Chapter 7: New Life

Kate was still sitting at the breakfast table when she heard her kids getting ready for school. She couldn't get over the dream she'd had last night. John had seemed so real to her. At first maybe she thought she had gone crazy. But it kept replaying in her head. He was there for her still in a spiritual sense. She knew he'd never leave her side. He was there with them now. In the photos, drawings and the things he left behind. She smiled to herself and looked up as her kids came down.

"Hey mom, you all right?" asked Danny. "Yeah, I'm fine, Hon" Kate said, "I dreamt about your father last night." "Was it a good dream?" he asked her, grabbing the Honeycomb cereal. "More or less," Kate said smiling. He grinned at her. Max took at seat beside him and they both began eating breakfast. She smiled pleasantly at them both. Her two little angels that God had blessed her with.

There was a knocking at the door. Danny grabbed his bowl of cereal and downed the last of the milk. "Hey, are you going to ride with us?" Kate asked him. "Nah, I'm going with Brenda," Danny said, grabbing his coat and backpack. Brenda was his new friend of his that was in the same class as him. They'd survived Esther together at separate times. Brenda's father had a long talk with Danny, but Brenda stuck up for him. It was bad enough that Danny's other friends had abandoned him after they'd found out he was attacked by Leena Klammer. It made people see them in a different light.

He came back, kissed Kate and opened the front door. "Hey Daniel!" said Brenda. "Hey Brenda!" he said, putting his coat on, "how's it going?" "I'm so tired," Brenda said, "I didn't want to get up this morning but we have that stupid science test today." "I'll help you study before class," he said, "I'm going to ace it." Brenda smiled, leaning over and kissing his cheek. He heard Kate and Max let out a little giggle. He shot them a look and left with Brenda.

"It's good she didn't boycott him," Kate said, wiping Max's little face off, "like the rest of his friends." Max signed something to her. "I know, everyone knows now," Kate said grabbing Max's coat, "It's hard to even buy groceries without someone stopping me to ask about Esther." Max looked sad at the thought of Esther. "Just when you think we can put something behind us," Kate rambled, "It crawls back up at bites you." She tickled the back of Max's little neck, causing her to giggle uncontrollably.

After she dropped off Max at her deaf school, she took her cab to work. It wasn't much, but she loved it. It was a grocery store in her neighborhood that she'd buy her things from. She went up into the staff room and stowed away her coat and belongings in a locker and checked the time. Still about 20 minutes to spare. She smiled and closed the locker on her belongings.

Downstairs, she passed by a few fellow co-workers who waved and greeted her. She smiled and waved back. She went behind the florist counter. She put on her apron and did up the back. Looking up, she spotted another fellow 20 something co-worker speeding over to her counter on roller blades. He wore a black beanie over his curly brown hair, a gray zip up hooded jacket over a KISS shirt, black jeans and a blue apron. He stopped at the counter, and she shook her head smiling at him.

"Hey beautiful!" The guy said to her. "Hey Colin!" Kate sighed, rubbing his shoulder, "Great to see you kiddo. I'm glad you're always so cheery! Makes me feel even better about myself." "My favorite ray of sunshine came into work today," Colin teased, "I have every reason to feel alive." "I'll bet," Kate said smiling. "You should take a few of these flowers for yourself and put it on my account," Colin teased, "They're on me." Kate gave a light giggle and smiled at him. "Aren't you worth it, Kate?" Colin asked. "I'm not so sure about that," She sighed. "Now you're being meek," Colin chuckled to her, "You're worth it. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise, okay?" Kate nodded her head and smiled at him. "Thank you Colin," she replied. "Your very welcome Kate," he said to her, looking over his shoulder, "Anyway, I'm here because my Aunt Helen's looking for you. Uh oh, speak of Satan."

"Later Colin," Kate beamed, as he skated off. "Later Kate," he called back. "Hey, there you are," said a brunette woman about Kate's age, "you're here awfully early." "Hey Helen," Kate told her, "Yeah, Colin said you looking for me?" "Yeah, we're moving book club to Saturday instead of Friday," Helen told her, "Debbie's ill. Hasn't been into work for a few days." "That's fine with me," Kate told her, "I'll just need a babysitter for Danny and Max." "No problem. My nephew can do that," Helen replied, looking at Colin, "His girlfriend's quite a cook." Colin smiled at them both and waved. "See? He'd be more than happy to do it for his favorite 'Ray of Sunshine'," Helen joked. "Alright," Kate said, cracking a smile. They both chuckled as Colin smiled back at them.

Joe Bando pulled up in town at the nearest gas station restaurant. He looked at them, both as they slept. He smiled and ever so quietly, got out and shut the door. Esther heard this and opened her eyes. She had her arm around Tony to keep him warm. She looked at him and slowly removed the rag from his neck, seeing the dark crimson red scar on the surface. He moaned a little and stirred in his sleep. She shook him, making his head swing side to side. He groaned and turned away from her. She put the rag back on and turned on the radio and listened. It was playing "Nights in White Satin" by The Moody Blues. She sat there, listening to it.

She then sat back, pulling the picture out. She stared at John's face on it, feeling her eyes tear up a little bit. She pulled out a nail polish brush and drew a heart around his face. She then looked down at her little sister Max. God, how she missed her. She regretted using her blind rage to almost kill Max. Max and John were the only ones that'd been good to her. And she'd lost them both in the same night.

Inside the restaurant, Joe ordered some breakfast sandwiches and some coffee. "Hey Haas?" he called to the clerk, "some of those hash brown too. I'm starving." "Jesus," the old clerk said to him, "you look like hell. You've been out all night?" "Yeah, well there was an accident on the road," Joe said, "man I must've been in that line up all God Damn night." "You were, it was a chemical spill," the clerk said. "That right?" Joe shot back, "I didn't know that, me being there and all." The clerk just laughed and handed him over the food. The TV set behind the clerk showed Esther's face on it and he pointed.

Esther looked out the window and seen this. She grabbed Tony quickly, waking him up. He gurgled and looked at her wide-eyed. "Get up, now!" she hissed at him, "C'mon, we've been made!"

"Could you turn that up?" he asked. The clerk spun around and did. Reporter Lynn Garner's face appeared beside the mug shot. "Once again, police still haven't been able to find 9 year old Esther Coleman who disappeared over a month ago," Lynn explained, "She allegedly murdered her adoptive father John Coleman, married to this woman Kate Coleman. The whereabouts of young Esther have still yet to be confirmed, but remember that she's considered armed and extremely dangerous."

Joe stared at the TV set as the clerk chuckled. "Why man, did you see her?" he joked, but Joe took off out the front door, racing to his truck. He stopped and stared inside as the door remained open and no one was inside. He looked around puzzled, not knowing where they could've gone. He swore, and slammed the door shut. He's lost them both and they were loose in the town now because of him.