Ermintrude, I just want to say thank you.

Really, thank you to a lot of my fellow SMK friends, who know more about what's been going on in my personal life than most and still hang in there with me. It has thrilled me to no end to hear such kind words from someone so much more knowledgeable in these medical issues than I, especially when they let me know that my efforts aren't too far off base from reality.

I didn't want to get too technical and graphic for two reasons: 1 – I didn't want to screw up the medical facts and 2 – because I thought it would bog down the story, which is more complicated than anything I've ever attempted.

So, I thank you all for reading and for encouraging.

And, yes, I am glad that you are glad that Smyth has departed for the old nursery rhyme shoe in the great beyond.

Happy Reading, my fellow SMKy friends.

Twisted Sister – the demented, unconventional and hopefully, never boring nun (insider joke – insert big smiley face here.

CHAPTER 42

Part 1

Francine wasn't sure how long she had sat there, on the floor against that door. She didn't know how many tears she had cried.

She only knew that she felt helpless and tired and miserable.

Then, the idea came to her mind and she slowly pulled herself up and went to the desk. Still sniffling, she picked up the telephone and dialed a number that she rarely dialed.

On the third ring, a female voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Mom?"

"Francine?"

"Yeah," she said, hating the fact that she was still sniffling.

"Honey, what's the matter? Is something wrong?"

"No, no everything's good," Francine tried to lie.

"Francine Elizabeth Desmond, since when do you call me when you're at work, at least I think you're at work, and when do you call me crying?"

"I wasn't crying, I've got a cold. A really bad cold."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, honest."

Okay, so it wasn't exactly the truth but it wasn't exactly a lie either.

"Are you okay honey?"

"Yeah, I just wanted to call real quick."

"Nothing's the matter? Everything's okay? You're not being sent overseas again or something?"

"No, nothing like that. I just wanted to call. Is Daddy there?"

"No, he's at the golf club."

"Oh," Francine said.

"Honey, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, look I gotta run. I love you. Tell Daddy I love him too."

"Francine?"

Knowing that her mother wasn't buying a word of it, she quickly hung up.

She wasn't sure what had made her do such a stupid thing, but for some reason she had needed to hear her mother's voice.

She took a few minutes to compose herself and then, picking up Lee's information, she steeled herself to go find him. This was information that Lee would want to know about.

CHAPTER 42

Part 2

"How is she?"

Lee looked up to see Francine standing in the doorway, looking very pale.

"Have you been crying," Lee asked her.

She shook her head.

"Sneezing," she lied to him. "So, how is she?"

"Doc gave her a light sedative, good for her but bad for me."

"How so?"

Lee rose from the chair and walked over to the doorway.

"I need to find out exactly where the boys are."

"They're with Joe, right?"

Lee nodded.

"Except I don't know exactly where and I need to have them found, ASAP."

"Well, let me help you."

"You look like you're ready to drop," Lee told her honestly.

"Yeah? Well you don't look so good either," she retorted back to him.

"Love ya too," he teased.

"Please," she groaned. "Look, do you want my help or not?"

"Yes, I do," Lee told her. "You feel up to going to Billy's office?"

"I'll make it there, one way or another," she insisted.

"Good. Let's get going. I think every minute here is going to count. Oh," he said before he left the room.

Francine watched him as he went round the opposite side of Amanda's bed and picked up her purse. He fumbled through some things until he found what he was looking for. Then, holding Amanda's black daytimer in his hand, he nodded to the door.

"Shall we?"

"Oh yeah," Francine responded.