"So, you two come to check up on me?" asked Abigail.
"We just came to hang out, you hardly go outside now so we don't get to see you often and thought we owed you a visit," said Pru.
"Well, I appreciate it, and I'm sorry about all the trouble," said Abigail.
"I've just been finding it hard some days, I even see John sometimes when I know he can't possibly be there," she said while sitting her cup of tea down with her hands shaking terribly.
"He's gone, Abigail, you don't have to fear him anymore," said Lucky, who took hold of one hand and Pru the other.
"I know, I'm the one who got rid of him, and you all even helped me not go to jail by testifying on my behalf," said Abigail.
"But even knowing all of that it's like he still has his hands on me," she said. Silence then fell on the three of them for a minute until Pru thought of something.
"You know, what you are describing sounds like something Sahir mentioned in a letter he had sent talking about a disease the soldiers have been calling Shell Shock," said Pru.
"Maybe you have it," she said.
"How can I have something like that when I haven't seen battle or left this town in order to contract it?" asked Abigail.
"It's not an illness like the flu, it's something that affects the mind after experiencing a traumatic event, and you sure went through some stuff with John," said Lucky.
"Is there a cure?" asked Abigail.
"No, some of the soldiers have even taken their own lives because things got so tough, but it does seem that time and help can get you past it to a degree," said Lucky.
"So, I'm going to be stuck like this for a while?" asked Abigail.
"Hey, Lucky invited Grace and I over to dinner tomorrow, why don't you and your son come too, and we can all have fun?" asked Pru.
"Yeah, you know all of us so there's no worry about strangers and you can relax and play games with us and have a nice meal you don't have to worry about cooking," she said.
"That sounds great actually," said Abigail with a slight smile.
"By the way, does the rest of the family know about Julieta and Grace?" she asked.
"No, and we want to keep it that way for now," said Lucky.
