Will Nancy and Joyce form a bond? Find out...now! Leave a comment if you'd like!

"Sorry, I don't entertain much," Joyce said, pouring tea into two mugs. She handed one to Nancy.

"It's ok. I understand...," Nancy sniffed the tea.

"I didn't drug it," Joyce said, kind of annoyed.

"Oh no, sorry", Nancy said; her cheeks started turning a little red, the last thing she wanted to do was insult the woman. She took a sip, Rosemary tea. "This is good. I never drank tea before."

Joyce sat at the table with her, "You mean your mother never made tea?"

"She does...I just never drink it..," Nancy shrugged passively.

Joyce smirked and said before she took a sip, "Yeah, my mom was a bitch too." Nancy felt guilty laughing but she did and took another sip. For a moment or two Joyce stared off at no where in particular. She was very stoic in her mannerisms. Nancy tried to think of something to say but Joyce finally decided to open her mouth, "James get tired of coming over here?"

"Uh no he just got promoted and..."

Joyce darted a glance her way, "Don't lie to me."

Nancy was intimidated by her straight talk, she couldn't exactly back away from her. She told her her version of the truth which was better than nothing in her opinion, "I agrees to take over...he wanted to end your route because you're kind of out of the way...but I thought that was unfair. No one should go hungry just because it's a minor inconvienence to someone else."

Joyce liked that, from what she could tell Nancy was a good kid, no reason to suspect anything to happen. "I'm sorry I've been a but short tempered. I'm not the most social person."

Nancy shrugged, "Me neither."

"You must have to get back."

"I can stay a while longer. Is there anything else you need?"

Joyce shook her head, "I'm good. Thank you."

"You know...I could help around your house if you'd like...it's no trouble," she had such a tremble in her voice when she said this, afraid she'd offend her.

Joyce frowned a bit, not shaking eye contact. "That's..no that's too much trouble. A lot of work. I can't afford that."

"You wouldn't have to pay me for it."

This was making Joyce feel conflicted, she wasn't a charity case. "No...I...I know people talk about me...I know everyone thinks I'm nuts. You've heard kids at your school."

"No one has spoken to me other than my cousin. No one likes me."

Joyce was taken aback, "H-how come?"

Nancy didn't want to say, it seemed inappropriate since Barb vanished around the same time as Will.

"I...I don't know," she said, one of her eyes was welling.

Joyce hates seeing her like that, "Hey, come here," she opened her arms up to her. Nancy didn't hold back. Nancy felt embarassed doing this, she feared that the woman thought she was some kind of simpleton.

"Sorry...I should...I should go," she stood up immediately and walked to the door.

"Well...you can come back," Joyce began to say, "Any time."

Nancy smiled. Joyce smiled in a way that made it obvious she hadn't in quite some time. She would be back again. No doubt about it. She had to wipe her eyes before she got on her bike. She almost didn't want to leave.

The next time she was asked to go to Joyce's she was told to take some soil, flower seeds and gloves. She was resurrecting her garden.

Joyce was standing outside with a dark hoodie on, smoking. It was a bit chilly out that morning.

"Hey, you're out," Nancy said, enthused.

"I'm not in jail," Joyce replied dryly.

"Are you gardening today?" She walked over with the bag.

"I...might," she moved awkwardly away from her to butt out her smoke.

"Oh," Nancy said, a tad disappointed, "I wouldn't mind helping."

"Well...ok. If you want to. I mean it's a free country."

Nancy thought that was strange, why was she acting like this?

"There's a lot of weeds that need pulling," she said as if to intentionally get her to leave.

Nancy shrugged, "That's alright."

"Ok. I thought so. Those gloves I bought are for you. I'll use my old ones."

It was a lot of work to fix up the old garden but Nancy found she didn't mind it despite not having much interest in the work before. They both got down on their hands and knees, pulled weeds and dug up the earth. Nancy wasn't wearing old clothes for this long and tedious task but she didn't mind wearing and dirtying the knees of her jeans. They both took a break for some water inside.

"Forgot how much of a workout that can be," Joyce poured two glasses; her and Nancy went to grab the same glass with Nancy's hand on Joyce's .

"Oh..sorry," she said, retracting her hand.

"That's ok. You can have that one."

It was a taller glass. "You might need that one more than me."

"You paid for some of my groceries and saved my life so...," she laughed a bit.

"Ok ok. I see you pressuring me," Nancy joked and drank from the glass.

They finished up their work outside. Put in the soil and planted the flower seeds. Nancy was watering when she observed Joyce standing at the edge of her backyard. She was looking out at something.

"Hey, I don't have to go just yet. Did you maybe want to go for a walk or something? We could go up that trail that leads to that old stream."

Joyce was weiry. She pressed the back of her hand to her damp forehead. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh. Ok. I'll see you soon then."

She was just going to go to her bike and head out of there when she heard, "Hey." She turned and saw Joyce holding her arms out for a hug. Nancy found her hug to be a lot tighter. She didn't want her to leave. "I remember you now."

Nancy's head rested on her shoulder. She had a sudden sinking feeling about this. "Huh?"

"It's ok," she faced her, her hands squarely on her shoulders, "I know my boy was friends with your brother. I thought I recognized you. Your friend was Barb. Right?" Nancy nodded. Joyce closes her eyes. About to cry. She swallowed. "I don't mind you coming by. I just haven't been too close with anyone in so long."

"O-ok. Maybe...maybe it's a good idea if you have my number. Just in case you want you know to have me pick stuff up sooner or...to talk."

Joyce smiled, not sarcastically, "I'd like that."

It was getting late. Nancy had to get going. It was overwhelming to have Joyce open up to her about this pain she was holding inside of her. While Nancy couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose a child but it was comforting knowing someone else could relate to the suffering one goes through when losing someone close.

"Nancy."

"Yes, Joyce?"

"Maybe go down the bumpier road by the old farmhouse. I think it would be safer. And for godsake stay away from that trail."

Nancy saw the scared look on her face but had to ask, "Why?"

"Trust me. You don't want to go anywhere near it."

"Ok," Nancy assured her. Maybe she thought whatever happened to Mike must've been on that trail. She read the police report though. Joyce was working late and her eldest son Jonathan was supposed to be watching him. He was gone without a trace.

To be continued...