Josie lay awake for a long time. She regretted... she almost regretted... having promised to punish Rain.

"How can I punish her for something that was really my fault?" she asked herself. "How can I, when Joe
and Paulina still don't know that I left my gun on the dresser? But if I don't punish her, how can I ever again
expect her to trust me?" Josie sighed. "What a time, " she thought, "for Gary to be away. If only he would
wrap up that case he's working on and come home."

It seemed to Josie that never before had she longed for Gary so much, that never before had she
needed her husband so much. And yet, a part of her dreaded seeing him, dreaded telling him...
And then, Josie heard the door to the apartment open. She heard familiar footsteps. Josie didn't
wait for Gary to come into the bedroom. She got up and went into the living room.

"Oh, Gary, something terrible..."

"I know," Gary said. "Dante Carlino was shot and killed. I can't imagine what ..."

Josie stopped him, saying, "It's worse than you know. Oh, Gary, it's so much worse!"

"Not for us, it isn't," Gary said. "Look, I feel more sorry for Joe and Paulina than I can say,
but at the same time I can't help being very, very thankful that Rain isn't the one who was
shot."

"Gary, please sit on the couch with me. I need to tell you something."

"Sure, J."

"I don't know how to tell you this," Josie said, "but..."

She didn't need to continue. Gary looked closely at her, and then he knew.

"No," he choked. "Not Rain. She didn't..."

Josie nodded her head.

"How did she get the dresser drawer open?" Gary asked.

"She didn't," Josie answered. "It was my fault. I left my gun on the dresser."

"You what?"

"I... forgot to put the gun back in the drawer."

"Well, even though you left your gun out, which you shouldn't have done, Rain
did wrong to take it."

"She knows that," Josie said, "and she actually wants me to punish her, but how
can I when... when I haven't told Joe the truth."

"Did you lie to him?"

"No. I just haven't told him that I was careless with my weapon. Oh, Gary how can
I punish Rain when I'm too much of a coward to tell Joe it was my fault?"

"Should I be the one to punish her?" Gary asked.

"No. It has to be me. But..." Josie hesitated. "Oh, Gary, I almost wish you would punish me!"

"No," Gary said. "We don't have that kind of a marriage, thank God. I don't believe in or
approve of husband punishing their wives."

"Neither do I, actually," said Josie. "We've handled too many cases of spousal abuse at the 2-3."

"Besides," Gary said, "it wouldn't clean your slate. The only way to do that is..."

"Tell Joe," Josie said.

"Right. Now, why don't we go to bed?"

####

Rain woke up the next morning and went into the kitchen/dining room. Her parents were already
there. Josie was frying bacon. Gary was putting the orange juice on the table. The coffee-maker was
plugged in and working.

"Dad! You're home!"

"Yes, I'm home," Gary said.

"Did Mom... did she tell you..." Rain began.

"Yes," Gary said, "she told me all about it. She also told
me how awful you feel."

"Oh, Dad, I..." Rain began to cry. "If only..."

"Honey, 'if only' never does any good," Gary said gently. "Just
remember that your Mom and I love you no matter what."

"Mom said she's gonna punish me," Rain said. "I never thought I'd
ever want to be punished."

Josie placed the bacon on a platter covered with paper towels.

After breakfast, Rain looked at Josie expectantly. Josie understood what that look meant.

"Sunshine, I know that I said I would punish you, but there's something I need to do first."

####

Fifteen minutes later, Josie rang Joe and Paulina's doorbell.