Chapter 13

The smell of coffee percolating greeted the two weary paramedics as they dragged themselves out of the squad. What had started out as a slow night had ended with nonstop medical runs, while the engine crew had somehow managed to avoid a single call out.

Roy rubbed his eyes with the heel of one hand while pushing his way through the kitchen door with the other, the scent of hot liquid caffeine leading the way. Behind him, Johnny covered his open mouth, his eyes watering from the yawn that stretched his face unflatteringly. He felt the stubble growing along his lower jawline, completely uncaring. There was no one at home to welcome him with a kiss – at least, not yet. If things went the way he was hoping, that might not be the case much longer.

"Man, you guys look beat."

"Shut up, Chet," Johnny mumbled, following his partner to the coffee pot.

"Five runs since midnight," Roy grumbled.

"Well, too bad the squad wasn't as cordial to you fellas as Big Red was to us," the junior lineman continued, unabated by the foul mood of his paramedic shiftmates. "She stayed quiet and jus' let us sleep all through the night."

"Yea, well you know what you can do with Big Red…" Johnny turned around, his mouth agape.

Sitting around the table were the linemen and engineer, two open pink boxes in front of them. "Where'd ya get those?" the dark-haired medic asked, using his coffee cup to point in the direction of the pastries.

Marco, the only crew member without a mouthful of sugar-coated bliss, spoke up. "Remember the customer from the Pourhouse yesterday? He brought 'em," he responded, licking his fingers.

Johnny arched an eyebrow, still staring at the box while his suddenly alert partner grabbed a chocolate éclair. "Oh… oh, yea…" Johnny glanced around, noting that their supervisor was absent. "He talkin' to Cap?"

"How'd you know?" Chet questioned.

Johnny reached over him, not caring how his unbathed armpit might smell to his nemesis. "He mentioned it yesterday. You know who he is, right?" he asked, purposely dislodging powdered sugar onto the curly hair of his comrade as he shoved half the donut into his mouth.

"Marco jus' told ya, Gage. He's the guy from the Pourhouse, yesterday. Geesh, don'tcha listen?"

"No, man, I mean his brother. Do you know who his brother is?" Without missing a beat, he continued talking around a mouthful of raspberry filled donut while pointing towards the captains' office. "That fella is Kyle Carrigan's little brother."

"What?" Mike asked, flattening his hands on the table as he pushed away from it. They had only recently gotten their captain back to a fairly normal state-of-mind. He wasn't sure the older man could handle an emotional setback from an outraged member of the Carrigan family.

"No, no, Mike," Johnny quickly responded, stopping the engineer in his tracks. "It's a good thing… really. I talked to him. He doesn't blame Cap for anything and he wants to tell him so."

"You sure about that?" the engineer asked just as the kitchen door opened again, this time revealing the younger Carrigan with Captain Stanley; the eyes of both men were red-rimmed.

"Sure about what?" Hank asked, ushering their guest to the coffee pot.

"Hey, Carrigan," Johnny spoke up, licking the sugar from his fingers before extending his hand in a friendly gesture, effectively cutting off his superior's question that none of the men wanted to answer. "You're lookin' much better this mornin'."

"And thanks for the donuts," Roy added, reaching for a second delectable treat.

"Oh, just my way of saying thank you for coming to the rescue yesterday." Carrigan lowered his gaze, accepting the proffered coffee cup from the fire captain, chuckling at the sticky residue Johnny had left on his right hand. "I know you fellas were just doing your job, but I still wanted to show my appreciation."

Hank swallowed the lump in his throat, knowing he needed to explain the identity of their visitor, but realizing that John already knew. "Men, this is Keith Carrigan, Kyle's younger brother."

A cacophony of accolades for the deceased fireman rose from the assembled group before a moment of awkward silence fell across the room. Keith cleared his throat, pushing past the hoarseness, partly the result of smoke inhalation from his close call the day before and partly due to his emotional status at the moment.

"Ahem, I just wanted to tell Captain Stanley… and all of you… that Kyle knew the risks of the job. I miss him every day… I always will… but it was just an accident… nothing more. And I hope you fellas will honor his memory by going out and saving more lives… that you'll continue to do what you love… that you… will continue to… inspire young kids to… to grow up to… be just like you… and my brother… and… and that you won't let the dragon win," he somehow managed to say, running his hand down his dampened face.

Each man took a turn shaking the hand of the younger Carrigan. It was cathartic for all of them, but especially for the highest ranking man. Hank felt the final weight being lifted from his shoulders. He would always wonder if there was something he could have done to have changed the outcome of that fateful night, but he no longer felt like the fire itself was pulling him into the pit of hell. He had finally accepted that his place was right here with his men; nothing else would satisfy him, no other job would make him feel as fulfilled. Of that, he was certain.

Captain Stanley closed the kitchen side door after their guest had left, allowing himself a moment to gaze upon his crew. They had each been through a truly difficult year, and there would be lumps and bumps ahead – there always were – but he was proud of them. Even the juvenile bantering of his two youngest men couldn't stop the swelling in his heart. He thought of Becca and how she had supported him, not only during the worst year of his life, but every day since the day they met. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to go home, take a long hot shower, and spend some quality time alone with his soulmate.

"Marco," Roy spoke up, carrying the coffee pot around the table, adding a warming addition to each man's cup. "We stopped by to check on Bri earlier. She was sleeping, but Beverly said that she was doing okay… She doesn't remember the incident."

"Did Bev say if she was staying with Bri all day?"

Roy could hear the concern in his friend's voice. "She said Amy was going to come back later on this morning." The senior medic took his seat, remembering his brief conversation with Beverly in the hallway outside Bri's room. "She looked tired, Marco. I don't think she got much sleep."

"Probably not… I hate hospitals," the lineman replied. "Guess I'll go by Mama's house when my relief gets here… Let them know what happened."

E!

Maria used a fork to whip the four eggs into a frothy mixture. She dropped a pat of butter into the frying pan just as a familiar knock sounded at the front door.

"Grandma! Meeko's here," cheered an enthusiastic little boy.

Without missing a beat, Maria picked up two more eggs from the carton. "Well, why don't you invite him in for breakfast, Antonio," she said with a chuckle. Having her eldest child joining them for breakfast would be a welcome treat.

"Good morning, Mama," Marco greeted, kissing his mother lightly on the cheek.

"What a nice surprise," Maria said, pouring the scrambled egg mixture into the hot pan. She tossed in the diced peppers, tomatoes, and shredded cheese, then lowered the temperature. "Did you bring Beverly with you? I have plenty of food," she said, wiping her hands on the apron tied around her plump waist.

Marco poured himself a cup of orange juice, reaching for his nephew's favorite plastic cup from the cupboard. It was a ritual he had performed many times over the last couple of years. He missed his family home, but he looked forward to the new home he was soon going to make with Beverly.

"Uh, no… She spent the night at the hospital."

Maria continued stirring the eggs, heating up a few flour tortillas beside them. "Oh? Another rescue? Is the girl going to be okay?" Her mind immediately going back to the day she had been reunited with Lexi. She silently prayed that Beverly's latest rescue would survive – not all of them did.

"Yes, but she's… Mama, it isn't what you think," he said, taking over the preparations for her. He knew she was going to be upset by what he was about to say.

"How so?"

"There was an explosion at the Pourhouse, yesterday afternoon. Bri was injured."

"Oh no," Maria gasped, her hand covering her mouth. "How… How badly?"

"She has some burns, but Roy and John say that they'll heal." He scraped the scrambled eggs onto a plate, setting it on the table. "She was trapped underneath a wooden shelving unit; it pinned her in for a few minutes. She wasn't unconscious, but it took one of the customer's a few minutes to get her out."

"Oh, that poor girl. Lexi is just going to have to accept the fact that Bri is coming back here to stay while she recovers. She doesn't need to be alone." When she received no response, she looked up to see Marco with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Did Aunt Bri get hurt bad?" Antonio asked, his innocent face adorned with an orange juice mustache which he promptly wiped away with his shirt sleeve as he waited for his grandmother to prepare a breakfast burrito for his plate.

"Yes, Ant, but she's going to be alright. You and I will make sure of that, won't we?" Maria asked, cutting a quick glance at Marco.

"Can I draw her a 'feel gooder' picture?" the child inquired, using both hands to keep the contents of his burrito from spilling out.

"I think she would really like that," Maria replied, noticing how quiet Marco had grown.

"Will my Momma get mad if I give Aunt Bri a picture?" the child asked, his voice lower and his head downcast.

"No," his grandmother replied sharply. "She most certainly will not be mad. I believe they are getting along better now," Maria added, hopefully.

"Did they say their sorries?"

Maria patted her grandson's head. "Yes, I believe they did say their apologies yesterday."

But even Antonio's childhood vocabulary, antics that normally left his uncle doubled over in laughter, wasn't enough to bring a smile to Marco's face.

"Was anybody else hurt?" Maria waited for an answer, but Marco seemed not to have heard her question. "Ahem."

Marco looked over at his mother. He recognized the stern throat-clearing noise as her way of getting his attention. "Did you say something?"

"I asked if anyone else was hurt?"

He shook his head, stirring his food around on his plate. "No, it happened just before four o'clock, so it was in between lunch and dinner. Only one customer was inside… Could've been much worse…"

Maria waited patiently for him to continue talking. She could read him like a book. He softened his facial features, knowing she was wondering what he was thinking. "She, um… She can't remember anything about the incident, Mama." He set his fork down on the edge of his plate. "In fact, she doesn't remember anything about yesterday, at all."

Maria felt her heart sink. If Bri had no memory of the previous day, then she probably wouldn't be able to recall Lexi's conversation with her, either… If such a conversation had actually happened in the first place.

Standing quietly just outside the kitchen doorway, Lexi sucked in her bottom lip. While she wasn't happy about Bri's accident, the situation was exactly what she needed. She tiptoed across the living room to the base of the staircase, waiting for the right moment to make her presence known. Spotting Antonio's Tinker Toy set in the toy box in the corner of the room, she quietly removed one of the wooden dowels and tossed it across the living room floor.

"OUCH!"

The sound of chairs scraping along the hardwood floor let her know that her plan had worked.

"Momma, are you okay?" Antonio questioned as his pudgy face peeked out from behind the kitchen door way, Maria following behind.

"Yes, but you shouldn't leave your toys strewn across the living room floor. I stepped on one of them and nearly fell," she responded, knitting her eyebrows in a look of frustration as she took a few steps towards the kitchen, limping.

Maria bit her tongue, not wanting to scold her daughter in front of Antonio, but she made sure her eyes relayed her message. "I'm sure it was just an accident, wasn't it, Ant?" Maria asked, nudging the child through the doorway and into the living room. "Now, pick up that piece," she said, pointing at the offending wooden stick, "and look around for others while the grown-ups finish our breakfast."

Maria was glad Marco was there to help her explain to Lexi what had happened at the Pourhouse the previous day. She still doubted Lexi's story about yesterday's visit with Bri going well, but now wasn't the time to discuss the issue. Bri was injured and would be needing help over the next few days.

"Yes… ma'am," the admonished child mumbled, lowering his head, knowing better than to deny his guilt. If the toy had been left out to be stepped on, then it must have been his fault, but how could he have missed it. He swiped his fingers beneath his nose. It seemed that no matter how hard he tried, he was always being a bad boy around his Momma.

Lexi forced herself to look away from her son's pitiful face. She hated hurting his feelings, but soon she would make him the happiest little boy in the world. Just a few short weeks and, he would have what he wanted most in the world – a Momma and a Daddy – and she would have what she wanted most, too. She would finally have the security of knowing that her precious little boy was safe from the cruelest evil she had ever known.

E!

It was nearly lunchtime when Marco made it back to his apartment. He saw Beverly's car in the parking lot and assumed she would be asleep. He deftly slipped his key into the lock and turned it, only to feel the knob being yanked from his hand.

"You're late," Beverly fumed, her exhausted face not hiding her true feelings.

"Uh-oh, and you're angry," he replied, dropping his keys into the bowl in the foyer. "I was letting you sleep, Baby. Roy said you were tired."

"If I want Roy delivering messages for me, I'll ask him myself," she raged.

Marco stood up a little straighter. Beverly's foul mood involved more than just fatigue. "What's this all about, Beverly?"

"It's about YOU… you being…," she hesitated, her arms flailing around, "not here!"

Marco approached her slowly, wrapping her into a calming embrace. "When you… needed me?" He felt her release a shuttering breath. "Sshhh… I'm sorry, Baby… I didn't think about you needing to talk to me after all this with Bri."

"But… I did… and… "

"I went by Mama's house to tell them about the explosion," Marco mentally chastised himself with his confession. "I should've tried to call you."

"It's just so unfair," she sniffled, pulling away from him and plopping down on the sofa. "Why her? Why did Bri have to be injured again?"

He knew she wasn't expecting an answer; she simply needed his listening ear and his support. He took a seat beside her, grasping her hand and allowing her to open her heart to him.

"I mean, think about everything she's been through with Hunley, and now… this!"

Marco ran his thumb across the back of her hand. "She's strong… just like you, Bev. I mean, look at all you went through, and yet, you've not only survived – you've thrived. And I'm so proud of you. You've shared your strength with Bri… and Lexi… and all the others you've rescued. Bri's going to be okay."

"I wish I shared your faith, Marco… I'm just not so sure."

"Well… I have some good news… Lexi said that she went by the Pourhouse yesterday afternoon and spoke to Bri. Lexi apologized and Bri accepted her apology, and… I mean, Mama told me that you two really didn't believe her story about visiting with Bri, but Lexi said they talked for a few minutes behind the restaurant. Lexi even knew that there was only one customer and said that Amy was taking care of him so that gave her and Bri time to talk. Don't you see, Beverly? Lexi couldn't have known that unless she had gone by there. She was being truthful," Marco said, his face lighting up.

"Not sure that matter's anymore," she said, wiping her eyes with her fingers, further smudging yesterday's mascara. "Bri doesn't remember anything that happened yesterday." She turned sideways so that she could look into his loving face. "But I'm afraid this new trauma might have resurrected other memories."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure… she kept mumbling something about a crib… Like she was terrified of it, or something."

Marco thumbed through the pages of his memory. "But, her baby was stillborn early in the pregnancy. I don't think there would've been any crib."

Beverly pressed her lips into a thin line of frustration. "I know… I think I need to talk to Lexi."

Marco kissed her lightly on her forehead. "First, you need some rest."

E!

At Rampart Hospital, a soft knock alerted Bri that she had a visitor. She peeled her eyes open and realized that Amy had not yet returned from lunch. She saw the tray of Jell-o and cold broth sitting on the table near her; she had not felt like eating earlier.

Assuming the knock was from a candy striper sent to retrieve the tray, she called out to the guest as she snuggled back down in her bed, closing her eyes. "Come in."

"Uh, Miss Mendosa?"

The distinctly masculine voice pulled her up from her cozy spot in bed. "Um, y-yes?"

"Hi," the gentleman said sheepishly, softly walking closer to her bed. "You probably don't remember me, but-"

"Sam?" she asked, shocked at the sight of the man who had once carried her into this same hospital on one of the worst days of her young life. "Sam Bennett, what brings you here?"

Her recognition sent a warmth across his chest that he hadn't anticipated. "You remember me," he blushed, taking a seat beside her bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Not so good," she said, grimacing as she tried to adjust the bed. "I'm being told that I was in an explosion at the restaurant… Are you investigating it?" She knew she couldn't be lucky enough to have a handsome young man interested in her well-being. The only reason he would be here was if he was investigating the incident.

Samford's eyes lit up for a moment. "I was hoping you could tell me more about what happened. I have a theory, but so far, no evidence to support it."

Bri tried to hide her disappointment. He was all business, but what else did she expect. He had been really nice to her at Stoker's personnel hearing when Hunley had attacked her, yet, she knew the truth – what she had done to expose Leonard Hunley had merely proven to the world that she was nothing more than a "two-bit whore," using Hunley's own words.

She pulled the blankets up near her chin, wishing she could bury herself beneath them. She could feel him staring at her, waiting for an answer. "Um… I can't… I don't remember… anything about yesterday."

"Nothing?"

She shook her head. "The last thing I remember was hanging up my uniform on the back of my bedroom door before I went to bed the night before. I don't even remember going to work."

Sam clicked his pen off, stashing it back into his shirt pocket. He returned the notebook to his briefcase. "I'm sorry, Bri. I didn't realize that you had been injured so badly. Hank… Hank Stanley said that his paramedics didn't think you had a head injury, so he thought you might be able to answer a few questions for me."

Bri stared out the hospital window. "No head injury… just… no memory at all."

"I see… Well, we're still sifting through the debris. Maybe I'll have some answers for you soon… something to fill in the blanks."

When Bri didn't respond and didn't turn to look at him, he decided to change the subject. "Is this what they're feeding you? It doesn't look too appealing," he said, trying to lighten her mood.

"It isn't… but I don't feel much like eating," she responded.

"Will they let you have something tastier?"

Bri shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, do you like milkshakes?"

The dark-haired woman cut her eyes in Sam's direction. "Why?"

"I know a chocolate milkshake makes me feel better when I'm not feeling well. I thought you might like one. I'd be happy to bring one to you, if you'd like," the fire investigator offered.

"I, um, I don't have my purse… It got burned up in the fire," she explained, not wanting to hurt his feelings by declining his offer.

"Why do you need your purse?" he asked, knowing what she meant.

"Milkshakes cost money."

"I don't let ladies pay for their food when I ask them out," he said, flashing her a smile. "I mean, I know you can't go out yet, but I can bring you a milkshake back and we can dine in."

She stared at him in disbelief, unable to answer his question.

"Well? How 'bout it?"

"Strawberry is my favorite," she replied, trying to smile.

"I'll ask your nurse if it's okay, and if she agrees, then I'll be right back," he said turning just as her door opened.

"Well, hello, Samford," Dixie spoke in her usual smoky voice. "How are you feeling, Bri?"

Bri responded with an inarticulate groan.

"The food here isn't helping, Ms. McCall," Sam replied. "Would it be okay if I brought her a milkshake?"

Dixie's blue eyes drifted from Samford over to Bri, hesitating briefly on the food tray on the table. "That does sound better than this garbage," she snickered. "Think you can drink a milkshake?"

Bri pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, nodding. "I'd be willing to try."

"Ms. McCall?" Sam questioned.

"I think a milkshake would be just what the doctor ordered," she said with a smile.

As soon as Samford headed for the cafeteria, Dixie sat down on the edge of Bri's bed. "Now… how are you really doing?"

"Okay, I guess. I don't remember anything," she said.

"Has Amy told you anything about what happened?" she asked, realizing midway through her question that the owner of the diner was not present. "I thought she was staying with you?"

"Oh," Bri gave a wave of her hand. "She had a lot to do with the diner. I told her I'd be fine alone here during the day. Beverly is coming back to stay with me tonight."

"Well, I happen to know that Rampart has the best nurses in all of LA County, so you'll be in good hands while you're here," Dixie said, giving her a playful wink. "How's your pain level?" the head nurse asked.

"It's okay… manageable… Dr. Brackett said that if the pain pills work okay for me today, then he'll let me go home… tomorrow," she said, sucking in a quick breath as she fought back her tears.

"Then why the sad face?"

Bri released a shuttering breath. "I'm… out o' work, and now… I can't pay the rent… I'm gonna be… homeless again," she sniffled. "Oh Dixie… What am I gonna do?"

Dixie placed a calming hand on Bri's shoulder. "First of all, you are going to get well enough to get out of here. Then, you have friends who are going to help you out until you're back on your feet."

"But what about Amy? She's gonna need more help than me," Bri wept. "She lost her business, not just her job. All the people I know are friends of Amy's. They'll be helping her… I don't expect them to help me, too."

Before Dixie could respond, her name was paged over the intercom. "Ugh," she groaned, sliding off the edge of the bed. "Duty calls." She walked over to the door, pulling the door open then turning back around to offer a final word of encouragement. "You hang in there, Bri. Things just seem to have a way of working out… You'll see."

E!

An hour later, Dixie propped one hip on the edge of her stool, staring at the growing pile of charts. She reached into her pocket, withdrawing a pen. She had to get some of the charting done before another surge of activity flooded the busy emergency department.

"Um, Ms. McCall?"

Her blue eyes peered upwards through thick eyelashes, followed by a smile of recognition. "Hello, again. How'd our girl do with the milkshake?"

Samford leaned against the counter, his gaze drifting away from the nurse. "She's still trying to get it all down."

Dixie waited for him to continue, but when he didn't, she had to ask the question. "But…"

"You were in there when I left to go to the cafeteria… Did something happen to upset her?" he asked.

The perceptive nurse closed the chart she had been reviewing. "How much do you know about her?"

"I know about her life on the streets, if that's what you mean," he responded. "And I was there when she took down Leonard Hunley. She's a tough lady."

Dixie slid off the stool, stepping around the end of the counter. "How about you join me for a cup of terrible hospital coffee in the staff lounge," she joked, her charting would have to wait a little while longer.

"It can't be as bad as some of the fire house coffee I've tasted," he snickered, allowing her to lead the way.

E!

On the fourth floor of the hospital, Lexi meandered down the hallway, in no hurry to reach her destination. What would she do if Bri had regained her memory? She really hadn't thought through all of the 'what ifs' in this situation. The opportunity to explain her whereabouts yesterday afternoon had happened so suddenly, she had no chance to plan for all the possibilities. She could almost hear her mother's voice chastising her. 'Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.' She shuddered at the memory, then found herself standing in front of the door to Bri's room. With a deep inhalation, she lightly knocked, holding her breath until the voice on the other side granted her entrance.

E!

The shadows were growing longer as Lexi turned onto her street. She had been gone longer than she had planned, but she had actually accomplished a lot in a very short time. Seeing both Marco's and Beverly's cars parked along the street in front of her mother's house, she tried to brace herself for the verbal assault she figured was coming.

She hurriedly rushed up the steps, forcing her face to appear light-hearted. "Hello, everyone," she announced as she entered the house.

Maria bit her lip between her teeth, pushing her rotund body up from the sofa where she had been sitting. Antonio gave a quick turn of his head as a greeting, then returned his attention to the television set. He assumed she was still angry at him for his earlier misplacement of his Tinker Toy.

"You're just in time for dinner. Marco and Beverly decided to cook for us," she said, obviously proud of her eldest son and his future bride.

The look on her mother's face was another reminder of the disappointment Lexi knew she had become. She had tried to learn to cook, but her brother was still the best cook of all the Lopez children. In the Lopez family, everyone learned to cook – men and women – but it was expected that the women would always be the best cooks. That was not the case with Lexi, nor would it ever be.

When Lexi didn't say anything, Maria suddenly became concerned. "How was Bri? Didn't your visit go well?"

Jerking her head up, Lexi forced a smile on her face. "Oh, she's doing much better. She doesn't remember anything about the explosion," Lexi began turning her back to her mother as she set her purse down in the foyer. "Actually, she doesn't remember yesterday at all. I mean, she didn't even remember me stopping by to talk to her."

"Oh, dear. Did you have to go through the apology again?"

"Yes, ma'am, but she accepted it, and everything is fine between us. Dr. Brackett is probably going to let her out tomorrow and I told her that we'd have her room ready."

"And she agreed to stay here for a few days?"

"She only agreed to stay until her arms were healed, but yes, she agreed to stay with us," Lexi said, finally able to look at her mother's face. It was so much easier to face the woman she loved when she wasn't lying.

"Aunt Bri is coming to live with us again?" Antonio asked, bolting into an upright position.

"Yes, your Aunt Bri will probably be coming home tomorrow, but she's going to need our help, okay?" Lexi said, kneeling down so that she was face-to-face with her son. She gulped past the lump that was forming in her throat. She was glad that he seemed to have developed a close bond with Bri. There was nothing more from life that she wanted than for her son to be happy and safe. His happiness would be the easy part, but it was his safety that she was planning for the most.

"I can help. I can help. Please let me help. I can draw her more pictures," he said, his innocent eyes wide.

Beverly walked out of the kitchen, untying the apron from around her waist. "Oh good, you're home," she said, addressing her future sister-in-law. "Dinner's ready."

"Go wash up," Lexi said to her son, shooing him from the room. As soon as he was gone, she turned to Beverly. "Bri seemed okay this afternoon. She said you were staying with her again, tonight."

Beverly held the kitchen door open for Maria and Lexi while Marco set the table. "Yes, I am. Is her memory coming back at all?"

"I'm afraid not," Lexi replied, taking a seat. "I had to go through my whole apology again, but she accepted it and she'll be staying with us for a few days until she feels like she can manage on her own."

"I'm so glad. How soon?" Maria asked.

"Maybe tomorrow afternoon… Oh, and guess who else I saw walking across the parking lot as I was leaving?"

The others looked at each other in confusion.

"Samford Bennett. He had stopped by to ask her questions related to the investigation."

Marco picked up the plate of pork chops and passed them around. "I guess that was a short visit for him since she can't remember anything."

"It might have been, but she said that since she didn't like what they had served her for lunch, he went to the cafeteria and bought her a milkshake. Wasn't that nice? Oh, and I invited him to the party on Friday night, too. I mean, since Bri will be there and all."

Beverly and Marco exchanged knowing looks. Beverly was about to ask Lexi for more information when Antonio returned, his hands out and palms facing upwards. "Clean enough?"

Lexi pretended to closely inspect his hands, much like her own mother had done when she was a child. "Yes, clean enough."

As soon as their dinner was eaten, Lexi began clearing the dishes. "I'll take care of these," she announced. Even though her cooking skills were lacking, she knew how to clean things up. Now, if only her life would be as easy to clean as a sink full of dishes.

"Um, I need to head to the hospital," Beverly announced. "Lexi, would you walk with me to my car?"

Maria and Marco took over in the kitchen, both knowing what Beverly was going to ask.

Lexi nervously followed Beverly out of the house. As they stood on the front porch, she was sure the older woman could hear her heart slamming around inside her chest. "Um, w-what's going on?"

"Well, I didn't want to talk in front of Antonio, but I need to ask you something about Bri and I need for you to be completely honest with me, okay?"

"Um, 'kay," Lexi replied, taking a seat on the steps.

Beverly sat beside her and began relaying the events of the previous night. "So anyway, three times during the night, she became restless and was mumbling and the only thing I could make out that she was saying was the word crib."

Lexi felt her world tilt and was grateful she was sitting down. "I-I don't understand," she stammered, amazed by how honest the lie sounded. If Bri was in pain and having nightmares about a crib, then there was only one explanation.

Beverly stared across the street into the darkness of the vacant lot. "Yea… me neither. Marco thought she might be referring to a crib for her baby, but she was only about halfway through her pregnancy when she was beaten and her apartment set on fire, so I doubt if she would've had a crib set up that early. Do you think she could've? Maybe it got burned up in the fire and that's what she's talking about?"

"I dunno," Lexi lied. She knew the type of crib to which Bri was referring and it had nothing to do with a baby, but she saw this as her way out. "Maybe so," she spouted back, her words suddenly spewing forth. "I mean, that has to be it. What else could it be, right? She was trapped in a fire just like in the apartment when her baby died. So, yea, yea, that has to be it," she agreed.

Beverly knew that her acceptance of the explanation was a little too sudden and sure. Deep in her heart, she knew that Bri's nightmare had nothing to do with a baby crib, but without more to go on, and with Lexi so quick to agree, she knew she wasn't going to get any additional information from her tonight.

"Okay, well, maybe she'll rest better tonight. Thanks for going by to see her today, and thanks for… well, for accepting her back into your life. You've come a long way, Lexi. As a matter of fact, both of you ladies have, so keep up the good work."

Lexi watched as Beverly got into her car and drove away. She felt as if someone had kicked her in the stomach. She looked up at the dark sky, and in an act of desperation, she prayed. "Dear God, if you're up there, please don't let Bri tell Beverly anything. I just need a few more weeks, and then it'll all be over, I promise. Please… Just give me a few more weeks."

E!

AN: Thank you for reading and especially to those of you who have contacted me and shared your thoughts. I am so grateful for your encouragement. I have been having some health issues, but I hope that my time off from work recuperating from surgery and the treatments that will follow might inspire me to finish this series sooner. It seems that stress has a way of inspiring my muse – strange, I know. Thanks again.