CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
(part four)

Friday evening – 5:27 P.M.

Waking from her nap, Sandy rolled over to pet Cleo. In her half-awake state, Sandy was grateful for Cleo’s reassuring presence. Cleo and Sandy had been through a lot together. They would get through this as well. She was about to fall back asleep when she heard a soft noise.

Like a weight, the knowledge of everything that happened fell on her. Her mind flashed through a slide show of images: Aden punching her father in the face; her father shooting her in the back; waking up in the hospital; her mother’s awful words; and hundred dollar bills flying in the air. Her mind came to rest on Seth’s face. He was talking about her ‘family of choice.’

Then she heard the sound again. Someone was crying. Not loud, not wailing, but someone near her was crying.

Moving as fast as her back brace and pain would allow, Sandy got out of bed. Cleo looked up at her and meowed. Sandy picked up her black and white cat, the first member of her family of choice, to carry her out of the room. Standing just outside the door, Sandy was a little disoriented. The bedroom had looked so much like her bedroom at home, Sandy thought she was at home. Where was she?

Not at home, that’s for sure.

She had stepped into a hallway with gorgeous wide oak floors. There were two doors to her right and one door to her left. Light shone from under a door across the hall. She nudged the door open then blinked at the light.

Aden and Nash were sitting on a couch playing Grand Theft Auto on an X-box 360 on a flat screen television. Disabled by his broken arm, Nash was only ahead by a hundred points. She stood behind the couch watching for a few moments before they noticed her.

“Hey Sandy,” Nash said. He paused the game. “Dad’s taking advantage of my injury.”

“How are you feeling?” Aden got up from the couch to hug her.

“Disoriented. I don’t remember getting here,” Sandy said.

“You were in a lot of pain at your father’s house. Delphie came to get you in a cab,” Aden said. “You were pretty out of it when you got here.”

“Dad carried you into the bedroom,” Nash said. “Noelle and I tried to keep him from dropping you.”

“Or tripping,” Aden laughed.

“Where’s Val?” Sandy asked.

“She left for Prague about an hour after you left your father’s house,” Aden said.

“Did an armored car really take the money?” Sandy asked. “Or did I dream the money thing?”

“Val told Delphie that there were millions in the house. The money is at the bank being counted right now,” Aden said. “It was a lot.”

“You’re rich, Sandy!” Nash said. “Will you buy me an iPhone?”

“You don’t need an iPhone,” Aden repeated what he’d said over and over again.

Nash wrinkled his lips in disgust to Aden. Turning away, he smiled brightly at Sandy.

“What do you think, Sandy? I bet you think I need an iPhone? I bet you want to call me, and know where I am, and keep track of stuff and…”

Sandy laughed.

“Where’s Noelle?” Sandy asked.

Aden and Nash shared a look.

“What’s wrong?” Sandy asked.

“Noelle’s a little upset,” Aden said.

“Yeah, Dad told us about the baby and she freaked out,” Nash said. “She’s been crying for hours.”

“Why?” Sandy asked.

“She’s just like that,” Nash said. “I mean, I’m not thrilled at being replaced by a new kid but it’s not like I can do anything about it.”

“Replaced?” Aden and Sandy said in unison.

Denver Cereal continues tomorrow…