Abigail rushed into the house, quickly locked the door, went into the bedroom, and sat on the bed. Her face was flushed, and her heart was racing. What would she do? It would be hours before Jack was home from work. Apprehensively, she eyed the phone. She couldn't call him at work and get him all upset. That wouldn't be fair to him. She'd simply have to wait until he got home.

Jack returned several hours later to find his wife still sitting on the side of the bed, shaking.

"Hey." He went to Abigail and embraced her. "Is it Matthew?"

She shook her head. "David."

"David..." Jack was startled. "What about him?"

"He...came on to me."

"What?" Jack was genuinely shocked. Abigail nodded miserably.

"He said that his marriage to Ellen had been a mistake, that he'd never stopped loving me."

"And what did you tell him?"

"I told him that I was married to you now, that he didn't really mean what he was saying, that he was just upset over Matthew."

"What happened then?"

"He...tried to kiss me. I had to run away from him. I was so afraid he'd catch me."

"Oh, Abby," Jack said softly. For a long time he just sat on the bed holding his wife, comforting her, soothing her.

"What am I going to do, Jack?" She turned fearful eyes toward him.

"I don't know," Jack said softly. "I'd really hate to get the police involved. We've known David for years, and he's family. I just can't believe he'd really do that. I thought I knew him better."

"I thought I did, too."

"I'll talk to him tomorrow," Jack decided. "That will give us both time to calm down and me time to think of the right words to say. By the way, how is Matthew?"

"He's doing better. He can open his eyes and move his arms and legs now. The doctor mentioned starting him in physical therapy."

"I'm sure glad to hear that," said Jack.

"Matthew opened his eyes and moved his arms and legs today," Lisa told her mother.

"That's great, honey!" Joanie said with a smile. "What does the doctor say?"

"Hopefully he'll be able to start physical therapy soon." Lisa glanced up at her mother. "Mom, do you suppose he'll ever be able to play football again?"

"I hope so, honey," Joanie said softly.

Abigail didn't return to the hospital the following day. After Jack got off work, he went to the hospital himself to talk to David. Abigail waited anxiously at home to learn the outcome of the confrontation.

"How did it go?" she asked Jack as soon as he got home.

"He apologized and said that he realized that he had acted inappropriately," Jack told her. "Hopefully, that will be the end of it."

"I sure do hope so." Abigail put her arms around her husband, and he held her close. She rested her head on his shoulder for a few minutes, basking in the warmth and comfort.

"Why don't I take you out somewhere nice for dinner tonight," Jack suggested. "We've both been under so much stress lately. I think we deserve to pamper ourselves a little."

He took her to a seafood restaurant, where she had boiled lobster for dinner. Afterwards they went for a short walk and threw pennies into a wishing well, wishing for Matthew's swift recovery. Then they went home and made love, and Abigail fell asleep in Jack's arms.

"Matthew!" Lisa exclaimed with joy when she saw that her boyfriend's eyes were open.

"Hey, sweetie!" Matthew's face still looked very pale, but his smile was just the same as it had been before. Lisa leaned in and kissed his lips.

"It's so good to see you awake," she told him.

"Hi, Mrs. Arcola." Matthew's eyes drifted to Joanie, who had accompanied her daughter to the hospital.

"I'm so glad to see that you're doing better," Joanie told him.

"I haven't seen my mom in a really long time," said Matthew. "Why doesn't she come to see me?"

"Your mom...hasn't been feeling very well lately." Joanie struggled for the right words to say to the boy. "She'll come to see you when she's feeling better."

"I miss her," Matthew said wistfully. His words tore at Joanie's heart. She was at a loss for words. How did you tell a teenage boy who'd just been seriously injured that his mother had been arrested for DUI and committed to a drying-out clinic?