Lawrence said.

"Heaven's Child." Abagail shook her head, "Don't speak of the dark man." Lawrence began to chuckled.

"Abby, you think we should go back?" He asked. Abby shook her head.

"I wanna go further." She said running faster.

"But I want cake." Lawrence moaned.
"We'll get it later." Abagail said running further than she ever have before into the woods. She could still hear Lawrence moan about getting back. She wasn't gonna listen to him. He was only five.

"Abby, your daddy is gonna be really mad." Lawrence said.

"He's not my real dad." Abby climbed up on some rocks.

"My dad isn't my real dad either." He said.
"Duh." She chuckled, "My real daddy had the flu and your real daddy saved the world." Lawrence beamed with pride.

"My other daddy saved your other daddy's life too." Lawrence smiled, "So....I rock."

"No way." Abby chuckled, "my mommy is prettier than your mommy."

"My mommy had more babies then yours." Lawrence cackled as he tripped, "Ow!"

"HA!" Abby laughed and pointed, "You tripped over a rock!" Lawrence got on his knees and picked up the 'rock' he tripped over.

"Look at this." Lawrence held up a human skull. Abby's eyes grew wide.

"That's a head." She said.
"I know." He looked it over. "Where'da suppose is came from?"

"Someone's neck." Abby giggled walking over to him. "We should go show daddy." Lawrence nodded.

"Come on." The two children bolted back to the house, trying not to slip on the snow.

"Abagail!" Stu stood in the doorway on the porch, "Lawrence!"

"We're here!" Abby ran up the stairs.
"Where were the two of you?" Stu asked.

"In the woods." Abby said.
"I told you that you should never go back there, Abagail." He said.
"Uncle Stu, look!" Lawrence held up the skull. Stu stared at it.

"The two of you get inside before you freeze your noses off." He said. The two children walked into the kitchen, "Let me see that, Larry." Lawrence handed him the skull.
"That's a person's head, huh?" Abby asked. Stu nodded.

"Yeah it is, Sweet Pea." He said swallowing hard.

"Why is it there?" She asked.
"I put it there." Stu said.
"Why?" Lawrence asked. Stu sighed.

"This man lived here before the three of us moved here." he said sitting at the kitchen table. "We didn't bury him with he others. We thought he'd want to be buried near the home that he made."

"Oh. That's nice." Abby said, "Suppose we put him back?"
"We will later." he said putting the skull down. "Everyone is itching to eat some of your birthday cake. How about we go wash our hands and then go blow some candles out?"

"Sounds good to me." Abby said skipping to the bathroom. Lawrence followed her. Stu continued to sit there. he stared at the skull. He thought he had buried that deep enough. He was so amazed that Abby or Lawrence didn't freak out over finding it. he knew if he found one when he was six he probably would have. Children were different now. Children were raised different now though.

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