CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
(part one)

Thursday morning — 9 A.M.
Rose Hospital

Aden stood in Sandy’s doorway. His hair was wet and his skin shiny from a fast shower.

“Aden!” Sandy beamed at him.

“I’ll leave you for a moment. Then we must speak with the doctors.”

Anjelika kissed Sandy’s cheek and touched Aden’s arm before leaving the room.

“How are you?” Aden and Sandy said at the same time.

Sandy smiled. He bent over to hug and kiss her. Looking up, he saw the baby’s heart beat. He grinned.

“Meet your baby,” Sandy said.

Aden kissed her again.

“What about the kids? Aden, they’ve been really upset.”

“I was just there,” Aden said. He pulled two cards from his pocket. “They made you get-well cards.”

Beaming, Sandy read Nash’s then Noelle’s card. She smiled at Aden.

“They are very sweet. How are they?”

“In pain,” Aden said. “But all right. You should have seen Noelle. She said, ‘Now Daddy, you did something wrong and you will have to just pay for that.’ It’s the first time I’ve seen her be so calm and… I don’t know, like she’s my daughter.”

Sandy chuckled.

“How are you?” Aden asked.

“I don’t know,” Sandy said. “They took me for more tests this morning. Anjelika said she wants me to go home but not my home. To the Castle.”

“Sam posted my bail and took me there,” Aden said. “I got there after six and they were already busy setting up a place for all of us. Anjelika and the rest of Jill’s family were there working.”

“Why… I mean, what happened yesterday?”

“I lost it,” Aden took her hand. “As long as I’ve known you, I’ve had to sit helplessly by while you struggle with the pain inflicted by that awful man. I want so much to make your pain go away, to make it better. When I thought Noelle was in the same situation? Especially after what happened with Nuala? And all that crap at Nash’s school? I couldn’t stand by anymore. I just couldn’t do it. I had to end this madness for you… for Noelle… for Nash.”

“But you put everything at risk – your custody of the kids, your job, us. My father could have killed you.”

Aden nodded. He looked away from Sandy’s concerned eyes. As if drawn by a magnet, his eyes returned to the baby’s heart beat.

“You’ve never been out of control,” Aden said finally.

“Not really.”

“You’re also not a man,” Aden gave her a half smile. “I’m glad you’re not. Did you hear that the Assistant Principal was arrested?”

“It was on the news,” Sandy said. “He had child pornography on his personal and work computer.”

“Scumbag,” Aden said. “That’s why he’s been on Nash! It’s unbelievable.”

“Are you all right?”

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow….