Toni walked up to Josie and Gary's house about an hour later and rang the doorbell. Josie came to the door.

"Could you stand some company?" Toni asked.

Josie nodded mutely, and led the way to the living room. She and Toni sat on the couch. Neither one of them spoke at first. Toni squeezed Josie's hand.

"How's Rain?" Toni asked. "I can't begin to imagine how she's feeling right now."

"She was a wreck when we got home," Josie said.

"Well, that's to be expected. Dante is," Toni corrected herself. "Dante was her best friend."

"She just kept saying things like, "I didn't mean it," and "what can I do?"

"How did you answer her?"

"I told her that all we can do now is go to the people we hurt, and ask them to forgive us."

"That's probably the best thing for her, facing Joe and Paulina as soon as possible," Toni agreed.

"But how can I face them?" Josie asked. "What happened today was my fault."

"How could it be..." Toni began. Then she realized what Josie was telling her. "No. Josie, no."

"Yes, Toni. I... had just unlocked the drawer and taken out the gun when the doorbell rang. I just left the gun on the dresser. I never
even remembered it until I was already on my way to the 2-3."

"Oh, my God," Toni whispered.

"Joe and I have always been so close... but now..."

"I wish," Toni thought, "I knew how to reach Gary."

As if she had read Toni's mind, Josie said, "I wish Gary would come home."

"I Know. He's the one you and Rain need right now."

"Toni," Josie said, "remember that time... with the tape?"

Toni nodded. "When Cindy blackmailed you, so Grant wouldn't go to jail for burning Joe and Paulina's house down."

"Joe forgave me as soon as I owned up," Josie said.

"I know," said Toni.

"But how can he or Paulina forgive me this time?"

####

A few hours later, Josie and Rain walked slowly, very slowly, up to Joe and Paulina's house. Josie's hand trembled as she rang the doorbell. Paulina opened
the door. She looked at Rain with cold fire in her eyes.

"What are you doing here? How can you show your face after what you've done?"

"I'm sorry," Rain sobbed out. "I'm so, so SORRY!"

"You're SORRY? You killed my son and all you can say is you're SORRY?"

"Paulina," Josie said, "she's just a child."

"Just a child? Dante was just a child, too. And now he's DEAD!"

"I'm SORRY! I'm so SORRY," Rain repeated.

"Sorry won't bring Dante back to life." Paulina spoke through her teeth. "Dante is DEAD because of you. YOU'RE
the one who should be dead, you little bastard!"

It was pure, protective reflex. Josie reached out and slapped Paulina's face.