The next morning, Christmas Day, I woke up to my alarm, which was set for 5am. I quickly showered, put on some smart clothes and headed to the kitchen... to check on Betty. She’d made a start on breakfast and had already set the table. Steve came into the kitchen a few minutes later holding his camera. I was pleased that both of them had put on some decent clothes. By 6am, Betty had laid out breakfast and the children had woken Mr Lloyd and had come running into the dining room, giving the three. Most importantly ofall, a memory of a happy meeting in a bookstore followed by a whirlwindbut non-supernatural romance deleted the memory of the morning's oddityin Will's mind. Even Will's recent pictures amended themselves toinclude one smiling red-head. As the wave pulsed outward to more fullyestablish the existence of one Holly O'Grady there was little left toquestion whether Miss Holly had existed prior to that day and was not anatural fixture within this home.Will was still dizzy from the. “Deacon,” she called to me.“Yes Ma’am.” I said.“That grandson of mine is in trouble again. He needs your help,” she said.“Sorry Nana, but I’m not a lawyer or a social worker,” I said.“No, but if you come to court and tell the judge all is forgive, it might help,” she said.“When is his court date,” I said.“This Friday,” she said.“I’ll get someone to take over for me and clear my schedule,” I said. “But Nana I won’t lie for him.”“I knows that,” she said.I got back to the house and unloaded the. A hard chill ran through his entire body and a deep spasm struck his gut. He instantly felt as if he were about regurgitate his entire body through his nose. A bolt of white hot agony shot through his head, the pain so sudden and brilliant that he thought he had been shot. He had never imagined a person could endure such pain and remain conscious, much less alive. But he was alive, and for all he could hope he genuinely wished he wasn’t. If only the crazy bastard would just kill him and be done.