Here is another chapter!

It was the festival of lights.

Along the usually dark wintry lane shone hundreds of lamps; illuminating with their flickering candles. The light was cast every color by the tinted panes and I couldn't help but be reminded of candy. It was as if the lane was iced by the baker on the high-street, and even better than the cake we had last birthday. Everywhere there were folks in their winter garb, thick woolen jackets, mitts, and scarfs. To add to the gaiety most children carried a lamp of their own making, their gentle puffs of steaming breath made visible by the glow, only to disappear into the inkiness. At the stroke of eight on the old town clock would come the first wave of songs, songs of thanks to echoing into the homes of even the curmudgeons.

Tonight the windows of the hospital would be open despite the cold, the doctors believed the multitude of voices from young and old alike to have a stronger effect on their patients than any medicine they had to offer. I walked with Heather and Landon, we have had two deaths in this last few weeks, two good teens life's cut short.

Landon was leaving in three days' time to New York, just to be safe, Peggy and I made some story up and he agreed. I spoke, "How about we try the vendors, you both must be starved by now," Heather's face was painted in blue snowflakes as she hugged Landon closer, her black punk clothes clashing with his preppie ones, but was this so wrong, no.

"Sure," they both chimed in together, we made our way across the lane to see the booths set up all selling food, so many kinds. My long hair was pulled into a ponytail long gone are the days of it being down and perfect, I wore blue jeans and boots unlike long ago, a black turtleneck and snowflake and reindeer kimono sweater with a black belt to keep it closed.

I hated that I stood by and knew it was Lawson who was doing these things, Jimmy was looking worse by the day. It wasn't until his little boy Scott was chased that I knew I couldn't stand by the time to sit idle was gone. But first Landon had to go and be safe far from here. I never married, never dated after Vinnie, not that I didn't want to it just never felt right.

I gave my son a sad look, "Stay close but go have fun, no use you looking foolish hanging with me," Heather laughed.

"You're the coolest, we don't mind," but I shooed them away to let them be just what they're teens.

I walked around and talked to those I knew, Sally was smiling her hand waving me over. "Hello Sally, are you and your family enjoying the festival?"

"It is amazing," her eyes wide as Scott and his friends had dragons or spiders painted in their small faces. "Where is Jimmy?"

She pointed to a booth, "I will be right back,"

"You look worse by the day, Jimmy," my tone low and filled with worry he was so young to look so old.

"It is getting worse,"

"Leave town, take them and leave. I don't know what is going on but it's not safe here," he understood but just like myself we felt we had to stay and finish it, but I have hidden away at work or home while he faced it daily.

His eyes moved over my shoulder, I didn't want to but my head turned to glance over my left shoulder. It was like the train hit me, North, Lawson, and… and Vinnie stood smoking and watching us.

"He brought them back,"

I was scared, "He has, now we finish it. If you need to run then do it, your family means more,"

'And your son?"

"Landon is leaving in three days, I see now that bastard Lawson brought his father back when I prayed he wouldn't,"

I left him to find Landon, and when I found my son and Heather North was in his face. "You don't look so tough,"

"Landon and Heather go now, time is short," Heather gave me a heartfelt look dragging Landon to me when Lawson and Vinnie walked to us.

"A real reunion, North the kids and the lady are a no go. Find some fun another place,"

Vinnie his eyes soaked us in, first was our son before they moved to mine. "Landon Joseph Vincent take Heather and go now,"

We all watched him leave taking Heather with him when needed my tone was scary. "North you go near my son and his steady again, I will do more than toss a set of keys. I will kill you myself. Lawson, I once told you your pet should be on a tight leash," every word was laced in anger.

"It's cool, all is taken care of," I knew they needed time to adjust here before they could attempt to finish the job. If my reading was right they were going to kill Jimmy the same way they killed his brother, doing all this while their son watched, they would have Sally too as she is with child leaving my part out and replaced with his family.

I turned to walk away when his deep voice came from behind, it was like a dagger to the already fragile heart. "Nothing to say to me?"

His eyes bore hurt and sadness, "You picked this gang of loser's, nothing to say but stay away from my damn son,"

I just left him there as Lawson told him it's for the best.

I watched out my curtains at one in the morning, seeing Vinnie on the ledge. I did open the window. "What do you want, Vinnie?"

"My family. I came back for you,"

"I am thirty-three not seventeen, you died over seventeen years ago for a gang you promised to leave. I was alone to raise Landon, you promised me and you lied. Two more are dead and what do I see you and North have come back,"

He gave me a wary look, "I love you, doll face. Lawson killed them, kids, Landon he is a fine-looking boy. I am sorry everything happened the way it did, but if we kill Norman and his family, we can stay then I can fulfill my promise and leave them for you,"

"Jimmy was a scared child, Vinnie you have to take a stand and be the man you were born to be. Do you know what your death caused, not only my never-ending pain, the pain I still feel. But the after the effect it caused to your father and mother, your mom passed in 1966 not but three years later, her health just declined no matter what we did. Your father held on longer, he loved Landon and left everything including your car to him when he passed in 1975. They loved you and you failed us all, including our son," he still saw the girl in the woman I had become, his eyes soft and warm not cold.

I finished, "My brother left for Vietnam and died there, I have lost everything," tears coming to my eyes as his fingertips traced my cheek.

"You aged like wine, you don't look thirty-three and it doesn't matter, I came back not for Jimmy but you, you never left my thoughts where I was at. Your memory helped me through it. I can stay right now, Lawson well he is sick,"

"I can't let you kill Jimmy and his family, I will not stand by even if that means losing you once again. He is innocent as is his family, Vinnie,"

"I never got to marry you to help raise our boy, I deserve too,"

I touched his face, he leaned in savoring it. "Than in 1963, you should have been the man you were born to be, a man who kept his promise. I love you, Vinnie there has never been another but you don't deserve us not after that day," he vanished faster than I thought, but I shut the curtains and light, right before Lawson's car came up the road going slow, it passed as Lawson was out he stared at the house before he deemed Vinnie wasn't here. Next, he would check Vinnie's old house, it was a street up.

I sighed, sleep was not coming.