

The Deathtaker

by

S.L. Baum

This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales in this novel are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Copyright 2015 by S. Baum

All rights reserved.

Reading order for this Series:

Deathtaker Series

The Deathtaker (book one)

The Deathtaker's Daughter (book two)

The New Deathtaker (book three)

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

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Product Description:

Krista walks through life being able to pinpoint exactly what is physically wrong with the people around her. She can smell disease and decay. From a simple inhale she can instantly tell if Death is nearing, she knows whether or not someone has long to live. She's moved from town to town, constantly looking for someone to help... someone who could truly benefit from a second chance at life. Help and move on, that's been her pattern. She never planned on staying in a small town, and she didn't plan on finding someone to love... in fact, Krista didn't plan for anything that Cedar Creek had in store for her.

****

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

****

Prologue

Linda was perched on the edge of the bed, her body stiff from the nervous energy that had taken hold of her. She tried to relax her fingers as she held the young woman's hand. "I can't thank you enough for this."

The other woman tried to smile, but she couldn't.

Linda blinked her eyes rapidly; it was a feeble attempt to keep her tears in check and she knew she was about to fail miserably. She was too overcome with emotion. "That's such an overused phrase, I can't thank you enough, and I'm sure you've heard it before, but I mean it. I really mean it! There is no possible way I could ever express the enormity of my gratitude for what you are doing for her, for me, for our family. You are truly an angel."

The young woman turned her head to the side, to stare at the child in the bed next to her. "I'm no angel, Linda."

"You are. You really are, Jesse."

"Remember what I told you?"

"I remember. I won't tell anyone. Ever."

"Not even her," Jesse said and pointed to Linda's daughter. The little girl was asleep; a forced sleep that was brought on by Jesse's presence, because the time was near. They always fell asleep; it was just the way it worked. It happened every time.

Jesse didn't know exactly how it worked; she just knew it did. She watched the young girl's chest rise and fall with slow steady breaths. Her dark eyelashes fluttered slightly against the tops of pale cheeks, which were just starting to become rosy again. Her mouth was slack and the room was filled with the sound of the air rushing in and out of those little lungs.

Linda looked at her daughter and smiled. "I won't tell her it was you. I'll just say it was a miracle. It's not a lie. This is a miracle."

Jesse nodded her head. "And you'll make sure that I am completely undisturbed? I can't be found after this, not for at least twenty-four hours."

"I paid for three nights, the Do Not Disturb sign is on the door, and I called the front desk. I told them that unless the hotel is burning down, no one is to enter this room."

"Good." Jesse thought back, remembering something from her past, remembering the lessons her grandmother had taught her. "As soon as my eyes close, and my breaths slow, her eyes will open. You have to get her far away from me, as quickly as you can. The sickness always wants its original home. It will look for her."

Even though a large part of her was having an extremely hard time believing what Jesse had promised to do for her little girl, Linda's eyes narrowed, her face hardened, and she shook her head with sharp determination. "It can't have her. I won't let it." The words were uttered in a quiet, hushed tone, but there was nothing soft about them.

"That's right. You just take your girl and walk out. Make sure the door locks behind you and you keep on going." Jesse managed to smile at the woman she'd become friends with over the last few months, a woman she would try her hardest to never see again. Distance was best. "What time is it?"

"Eleven fifty-eight."

"I didn't think it was so late. But I guess we have been in this room for quite some time. It's about to happen, I can feel it. We are almost there," Jesse grimaced.

Linda squeezed Jesse's hand again. Every crease in the young woman's face filled Linda with concern. "Does it hurt?"

Jesse closed her eyes and thought about the pain. It hurt. The searing pain screamed inside of her, but she tried to never let it show. It made her feel strong to hold it in, hiding it from Linda and her child. It was worth it. When the process began, Jesse spent weeks with simply minor pain; only a few of those days, at the very end, became excruciating at times. The last hour, the one she was in, was the killer. She opened her eyes and nodded her head. "A little."

"Thank you," Linda whispered, as her tears finally broke through. She was unable to hold them back any longer.

"You're welcome," Jesse whispered in return. Her eyes, too heavy to keep open any longer, closed again.

"Jesse isn't your real name, is it?"

Linda heard a quiet moan. She turned toward her daughter and discovered that the little girl's eyes were wide open. "Momma," she squeaked as she gasped for breath.

Linda let go of Jesse's hand, which had gone suddenly limp, and she grabbed her daughter, lifting her small frame from the other bed. She crushed the little girl to her chest. "We gotta go, baby," she whispered as she walked away from the beds and reached for the handle on the door.

"Isn't that my nurse, Momma?"

Linda backed out of the room. "That is an angel, baby. A real, true, angel."

"She's a pretty angel."

Those were the last words Jesse heard before she died.

****

Chapter One

The air was without moisture. Hot. It was like the sauna at the spa, before someone poured water over the scorching hot stones to create a moment of steam. She should be wearing sunscreen to block the invading rays. She should be under an umbrella to remain somewhat shaded. She should be indoors with the air conditioner cranked way down; it seemed to be the only way people survived in this desert. But she didn't want any of that. For some bizarre reason, she wanted to feel the sun bake her skin, heat up her whole body, and perhaps warm her soul.

The pool near the entrance to the community center was empty, the children in the area having returned to school the week before. She pulled her long brown hair up into a quick, messy bun on the top of her head before she closed her eyes, leaned back in the chair, and lifted her chin up a little higher, so her face was turned directly toward the warm rays. The brightness penetrated her closed lids; she could see the sun through her skin. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face and the wet drops gathered in the crooks of her arms and behind her knees.

"You're gonna burn somethin' awful, dearie. Make sure you've got enough lotion on that pretty skin."

She brought her hand up to shade her eyes before she dared to open them. The woman standing in front of her had to be nearing her ninth decade. Her pink Bermuda shorts and floral blouse hung askew on pale, veined skin that looked like it hadn't seen the sun in many years.

"I'll be fine. I never burn."

"Oh my, you have the greenest eyes I have ever seen, and I've been around for a very long time. Anyway, lucky you, about the sun I mean, I always burn. I get the highest SPF I can find and I put that lotion on thick, every morning, when I'm out here. Been visiting my daughter for near fifty years, and I never get used to it. Don't know why she settled out here. Darn sun."

"It is bright."

"Too bright, if you ask me. Which you didn't, I know. I don't normally come this time of year. December – now, that's a good time to visit. But my great-granddaughter's been at the children's hospital for near a month and I knew I had to get out here to let that girl know that she has to fight. And not just fight... fight hard. My daughter said I shouldn't put that kind of pressure on an eight year-old, but I told her to fight. And it worked, I tell you. She turned a corner today. Doctor said things are looking real good. She might even get to go home in a week or two."

"That's wonderful news."

"Yes. Yes, it is. Sorry for yappin' away at ya. I'm happy as a clam in mud at high tide." She paused to wipe her brow, which glistened with beads of perspiration. "Hey, I've seen you before. You work at the hospital, don'cha?"

"I did, until yesterday that is. I'm moving out of state tomorrow, so this is my last day to soak up this bright, blazing sun."

"Then I won't stop you. My daughter just dropped me off, and I need to get indoors and let the air cool me down before I melt. My, you do tan up nice, though. You be careful with that pretty skin."

"I will. That's great news about your great-granddaughter. I think I remember seeing you with her. I knew she was going to pull through all along. The sickness didn't have a strong enough hold on her. I have a feeling for those kind of things."

"That's what I told her. I told her to beat that tumor to a pulp, because she's one tough fighter."

"She is."

The old woman started to shuffle her feet toward the beige stucco building, but paused to ask, "Where are you heading? Somewhere cooler, I hope."

"I'm not sure yet. My plan is to get into my truck and drive. Just see where the road takes me. That's what I usually do."

The woman blinked. "How often do you move around?"

"This will be my second move this year," she answered and then turned her face up to the sun again.

As the old woman shuffled away she could hear her mumbling, "You need some roots. Trees grow better with deep roots."

Guess I'm not a tree, she thought. More of a bird in flight.

Heading east on the deserted highway, well after midnight, the bright green pick-up increased its speed. It was loaded up with boxes and bags, the entirety of her belongings. A big black tarp covered the bed of the truck, keeping everything securely in place, and rock music blared from the radio, doing its best to help keep her awake. The next hotel on her current route was a little over an hour away, fifty minutes if she could drive faster.

She pressed her foot down hard on the accelerator. "Maybe I can make it in forty-five," she muttered aloud as she increased the volume on the radio.

When the sign for the exit finally came into view, she released a sigh and a deep yawn immediately followed. Sleep. She needed to sleep. Pulling off the highway, she turned left; the direction the GPS had indicated for the motel. She hoped the bed would be soft and inviting, but it didn't really matter; she knew she'd pass out the moment her head hit the pillow. She'd driven too far for too long.

"Just a couple more miles down this road." She tapped the screen on the GPS and then looked up ahead.

A few seconds later, swirling lights behind her brought her to a halt.

After putting her truck in park, she lowered the window as another yawn overtook her. Her hand came up to her mouth, blocking the officer's view of the back of her throat as the man leaned toward the open window.

"Ma'am, you do know what that eight sided red sign with the four white letters painted on it means, don't you?"

She shook her head as her mind processed his words. "Are you talking about a stop sign?"

"So, you do know what it means. Stop. The opposite of go. And exactly what you did not do at the intersection back there."

"I'm so sorry, officer. I've been driving a long time and... well... I have no excuse. I simply didn't notice it."

"Tired driving is a dangerous thing, ma'am. I shouldn't have to tell you that."

"I completely agree," she said, knowing better than to argue with an officer.

"Can I please see your driver's license?"

She reached for her purse and grabbed the wallet from the top, opening it to extract the card. "Absolutely. Again, I am so sorry." She handed her license to him through the open window.

"Where are you heading?"

"To the motel. Right there," she said pointing to the sign, clearly visible up ahead.

"Addy's been asleep for," he turned his wrist to examine his watch, "well over two hours. She's going to be grumpy when you wake her." The officer looked from his watch, to her, to the plastic card in his hand. "Kristanta J. Vita. What's the J stand for?"

"Jessmina... Who's Addy?"

"Kristanta Jessmina Vita. That's a mouthful." The officer smiled, and the wrinkles near his weathered eyes deepened as he handed the license back to her. "Addy's my sister, she owns the motel. I'll escort you, just to make sure that you get off my roads and into a bed, Kristanta Jessmina Vita."

"You don't need to do that." She frowned at his use of her full name. "I can even see it from here. I promise, I'm going straight there," she told him. Adding, "and you don't need to use all three of my names, Krista will do," in a whisper.

"I can also see it from here, bright neon sign and all. And we are going straight there." He turned around. "Follow me, Krista."

"But..." How had he heard that?

He reached up and pinched the rim of his hat and then ran his hand around the front of it. "Young lady, would you like a warning, and an escort to a comfortable bed, or...

"Officer..."

"Sheriff. Sheriff Tucker," he called over his shoulder, after he'd turned to walk back to his vehicle. A moment later, the lights on the roof of the car flashed as it pulled up next to hers. The sheriff motioned with his hand. "Follow me," he called through the open window. "That's not a request. That's an order."

"I'm coming," Krista mumbled as she shifted her truck into drive and pulled out behind him.

Sheriff Tucker stopped in front of the glowing office sign and by the time she had parked her truck, he was standing in front of the door with his hand resting on the metal frame. He swung the door open wide as Krista approached, and a loud chime rang out, announcing their arrival. "Adeline!" he shouted into the empty space. He turned to Krista and smiled. "Be ready for one grumpy woman. Adeline!" he called out again. "Where are you coming from?" he asked, nodding his head toward the back of her truck.

"Arizona. The hot part," she answered and walked through the open door.

"Isn't it all hot, out there in the desert?"

She shrugged. "Not really. You'd be surprised."

A door opened behind the counter, and a woman shuffled into the room with pink slippers on her feet. She wore a blue floral robe, which hung open, exposing a comfortable looking, striped pajama set. Krista sighed. She wanted to take off her belt, shed her jeans and t-shirt, and slip into her own comfy pajamas... minus the pink, fuzzy slippers. Krista preferred to walk around barefoot.

"Albert. Really? At this time of night? Or should I say morning?" Adeline blinked, trying to focus on the two people that stood in her lobby. "Did you use your key again? I swear I locked up before I went to bed. Every time you do that, I think it's a burglar. I should take that key away. I'm going to shoot you by accident, one day."

The sheriff laughed. "You couldn't hit me if you tried. Terrible shot. Let's focus on factual items. As you can see, I brought you a very tired customer. This girl is in desperate need of a bed."

"I could absolutely hit you. One factual item we can focus on is that I'm an excellent shot, and the target is getting bigger every year," she chuckled. "What'd she do to deserve a police escort?" she asked, nodding toward the girl in front of her.

"Ran a stop sign."

"That'll do it." Sheriff Tucker's sister scratched the back of her head and yawned. "Name?" she asked, as she brought her computer screen to life.

"This here is Miss Kristanta Jessmina Vita," Sheriff Tucker supplied, having placed the girl's full name in his memory banks. He'd always been good with names. "Or Kristie, or Jesse, maybe K.J., and she seems to like Krista, but then there's always Miss Vita."

Krista's brow furrowed as she stared at the sheriff, too tired to come up with a witty comeback, and too smart to tease an officer after being treated to a warning instead of given a ticket. "Krista is sufficient." She turned her attention back to the woman behind the counter. "I'm so very sorry about waking you. I guess I didn't think about the fact that there might not be an attendant at this time of night."

Adeline began typing. "K. Vita. That's all my brain has time for right now. And missy, this is Cedar Creek, not the city. We keep normal hours 'round here."

"Addy, the hours may be normal, not sure about the rest of it."

"Not with you in charge of keeping things orderly." Addy shook her head at him but a genuine smile appeared on her face before she turned to look at the woman her brother had brought in. It wasn't often that a single young woman stopped in Cedar Creek seeking a room, especially not in the middle of the night. "I.D. and credit card."

Krista slid the cards across the counter and began to daydream as she tried to imagine the two as young siblings. She pictured a freckle-faced boy and a pig-tailed girl, joking and teasing each other in the same manner. She loved hearing their brother-sister banter and immediately decided that they'd been doing it their whole lives. She wished she could have had a brother; someone she grew up with, someone who knew her, someone to tease. But males would not grow in a Vita womb, or at least that's what her grandmother had always told her.

As she stared at the two of them, the loneliness that she spent hours upon hours trying to keep at bay began to set in. How many days could a person walk the Earth with no real, lasting connections? When would the practice finally break her? Krista's grandmother was gone, her mother's whereabouts unknown since her first birthday, and ever since she ended up on her own she'd refused to stay in one place for very long. She simply didn't want to chance it.

Addy stared at the license before handing the cards back to Krista. "Twenty-one. You just finish college?"

"Now, Addy, don't be so inquisitive."

"I'll do as I please."

Krista shook her head. "I'm almost twenty-two. And, no, I didn't just finish college. I'm a nursing assistant. I've been one for a few years now. I graduated from high school early, and the whole four years at college thing was never something that appealed to me, so I went for a specialized certificate instead."

Krista brought her hand up to her mouth, silently admonishing herself for the moment of verbal regurgitation. She needed sleep. There was no other explanation for the amount of personal information she had just allowed to spew from her mouth.

"Me neither," the sheriff winked at her. "Nothing I can't learn from readin' a book about it. Well, I'm off, ladies. I don't like working this late. I need a bed myself. Richardson will be on duty in a few hours. We go unpatrolled for a bit in the middle of the night. You picked the wrong time to roll into town," he told her with a smile.

"How's Marlene doing?" Addy asked her brother as he pushed open the door.

"Not too bad, I think. Richardson seems hopeful," he answered with a weak smile. Krista heard him start to whistle a tune as the door closed behind him.

Addy frowned. "Albert has been working strange shifts so Ben Richardson can spend more time caring for his wife, Marlene. The two of them were planning on moving back to Charleston, South Carolina, this summer, which is where his family lives. They chose his family because Marlene is an orphan, poor thing. But Marlene has been suffering from some ailment, I can't seem to remember the name of it at the moment. She put off the move, said the long road trip wouldn't do her any good. That sweet woman is deathly afraid of airplanes – which is completely understandable, I know several people who feel the same way – so everything's on hold. Anyway, Albert isn't used to staying up so late. Come to think of it, neither am I. Here's your key. Room one-fifteen, outside, turn left, five doors down. All my rooms have kitchenettes, an extra sink, a fridge, and a microwave oven, but they're nice and clean. I expect it to stay that way. You break it you buy it, and all that good stuff."

Krista was only half listening, she'd glazed over early in the conversation. Adeline was obviously the kind of woman who knew everything about everyone and enjoyed sharing her knowledge with everyone else. She was just the kind of woman Krista tried to stay clear of. She smiled as she took the key. "Don't worry. I'm a very careful and tidy girl. My grandmother taught me right."

"Good to know." Adeline was happy to hear the young girl mention her grandmother. If the television shows and the news were any indication of life outside of Cedar Creek, the youth did not give their elders the respect they deserved. Actually she'd glimpsed it in town as well, but not from many. Without knowing it, Krista had said just the right thing. "Well goodnight, Miss Vita. And, just so you know, breakfast at the diner next door is always half price for guests."

"Goodnight, Adeline. And thank you," Krista yawned. "Or is it Addy?"

"I answer to both. Now, skedaddle. Off with you," she added with a smile.

After Adeline locked Krista out of the office, she disappeared through the door behind the counter. Krista, thinking about nothing more than her wish for a long, undisturbed sleep, retrieved a small bag from the front seat of her truck and then went to find room one-fifteen.

Sleep.

Waking up in an unfamiliar hotel could go several ways; the temperature could be freezing cold or sweaty hot, the bed could be lumpy or hard and uncomfortable, and the room could be a bit sketchy. Krista woke up with none of those worries, because she was pleasantly aware that she had not spent the night tossing and turning. When her eyes first opened, she felt as if she'd finally gained some much needed rest. Her head had sunk deep into the soft pillow, her body was splayed out on a comfortable bed, the blankets had kept her at the perfect temperature all night, and her feet were still poking out from beneath the covers, just as she liked them to be. She pushed the hair from her face and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. She'd slept all night and through most of the day, it seemed. It was two o'clock in the afternoon.

Her stomach grumbled in angry protest that she hadn't supplied it with more than the small bag of honey roasted cashews she'd consumed somewhere around eleven o'clock the night before. "I guess half-price breakfast is no longer an option," she said as she rubbed at her face. "Full-price lunch it is."

Hunger pulled her away from the comfortable bed and helped speed her through what should have been her morning routine. She took a much-needed shower, which included a good scrub of her face and a quick wash of her hair. After drying off, brushing her teeth, and arranging her damp hair into a simple topknot, she was out the door and walking toward the diner adjacent to the motel.

****

Chapter Two

Downtown Diner was a square, brick building with a converted train car attached to its front. The silver trim of the train car glinted in the sun, and the bright red letters of the sign announced it was "Open for Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner," with a note to, "remember to save room for pie!" From the outside, it was a picture perfect, modern-retro, small hometown diner. Her stomach growled again, and she hoped the food inside tasted as good as the outside décor looked.

There was only one car in the parking lot, and a few bicycles rested against a rack near the front entrance. None of them were chained down or locked up. Krista smiled; she didn't often see such trust in the honesty of other people. She pushed open the door and was surprised by the sound of clanging bells against glass. A group of the noise-making, gold, shiny metal balls were tied together with multi-colored yarn and hung from the inside handle of the door; ringing out a startling announcement of her presence. She reached a hand toward the bells, wanting to silence them, but the door swung closed behind her and the bells crashed once again. She stood stiffly, not quite sure why the sudden noise made her nervous.

"Room one-fifteen! Miss Veee-ta! Good afternoon."

Krista turned to survey the room, trying to locate the source of the greeting. There were a couple of older gentlemen sitting at a table in the corner playing chess, two women reading books across from each other at a window booth, a woman wearing a pink apron, and then there was Adeline. She was sitting on a padded stool in front of the diner's main counter, a huge smile lighting up her face.

Addy patted the top of the stool next to her. "Have a seat, Miss Vita," she ordered with a smile. "You look like you slept well. I'll take some of the credit for that – it's my pillows. I have the same ones on my own bed. First time I slept on one, had the best sleep of my life. Not too soft, not too firm."

"Goodness, Addy, you should write a letter to the company that makes those pillows, extolling your words of praise," the woman in the apron said with a laugh. "I swear you have nearly half of Cedar Creek using them, or at least seriously considering a purchase. You should get some kind of reward... free pillows for life or something."

"I should!" Adeline exclaimed. "Don't know why I never thought of that on my own. Might just start composing one later tonight, after I dust all the rooms down. I've got Dan Parker's family coming in tonight. And by night, I don't mean nearly morning," Adeline stressed her words and glanced back at Krista.

Krista paused, just before reaching the seat, and her face flushed hot.

The other woman noted her embarrassment and gave Krista a reassuring smile before she continued talking to Adeline. "Oh, that's right, to see the new baby. How many of 'em are coming?"

"Not sure. He told me that they'd need four rooms."

"Doubles or singles?"

"Two of each."

"That could mean as many as twelve people."

Adeline nodded her head. "That would be at full occupancy for the rooms. If they have more than that, I'll have to make them get another. I understand trying to save a buck, but there are fire codes to adhere to."

"Twelve would be a lot of visitors for them to deal with so soon after bringing the baby home; she's not even two weeks old yet. But Dan does have a large family."

"That he does."

The other woman frowned. "I hope Sherine is ready to deal with a big group like that. Hopefully they'll be smart enough to offer to take care of the baby and let her get some rest."

"You know they will. Who can resist holding a new baby?"

Krista stood beside the stool and watched the two women. Adeline was punctuating each of her sentences with a shake of her head. Her thick, silver-frosted blonde hair brushed the tops of her shoulders with each movement. Her pajamas from the night before had been replaced with dark, slim-fit, capri jeans, rolled up at the hem, and a crisp white button-down shirt. The sleeves of the shirt were folded at the cuffs. She wore a thick, silver and bronze, multi-strand necklace and there were small diamond in her ears. Her classic easy style was a sharp contrast to the woman who stood behind the counter of the diner.

"Sit down, Miss Vita," Adeline repeated her order. "Opal, get this girl a cup of coffee."

"Maybe this girl doesn't want coffee. Maybe this girl is more a tea person," Opal countered.

"Coffee would actually be great, thank you. Iced, though, with cream and sugar, please." Krista smiled at the colorfully dressed woman.

Opal wore a brightly printed fifties' style dress, adorned with a cherry pattern... all pinks, reds, and greens. It was loud – but a cute retro-loud – with a fitted top, rounded collar, and a fuller skirt. Tied at her waist was a cotton-candy pink apron. But the part of Opal that stood out the most was her matching pink hair. It was expertly styled; with a large barrel curl at the front and the sides pinned back.

When Opal turned to pour the coffee over ice, Krista smiled at the perfectly formed large bow, which had been tied from the wide band of the apron, at her back. She was a picture-perfect pin-up girl, with expertly applied make-up to exaggerate the look. Opal was definitely comfortable in her playful, colorful, personal style. She was probably in her early thirties, but her eyes held the wisdom of someone much older; they spoke of experiences forced upon someone much too young. Krista was quite sure tragedy had struck Opal at an early age.

Opal placed the glass on the counter and retrieved a container full of various sweetener packets and added a carafe of creamer next to that. "You can fix it up the way you like. I left plenty of room at the top. So, Miss Vita, is it?"

"Thank you. Yes, although I think Miss Vita is too formal..."

"Wasn't it Kristie or something?" Adeline interrupted to ask. "Oh wait, I remember. Kristanta."

"My grandma called me Krista. No one calls me Kristanta."

"Of course they don't! You don't look like a Kristanta at all, and definitely not a Kristie. Honestly, I don't one hundred percent see you as a Krista either. I'll stick with Miss Vee-ta, if that's okay with you?" Opal asked, exaggerating the vowel sound. "Vita means life. I like that. You look like you've got some life in you. I'm Opal. Opal Stone."

Adeline laughed. "Precious Opal Stone, to be exact."

Opal winked at her friend and then held out her wrists for inspection. Each arm displayed a tattooed word scrolled across its pale skin. In black swirly script, underlined with a chain of tiny, delicate, red roses, the word Precious adorned her left wrist, while Opal decorated her right. "Don't quite know what Momma was thinking when she named me, but it's what she picked out, and with her gone, I wear it proud. I never quite felt like a Precious, though. I started going by Opal in the fifth grade."

"She is precious. Just look at her. Nobody else could pull off that look so well. And that is not a work outfit or a costume, Miss Vita." Adeline reached out her arm to tap her finger on the counter. "That's just our Opal. She showed up with her father five years ago, looking just as she does now, except the hair was lavender back then. They bought the diner, did this fabulous remodel, and we were damn lucky they did. Opal's pies are perfection, and Jim's not so bad either. Best Monte Cristo I've ever had." Adeline nodded toward the wall opening into the kitchen, where a man in a white apron had appeared. He saluted her with his spatula.

"It's the cranberry relish," he replied. "My own special twist on the Monte Cristo."

"I don't think I've ever had one of those," Krista said aloud, directing the statement to no one in particular.

"Daddy, make this girl a sandwich," Opal said over her shoulder. "You're gonna love it, Miss Vita. I promise."

Adeline smacked her hand on the counter. "And if she doesn't like it, I'll finish it for her."

Opal laughed loudly. "Make two, Daddy."

"No, no. Just make one for her. I'm really not that hungry."

"What's a Monte Cristo?" Krista whispered.

Adeline licked her lips. "It's like sliced, tender meat, and gooey, melty cheesiness, all inside some crispy buttery French toast. But in sandwich form. It is heaven on a plate."

"Flattery will get you everywhere," Jim called out from the kitchen.

A playful smile spread across Adeline's face as she stared through the kitchen opening for a quiet moment, before turning her attention back to the visitor sitting next to her; a girl she had taken an unexpected interest in. "So, how many nights are you planning on staying in Cedar Creek?"

Krista pulled the cup of iced coffee away from her mouth and swallowed. "At least one more night," she answered. "I'm in no hurry. I stopped here because it seemed like a good point. It's smaller than I'm used to; I'm usually in crowded cities. Cedar Creek just sounded like a nice resting point between where I came from and where I'll end up."

Opal, who had begun folding a pile of white cloth napkins, paused in her task. "Where are you heading? Somewhere exciting?"

Krista shrugged. "I was just going to play it by ear. See where the road takes me. I hadn't really planned anything for after this stop, yet. I'll probably try to map something out tonight."

"How many places have you lived?" Adeline asked.

"Several."

"You need some roots!"

"That's what I keep hearing."

"Maybe you should start listening."

"Maybe," Krista said with a laugh.

Adeline gave her a pat on the back. "I like you. Not sure why, yet. But I know I do. Stay a few days, heck, stay a week. I want to figure you out."

"Not much to figure out."

Opal placed a folded napkin on top of the pile. "Honey, there is always something to figure out. But don't worry, Addy won't dig too far. We all know certain things are private. Don't we, Adeline."

"What. Are. You. Implying?" Adeline shook her head with each word. The small smile on her face let everyone know she wasn't exactly shocked by Opal's words.

"Nothin' you don't already know, my friend. Nothin' I haven't told you before."

Adeline breathed out a sigh. "What can I say? I'm a curious woman who likes to know things." She paused when she saw the look on Opal's face. "I know what they say about the cat, and all that garbage. Asking questions is not going to kill me. Or you. Or anybody, for that matter. So just hush."

"Never said it would," Opal answered in a sing-songy voice. "That's your conscience talkin', that's what that is."

Jim appeared in the window, placed a plate on the ledge, and then dinged a small bell with the handle of his spatula. "Monte Cristo up."

"Saved by the bell," Addy mumbled to Krista as Opal retrieved the plate of food.

"You can ask me as many questions as you'd like," Krista told her. "But I don't promise to answer all of them. A girl's gotta have some secrets."

Opal set the white oval plate on the counter. "Ain't that the truth?"

"I don't even want to know what I don't know," Jim said with the shake of his head. "You keep those secrets."

Opal laughed quite loudly. "You're right, Daddy, you don't want to know. I'll let you keep your perfect image of me."

"That's a good man, Jim. In this case, enjoy the bliss of your ignorance."

Krista grabbed a triangular slice of the sandwich, dipped it into the cranberry relish, and took a big bite from the corner. "Oh my goodness," she mumbled through a mouthful. "This is so good!"

"I told you so." Adeline tapped at the counter, punctuating each word.

"You boys need a refill?" Opal called to the men who had been quietly playing chess in the corner.

Krista had almost forgotten their presence.

"Sure thing. Two more sweet teas please," one of the men replied. "I'm about to capture his queen."

"You most certainly are not!" the other retorted. "I'll have you in check-mate before you could ever get near my black beauty. I am the chess master," he added with a laugh.

"Chess master my ass," his friend replied. "If anyone is the master, I am."

Opal went over to the table to retrieve the chess masters' glasses. On her way back to refill them, the door swung open. Krista smiled, thinking that the bells clanging against the glass didn't sound nearly as loud and jarring as she had imagined when she'd opened the door.

"Hey, Ben," Opal called out to the man who'd entered the diner. "Daddy'll have Marlene's dinner ready in a jiffy. He made her favorite today, chicken noodle soup with garlic butter biscuits."

"Thanks, Opal." Ben Richardson, the deputy Adeline had told Krista about the night before, walked up to the counter and stood beside her. "She'll be happy to see that soup and those biscuits, Jim. Don't know what you do to them to make them so good."

Jim poked his head through the opening. "It's the love."

Ben smiled. It was a smile that took effort; a tired, worn smile. "Could you pack up enough for her to have some for lunch tomorrow, too? Give her something to look forward to. My poor girl's been down lately. That doctor she sees told her she'd be able to manage her symptoms better than this."

"Sorry to hear that, Ben. I'll pack up enough for you, too."

"Appreciate that."

Krista inhaled deeply, taking in the scent that poured off of the man beside her; no one could detect it but her. It was the smell of death. Marlene's sickness clung to her husband's clothes, his hair, his skin. It wafted over to Krista's nose from the tips of Ben Richardson's fingers while he moved his hands in the air as he spoke. His wife didn't have long, a few months at most. Her doctors probably weren't even aware of the decline in her health yet. It was something Krista hated, being accosted by that smell. There wasn't a place she could go without crossing paths with someone who lived with a person nearing his or her last breath. It called out to her, taunting her with its presence. The scents varied, but the base note was always the same. Death.

Kristanta Jessmina Vita knew all about sickness; all of the females in her bloodline did. Krista knew sickness and death every single time she inhaled the scent of it. It was sour and stale, decayed and desperate; sickness grew and multiplied until it destroyed and consumed its host. Oh yes, a Vita woman knew sickness quite well.

"I think you should take your wife back to the doctor," Krista suggested.

Ben glared at her with a hard stare. "I think you should keep your opinions to yourself."

"Mind your manners, Benjamin. This girl's a nurse. She's just giving you a medical opinion. I know Marlene's a touchy subject, but that's no cause to be downright rude," Adeline scolded him.

Krista shook her head. She knew better than to interject with her opinion. "I'm not a nurse, exactly. Assistant to a nurse, an NA."

Adeline set her mouth in a straight, matter of fact, line. "You've been around enough to offer a sincere opinion, I'm quite sure."

Ben hung his head and closed his eyes. "Sorry, Adeline. I'm just over tired." He opened his eyes and looked at Krista again. "You're probably right. I said the same thing to my wife, just this morning. 'We need to take a drive over to Greenville,' I told her, to the hospital so we can get her checked out again, by someone different. Miss...?"

"Ben, this is Miss Vita. She's making a pit stop in our town on her way to... well, I don't think even she knows that yet," Adeline introduced Krista to the deputy.

"The over-tired driver from last night, I suppose," Ben said, extending a hand.

"Guilty." Krista shrugged her shoulders before shaking Ben's hand. "Word sure does spread fast around here."

"Albert and Adeline are squawkers," one of the chess masters called over his shoulder.

"Oh, you, hush," Adeline scoffed with a wave of her hand.

"You are and you know it. Two peas. It's the twin thing." Opal winked at Addy as she placed a large white bag on the counter. "Here you go, Ben. Please give Marlene a big hug from me. I miss seeing her smiling face, but I understand that she's been too tired to get out much lately."

"I'm starting to think it's more than fibromyalgia. I've looked on the Internet, read all about it. She's just so tired." He breathed out a sigh, picked up the bag, and walked out of the diner.

Krista shook her head. It wasn't fibromyalgia. It didn't smell anything like that.

"What is it, dear?" Adeline asked, touching Krista's arm.

"It's nothing. I hope they get a second opinion. Isn't there anyone closer they could consult with?"

"Of course there is. The Cedar Creek Medical Center is right around the corner. Doctor Baker takes care of our general health, minor ailments, and pediatric care. He can stitch us up, set a break, and prescribe what we need. Patsy is our resident doula in charge of the birthing center, for those women who prefer to stay close to town. She's actually better at birthin' than the doc so he's happy to have her in charge of that area. But everything major gets a referral to a doctor in Greenville; all the specialists are in the city. Doc Baker can usually hit the nail on the head and send you off to see the exact one you need. But Marlene didn't ever want to be seen by Doc Baker, she insisted that they go straight to a city doctor. Said they'd know more. Bad decision if you ask me. Doc Baker knows what's what."

"He sure does," chess master number one piped in.

"Without a doubt," chess master two added.

"Abe and Eli share a brain," Adeline whispered into Krista's ear. "They're Cedar Creek born and bred; been here all their lives. They're partners in the hardware store, and they're good men. Hard headed men," she added, raising her voice so they could hear her. "But good solid Cedar Creek boys."

"We like you, too," either Abe or Eli told her. Krista wasn't yet sure which one was which.

Krista finished her sandwich and pushed the plate back with a satisfied sigh. "It's a shame that some people don't understand the insight that a general family doctor can have. They see all types of illnesses walk through their doors and are more than capable of a correct diagnosis, or can at least point their patients in the right direction. My great-grandfather was a family doctor. My grandmother sang his praises all my life. He's one of the reasons I chose my job. I just want to help people... to ease their pain."

Addy nudged Krista with her elbow. "And that's what makes you good people. I can hear the truth in your words and the sincerity in your voice."

Opal set a plate down in front of Krista. "You have the Adeline seal of approval. That's usually hard to come by. Caramel Apple pie with fresh vanilla whipped cream. It's the most requested pie on the menu."

"It looks amazing."

"It is," Abe and Eli chorused.

Once the pie had magically disappeared – well not so much with magic, more like good old-fashioned food inhalation – Krista paid her bill. Adeline had gone back to the motel to ready the rooms for the guests that were expected to arrive later that evening. Opal had begun to busy herself for the dinner crowd, popping into the kitchen with her father as soon as Adeline had made her departure. And Krista needed to stretch her legs, so she decided to take a walk after she'd polished off every single crumb of food that had been placed in front of her.

About half an hour later, Krista ended up back at the motel. She needed to plan her next move. She wanted to pick a city, check the job listings, and get on her way. With her laptop open, she connected to the motel's Wi-Fi and attempted to settle on a destination. Krista decided that she didn't want to drive more than another twelve hours; but that didn't do much to narrow her search. She pulled up a map and hoped that one of the city names would call out to her. But she was quickly distracted by a video of a fluffy white jumping cat, because she had a bad habit of clicking on anything in her peripheral vision, and she'd opened a new browser window.

There was a knock on the motel door.

Assuming that Adeline had come to ask her more questions, Krista set her laptop down on the chair she'd been sitting in and went to the door. But instead of finding Adeline outside when she swung the door open, she found Santa. Well, not the real Santa – unless Santa was a trim man with a neat white beard, silver hair, and wore jeans, a white shirt, and a red velvet vest.

"Miss Vita?"

"Yes." Krista nodded. She took a step outside the room and leaned her back against the doorframe.

"Doctor Baker," he stated, in introduction. "Addy sent me over. She said I needed you, and you needed me. Does that sound about right to you?"

"Um... I'm not quite sure what that means."

"I need some extra help at the medical center. You are currently without employment and without a permanent residence. Correct?"

"Correct," Krista answered slowly, as her brain tried to quickly process the information. Why would Adeline be trying to find me a job in town? she wondered.

"Excellent. Come see me tomorrow. And bring your qualifications." Doctor Santa turned to leave.

"But you don't even know me. Adeline doesn't really know me. You haven't even talked to me. You don't know anything about me."

He stopped to face her again. "Do you have a habit of repeatedly saying the same thing, but rearranging the words?" he asked. "I don't know you. You are correct."

"I could be an inept, fumbling, wreck of a health care worker."

"Well, are you?"

"No, of course not. I'm quite competent. But..."

"But?"

"I wasn't exactly planning on staying here."

"You come see me tomorrow, and then you can decide if you want to stay here or not," Doctor Baker clipped. "Adeline seems to think you want to stay and you just don't know it yet. I'd rather interview you, otherwise I'd have to convince someone to drive in from Greenville." He spun on his heels and began to walk away. "Nine-thirty in the morning. I usually have a few moments of down time around then," he called over his shoulder.

"I guess... I guess I'll see you in the morning," she mumbled to herself, as the doctor continued on toward the road. He hadn't waited for a response and was too far away to hear her at that point anyway.

Krista stepped back into the room, shut the door, picked up her laptop from the chair, and sat back down. She closed the window with the map displayed on it and let the next cat video load.

****

Chapter Three

It had been nearly a week since Sheriff Tucker had pulled Krista over as she'd entered the town of Cedar Creek. In that time she'd taken a trial position at Cedar Creek Medical Center and negotiated a weekly rate at Adeline's motel because she wasn't ready to move into anything more permanent. Adeline had offered Krista a closet for the boxes she needed to store somewhere, until she'd made up her mind whether she would stay. But after she'd unpacked a few of them in the motel room, there wasn't that much to store. She'd also eaten at the Downtown Diner every single day. Her clothes wouldn't fit for much longer, if she didn't start shopping for her own groceries, soon. Jim and Opal plated up extra-large servings of their daily specials every single time she stopped in.

Within those first couple of days in town, she'd also met nearly one quarter of the Cedar Creek residents, in addition to a few outliers that lived on self-described "homesteads" farther south. The reason Krista had made such a large number of introductions was all due to Adeline and Opal, and their insistence that she attend the grand re-opening of the Cedar Creek Library with them. The library had been closed for nearly a month while it was remodeled, thanks to a large, not so anonymous, donation from Abe Webber and Eli Kaufman, the chess masters themselves.

The two men had insisted on the addition of a plaque at the entrance to the library, with chess pieces flanking their names. Abe and Eli were glowing with a sense of achievement and had huge smiles on their faces at the ribbon cutting ceremony. Those boys were quite proud of their contribution to Cedar Creek's legacy.

Krista was surprised at how smoothly she transitioned from stop-sign-running-visitor to temporary-medical-center-worker. Doctor Baker told Krista that he'd give her a month to make her final decision, because if she didn't want the job he really must find someone else; the center needed the extra help. As much as she was enjoying Cedar Creek there was something that pulled at the back of her mind, something that told her Cedar Creek was one of those places that would change her life forever. Krista wasn't sure if she was willing to give up the routine of the mobile life that she'd begun to carve out for herself. Even though it was ever changing, in her mind it was stable. It was what she knew.

On her sixth day in Cedar Creek, and a few days after she started at the CCMC, as Krista had dubbed the medical center, Ben Richardson walked through the door, supporting his wife tightly against his body, almost carrying her. Marlene was barely able to walk on her own.

"You've gotta help me," he called out as he entered the waiting room. "I need Doc Baker to see Marlene. Right now."

Krista jumped up from the chair at the front desk and ran around the counter to assist Ben. "Let's get her into a room immediately. I can grab a wheelchair."

"You're working here now?" Ben shook his head. "I guess Albert did mention it. No. No chair. I can carry her."

"You don't need to do that," Marlene breathed. "I can make it just fine. You're making a big deal out of this."

"No. We need to be here and you need to let me take care of you," he insisted and swooped her legs up, cradling her against his body.

"Let's go in here and I'll check her vitals," Krista told Ben as she led the way toward the first examination room. "Doctor Baker just stepped out. He said he'd be back in ten, and that was like five minutes ago, so you won't have to wait long. I promise."

Being in the same room as Marlene was an assault to Krista's senses. She had never before been face to face with Ben's wife, but during the few times she'd crossed paths with him she had caught the scent of the dying woman. Ben placed Marlene on the examination table as soon as Krista maneuvered it into a sitting position.

"There you go, hun. The doc'll be back soon."

Marlene looked at Ben with annoyance. "I heard her just fine when she said that a second ago. My ears are working perfectly, thank you very much."

Ben blinked at her, shocked at the sudden harsh words.

Krista swiped a thermometer across Marlene's forehead. "Did you ever go back to Greenville?" she asked the woman.

Marlene slowly moved her head back and forth. "No, I didn't. And I suppose everyone in town is aware of this; my husband can't seem to stop talking about me."

"I wanted to take her to the hospital there, but she wouldn't let me. She's been seeing this guy, Dr. Moon. She told me he's some holistic doctor that somebody in one of her health nut chat groups recommended. Well, I hate to admit it, but I haven't actually been to any of her appointments. I drive her to town, but then find something else to do after I've dropped her off. I finally looked this Dr. Moon quack up, because she hasn't been improving, only getting worse, and I found out that he isn't a doctor at all. He just calls himself one. The man has no degree from anywhere!"

"Ben," Marlene whispered. "His medicines have done wonders for me."

"Who knows what's in those capsules he gives to you!" Ben yelled in frustration. "You said they were natural medicines, they could be ground up candies for all we know! Have a peppermint, it'll cure your high blood pressure," he mocked. "Here's a jellybean for your migraines."

Marlene turned her head away from her husband.

"Ben, I need you to step outside while I finish up with your wife. Just go back to the waiting room. Pete is busy with another family right now, but if he finishes up, or if Doc Baker comes back, bring either of them in here right away. I need you to go and look out for them, so Marlene can be seen as quickly as possible. Okay?"

"I want to stay with my wife." Ben voiced his objection.

"If we're both in here, then how will we know when the doctor gets back?" Krista tried to reason.

Ben closed his eyes and ran his hand through his hair. He breathed out a very slow breath, bringing himself under composure. "You're right. I'll go out and wait for Doc."

It was a good excuse to get rid of him. Marlene was in no immediate danger, that much Krista knew. She could finish the vitals with Ben in the room and then step out to get Doctor Baker when he returned, but Krista really wanted to be alone with Marlene for a few minutes while she tried to zero in on the woman's medical issues. Illness spoke to Krista. It was so proud of the destruction it could do, it sang out from whatever body it was devouring. And Krista's body could feel that proud but sorrowful song.

"Go, Ben. I'll be fine," Marlene said in a voice that was somewhat louder than her previous whispered words. She was regaining some of her strength. "I just panicked when my heart was racing so fast and I couldn't catch my breath. But I'm feeling a little better now. I promise."

"Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine. Go," she assured him.

"I'm right outside if you need me."

Marlene smiled sweetly. "I know, Ben, my love. You are always looking out for me. Thank you."

Once he was gone from the room, Krista moved to Marlene's side to take her blood pressure. "So, I heard shortness of breath, and increased heart rate. Are there any other symptoms you've been experiencing?"

"Well, I've been coughing some, and I'm tired. I'm just so tired all the time. I don't even drive anymore because it takes too much energy. I hardly ever leave the house."

Krista released the pressure from the cuff and removed it from Marlene's arm. She moved the stethoscope to the woman's chest, to listen to her heart and then her lungs. The evaluation wasn't exactly part of her routine; it was something that the doctor would do again as soon as he arrived. Krista only did it to keep herself at Marlene's side – so she could feel it, hear it, smell it. Krista concentrated on the feeling that began to spread throughout her body and the smells that invaded her senses. The invader that had taken root inside Marlene Richardson was saying hello.

"Have you been eating normally?"

"Not really. Nothing sounds good, and after a few bites I just feel nauseous. Oh geez, you don't think it's an ectopic pregnancy or something? That would be just awful. I had a ruptured appendix as a child, and the doctors told my parents that I'd never be able to have a child. The yucky stuff was in there too long and ruined my fallopian tubes. What if a fertilized egg got stuck in one of my mangled tubes? Maybe that's where my nausea is coming from."

"I'm not sure if your symptoms point to ectopic pregnancy, but I will note it down so Doc can check it out. Any abdominal pain?

Marlene frowned. "Not pain, but definitely discomfort."

"Let's let Doc Baker take a look and a listen. I'm sure he'll have some answers for you." Krista took a deep breath through her nose, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

A strained circulatory system.

"Do you think the holistic doctor was a mistake?" Marlene asked.

Heart failure.

"That's not for me to say. In some cases they are very helpful."

Death.

"But not in mine." Marlene mouthed the words.

The door to the examining room opened and Doctor Baker appeared with Ben right behind him. "How are we doing, Marlene?"

Marlene shrugged, and a guilty look crossed her face. "Not too good, Doc."

"I wrote her vitals down here," Krista told the doctor, pointing to a sheet of paper on the counter. "I'm going to go start an actual chart for her."

"Thank you, Miss Vita." Doctor Baker set his hat on the counter. "Can I borrow your stethoscope? I didn't have time to grab mine before Ben herded me in here."

Krista lifted the instrument from where it hung across the back of her neck. "Of course, and I'll grab yours." She forced herself to smile before she left the room and closed the door behind her.

"Maybe a good cardiologist can reverse the damage that has already occurred, if she gets the proper care." Krista sat at the front desk whispering to herself as she started a chart for Marlene Richardson.

"Who are you talking to?"

Krista looked up to find Pete standing beside her. "Nobody. Myself. Are you done with the Wilkinsons?"

"What damage needs reversing?" he asked.

"I need to get in some good cardio, to reverse the damage that came from eating Opal's pies every single day since I got here." Krista told him.

"I can't decide which of them is my favorite... either Caramel Apple or Perfect Pecan. Go to the track at the high school and run laps. That's what I do." Pete stared over her shoulder to read the name from the chart she was preparing. "Marlene Richardson, huh? Wonder what brought her in here? I heard she's been suffering from fibromyalgia. Thought she was seeing someone in Greenville, though."

"Her husband just brought her in. The doc's with her now. Are you finished with the Wilkinsons?" Krista repeated her question, trying to keep her voice light.

"Just getting a sample pack of albuterol and a nebulizer for them to take home. Their little guy did great with the breathing treatment. I hope we have some of the fish masks left. He's only three... little ones always like the fish so much more than the plain masks."

Krista picked up the chart, and grabbed Doc's stethoscope. "There are two fish masks right behind the boxes of albuterol. Doc made me look over the entire storeroom yesterday. He said I need to know where everything is kept."

"Do you know everything yet?" Pete asked with a wink.

Krista walked backward toward the exam rooms. "Absolutely. I came into this world knowing everything!" Krista answered with a laugh. "Didn't you?"

"Yes! Except why my girlfriend broke up with me and moved to Los Angeles. Lame ass Hollywood dreams."

"Chin up, Pete. There are other fish in the sea."

"All I know is there's a fish in the storeroom that I need to get for the Wilkinsons," he stated as he turned toward the storeroom. "And, I don't need them in the sea, Krista. I need them in the creek."

"I'll keep my eye out for you," Krista said with a smile.

"You do that."

Doctor Baker had Ben and Marlene back in their vehicle within the hour, right after he called his cardiologist friend at Greenville General Hospital. On the doc's recommendation, the hospital was prepared to admit Marlene that evening and run her through numerous tests the following day. "Your ticker just isn't ticking the way it should be," Doc told Marlene as he walked her and Ben out to their car.

Krista helped Marlene settle into her seat.

"We appreciate the phone call to the hospital. I feel better already. She'll be getting some real care," Ben told Doctor Baker as he shook his hand.

"A correct diagnosis is what's most important right now," Doc told them before they drove away.

When they got back inside the medical center, Doc stopped in front of Krista with a solemn look on his face. "You could tell, from that few minutes you spent with her. You scribbled cardiologist on that paper in the exam room. You knew."

Krista sighed. "Yes. She doesn't look good."

"That, she does not." Doc frowned. "You're good. I've been watching you. You know your stuff."

"I guess I've just paid attention to the doctors and nurses I've worked with."

"It's more than that. You have a knack for this. Why NA? Why not RN or MD?"

"I don't know. No reason, I guess. Just don't see myself staying in one place long enough to complete that kind of education. I like to move around."

"You need some roots," Doctor Baker told her and gave her a squeeze on the shoulder.

"Why do people keep telling me that?" Krista asked with exasperation.

"Because it's true." A small chuckle came from Doc. "I'll be in my office."

"I'll be right here."

****

Chapter Four

Opal stood behind the counter at the diner, refilling all the squeezy ketchup bottles after having just finished the mustard ones. The jingling bells at the door caused her head to snap up and the person entering the Downtown Diner brought a smile to her face. "So, you're back."

"Just got in. I thought he'd be here."

"They must be running behind, today. I'm sure he'll be here soon. Or you could just go down to the store," Opal suggested.

"I'd rather surprise him here. Plus, I wanted to check in with you and Jim, to thank you guys for the offer."

"Aww, sweetie, you don't have to thank us. You just need to get to work so I can put my feet up some. Actually, I won't even get to do that. I'll just be in the back, working on the mini-pies for the grocery. Here, come to think of it, you should take over refilling all these bottles, so I can get to it right now."

"You want me to jump behind the counter today? I haven't even unpacked yet."

"Not really." Opal broke out with a giggle. "But he'd get a kick out of seeing you behind the counter in an apron when he wasn't expecting it. That'd surely throw him off."

"Please say you have some that are not bubblegum pink!"

"But, Sam, you'd rock a pink apron."

Jim came through the swinging door that connected the dining room to the kitchen. "If you want the boy to wear an apron you'll give him one of mine!" Jim scowled at his daughter, and then reached out to grasp Sam's shoulder. "It's nice to have you back in town. We're real sorry about the circumstances and we want you to know that Opal and I are here for you."

Sam gave Jim a weak smile. "Thank you, Jim. I've always loved my summers in Cedar Creek. Just never thought it'd become my home base."

"Daddy and I are lucky to have you with us, no matter how short or how long you plan to stay." Opal came around the counter and hugged the young man. "I still think you should wear a pink apron when you start working here next week."

"I'll stick with the other ones, if it's all the same."

Abe Webber stood outside the Downtown Diner and stared through the glass windows. He flung the door open and hurried inside as fast as his knees would allow. "Samuel George Webber! I thought you said tomorrow."

Sam turned toward the door. "Uncle Abe!" He rushed to his uncle and wrapped his arms around him.

"It's good to have you back home, son."

Eli leaned against a table. He huffed from the sudden burst of expelled energy, after he rushed in behind his friend. "What? No hello for your Uncle Eli?"

"You ain't the boy's uncle." Abe put on a playful scowled.

"Might as well be. I watched him grow up, same as you."

Sam pulled the other man into a quick embrace. "Hello, Uncle Eli."

Eli patted Sam's back. "Your mom would be right proud."

Abe pulled his grandnephew back to him and hugged the young man again. "I know you miss her, son. Sweetest little girl I ever knew, kindest young woman there ever was, and best darn momma any boy could have asked for. She was taken from us too soon. But you know, you will always have a place to call home."

Sam's eyes watered over and tears spilled down his face. "I miss her something awful, Uncle Abe."

"I know, boy. I miss her somethin' awful, too. Never had my own kids, so she was a daughter to me. You know that. Family is family, and you are mine. We've got each other."

It had only been six months since Abe had lost his only niece, Sarah – Sam's mother. Sam had been in his last semester of college, just a few classes away from a degree in Business Finance, when his world fell apart. He'd never known his father, and his grandparents had passed away just after his tenth birthday. The only family Sam had left was his Uncle Abe, the man that Sarah had lovingly brought her only son to visit every single summer after the loss of her parents.

With a funeral to arrange, accounts to settle, and an apartment to eventually pack up and vacate, finishing his degree had been put aside. It was through grief and emptiness that he'd forced himself to complete three courses over the summer. When Sam discovered that his last two classes, which were minor requirements he'd put off early on, could be finished online, he called his uncle with an idea.

Abe had been more than receptive when Samuel suggested a return to Cedar Creek while he completed his degree. Although the boy admitted he had no idea what would come next for him – where to work, where to live, what to do – it was time to try to move forward. It was time for Sam to continue on with his life. Abe clung to the hope that coming to Cedar Creek would be a healing experience for both him and the boy, a way for them to come to terms with Sarah's death.

"Sure wish you could have been here for the library's grand re-opening," Eli gruffed, bringing Sam back from where his mind had wandered. "They put a sign up on the building with our names."

"I wish I could have been, but I had to finish up some things at school," Sam explained.

"I told him that already." Abe shook his head. "Darn fool never listens to me," he added under his breath.

Eli frowned. "I listen. Still wish the boy could have attended."

Abe waved off his friend and then turned his attention to the grumble in his stomach. "Opal, could you get us three slices of cherry pie, à la mode, and some sweet teas? Please and thank you."

"Sure thing." Opal smiled and went back behind the counter.

"And some fries, Jim," Eli added, after they'd sat at their usual table in the back of the diner

"Waffle, shoestring, or home?" Jim asked.

Eli winked. "Surprise me."

Abe glanced at the chess set they kept in the corner, but left it untouched. "Did you get everything packed up alright?"

Sam nodded. "There wasn't much left at the apartment to pack up. I had the bulk of it sent by the shipping company last month."

"I had the men who delivered it put everything in the extra garage out by the little guesthouse. But, as it so happens, we'll have to unpack what we can and move the rest to the little storage shed." Abe told him. "Soon."

"You buying another old truck to fix up?" Sam asked his uncle. "I've always wanted to help you with one of those."

"Nope. I rented out the guesthouse and promised the garage with it."

"Now, why'd you go and do that?" Eli leaned back in his chair. "And more importantly, why didn't I know about it until now?"

"I don't tell you everything."

Sam laughed. "I can't remember a time when you didn't."

Abe pulled the tall glass of sweet tea Opal had just placed on the table closer to him and leaned forward to sip from the straw. "Well, it just happened a few hours ago, when Adeline called the shop."

Eli scrunched up his brow. "Why would Adeline want to rent out your guesthouse?"

"She doesn't."

"Abraham Webber, get to it!" Eli shook his head in frustration.

"It's for the new girl; that Miss Vita. She told Doc earlier today that she'd stay on at the medical center for at least six months. Doc told Adeline, and Adeline called me."

"Strange that she'd call you, when there are a number of other places that the girl could rent. Didn't Crawford just fix up one of his empty duplexes?"

"Crawford is a drunk that does the bare minimum to pass inspection, and we all know it. I've got the house, Adeline called, it's a done deal."

"Pie," Opal announced as she set down the three plates. "And you're doing a good thing, Abe. Miss Vita will love staying on your property."

Sam took a bite of the vanilla ice cream and let it melt in his mouth. "Who is this mysterious Miss Vita?"

"Passer through that decided to stay and work for Doc Baker," Eli mumbled through a mouthful of cherry pie. "Opal, this just came out of the oven, didn't it?"

"Sure did." She flashed a smile at him. "You can always tell."

"It's just that much better. Sends it over the top for me."

Sam looked from his uncle, to Eli, to Opal. "Doesn't sound normal for Doc Baker to hire a passer through. I know I only spend two months a year here, but Doc's always been a keep it local kind of guy."

Abe shrugged. "He needed the help, she was here, it all worked out."

"New blood in Cedar Creek... that doesn't happen very often," Sam noted.

"Eh. We get one or two a year," Eli quipped before he shoveled another forkful of pie into his mouth.

"I chose shoestring," Jim announced as he set the fries in the middle of the table.

Eli smiled as he picked up a fry. "I was secretly hoping for shoestring."

"Pie and fries. Only you." Abe laughed at his friend.

Eli licked his lips and popped the shoestring potato in his mouth. "Anything and fries."

Sam closed his eyes and let his body relax; it was the first time in months that he'd actually felt at ease. Abe and Eli were family; Eli wasn't blood, but that didn't matter. Cedar Creek was home; the only place he could call home after losing everything else. Sam needed that feeling of stability, even though there was a part of him that wanted to laugh at the notion. He was a twenty-three year old man, more than capable of making it on his own. Wasn't he supposed to stand tall, be a man, soldier on, and all that stuff? But he was grateful to be in Cedar Creek and grateful to have people to fall back on.

It had been two days since Krista met Marlene Richardson, two days since she was accosted by the scent of the illness that was growing ever stronger inside the woman, and two days since Krista had decided to remain in Cedar Creek. After being almost immediately accepted by the town's residents, Krista wanted to stick around to see if she could help Marlene. In the state she was in, the woman had only a few months left in her. There was no guarantee that Krista could make a difference, but she could try.

Krista folded another shirt and placed it in the box with the others, repacking the things she'd unpacked the week prior. Her truck was already loaded with the rest of her boxes and she was still asking herself why she'd decided to stay in such a small town. But it didn't really matter. Why does anyone choose a place to settle down? A job: check. A place to live: check. Family: that box would have to remain unchecked.

Krista placed the last shirt in the box and closed the lid. She looked around the room one last time, opening and closing every drawer and cabinet, to make sure she hadn't left anything behind, before carrying the box out to her truck. It was time to finally see her new place of residence.

When she got out to her truck, Krista discovered a sticky note stuck to her windshield, on which Adeline had written detailed directions. The drive wasn't a long one, and after passing the sign that read Webber Estate, she turned down an extremely long driveway. The word estate had thrown her off when she'd read it in the parking lot of the motel, but as she drove down the gravel path, Abe's house came into view and it was exactly that... an estate. It's tall white columns held up two levels of wrap-around porches. The house looked historically old but incredibly well maintained, and elegant in a way that Krista hadn't seen up close before.

Sitting in a rocking chair, on the porch near the entrance, was Abe. He waved when he noticed her approach. Krista waved back as she stopped her truck out front.

"Good to see you, Miss Vita." Abe stood up from his chair as she exited her vehicle. He took a few steps forward to rest his arms on top of the wooden railing.

"You too, Abe. And if I didn't mention it on the phone enough, it really is so nice of you to let me rent out your guesthouse. I'm grateful, especially after Adeline warned me about the duplex I saw in the paper. I won't be too much of a bother, I hope."

"No bother at all. Happy to have someone back there. A house is just sticks, bricks, and glass until someone fills it up and gives it some love; then it becomes a home. Make that your home, young lady."

Krista rocked back on her heels as she clasped her hands behind her back. "I still don't know how long I plan to stay in Cedar Creek, Abe."

Abe gave a small shrug and cocked his head. "Then make it feel like a home for as long as you can."

Krista smiled, thankful that he seemed to understand. "I promise to give it some love."

"House is around back. Just point your truck that way and keep following the gravel path toward the creek." He pointed around the side of the main house and tossed a keychain toward her.

She reached out and grabbed the keys before they hit the ground. "Thanks again."

Abe nodded his head as he sat back down in his chair. "You should come around for dinner. We eat at seven-thirty, sharp. None of that, I'm old, I need to eat before six, garbage for me."

Krista laughed. "Who ever said you were old?"

Abe chuckled. "Just come up after you've unpacked."

"Thank you, I will."

The truck's tires crunched along the gravel road as Krista drove toward the small house. Wood siding, a cornflower blue door, empty flower boxes, and a faded white swing that hung from the covered porch. The guesthouse was perfect from the outside. Krista couldn't wait to see the inside.

She pulled her truck to the side of the house, toward the building that looked as if it doubled as both garage and storage, but stopped abruptly in front of the barn style doors that marked the entrance. The right door was wide open, and Krista could clearly see that the inside of the building was packed with boxes and furniture. She killed the engine and got out. Adeline had clearly mentioned, as a selling point, a garage to keep her truck out of the elements. There was no way it would fit inside with all those boxes.

As Krista got out of the truck to investigate, a guy around her age, maybe a few years older, wearing well-worn jeans and a white t-shirt, moved into view. She watched as he opened a box and frowned at its contents. He had earbuds in his ears, but she could hear the music from where she stood. The wires snaked under the collar of his shirt and popped out again under the hem, only to disappear into his back pocket, where she could just make out the rectangular outline of the music source. He pulled up the hem of his shirt to wipe the moisture from his brow and then twisted his body away from Krista, still unaware of her presence.

Krista walked up behind him and tapped him on the shoulder.

Sam spun around expecting to find his uncle but an entirely different face was staring back at him. He'd never seen the woman before, and could only assume it was who his uncle had rented the guesthouse to, and the reason he was trying to clear the boxes from the garage so soon after he'd arrived in town.

He pulled the earbuds out and let them hang from the neck of his shirt. "Krista, I assume."

"I am," she confirmed. "What is all this stuff?" she asked, motioning to the contents of the garage. "Are you moving it out? I was told I'd have a place to park my truck and store my things."

"I'm clearing it all out now. I should have it done in a day or two. Then it will be at your disposal."

Krista looked around the garage, doubtful of his timeline. "Oh. Alright. If you say so. Do you work for Abe or something?"

Sam scowled at her. "No, I don't work for him, Abe is my uncle. And, in fact, I live here."

Krista took a step back and leaned against a dresser that was directly behind her. "What? You... you live here? Abe and Adeline never said anything about sharing this place. That won't do at all," she sighed in exasperation and pulled her phone from her pocket. "I need to call her and see if I misheard or something. I hate to bug Abe, he's such a nice guy, but I can not share a house with a strange man."

"Calm down, I don't live in the guesthouse. I'm in the main house, with my uncle. Believe me, I have no desire to live with a strange woman, either."

Krista stood up a little straighter and put her phone back in her pocket. "I didn't know Abe had a nephew. I didn't think he had any family. Other than Eli, though I know he's not really related."

Sam let a small mocking laugh escape his lips. "How much did you expect to know in such a short amount of time? Didn't do all your research, did you? Well, Abe has family. Keep that in mind while you're out here plotting on how best to take advantage of this nice old man who lives in one of the biggest houses in town. Didn't plan on family when you schemed your way onto his property, right after appearing out of nowhere, huh?"

"What are you talking about? Scheming? I'm not scheming anything!" she answered. Her voice increased in volume with each word she spoke.

"Doesn't matter. I'm here; right around the corner, making sure Uncle Abe isn't taken advantage of. I'll be watching you." He narrowed his eyes at her.

"What in the hell is wrong with you?" Krista shook her head in disbelief. "Anyway... nice to meet you, Abe's nephew, it's been such a pleasure. I'm Krista, the girl who isn't trying to take advantage of anyone. So... yeah. I'll leave you to finish unpacking and I'll be doing the same... over there, inside the house that I've rented from Abe, the man who's entirely safe from any scheming plots against him." She spun on her heels and walked out of the garage.

Sam shrugged, satisfied that he'd made his point. "I'm Sam. Nice to meet you too."

Krista stomped her way up the three steps that brought her atop the front porch of her new residence. She unlocked the door, more than ready to inspect the inside, especially if it meant getting away from Abe's nephew.

After he heard the door to the guesthouse slam closed, Sam turned back to the box he'd opened before that annoying girl interrupted him and stared at the stack of letters inside. The envelopes had been carefully opened, and the pages lovingly replaced after they were read. They were sorted by date and had been stored in a shoebox. His mother had insisted he handwrite one letter a week and send it to her whenever they were apart during his summers in Cedar Creek. No typed up computer print outs or emails were allowed. She'd always left him at Uncle Abe's with stationery when she went back home. There were three letters from each summer, starting after his grandparents had died, and ending sometime after he turned eighteen, when he'd finally insisted that an emailed letter was good enough. His mother had saved them all.

Sam traced a finger across the tops of the letters, listening to the sound the envelopes made as they collided with each other. He brushed the wetness away from his eyes, took a deep breath, and closed the box.

Krista parted the curtains in the front room and watched Sam as he walked back toward the main house. His head hung low as if he was staring at his feet as he walked. His arms hung at his sides, his hands balled into fists. Sam looked angry, he talked angry, and Krista wanted no part in that.

She let the curtains fall back into place and continued her inspection of the house. She'd agreed to rent it before she'd even seen it, so she had no idea what to expect. The front room looked simple and comfortable, with a small couch, two cushy looking chairs, a rectangular table in the center of the room, and a wood-burning stove in the corner. Krista wondered how cold it actually got in Cedar Creek. Off to the right was the compact kitchen, complete with a smallish fridge, three-burner stovetop, and an oven big enough to cook a roast; her grandmother had taught her the proper way to prepare a roast from the time she was old enough to stand on a stool and pay attention. A small table with four chairs occupied a rounded space at the end of the kitchen, and Krista noticed that the sink would need to double as her dishwasher, but washing dishes for one person was a task she knew her hands were quite capable of.

She stood in front of the sink and gazed out of the window. The trees were abundant, and if she stood on her tippy-toes, leaned forward, and turned her head to the left she could see the creek. The sound of the water moving along the creek-bed was soothing. Flowing water was proof that things always moved on, and life wouldn't stop and wait for you. You had two choices, you could move along with it or stay, but either choice meant change. If you moved along with the water, your surroundings would constantly change, and if you stayed in place, the water would move along and new water would arrive. You couldn't avoid life and you couldn't avoid change, because just like the water it just keeps flowing along.

On the opposite side of the house two bedrooms sat side-by-side. One was tiny, with a twin bed and a four-drawer dresser filling up the space. The other was much more spacious, with a large bed, a long antique bureau with attached mirror, and a wide chair – perfect to curl up in and read a book – with a small table and lamp at its side. In front of the bed was a padded bench that doubled as linen storage. When Krista lifted the top she found a pile of comfy blankets folded up inside. There was a door in the room that led to another porch, with a clear view of the flowing creek.

The house was perfect. It ached for someone to fill it up and put it to good use. Krista would do her best to, "give it some love," just as Abe had instructed.

Abe got up from his rocking chair and walked back into the house to figure out why there was so much noise coming from the kitchen. The clanging had reached his ears outside, which was worth investigating because the kitchen was in the back of the house. Maybe it was the fact that it was a quiet day or maybe it was because Abe wasn't used to hearing off noises inside unless it was one of Martha's days. Martha came every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday to tidy the place up and cook a little something for his dinner. But it wasn't one of Martha's days and, therefore, entirely too much noise was coming from inside.

"Samuel, what's all that racket?" Abe called out as he made his way to the kitchen.

"It's nothing. I didn't mean to disturb you, you should go back outside," Sam answered as Abe rounded the corner and appeared in the doorway.

"I thought you were out in the garage going through your things. What's got you all riled up?"

"I don't trust her," Sam hissed.

Abe opened the fridge, grabbed a bottle of pop, twisted off the cap and sat down on a stool at the counter. "Trust who?"

"That Krista girl," he practically shouted. "Where'd she come from? What's she doing here? What does she want from you?"

"From the last place she lived. Working for Doc. A place to stay. I think that about answers all those questions. But you and I both know it wasn't that girl out there that caused whatever's churning inside you to blow up."

Sam took a deep breath and held it until his lungs burned before slowly letting the air out. "I opened a box and found all the letters I wrote to Mom every summer when she left me here. Every time I've ever been in Cedar Creek, I always knew I'd be going home to her. I'm not going home to her this time," Sam's voice cracked as he said the last few words. His attempt to remain calm was broken by the sudden rush of memories and the empty ache inside of him.

"You lost her too soon, Samuel. Someone your age shouldn't have to worry about losing his mom. Get yourself a drink and pull up a stool. We are going to sit here and do nothing but tell each other stories... all the wonderful things about our Sarah."

"It's hard for me to do that, Uncle Abe."

"I know it is, but not talking about her will just make it worse."

"I can't believe you don't find that girl suspicious!"

"No more mention of Krista until she joins us later, and then nothing but your best behavior. I won't have that girl feeling uncomfortable after I invited her for dinner."

Sam's eyes widened in disbelief. "You invited her to eat with us?"

Abe took a slow sip from the bottle in front of him. "Did I ever tell you about the Thanksgiving when your mom was twelve, and my brother dared his little girl to jump into the creek?"

Sam opened the fridge and grabbed a beer. "No. I don't think I've heard that one." He sat down on the stool next to Abe and twisted off the top.

"Well, you know your mother loved to swim and that creek gets mighty cold by the end of November. I don't think there was snow on the ground yet that year. Actually, no, there wasn't, but it was icy cold that day. My brother was always teasing his little girl, though your grandma did her best to discourage him. He and Sarah, they had a connection that way. They loved to joke, and they loved to dare each other to do silly things. That man once ate a grasshopper because she bet him a nickel that he wouldn't."

Sam laughed as he twisted the bottle around in a circle. He stared at the dark amber glass, and tried to picture his mother as a little girl, and his grandfather as a much younger man.

"Well, that Thanksgiving, right after we were finished with the meal. Sarah declared she was so full that she felt like a puffer fish. Your granddad said, 'Sarah, you can't swim half as well as a fish.' To which she replied, 'I'm as good as any fish.' And she puffed up her chest, just like that darn fish. 'If it was warm,' she said, 'I'd show you what a good swimmer I am.' So my brother smirked at her and said, 'No time like the present.' We all laughed, thinking it was a good joke. But Sarah jumped up from the table and ran right through this kitchen and out that door." Abe pointed.

"She did not." Sam shook his head.

"That she did. Your grandma got up and ran out after her daughter, calling her name over and over. 'Sarah, Sarah, Sarah, get back here.' Then we all got up and followed. We ran down the path to the creek and we found Sarah standing on that big rock down there, you know the one."

"Did she jump in?" Sam asked.

Abe took another sip and then gazed out the kitchen window. "She spun around on the top of that rock, her new dress twirling around her legs. My brother was telling her not to get in the creek. Her mom was telling her to get down. My parents came trailing out, too old to be running anywhere, but they were shaking their heads with these huge smiles on their faces; they loved that girl. I just stood there laughing. Your mom had spirit, you could see it in her mischievous smile. Finally, she jumped down and said something about how we'd all had a nice walk, the exercise doing us all some good, and that she didn't want to swim but was ready for pie!" Abe chuckled, remembering the moment.

Sam took a long drink from his bottle and then smiled. "She always found a way to make people laugh."

****

Chapter Five

"Go away," Krista mumbled in her sleep, because the knocking in her dream was getting faster and louder.

When her mind registered the fact that the pounding was truly happening, her eyes cracked open. She looked around the room she was in, and a moment of panic hit her when nothing seemed familiar, but it soon washed away as she took note of her surroundings. She'd apparently fallen asleep in her new bedroom and the pounding noise was coming from the front of the house.

"Frig," Krista groaned, uttering the only "F-word" her grandmother had ever allowed in her presence. She put her wrist near her face and tried to focus on the hands of her watch. It was seven thirty-nine. The pounding subsided into a woodpecker-like knocking and her head was beginning to pulse with the pattern. "I'm coming," she yelled out.

She stumbled through the house to the front door, bumping into unfamiliar furniture, the placement not yet memorized. Her big toe caught the edge of the coffee table near the couch and she yelped with the pain.

The knocking continued.

"Oh. My. Lord!" she exclaimed as she swung open the door. "You! Of course it's you. Thank you so much for the headache, the possible broken toe, and what I'm sure will be a bruise on my leg by tomorrow."

Sam stood outside the door, his hand paused in mid-knock. "I did all that? I hope we can keep this from Sheriff Tucker. Uncle Abe would be terribly disappointed if I were brought up on some kind of assault charges. You're late."

"Dinner. I'm late," Krista conceded.

"Uncle Abe doesn't like late, he likes prompt. He sent me to fetch you."

"Like a dog?"

"His words, not mine."

Krista reached down to rub at her aching toe. "Let me get some Ibuprofen, and put some shoes on. I'll be right over.

Krista swung the door to close it, but Sam reached out and stopped it from shutting. "I'll wait."

"Just go. I'm right behind you."

Sam leaned against the doorframe and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Abe said to bring you. So, I'll wait."

Krista grumbled and muttered under her breath as she limped back to the bedroom where she had left her purse, which contained a new bottle of Ibuprofen.

When she returned a few moments later, Sam was in the exact same position. "Ready?" he asked.

She didn't answer; she just walked out the door and swung it closed behind her. She heard him catch the door and then she heard it close, but Krista didn't look back once during the short walk up to the main house. She found Abe's nephew annoying and wondered how she was going to make it through an entire dinner with the man. Be nice. Put a smile on your face. Krista repeated the advice her grandmother had often given her. It'll get you through almost anything.

Abe was sitting at the table in the main house staring at a still covered slow cooker that was waiting in the center. "You're here! I almost started without you two. I could feel my body beginning to consume itself for fear of starvation."

Sam laughed. "That's pretty dire."

"It seems I fell asleep. I'm so sorry," Krista apologized. "Your nephew was kind enough to come over and wake me up." She made eye contact with Sam. "He didn't need to do that. He could have called."

"Didn't have your number," Sam quipped.

"Your uncle does."

"Your ringer could have been off."

"It wasn't," Krista answered, flatly.

Abe ignored the tension and stood up. "Didn't think of calling, so I sent him," Abe said with a nod of his head.

The smell of savory beef stew was released into the room as he opened the slow cooker. Krista's stomach acknowledged the delicious aroma with a prominent grumble. Both men turned their heads to stare at her stomach, and Krista quickly took her place at the table.

"Moving can be tiring. And it can give you an appetite," Abe added.

She smiled at him. "I'm grateful for the invitation. Dinner smells wonderful."

"Tastes good too," Abe stated. "My specialty. The biscuits are from Martha, she cooks for me sometimes."

Sam lifted his bowl up, so his uncle could pour in a ladle full of stew. "Did I ever tell you this is my favorite meal of yours?"

"Hearty stew and biscuits. Best combination in the world," Abe stated with confidence, as he motioned toward the bowl on the table in front of Krista.

Krista handed the heavy white pottery to Abe. "I can't wait to try it."

"I'm trying to eat less red meat, so this is a real treat for me." Abe poured a ladle into his own bowl and then sat down. "Don't forget to grab a biscuit."

Krista separated the flaky buttery biscuit into two pieces and then spooned some of the stew onto the top of one half. She took a huge bite and smiled.

"Good?" Abe asked.

She nodded her head in approval.

Sam crumbled his biscuit over the top of his bowl and then picked up his spoon, while Krista took another huge bite of the savory stew spooned over her biscuit, and Abe attacked his meal with gusto. They all ate in silence, but even without any of his accusing words, Krista could feel Sam's eyes on her and it made her feel uncomfortable.

"So, I hear Marlene's seeing a cardiologist. It must have been something serious for Doc to send her over to Greenville so quickly," Abe said, after he'd emptied nearly half of his bowl.

Krista set her spoon down. "I'm sure you are aware I can't discuss the personal and medical information of patients without their consent. Did Doctor Baker actually divulge her condition to you?"

"So, she has a condition, does she?" Abe raised his eyebrows as he sipped at his lemonade. "Actually, Ben told me that he and Marlene saw my cardiologist over at Greenville General. We were talking about it, and he feels better now, knowing that proper tests were being done and that Marlene's finally getting the right kind of care."

"I see. Well, Doctor Baker obviously referred her to someone he knew could help her." Krista decided there was nothing wrong with confirming something that Ben had already told Abe about.

"Ben knows how much I've raved about that doctor, so he wanted to ask me a few questions about him," Abe explained. "I mentioned it to Doc, what Ben said, then I told him that you were moving in here. Doctor Baker told me something about you."

"What did he say?"

"That you have an intuitive medical nature. He said you know your stuff."

"Wasn't that nice of him?" Sam mumbled.

Krista ignored the comment, which was dripping in sarcasm. "I didn't know you see a cardiologist?" She was puzzled; she hadn't sensed anything medically unsound about him. When she was around Abe, all she could smell was the regular slow decay all humans experienced toward the later years of their life; nothing accelerated, or nearing the end.

Abe gave a single nod of his head. "I had a slight issue several years ago. Doc sent me to Greenville, and it got worked out. Everything's functioning like it's supposed to be, now. I go in for a check-up every year, just to make sure."

Sam ran both his hands through his hair and rested them at the back of his head. "You never told Mom and me about that."

"Didn't want to worry anyone. It was no big deal," Abe shrugged.

"Did your intuitive medical nature zero in on my uncle's condition?" Sam glared at Krista.

"Actually, I had no idea. How would I? I've barely met him, so how would I know about a medical history that his own family didn't?" she asked, glaring back at him.

"Maybe you somehow got the records in Greenville. Maybe you figured he's on borrowed time. Maybe that's why you showed up in Cedar Creek!"

Krista placed both hands flat on the tabletop and looked directly into Sam's eyes. "I've never even been to Greenville. I'd appreciate it if you would stop making assumptions about me."

Abe pointed his spoon at his nephew. "Samuel, what is going on with you? Stop badgering my dinner guest." His voice had taken on an authoritative tone. "I am not on borrowed time!"

Sam stood up. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm not feeling all that well. I think I need to lie down. You'll have to excuse me." He pushed his chair back from the table and rushed out of the room.

"Is he always this way?" Krista asked, when she heard footsteps ascending some nearby staircase.

Abe dipped his spoon back into his bowl of stew. "The boy's not having the best day. I'm not making excuses, mind you; I'm just giving an explanation. But let's not let him ruin all my hard work on this dinner. Eat up."

Since their first and only day of interaction had been a downhill experience from the moment she met him, Krista did her best to avoid Samuel Webber. He continued to clear out the garage over the next few days, and she made sure she stayed away from the building whenever she could hear him clattering around inside. Krista caught glimpses of him as she came and went from the Webber Estate, and each time she did his eyes seemed to bore a hole into her. His distrust was obvious and it angered her. Krista had always considered herself to be a very trustworthy person. She may not have always told the absolute truth about certain aspects of her life, but that was to protect herself, not to deceive anyone with malicious intent. She couldn't even imagine doing something cruel to another living creature.

Leaving for work one morning, she noticed Sam on the porch of the main house as she passed by. He looked right at her through her passenger window. She smiled and gave him a small wave but his hands didn't move from where they rested on the railing, and he didn't acknowledge her gesture. She glanced in her rearview mirror as she headed toward the main road and Sam was still there, monitoring her departure. Krista accelerated, wanting to get his image out of her mirror as quickly as possible. When she turned on the main road she let out a loud sigh.

A few minutes later she pulled up in front of the medical center, as Pete was walking toward the building. He waited for her to catch up to him before he unlocked the door. "You ready for all the kids today?"

"I totally forgot that was today!"

"I'm glad to have the extra help, it'll go quicker this year with you here. Do you want vision or hearing? Since it's your first time, I'll let you choose."

The kids from the elementary school were having their annual screenings and as the school didn't employ a nurse, Doctor Baker volunteered his time, and his staff, to administer the tests.

"Not sure. I'll decide when we get there and set up. I swear, I've never known a school that didn't have a nurse," Krista said.

"There is a nurse over at the secondary school. But, since the elementary school is only a block away, Doc volunteers his time to save the school some money. If any medicines need distributing, Doc or I will go over at lunchtime. If someone feels hot, the teachers take a temp and send home anyone running a fever. The school will call Doc if one of the kiddos seems bad off, but that rarely happens. The parents around here know better than to send their kids to school when the little guy or girl isn't feeling quite right," Pete explained. "And once a year we go over to see if there's a valid reason why Jack keeps squinting at the board and Sally has to be told twice before she does anything."

Krista smiled at his choice of names. "Jack and Sally, huh?"

"It's my favorite Tim Burton movie. Do you think my future wife will let me name our kids Jack and Sally?"

"Those characters are boyfriend and girlfriend, not brother and sister. You're on the wrong track."

"You're probably right. Maybe the nursery could have a mural painted on the wall or something..."

Krista laughed as she went to the storeroom to get the auditory machine. "You do realize you are probably one of a very small selection of men who will actually talk about kids' names and nursery themes... as a single dude?"

"What can I say? I've always known I'd be a spectacular father. I'm going to teach my girl to love football and my boy to bake the best chocolate chip cookies, and vice versa."

"Your ex really was an idiot to leave you."

Pete grabbed the eye chart and the health check-up note pads that were sitting next to it. "I like you more every day, Kristanta Jessmina Vita."

"Ugh. Why did I tell you my full name?"

"Would you like me to even the score, because mine is just as bad?"

Krista picked up the case that held the machine and the headphones, and almost dropped it. "Pete Jones. How is that bad?" She adjusted her balance. "And you need to carry this, it's heavy."

"You have no idea. And we use that. " Pete pointed to the wheeled case in the corner.

"Let's hear this name of yours."

"Peter Venkman Jones."

"No!"

"Yes," Pete answered with a slow bob of his head. "My mother's favorite movie."

Krista cupped her hands over her mouth. "That's... unique." She rushed over to him and grabbed his shoulders. "And you want to saddle your kids with movie names of their own?"

"I wouldn't make their middle names Skellington and... Sally actually doesn't have another name. But you know what I mean."

"Wait!" Krista interrupted him. "You should have been a doctor. Then you could have been Dr. Peter Venkman!"

"That's what my mom said when I applied to nursing school."

"You could have become a paranormal researcher. Even better."

Pete laughed. "Ghosts are not my thing."

"My day started off kinda crappy. You just made it so much better! Thanks, Peter Venkman."

"You are very welcome, Kristanta Jessmina. I'm glad I could brighten your morning. What was so crappy?"

"Nothing worth talking about. When are we supposed to wheel this stuff over to the school, Dr. Venkman?"

"That's Nurse Jones to you. Doc is going to meet us over there shortly."

"Nurse Pete suits you better," Krista told him as they loaded their supplies in the case.

"It also immediately kills the all nurses are female assumption. When I first started out, before I moved here, if the doctor said, 'I'll send in Nurse Jones,' or even just, 'I'll send in the nurse,' patients and family members were shocked when I walked in. So I started to go by Nurse Pete, or better yet, just Pete, to give their brains a moment to process. Pete is a boy's name, so Nurse Pete is probably a man."

"I agree. You are probably a man," Krista teased.

"Or we can just stick to calling me plain old Pete," he suggested with a smile.

"Okay, plain old Pete it is."

Cedar Creek Elementary was a small school, with only one classroom per grade level. Pete told Krista that Cedar Creek Secondary School was larger, serving the town's entire seventh through twelfth grade students, plus the neighboring town's kids as well. Pete had been one of those students taking the forty-minute daily bus ride over from Woodside every school year. He moved to Greenville for nursing school, and to Cedar Creek a few years after he graduated, when he'd heard that Doctor Baker's other nurse was moving to Texas to be near her grandkids and he'd contacted Doc about being her replacement. Pete talked quickly during the short walk over, giving Krista the run down.

At the school, Krista decided to be in charge of vision screening, while Pete did the hearing test. She had each child read through the lines on the eye chart, and then sent them on to Pete. Doctor Baker gave every boy and girl a quick lookover before they were sent back to class. Every student was given a blue slip of paper with Health Check-up printed across the top to take home to their parents with any irregularities detailed on it.

Krista was relieved when she didn't discover any truly ailing children at the school. Being at the children's hospital had been hard for her; it had been her first time taking a position at a hospital that didn't service adults. The amount of suffering she saw every single day was heartbreaking. But there was so much bravery and immense joy at every small step toward healing as well. Almost every parent at the hospital radiated determination and hope that their child would recover.

It had been hard for her to choose which family would benefit the most from her help. Leaving that hospital had been a gut wrenching decision, but staying would have torn her soul apart because there was no possible way for her to help every single child there. It had been her shortest stay in a new place and a job she'd never repeat. Krista knew she could help those kids but she had to convince the parents first. Sometimes, the kids who needed her the most had the parents who'd already begun to accept their child's fate. There was little hope of her intervening at that point.

Krista tried to push it all from her mind. She'd left for many reasons, but the main reason was that she felt herself going a little bit mad toward the end. In Cedar Creek, she felt calm.

At the end of the day, Pete suggested they get dinner together. Their little town was definitely limited in options, with their only choices being The Steakhouse, Downtown Diner, Frank's Drive-In, The Pizza Stop, and The Soda Shoppe. With the addition of either the bowling alley or Bill's Bar, but only appetizers could be ordered at those establishments.

Pete decided to leave his motorcycle at the medical center and ride with Krista. Once they got into her truck, he got a sudden craving for one of Opal's pies so Downtown Diner became their destination. As soon as they walked through the door, and those bells began to jingle, Krista regretted their choice.

Behind the counter, wearing a black apron, standing right next to Opal, in her usual pink one, stood Samuel Webber. Krista's steps faltered for a second and Pete turned back to look at her. "What's wrong?" he asked, when he saw the look on her face.

"My day just got crappy again."

"Why?"

"Him."

****

Chapter Six

"Hey, you two," Opal greeted Krista and Pete. "How'd it go with the kiddos today?"

"Just fine. But we're starving! Those suckers always wear me out," Pete answered.

Krista's forehead scrunched up and her mouth dropped open. "You people know everything."

"Why, yes. Yes, we do." Opal smiled sweetly at her.

Pete sat down on a stool. "You'll get used to it," he told Krista. As soon as she sat down beside him, Pete rested his head on her shoulder and closed his eyes. "I really am worn out."

"Watch this," Opal mouthed to Krista, while pointing to Pete. "Did you make any of the little ones cry this year?" Opal asked aloud.

Pete's eyes popped back open, he lifted his head, and then he threw his hands up in the air. "One time! One time, I tell you, and it was two years ago. That little girl stretched her legs toward me under the table. I didn't mean to kick her!"

"You know you have feet the size of skateboards," Jim called out from the kitchen. "You gotta watch where you swing those things."

"Poor little legs," Opal whispered.

Pete stood up. "I think we should've just gone to the drive-in. I'm suddenly craving a chili dog and fries. Come on, Krista."

Krista shook her head. "Oh, I don't know. I want to hear more about this. Did you leave a bruise?"

His body stiffened and he brought his hands up to cover his face. "It was so small," he mumbled through his fingers. "And she showed it to me every time she saw me, until it finally faded away."

Krista erupted in laughter. "First, do no harm, Pete."

He dropped his hands and Krista laughed even harder at the exaggerated pout his face had contorted into. "I hate you all," he firmly stated.

"Sit down, Nurse Pete. You know you love us. I made fresh mini Perfect Pecan Pies today. Just took them out of the oven ten minutes ago. I might even give you one to sample," Opal told him. "And, you can't go, because Sam needs the practice. He's taking over a few shifts a week for me, so I can bake more minis for the grocery."

Pete lowered himself back down onto the stool. "Only because Sam needs the practice."

"Thanks, man," Sam nodded toward Pete. "But just between you and me, I'm doing great. Opal is just having a hard time relinquishing the apron," he added, while covering one side of his mouth with his hand conspiratorially.

Opal hit him with the cloth napkin she was holding. "Hush, now. I like things done in a very particular way. I just want to make sure you have it down right."

"I will follow your instructions perfectly, I promise." Sam took his right hand and made a crossing motion on his chest, over his heart.

"You'd better," Jim told him. "I don't want to deal with the aftermath if you don't."

"Daddy, please!"

"Can I get you something to drink?" Sam asked. He kept his eyes on Pete, not wanting to address Krista until he had to. His uncle kept telling him that she had no ulterior motives for settling in Cedar Creek, but Sam wasn't quite ready to accept his word for it. He'd been trying to do some background checks on the girl, but there didn't seem to be too much information, at least that he could find.

Sam had dug around every social media site he could think of and discovered no trace of Krista. He was able to find work records; being in the medical field had made that part easy to track. She'd worked at two hospitals and two clinics in four different cities since she'd completed her training. Sam could see no good reason for a girl to move around that much in only a few years unless she was hiding something or running from something. Either way, the whole thing smelled wrong to him.

"You serving beer yet?" Pete asked.

Opal shook her head. "Pete, you know that's not happening."

"No, sir. We do not serve beer. Bill's Bar is across the way if you'd like to imbibe," Sam answered and then looked at Opal with a raise of his eyebrows.

"Good answer, Sam. Imbibe. Perfect for those passers through that don't know better," Opal told him.

"I was just testing him. I'll have a root beer," Pete said, stressing the word.

Sam turned from Pete to Krista. He caught her eye for just a second before glancing down at his order pad. "And what can I get for you?"

"Lemonade, please." Krista gave a quick answer as she picked up the menu card from the counter and brought it up to cover her face.

Sam turned around to get their drinks and Pete caught her attention. "What's going on?" Pete mouthed.

"Ask him," Krista mouthed back and pointed to Sam.

Pete shrugged. "Hey, Sam."

Krista grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare," she hissed in a whisper.

"Yeah?" Sam turned to face them again and set their drinks on the counter.

"I was just wondering," Pete started.

Krista kept her menu card up, hiding her face from Sam, and gave Pete her best I'm going to kill you look.

"Well, I was just wondering," Pete repeated. "How are those online classes going for you?"

"They're good. A ton of reading, a few papers, and the ever-present exams... I'll have it finished up in no time. Why? You thinking about going back to school?"

"Nah. Not me. But Krista might be."

Krista whipped the menu away from her face and looked at Pete. "What? I never said that."

"What? You're not? I could have sworn I heard Doc talking to you about getting some pre reqs out of the way so you could eventually go to nursing school."

"That was all him. I didn't start that conversation, he did."

Sam looked at her with a smug smile on his face. "Some people don't have the fortitude to go to college. It takes a lot of work, you know."

Krista smoothed her hands across the counter. "Some people are quite happy and content in their chosen field. Remember, there are no small jobs, just small people. Every single part of an engine is needed for it to work properly, from the tiniest gear to the biggest shaft."

The smile disappeared from Sam's face. "Am I supposed to be the small person, or the big shaft in your eloquent analogy?"

"Either fits," she quipped. "I'll have the meatloaf with mashed potatoes and the grilled corn. Thanks."

"Yeah. Meatloaf sounds good to me too, but I want the meatloaf sandwich. Oh, and curly fries," Pete added.

Sam opened his mouth, wanting to say something about the big shaft comment Krista had made. He was pretty sure she was calling him a dick. His brain was filled with comebacks... I'm not a big shaft but I have one, I'll show you a big shaft, I'm sure you wouldn't know a big shaft if you saw one... but he closed his mouth. He didn't want to stoop to that level. And, if he was willing to admit it to himself, he was sort of being a dick. "Great choices. I'll put your orders in."

Opal followed Sam over to the counter to make sure he'd written everything the way her father liked it, and then watched him as he clipped the ticket to the wire.

"Now you just shout out, new order, and Daddy will get going on it," Opal told him.

"You really should think about nursing school," Pete told Krista, once Sam had turned away from them. "It's just like what you do now, but amped up some, and just, well, more. Or pick a therapy and do something like that. Respiratory therapist, physical therapist, I don't know. There's just something about you. I get the feeling that you're not where you're supposed to be. Job wise, I mean. I'm rambling, and you're not even paying attention, I'll shut up now."

Krista unfolded and refolded the napkin in front of her; it was calming, for some reason, and she wanted to remain calm. "Look, Pete, I appreciate the vote of confidence. Really, I do. But I am not telling you to reach beyond nursing to become an NP, a PA, or even an MD. You're Nurse Pete, and you're happy with that. I'm your assistant and I'm happy with that too."

"But you could do so much more to help people, and I can see how much you want to do that, how much you care for the patients," Pete pushed.

"The things I can do for sick people, for dying people," Krista began, but then quickly snapped her mouth shut. She wasn't going to expand on that, she couldn't.

"Exactly," Pete said, satisfied that he got his point across. "Think about those things."

"I'm good, Pete. I'm happy. I promise," Krista said with resolve. "So, you kicked a little girl, did you?"

"We are not going there," Pete warned. "Not even a little."

"How about your love life? Are we going there?" Krista asked.

He scowled. "Still nonexistent. Perils of living in a small town. You have to go outside the boundaries to find fresh meat."

Opal walked over to him, leaned down, and rested her elbows on the counter. "The meat in Cedar Creek is plenty fresh. You calling all the single people in this town old and rotting?"

Sam raised his hand. "I'm not old."

"Neither am I. And I smell damn good, no rot here," she added.

"You do smell good," Sam agreed.

"Opal, you smell amazing. I wasn't even suggesting..." Pete left the sentence unfinished, frustrated by how his meaning had been twisted.

"Well I'm definitely old," Doris, the librarian, chimed in from where she sat at the end of the diner's counter. "Seventy-six on my next birthday. But I'm still kicking. No rot here, either."

"You can chuck us in the old category as well," the male counterpart of the grey haired couple sitting at a booth near the front window called out.

"Getting older every year!" his wife added with a huge grin.

Krista still hadn't asked their names, although she'd seen them around occasionally. She was pretty sure they lived in one of the smaller cottages down the road from Abe.

Pete shook his head. "No offense, Sam, but you're not my type. Opal, you're out of my league. Doris, you look amazing; keep kicking. And, Stanley, you and Irene would never appreciate a third wheel in your very longstanding relationship. Though I'm tempted." He winked back at them.

Stanley and Irene. Krista made a mental note of the names.

"How am I out of your league?" Opal asked.

Pete leaned back, putting some distance between them. "Have you looked at yourself lately? Foxy pink Opal, with the curves, and the, and the...the everything. Plus, Trucker Larry would kick my ass if I even tried."

"Lawrence? He moved back to Biloxi. Cedar Creek is entirely too far from his route now," she told him. "Foxy? Who says foxy anymore?"

Pete puffed his chest out just a little. "I do."

"Nurse Pete, you should try asking me out some time. You're a little on the young side, but I might actually say yes," Opal said and then smiled at him as she stood up straight. She walked through the swinging door into the kitchen, glancing back to wink at him before she disappeared.

Pete turned to Krista. "Did that just happen?"

"That. Just. Happened," Krista confirmed.

"Man, I'd work on that if I were you." Sam kept his voice low and glanced behind him, into the kitchen. "The entire five years she has lived here – and this is from what Adeline told me – she has never even hinted at wanting to date someone local. Adeline thought it had something to do with a seriously messed up break-up that led to her relocating to Cedar Creek and them buying this diner."

"How messed up would it have to be, to make someone move out of town?" Krista wondered aloud.

Sam looked at Krista. "When you lose your anchor, your reason to stay, sometimes it makes sense to pack up and go."

Krista knew he was referring to Opal, but she had the feeling he was talking about himself. The day after she'd moved into Abe's guesthouse, Adeline had finally filled her in about Sam and the reason he was living with his great-uncle. Sam had lost his anchor and that was why he was in Cedar Creek. For the first time he was a full-time resident and not simply a summer or holiday visitor.

For just a second, Sam's face softened as he let the good memories flood into his mind. But even though it felt good to think of his mother, the pain always followed. He wondered when the day could come, when that sharp pain would lessen to a dull ache; he knew it would never completely leave him. How could it? His whole life had always been just him and his mom. How could she be gone?

Krista watched Sam's face. She saw pain flash through his eyes, but then he shook his head, wiping the emotion away. "Anyway, Pete, that was an open invitation. Don't let it pass you by." Sam turned back to the kitchen at the sound of Jim's bell. He grabbed the two plates waiting for him and walked over to Stanley and Irene's table with them.

Pete sat stiffly, processing the information. "You really think so?" he asked Krista.

"You are thick, Pete. Try asking me out, I might say yes... yeah, I really think so!" Krista poked at his side. "Talk to her before we leave."

"I couldn't. My palms are starting to sweat already. I swear I can feel my heart rate increasing!"

"Call her later tonight, after they close, when you feel calm," she suggested. "If not tonight, then soon, like in the next day or so. Otherwise she'll decide that you just aren't interested."

"I'm more than interested. I can't think about it anymore, it's messing with my mind. Let's talk about you. What's the deal with you and Sam? He keeps looking at you, and they aren't exactly the good kind of looks."

Krista glanced over her shoulder and saw Sam talking to Stanley and Irene. "He seriously thinks that I'm only here in Cedar Creek to try to get myself in Abe's will, or to scam him out of his money, or to rob him blind or something. He's done nothing but make mean accusations and he won't stop staring at me like he wants me to poof! Disappear," she told him, keeping her voice low.

Pete turned around. "Sam, seriously?" His voice was the opposite of low.

"Seriously, what?" Sam asked as he went back behind the counter.

Krista punched Pete in his thigh, but Pete didn't even look at her, he kept his eyes on Sam. "You seriously think that Krista is out to rob your great uncle and has managed to dupe the entire town into thinking that she is a genuinely nice person?"

Sam's face went into deer-in-headlights mode. He didn't know what to say. "What?"

Opal came out of the kitchen, her hands covered in floury piecrust. "What?"

"Apparently our old friend Sam, here, has accused our new friend Krista of being in Cedar Creek with the sole purpose of removing Abe's money to stuff her own pockets," Pete stated. "And we are all so blind to her ways, or are just too stupid to see it, but he's smart enough to have figured it all out!"

Sam leaned against the back counter. "I never said that, exactly. I never called anyone stupid."

"But you're right and we're all wrong, or at least blind?"

Opal put her hands on her hips. "Sam! That's a terrible thing to accuse her of."

Krista cringed and tried to sink into herself, wishing she'd kept her mouth shut. "I can't believe you're doing this, Pete. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Yes, you shoulda," Opal told her. "Sam, explain yourself."

"Oh, come on," Sam said with a laugh of disbelief. "Nobody thinks it's strange that this young oh-so-sweet girl moves into town, makes instant friends with everybody and starts immediately working for Doc, without having a goal in mind? Then she just happens to move into my uncle's guesthouse. She thought Abe was all alone and would fall for that pretty face. It's a perfect set-up for her to take advantage of him. Well, he's not alone. He's got me." Sam shook his head. "I won't let him get hurt."

"I'm not out to hurt your uncle!" Krista exclaimed with a sigh and leaned forward, resting her forehead on the countertop.

"The girl is not out to hurt your uncle!" Adeline repeated.

Krista's head popped back up. "Where did you come from?"

"Jim let me in through the back door," she explained. "Now, Sam, I've been talking with Abe and this suspicious mind of yours has got to stop. Your uncle likes her, the sheriff likes her, the doc likes her, I like her. And we are all wise old souls that have been around the block a time or two. We know the good people from the snakes, believe you me. She might be able to fool one of us, but not all of us."

Opal wagged a finger at Sam. "Krista is a nice girl. I won't have you bad mouthing her." She looked at her doughy finger and frowned. "You made me come out here a mess. I've got to clean my hands," she grumbled and went back into the kitchen.

"I'm pretty wise myself," Doris piped in from where she sat at the end of the counter. "I don't suspect her of duplicity."

Jim came out from the kitchen to stand next to Addy. "Sam, I think you've got the wrong idea about this girl."

Pete put his arm around Krista's shoulders. "She's not the kind of person who would work over an old guy, or anyone else. I couldn't even begin to imagine her doing something like that."

"How can you people know that?" Sam shot back. "We don't know anything about her." He waved his hand at Krista.

"You don't know anything about anyone!" Adeline told him. "Nobody does. But you can use your instincts to get a feel for someone. You can tell things about them by the way they walk, talk, and act. She's an honorable girl, Sam. I knew it from our first conversation. I promise." Adeline walked over to where Sam stood and placed her hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't let anyone take advantage of Abe, none of us would. I'm the one who suggested the guesthouse. So if she's there to steal his money, then I guess I'm in on it. We're scheming together."

"I know you would never do that to Abe." Sam looked down at his feet as he spoke, unable to face Adeline.

"You're right, I never would. And she's not out to do it either. Just trust me. Trust your uncle. He's a smart man. Wouldn't be the man he is if he had a habit of trusting the wrong people."

"I know, it's just..." Sam brought his head up and looked at Krista. "Why are you here?"

"I'm not really sure," she answered him, honestly. "I just am. And for the first time in a really long time, it feels right. It doesn't feel lonely. So, for now at least, I plan to stay."

"I'm still not sure I trust you," he told her.

"I'm not sure you have to," Krista sighed. "But I'd appreciate it if you could try not to look at me with such contempt."

"Does it show on my face?" Sam asked.

"It does," Krista answered.

"Be nice, Samuel," Adeline told him. "I've known you since you were born, and I've always told you the same thing I tell everybody. You don't have to like everyone, you just have to be decent to them."

Jim nodded his head in agreement before he returned to the kitchen. "Order's almost ready."

Adeline gave Sam a squeeze before she went over to sit beside Krista. "I'll take a coffee, Sam."

Sam forced his face into a smile. "Right away."

"Thank you, Addy," Krista whispered.

"Happy to do it," she whispered back.

Sam kept himself busy after that, avoiding conversation with everyone. Not one person brought up Krista's relationship with Abe or anything else about the whole awkward situation, which she was grateful for. As far as she was concerned, it never needed to be discussed again. The only thing that would please her more would be if Sam's suspicions had been erased. But Krista was pretty sure he wasn't ready to trust her yet.

****

Chapter Seven

Marlene Richardson was curled in a fetal position on her bed. In basic terms, your heart is failing you, Marlene. You won't survive without a transplant. Her mind kept trying to remember the entire conversation from the day before, between her and Ben and the cardiac specialist in Greenville. She needed another heart; someone else would have to die so that she could live. But it wasn't as simple as that. But with your increased risk of right ventricular failure, you may not be a good candidate. Someone else's heart would be wasted on her; there were better people out there. Ben had argued for the doctor to find something else, anything that would work. He had pleaded with the man to save his wife's life. There are further tests we can do. Some therapies and certain medicines may increase her chances.

Increase her chances. For Marlene, that said it all. There was only a chance she could live.

Ben was downstairs crying. Marlene could hear the sobs coming from her strong, yet entirely helpless, husband and it tore at her soul. He couldn't fix this problem and it was killing him. He'd left her up in their bedroom, because he didn't want her to see him cry. He should have stayed, she thought. Hearing the man's sorrow was worse than if he'd broken down in front of her. All she could do was picture him after she was gone: alone, sobbing, with no one there to comfort him. The whole thing was too terrible for either of them to process. Marlene berated herself for putting off the move back to Charleston earlier in the summer. At least there he'd have had his family around him when she expired.

She was going to expire. The unknown date was looming in her near future. She was the milk that was about to turn and be thrown away. Marlene hugged her knees into her chest and squeezed them as tight as she could. "It's not fair," she whispered aloud.

Ben started pacing around the living room. Marlene could hear the stomps of anger as his boots slammed into the hardwood floors.

"You're going to leave marks," she continued talking to herself. "And I'm too damn tired to get down on the floor to clean them up. And you're too damn incompetent to do the job properly. You always have been a worthless cleaner. Can't load a dishwasher properly to save your life," she laughed softly. "But you've always done your best to give me a good life. The best life. I can't believe it's going to end so soon." Marlene closed her eyes and let the tears flow. She decided that she had to get it all out of her system, as best as she could. She'd give herself an hour, no more. Marlene wanted to be able to put on the strongest face possible when Ben looked at her. After all, there was still a chance. They'd cling to that chance together.

"I'm going to go out and get you something to eat, honey," Ben called up the stairs. "There's nothing in the house and you need to keep up your strength. I'll be back shortly."

"Okay," she croaked through her tears. She was glad he was leaving.

"I love you, honey."

"Love you." She decided to give herself until Ben came back with dinner, then she'd wipe away the tears and summon her remaining strength.

Krista and Pete were pulling out of the parking lot of the Downtown Diner as Ben pulled in. Krista could see the tears in his eyes and the anguish in his face. Her breath caught in her throat. Ben had learned the truth.

"Wow. Did you see Ben Richardson? He looks like a wreck," Pete noted after the two vehicles had passed. "I bet it has to do with Marlene."

"I bet you're right," Krista agreed.

"Poor guy. I wonder if she needs heart surgery or something. You think? That's gotta be hard for him to process."

"I hate throwing around guesses, but whatever it is, he's not happy about it."

"Those are definitely not happy tears," Pete agreed. "But you're right, no use in trying to guess the prognosis, especially not when we are around other people. For example: Adeline. The misinformation would start flying around this town so fast your head would spin. Gossip is definitely a favored pastime."

"I'm starting to figure that out."

Krista drove back to Cedar Creek Medical Center so Pete could get his bike and get himself home. She waited for him to take off before she left the parking lot. But instead of turning toward the Webber estate, she headed down a road she hadn't been on before. Behind the CCMC, over a small bridge, and then down a dirt road, Krista drove until she came to the house that sat alone in the wooded area.

She got out of her vehicle and approached the front door. It opened before she could raise her hand to knock on the intricately carved wood.

"Krista, what brings you out here this evening? What can I do for you?"

"I need to talk to you about something. Something that won't make any sense to you, and something that you might think I'm crazy for even saying out loud. But I have this feeling that I can tell you about it."

Doctor Baker stepped to the side. "Well, come on in. The evenings are starting to take on a slight chill."

"Thanks, Doc," Krista said as she entered his house. "You walk from here, every day?"

"Most days. Walk or bike. Exercise is one of the major ingredients of a healthy life. But I do have my truck, for when the weather gets the best of me. Can I offer you something to drink?"

"A glass of water, please."

Doc motioned toward the couch. "Have a seat. I'll be right back."

Krista sat down on the soft brown leather sofa and sank into the cushions. It was a well-worn and extremely comfortable piece of furniture. It was the exact couch that she would picture the doc having.

Doctor Baker reappeared with a glass of water in one hand and a glass of amber colored liquid in the other. "I hope you don't mind if I have a small scotch. I have a feeling I might need it."

Krista gave him a half-smile. "You might."

"So, what is it you came to tell me?"

"You drove into Greenville yesterday, to be with Ben and Marlene when they got the news from the cardiologist, didn't you?"

Doc looked at her, but didn't say a word.

"I just passed Ben on the road. He was clearly upset about something."

Doc took a sip of his drink and leaned back against the cushions. "I can't talk about that with you."

"I know you can't. I just want to tell you what I know."

"What do you know, Krista?"

"Marlene's heart is failing her, and she doesn't have all that much time left. I'm going to bet that she isn't a good candidate for a transplant, and even if she was, there's only a slim chance that a match would be found in time."

Doc swallowed the rest of his drink. "Anything else?"

"Marlene is going to die. Soon."

"Should I ask you how you know all this, or are you going to offer up the information?"

"I could smell it on her when Ben brought her into the medical center. I caught the scent of it on Ben's clothes, days before that. In fact, the first time he came near me I knew that he lived with someone who was dying. I can smell bodily decay and death in a way that no normal person can."

"That's quite a nose you've got there."

"Yes. Yes it is."

Doctor Baker stared at Krista, trying to figure out what to say next. She was absolutely correct about Marlene. He'd heard it himself from the specialist in Greenville.

"Trying to process?" Krista asked him.

"Yes." He gave a single nod of his head.

"Trying to decide if they told me all about it?"

"Not something either Ben or Marlene would do. They can barely come to terms with the diagnosis, let alone tell a newcomer."

"I'm not a computer hacker. I haven't bugged any homes or offices with recording devices," Krista offered.

"Didn't even cross my mind."

Another minute of silence passed.

Doctor Baker got up from his seat and disappeared, glass in hand. He returned with another scotch. "You have a sense about these things."

Krista nodded her head. "I do."

"I believe that about you. I've said it out loud. But it's more than that, isn't it?"

"It is."

"You can smell death?"

Krista took a sip of her water. "I can. But there's more."

"What more could there be?"

"This is the part where you need to suspend disbelief."

Doc laughed. "This is the part? Because the smelling death part was entirely believable?"

"Fair enough. You'll need to suspend it a little longer then."

"Lay it on me."

Krista took a deep breath before she continued. "I can take that death away. I can help them. Ben and Marlene. I can take on that death, instead of her, and she will be healed."

"Instead of her? Does that mean you will die?"

Krista nodded her head. "At first, yes. But then I'll come back. I won't stay dead, because that particular death, Marlene's death, it isn't intended for me."

"And what will happen to Marlene?"

"She's healed, like I said, but afterward she'll need to stay far away from me, because all sickness and death is drawn back to its original host. It wants to go back to where it grew, the place it knows as home."

"We are referring to sickness and death as an entity that lives in a body, and it calls that body home." Doc took a small sip of his second scotch.

"I told you that it was going to sound crazy."

"And that it does," he confirmed.

"I'm not crazy."

"Up until this exact moment, I would never have claimed that you were. Sounds like I could be persuaded into changing my tune."

"Could be, but not quite?"

"I'm almost inclined to believe you, but the scientific part of me is resisting. That and all the common sense I have," he told her.

"What if I told you that I've taken someone else's death, that I've done it four times already, that my mother can do it, that my grandmother could too?"

"I'd say insanity seems to run in your family."

"There is a name for what runs in my family, and insanity may well be part of it," Krista said with a wink, "but the gift, as my grandmother always referred to it, that's passed down in our family is that of being a Deathtaker."

Doctor Baker set his empty glass on the table next to the couch. "That's my limit for the evening. Let's hope I don't feel the need for more." He ran his hands through his hair and locked his fingers behind his head. "I'm not sure if I should fire you and run you out of town, or if I should sit here and talk to you some more about this gift of yours."

"I vote for talking. Cedar Creek is growing on me. I'd sure hate to leave it so soon."

"Could I talk to this grandmother of yours?"

Krista shook her head. "She's passed."

"How about your mother?"

"Took off when I was one. Couldn't handle both the gift and the small child that demanded attention. Grandma raised me."

"No father?"

"Never even met the man."

"Well, you're a sad sack, aren't you?"

Krista kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs up underneath her. "I guess I am."

"Alright, I'll humor you. How does being a Deathtaker work?"

"I start spending time with someone as they are approaching the end. Once I've made my choice, and it's nothing more than a mental agreement within myself, I start feeling their pain and I share the experience with them. I know when their time is nearing, because once I've locked on to someone, death accelerates, it quickens its pace."

"You feel the pain of their death?"

"I do. My body deals with it quite well, and it isn't until the last moments that I'm unable to do little more than lie still."

Doctor Baker's curiosity got the better of him. Even if he didn't believe her, it was a great story. "And then what?"

"I isolate myself with the patient and usually one other person, to monitor the situation. My presence causes the dying person to go into a deep sleep while my body prepares to consume that death. I start to get tired. Eventually I close my eyes, and then I die. The moment my eyes close, the dying person's eyes open and they must immediately remove themselves from my presence. Once they are gone, my body will consume the death, and within twenty-four hours my heart restarts. I wake up."

"You come back to life?"

"Yep."

He rubbed at the back of his neck. "What happens if someone finds you before your heart restarts?"

"Hasn't happened to me. My grandmother warned me all my life about the dangers of that. I try my best to make sure that no one finds me before then. It is a risk. I could be stuck in a morgue somewhere if I'm found without a beating heart. Heck, I could wake-up on an autopsy table with my chest open and a doctor standing over me in complete and utter shock."

"So why not have the people stay with you, or at least nearby, until you wake back up?"

Krista shook her head. "Sickness and death are always drawn back to their original host. If that person were to be around me before my body has fully processed the death, he or she would die instantly. And distance must be maintained afterward for fear that the sickness takes root again. I'll carry a little piece of it inside of me forever."

"So, you're a Deathtaker and you can smell death."

"And bodily decay. Aging, basically," Krista added.

"Why do you want me to believe you?" Doc asked.

"Part of being a Deathtaker is the ability to gain the trust of people. Something in my words rings true to those around me. I can't be deceitful. I can be deceptive to protect myself, but not deceitful. But it takes time. And from what I can tell, Marlene doesn't have that kind of time."

"She doesn't."

"I want to help her, but I need you to help me gain their trust quickly. The Richardsons wanted to leave Cedar Creek before Marlene's symptoms took over. If I take her death for her, they can relocate to Charleston."

"And you can stay here."

"One of us has to move on after I've taken any death, to put that distance between me and the patient. But if Ben and Marlene are willing to leave Cedar Creek, then, yes, I can stay. Plus, I want you to be around when it happens. That way you can make sure Marlene is okay, and you can keep my body safe until I come back again. I won't have to worry about being discovered without a heartbeat."

"Krista, all I can think about is that you're weaving webs and telling fairy tales. There is no sane person who'd believe you."

"So far, there have been four sane people who've believed me. My grandmother convinced over seventy, before her death. She was eighty-one when she died."

"You've healed four people?"

"I, personally, don't heal them. I just take the death from them. Their body is healed after the process."

"Don't you think it's the same thing?" he asked. "You give someone back his or her life."

"The miracle of life is not mine to give. I can only spare the agony of death. If I were to claim I was giving life, then one could say these people owe me something in return. But I am, in fact, taking something from them, so in that way they owe me nothing. I take their death, end of transaction."

Doc stood up from the couch and began to pace the room. "What does death smell like?"

"I've always referred to it as sour and stale, decayed and desperate. But each kind of sickness has a specific smell. Grandma and I experienced it differently. I don't think there are individual smells that are well recognized by each and every Deathtaker."

"How many of you are there?"

"There's only one of me," Krista replied. "But if you mean, how many Deathtakers are there, I have no answer for you. I'm only aware of my particular family line. Which currently consists of my absentee mother and me. But whenever I hear stories on the news of an unexplained miracle healing, I tend to think that a Deathtaker was involved."

Doc stood in front of Krista and reached for her hand. "I want to believe you."

"I want you to believe me."

"This defies logic."

"I realize I am asking you to have faith in my words. What could I do to convince you that I'm telling the truth?"

"What if we went to the retirement home I make rounds in over in Greenville? If we were to walk around those patients..."

"I could tell you what sicknesses have invaded their bodies," Krista answered before he was able to finish his question.

"Can you heal the elderly?"

"Grandmother said that I should never take the death of a person nearing the end of a normal life. She told me to reserve my strength for those people who could benefit the most from the extra years."

"How many times can you do it?"

"Right now, two maybe three time a year," Krista answered. "It takes time to recover, so the time between will need to lengthen as I age. But I'm young, so that's not an issue for me yet."

"You've given me quite a lot to think about tonight. Don't be too surprised if some fellas in white coats show up at your door in the morning."

Krista opened her purse, which was sitting beside her on the couch, and took out a small pad of paper and a pen. She carefully wrote a name and a phone number, before tearing off the page and handing it to Doc. "This is the mother of a little girl who no longer worries if her daughter will reach her seventh birthday. If you call her, she'll probably hesitantly answer a few questions. When you hang up, she will call the phone company and request a new number."

Doctor Baker took the paper from Krista and set it on the end table. "Maybe I'm the crazy one for starting to believe you."

"We're all a little crazy. I'll go now... give you some time to think." Krista stood up, slipped her shoes back on, and went to the door.

"What if I just don't believe you?"

"I don't know. You're the first non-patient or non-caregiver I've ever told this to. Right now, I'm just hoping I made the right choice."

On the drive home, after Krista and Doc said their goodbyes, she replayed their conversation in her head. She tried to decide if there were any signs from Doc that she should worry about. But right before she left, he'd said he was starting to believe her, so she held on to a small spark of hope that she'd done the right thing.

Krista turned down the gravel path that led to the guesthouse of the Webber estate and followed it around to the back of the main house toward the creek. She stopped in front of the garage and got out to open the doors. The barn style doors required her to get out of her vehicle every time she wanted to park her truck inside. Sam had cleared out all but a few boxes, and the remaining had been pushed up against the back wall so she could easily park inside. Oh how she longed for a garage door opener; it would make life so much easier.

She swung open the doors, maneuvered her truck into the space, and went back out to close the garage again. It was dark out, the air cloudy and misty from a rain that wasn't quite ready to fall, and she hadn't noticed the figure waiting on her porch. When she put her key into the lock, a cloud moved just enough to let the moonlight illuminate the outline of a man sitting on a chair near the door. Krista screamed. The man snorted, loudly, and then bolted up from the chair.

"Wha... what? What's going on?"

Krista smacked the man in the chest. "Seriously? Sam, what in the hell are you doing sleeping on my porch?"

Sam rubbed his face with the palms of his hands. "Technically it's Uncle Abe's porch," he said with a yawn.

Krista turned the key in the lock and pushed open the door. "I am not doing this with you right now. And I can't believe you are stalking me. I swear you exist right now just to give me a hard time."

"I'm not stalking you. I was waiting for you, but I guess I fell asleep. What were you doing out with Pete so long?"

"I wasn't with Pete." She stopped talking and shook her head. "Why am I even telling you anything? I don't owe you an explanation."

"No. You don't. But I do."

"You do what?"

"I owe you an explanation. Can we go inside and talk?"

"I'd rather not."

Sam leaned against the side of the house, crossing his arms in front of him. "Fair enough. I haven't exactly given you a reason to want me coming inside for a chat."

"You haven't," Krista confirmed.

"I just wanted to say that I've been just what you implied."

"What?"

"You basically told me I was a big shaft, back at the diner," Sam yawned and brought his hand up to cover his mouth. "You're right. I've been a dick. I've been overly suspicious, accusing you of stuff I have no proof of, and I've been rude and obnoxious."

Krista crossed her arms and leaned against the house on the other side of the front door, mirroring Sam's position. "It's nice to hear you admit it."

"I've lost my mother, never knew my father, my grandparents died when I was ten, and Abe is all I've got anymore. My head's a mess and I went into over protective mode. I'm going to try to dial it down. I swear."

Krista nodded her head. "I understand that the loss of your mother was fairly recent, so I'll do my best to remember that as you try to dial it down. When I lost my grandmother, the woman who raised me and the only mother I'd ever known, the pain was maddening. She died less than two years ago, and it still hurts, every day."

Sam shifted his weight, suddenly uncomfortable. He hadn't considered that she might have recently lost a loved one as well.

Krista could see the shock in his eyes. "So, like you, I never knew my father and I've lost the woman who raised me, but the woman who gave birth to me took off when I was barely a year old. You have Abe. I have nobody. But you don't see me walking around being a complete ass to the people that cross my path. It would be nice if you could recognize that you're not the only one dealing with loss."

"You certainly have a way of calling me names, without really calling me names."

"You can imply whatever you'd like."

"If it's at all possible, could you maybe pretend that this moment, right now, is the first time that we've met?"

Krista straightened herself and faced him. She wanted to continue being angry with him, and she hated that he accused her of trying to swindle his uncle, but she'd rather have peace in her life. She didn't want the stress that came with it all. "Who are you again?" she asked with a small smile.

"I'm Sam Webber, Abe's grandnephew, I'll be living in the main house with him."

"Nice to meet you, Sam Webber. I'm Krista Vita. I work for Doc Baker and I'm renting this guesthouse from your Uncle Abe."

Sam extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Krista. If you ever need anything, just come on up and knock on the back kitchen door."

Krista grasped Sam's hand. "Thank you," she said with a yawn.

"You're welcome. I'll let you get inside now. I'll see you around."

"See you around."

Sam took the three steps down from her porch, and Krista watched as he walked back toward the main house. She exhaled a deep breath as a quiet calmness washed over her. She hadn't realized exactly how tense she'd been since meeting Sam. He'd tied her insides up in knots.

Sam hoped he'd done the right thing by deciding to trust Krista's intentions with his uncle. Maybe she was just a girl in need of a place to stay. Maybe she didn't have an evil plan. "Get it together, Sam," he mumbled to himself. "How many people do you know with an evil plan?" He turned around and saw Krista's silhouette still standing outside her door. He gave a wave before he disappeared around the corner.

****

Chapter Eight

The assisted living home in Greenville, at which Doctor Baker volunteered, was located on the outskirts of the city, on the side closest to Cedar Creek. Doc Baker told Pete to "hold the fort," while Krista accompanied him on his Friday morning rounds at the home. Krista was beginning to see how very scheduled and stretched Doc's time was, and why he'd hired her so quickly. He really did need the help.

They hadn't talked during the drive over. Doc Baker was still trying to decide if the girl next to him was crazy, or if he was. He couldn't believe he was humoring her and giving her this test of her skills.

"We'll walk around first and greet all the residents before going into the office," Doctor Baker told her when they arrived on site. "There are only a few, which is nice – fourteen people in total – with a waiting list too long to count. There is a full time cook, housekeeper, an onsite caregiver, and many companions that come and go throughout the week. The residents here are well looked after."

"Aren't there plenty of doctors in Greenville to service this home? Why you? Why here?"

Doctor Baker pushed open the door to the spacious living room that was in the center of the home. A movie was playing on a large TV; three of the residents were sitting on the long couch in front of it. There were several tables in the back of the room set up with games and puzzles. Some comfortable high back chairs near an overstuffed bookshelf were occupied and their inhabitants appeared to be lost in their books.

"There are plenty of Greenville doctors who do. I'm the only one from Cedar Creek, the thirteen others are from here. I come for a few hours on Friday morning, and someone else will come for a few hours this evening. The same thing will happen tomorrow, with two other doctors, and it repeats every day of the week."

"No wonder there is a huge wait list for this place. But that doesn't answer my question."

Doctor Baker knelt down beside one of the readers and placed his hand over the pages of her book, grabbing her attention. "Oh, hello," the woman said as she looked over at him. "Do I know you? You look awfully familiar."

"I'm the doctor," he said softly and smiled at her. "I've come to visit."

"How nice. I'm reading."

"I can see that. Is it a good book?" Doctor Baker asked.

"Funny," the woman frowned. "I can't seem to remember."

"I'm going to introduce you to my friend," he told the woman. "Krista, this is Rebekah Baker."

"Oh. Am I Krista or am I Rebekah?" the woman asked.

"You are Rebekah," Doctor Baker told her. "I'm going to let you read now, and I'm going to introduce my friend Krista to the other people here. Is that alright?"

"You go right ahead," Rebekah told him. She looked down and noticed the book on her lap as if for the first time. "I'm going to read a book."

Doc leaned forward and kissed the top of the woman's head. "That's an excellent idea." He took Krista's hand and pulled her a few steps away from the reading chairs. "My elder sister, Rebekah. I'm all she has, even though she's no longer aware of it. Everyone here is related to one of the fourteen doctors that check-up on the residents. We volunteer our time, pay for the staff, and maintain the house. Some of the people living here had funds set away for retirement, some did not, but we split it all out evenly and make sure our loved ones are treated fairly and humanely. It's a group effort."

"That's got to be one of the best ideas I've ever heard of! Good elder care can be hard to find."

"I was one of the co-founders. My sister has early..."

"Early-onset dementia."

"Good guess."

"Not a guess," Krista wagged a finger at him.

"You could clearly see the woman has memory issues," Doc argued.

Krista stepped away from the doctor and stooped down next to the man putting together a puzzle at one of the tables. "How are you breathing today?"

"Pretty well, thank you, beautiful lady. I'm Henry."

She shook the old man's hand. "I'm Krista, I'm here with the doctor. You haven't been sneaking any cigarettes have you? With your Emphysema that wouldn't be a good idea."

"I haven't put one to my lips in two whole years."

"That's a good man." She smiled at Henry, before returning to Doc's side. "Another good guess?" Krista whispered the question to him.

"Possibly."

"One of the three on that couch has pancreatic cancer, which is tragic, and I hate to say this as we are testing my skills. At this distance, I can't be sure which one. If I spent some time with the person, I could give you an approximate life expectancy."

"The man in the middle, Philip," Doctor Baker confirmed. "His family was told last week to not expect him to make it much past the holidays."

Krista looked at Philip, and watched as he laughed at something on the television screen and saw the grimace that came soon after. "I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Let's go into the office to talk," Doc suggested.

Krista followed him to the compact but perfectly designed room. It seemed to be well stocked with any of the basic medical supplies all the various visiting doctors would need to conduct their routine exams. Krista assumed the residents were transported to various specialists when serious issues arose.

"This is a great facility, Doc. You should be proud to have been one of the co-founders."

"I am. It will be hard to relinquish my spot here to another doctor when Rebekah is gone. I think I'd like to stay on, in some capacity. But let's talk about that nose of yours."

"Starting to believe me yet?" Krista asked as she sat down in one of the chairs.

"Can every Deathtaker diagnose so precisely?"

"As I told you last night, I never knew any others, except for my grandmother, but she is no longer living. Grandma could always tell what general part of the body was afflicted, she could detect cancer, and she could sense life expectancy. I think my medical training, and more so the knowledge I gained in each of the various hospitals and clinics I've worked at since my certification, has equipped me with a particular set of skills that maybe other people with my gift might not be privy to."

Doc's eyes started to sparkle; thoughts and ideas fired up behind them. He imagined all the different ways a talent like hers could be helpful. "You're special. This gift of yours, it could be put to so much use."

"Can you imagine knowing that you're only able to pick one person at a time, only a few a year, but the rest you need to let roll the dice with conventional treatment? My gift, combined with my professional training, weighs heavily on my spirit. My grandmother warned me not to go into the medical field as a Deathtaker, especially with what she always told me was a heightened sense of smell. It makes you feel as if you are playing God. It's hard to make that kind of selection. Who do I help? Who do I walk away from? That's why I left the children's hospital so soon. I couldn't make that choice again."

Doc positioned his chair in front of Krista's and sat down. "I'm not talking about who you can save as a Deathtaker. I'm talking about non-invasive diagnosis. If you can pinpoint the problem, then a specific diagnostic test can be run to confirm your initial assessment. Conventional treatment can begin sooner, and the chance of survival without using your ultimate gift is therefore increased. You, young lady, might just become part of my Friday rounds here."

Krista hadn't thought about that aspect of her gift before. She had a sense of smell that was unique; her grandmother had been shocked by it. As soon as her pituitary gland had kicked into gear, she began to sense the decay within certain people. When ever her grandmother had chosen to take the death of someone, Krista would tell her, "her lungs are clouded, his brain is not right, her bones are broken," and whatever else she could smell. Wanting to be able to target the specific issues was what steered her into the nursing assistant program. With a doctor to work with, someone who believed in her abilities, she could put all that knowledge to greater use.

"You really think my presence will be helpful to you?"

"Krista, if everything you've told me is true, I know you're an asset that I'd be a damn fool to let pass me by. I promise to help out however I can with Marlene and Ben Richardson. I'll convince them to trust you. Not only to save Marlene, but so I can see it with these two eyes right here," he said, pointing to his face with his index fingers. "I have to see it. I need proof for the half of my brain that's resisting."

"I'll let you see it," Krista told him. "But I need you to promise me you'll get the Richardsons on their way out of Cedar Creek and that you'll keep my body safe until it starts back up again."

"You have my word," Doctor Baker promised.

Saturday morning came and went, and by the time Krista woke it had become Saturday afternoon. She stretched her arms over her head, lengthening herself on the comfortable mattress, and then gazed out of the bedroom window. The day was clear, and the trees beckoned, waving their leaves at her to come outside for a proper visit. She hadn't made time to simply walk along the creek or on the well-worn path through the trees since she'd moved into the guesthouse.

Krista was almost at peace. She always felt anxious during the time between, those days when she floated through her life dealing with the tough decision of which death to take. She had a specific purpose again, she knew it before she'd fallen asleep and that allowed her to rest better than she had in weeks. The tension between herself and Abe's nephew had lessened – she hoped – and she was making friendships that felt meaningful for the first time in a long time. Soon, she would be able to help Marlene. The best part of it all was that she'd be able to stay in Cedar Creek for a while longer, since there would be no reason for Krista to leave immediately afterward. She'd been running from place to place since her grandmother had passed, and Krista wanted to stay still.

After changing out of her pjs and into some comfortable clothes that she could go exploring in, Krista filled up a water bottle, grabbed a breakfast bar, and headed outside. She decided it was time to discover where the path through the trees would take her. She'd seen it from her kitchen window, but had no idea where it went. "No time like the present," Krista said aloud as her feet hit the path.

As she followed the clearing away from her little house, she knew the creek was on her left; she could see it downhill, through the breaks in the trees. She let the sound of the water be her music, as it splashed against rocks and trickled along its way. After a few minutes there was a brief incline, and then a sharp turn to the left, which brought her to the edge of a small cliff. Directly in front of her hung a rope bridge with planks of wood evenly spaced along the bottom, and lengths of rope stretched on either side to provide support. It looked sturdy enough, but she would have preferred it if the wooden planks had been a continuous path across the creek, without gaps. The blank spots in the middle of each step caused her to hesitate. She wouldn't be able to look forward and concentrate on the flowers she saw on the other side; she'd have to look down as she crossed, watching precisely where she placed her feet as she walked.

Krista pulled on the ropes, decided they were secure, and took the first step, and then a second and a third. She looked down at the water, which rushed along six feet or so below, and her hands gripped the ropes a little tighter as she made the next step. Every time she moved her feet the rope bridge swayed slightly; it wasn't enough to make her fear for her life, but it was enough to make her want to get across quickly. You'll make it, she told herself. Just keep walking.

One step after another, hands alternately sliding along and then gripping the ropes, Krista made it across the bridge. She pumped her fist in the air. "Woo hoo!" she yelled out. Her shout of triumph was met by the sound of clapping.

Krista jumped at the sound; she'd been concentrating on her feet so much that she hadn't noticed anyone else. She turned her head and saw Sam, a few feet up ahead, down near the base of the water at a narrow part in the creek.

"You could have crossed on the rocks," he yelled up to her, pointing to the path of five, well-spaced, very large rocks that spanned the width of the creek.

"Are you stalking me again? I'm not out here plotting Abe's demise, plus I haven't got him to sign over his fortune to me yet, so he's safe for now."

Sam shook his head. "I hear the sarcasm! But I was out here first. If you notice, you're behind me."

She looked at him with skepticism. He could very well have seen her leave and then followed her out, picking up his pace as she neared the bridge.

"I didn't follow you," he told her after seeing the tension in her body. "I'm going fishing. See?" He held up his pole.

She took note of the bag slung across his chest and conceded that he was telling her the truth. "Where're you heading?"

"Up ahead. The creek gets much wider up there, with a little kick out area that the fish like to hang out in. Follow the path to your right and it'll slope down and end up near there. I'll show you."

Krista shook her head. "I wouldn't want to interrupt. I just came out to explore. I'd probably scare the fish away."

Sam shrugged. "I'll be there if you change your mind. It's peaceful, nobody out there." He turned away from her and followed along the edge of the creek.

Krista yelled after him. "Why is there nobody out here? It's such a great day to be outside."

"You're on Webber land," he shouted back.

"How big is this property?"

Sam stopped walking and turned around. "Just follow me. I'll blow a lung screaming at you.

Sam continued his trek, and Krista found herself following the path on the right, which angled down toward him. "So, um, are you going to eat the fish you catch?"

"If I catch one big enough. If I catch one at all. I'm not sure how much they'll bite this time of year."

Krista stepped over a small fallen tree. "This time of year?"

"I've been here for summers, the occasional Thanksgiving, and most Christmases. But never in October. Up until now, I've always been at school in another state at this time of year."

"This is my first October too," Krista said with a smile.

"You don't say." Sam stopped walking. The slope in the trail had brought them much closer. "You can step down on that rock, grab that tree trunk, and then jump down here," Sam told her while pointing out the way. "Or you can follow the trail that way a little and it will pop out over by where I fish."

Krista looked down at the rock and decided she could manage it. "I'll come down here," she told him. Getting onto the rock was easy enough, as was leaning forward to grab the tree trunk, but the jump down looked harder than she thought, She sighed when she realized she was in a position of no-turning-back.

"You can do it," Sam encouraged. "It's not that far of a jump."

"Easy for you to say." Krista bit her bottom lip.

Sam took a few steps toward her and braced himself as he reached up. "Grab my hand and jump."

"I don't want to let go of the tree."

"Don't be a big baby. Grab my hand!"

"I'm not being a baby."

"Krista, you can't go back up at this point. The only way to go is down. So jump," he ordered. "Or I'll leave you stuck here and I'll go fish."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "You wouldn't."

He withdrew his hand and stepped down.

"Samuel Webber, get back here!"

Sam laughed as he reached for her hand again. "One hand. Come on."

Krista reached toward him and grabbed his fingers.

"Now, push away from the tree with your other hand while you jump down. I'll keep you steady."

She pushed, then jumped, and miraculously landed on two feet without issue. "Jeez. Now I just feel stupid."

"Don't feel stupid. I was just taunting you to make you pissed enough to try it. I forgot how freaked out I was the first time I jumped it."

"When was that?" Krista asked.

"Elementary school. Whenever the creek floods, I have to come across the bridge, because those big stones that I crossed over on become submerged. And whenever my mother was with me, she actually preferred to cross on the bridge. I'd jump down right here, while she went on the trail. I've climbed everything around here so many times that I just don't think about it anymore."

"Thanks for pissing me off."

Sam smiled. "I seem to be pretty good at that."

"You do have a talent for it."

"Come on." Sam started walking again. "We're pretty close now."

Krista followed Sam as they walked along the side of the creek. She looked ahead and noticed a wider area and then Sam took a sharp turn to their left.

"My great-grandfather, Abe's father, dug all this out when Abe and Grampa George were little boys." Sam gestured to the big open area.

"I love it," Krista told him as she surveyed the private swimming pond that had been built out from the flowing creek.

It was nearly twenty feet by thirty feet, somewhat oval in shape, but more like a rounded rectangle. A wooden platform floated in the middle, tethered to a small wooden dock on the shore with a thick rope. Wildflowers grew around the perimeter, and there was a circular rock formation with tree stumps surrounding it, which she assumed was a fire pit and stools.

"Campfires?" she asked, pointing to the rocks.

"Yeah. Grampa George and Uncle Abe built that when they were teens. They used to bring all their friends out here on summer nights. Apparently, my great-grandfather had to put a stop to that when Grampa George and his best friend at the time had a falling out," Sam said, using air quotes to emphasize the last two words. "Beer, eighteen-year-old testosterone surges, and two guys fighting over the same girl."

"Never a good combination."

"The way Abe tells it, she was playing them against each other."

"I've known a few girls like that. So what happened?" Krista put her hands in front of her and rubbed her palms together.

"You want all the juicy details?" Sam asked as they walked toward the dock. "Abe loves to tell me that story."

"Of course I want them."

"Grampa George and his friend Teddy both thought the same girl – Abe can't remember if her name was Elizabeth or Eliza, so he always ends up calling her E after mixing the name up once or twice. Well, E had accepted both of their invitations to the winter formal at school. That Friday night, they have a group out here... big fire lit, drinking the beer that Teddy stole from his dad's secret stash, and BS-ing about whatever kids in high school BS-ed about back then. So, at some point, Teddy leans over to give E a kiss. Well, Grampa flips out and tells his friend to get off his girl. Teddy pulls her closer to him and says that she's his girlfriend. Gramps leans over to knock the beer out of Teddy's hand and the dumb girl leans toward the fire so she doesn't get splashed."

"Toward the fire? Because fire is a much better option than getting a little beer on you!"

"Exactly. Dumb move, right?" Sam said. "So the hem of her dress ends up catching fire, then she starts screaming and runs toward the water. Teddy throws his beer on her dress, trying to put it out, and Grampa George follows them to make sure no one is actually hurt. Words are exchanged, Teddy accuses Gramps of lighting E on fire, Gramps gets clocked in the chin and falls down, Abe jumps in to defend his brother, Teddy ends up falling in the water, but he can't swim that well, so they end up having to drag him out."

"Ooh, this is a good story! Girl on fire, boy nearly drowns, a high school party to go down in history."

When Sam and Krista reached the dock, Sam pulled his shoulder bag over his head, taking it off. He set it down, along with his fishing rod, and then continued with the story. "So, now they are right here and E is comforting Teddy, then her best friend rushes over to see if Grampa George is badly hurt, because his mouth is bleeding, and Abe is yelling at Teddy to get off their property and never come back."

"How does it end?"

"Teddy and the girl end up together, they moved away right after graduation. Her best friend went to the winter formal with Grampa George instead. Her name was Martha, my Grammy Martha; they got married exactly one year after graduation. And from that night on, Uncle Abe secured his reputation as the protector. He's still known in this town for lending a hand to help out, wherever he can, and fiercely protecting and taking care of his own."

Krista sat down on the edge of the dock and watched Sam as he set up his rod, getting it ready to cast a line into the water. "Sounds like a perfect ending." She pulled off her shoes and socks and dipped her toes into the water. "This really is a great place."

"Mmmhmm," Sam agreed.

"Have you ever had people out here for a fire, hanging out in the moonlight, eating S'mores?"

"Just me, my mom, and Abe."

"This would be the perfect place to push Pete and Opal together." Krista stared at the fire pit and tried to picture the two of them sitting on one of the stumps, heads bent together in quiet conversation, secret smiles exchanged. "How old is Opal? Do you know?"

"I want to say thirty-two."

"Pete's twenty-seven. That's not so bad."

Sam swung his rod to the side and then flipped it toward the creek. Krista heard the spin of the reel as the line was released and the hook rocketed toward the surface of the water. "Not bad at all."

"They should get together. Pete is such a great guy, and Opal is a sweetheart."

"Just moved in and already playing matchmaker." Sam shook his head. "There's something off about you."

Krista leaned all the way backward, until her head was resting on the dock, her back flat against the surface. She swung her legs back and forth, her toes splashing in the cool water. "There's something off about you, too. There's something off about every single one of us. Haven't you figured that out yet?"

"I suppose you're right."

"College boy like you, figuring things out..."

"Alright, alright, I get it."

Krista smiled and placed her hands on her chest with a sigh. The sun was warm on her face and the breeze danced across her skin. "How long do you stay out here?"

"As long as it takes to catch the big one, or until I get tired."

She glanced over to where Sam stood and noticed him staring at her. He looked like he was trying to figure something out, like he had something to say. The man simply looked confused.

"I'm not a bad person, Sam. Have you figured that out yet?"

"I suppose I have."

****

Chapter Nine

"Did you ask her yet?" Krista poked her finger into Pete's side.

Pete pushed her hand away. "Ask who, what?"

"Stop doing that. You know who, and you know what." She poked him again.

"You stop doing that!" Pete took a step to the side, out of her reach. "No. I didn't."

"Peter Venkman Jones! Today is Wednesday and we are doing this on Saturday. You call Opal up right now, and you tell her you want her to come with you to our campfire under the stars," Krista practically sang the last part. "You are supposed to be asking her out. She told you to!"

"You are such a pain in the ass," Pete whispered as Doctor Baker passed through the waiting area.

"I won't be, once you ask her," Krista said with a smile. "You said you were talking to her, so talk about this."

"I am talking to her," Pete insisted. "I've called her every night since she said that thing at the diner. I'm even calling, not texting, and I never do that; I'm not exactly good on the phone."

"Using the phone for verbal communication is pretty noteworthy."

Pete nodded. "It is, especially for me. I'm the king of awkward silent pauses. I'll ask her tonight. I promise."

"You'd better. I practically had to twist Sam's arm behind his back to get him to agree to doing this for you."

"You did not."

"Okay. That was a lie, he was all for it. He's almost nice now. The man hasn't glared at me once in four whole days. It's a Christmas miracle."

Pete entered his notes from the last patient into the computer. "Wrong season, genius."

"I don't think there are any Halloween miracles, I skipped ahead to the obvious one."

"Are you going to the assisted living home with Doc again this Friday?"

Krista nodded her head in response.

"Are you thinking any more about nursing school?"

Krista nodded her head again, even though she wasn't really.

"Good. You should."

"Stop trying to change the subject. Promise me again that you are going to ask her tonight?"

"Go away. Alphabetize the stockroom or something. I need to get these notes in the computer and you're annoying me."

Krista went back to Pete's side and poked him in the ribs again. "Answer me."

"Yes, for the second time, I'll ask her tonight. Now leave me alone... before I hurt you!" Pete spun Krista around and pushed her away from him, toward the stock room door.

Krista's mind went into planning mode, trying to decide how to structure the evening so that Pete and Opal would fall madly in love. She was standing near the stockroom, making a mental shopping list, when Doctor Baker approached her.

"Krista, I wonder, are you free this evening?" he asked.

"Why, Doc Baker, I do declare, are you asking me out?" Krista batted her eyelashes.

"Aren't you the funny one? No, I never fraternize with employees in such an indiscreet way," he said with a wink. "I've promised Ben I'd drop by and check on Marlene tonight, after we close up here. I thought it would be a good time to have you by my side, so they can see you as someone that I trust."

"That is an excellent idea, and I will absolutely be there," Krista readily agreed. "Although I must say, I'm somewhat disappointed in your lack of interest in indiscreet fraternization."

"I'm not one to put my hand in the fire twice," Doc told her as he walked away.

"There's a story there," Krista called out after him.

"One I will take to my grave," Doc called back.

Krista went into the storage room and emptied the boxes that had arrived the day before. She placed the new supplies on the shelves, and then straightened everything that Pete had nudged out of place since the last time she'd organized the room. She liked things a certain way, and Krista was quite sure that the moment Pete discovered her fondness for keeping things orderly, he went out of his way to nudge everything with his hands as he gathered whatever he needed each day. She sighed as she picked up the bottle of saline that had fallen onto its side, and pushed the rest back into a straight line.

Pete appeared in the doorway. "Room two needs more gauze pads. Doc and I almost depleted the supply when he stitched up that nasty cut on Wilbur McKenzie's cheek this morning."

"That kid is one brave ten-year-old. I didn't hear any screams, or crying... not a single whine came out of that room."

"Just a few silent tears, but I promised not to tell anyone at school."

Krista grabbed a stack of gauze pads and a bottle of saline. "Tough kid. I'm going to assume we need more saline in there too."

"You're right. We do. And, just so you know, I sent Opal a text about Saturday."

A huge smile spread across Krista's face. "What did she say?"

Pete shrugged. "No answer, yet."

"Let me know when she texts back."

"Yeah, yeah. I will."

"You'd better," Krista insisted before she went to refill the supplies.

Later that evening, after the medical center was closed, Krista drove out to the Richardsons' house with Doc safely fastened into the passenger seat of her truck. Doctor Baker had called Ben earlier to say that his truck wasn't starting and he was going to have Krista drive him. They felt the lie was necessary to explain her presence. Once she'd arrived with Doc, the rules of hospitality pretty much guaranteed her admittance into the home.

When Ben opened the door, Doctor Baker offered to have Krista wait in her truck while he came inside. Marlene smiled at them from the couch, where she sat propped up with pillows and covered in blankets, and said that Krista was welcome to come in. They'd accomplished their goal.

"Thanks for coming over, Doc," Ben said as he closed the door behind them. "The cardiologist in Greenville wants to see her once a week until we have the meds all sorted out, with the right doses of everything. He told her that if she can adjust the way she lives, what she eats, and takes her meds, then this all could possibly be manageable for quite a while. Marlene was feeling poorly today, so I thought if you could see her and reassure her that everything is going well, it would help keep her spirits up."

"Why do you do that?" Marlene scowled from the couch. "You're talking about me like I'm not sitting right here!"

Doctor Baker sat down on the coffee table across from her. "He's a good cardiologist, Marlene. You should listen to him."

"I am listening to him. The man's got me on five different medications. I have to watch everything that goes into my mouth, take my blood pressure every day, limit the amount that I drink, keep my weight charted... Do you know any women that want to step on a scale every single day and write down that silly number?"

"You need to keep track of any fluid retention," Doc reminded her. "You know that. Extra stress on the heart."

"And I'm supposed to exercise, go for a walk or something, but I'm having trouble getting motivated," Marlene admitted.

"She just gives me the angry eyes whenever I suggest it," Ben added.

"I don't like walking with you right now," Marlene snapped at him. "All you want to do is talk about my heart. I don't want to do that. I want a few moments to wander about and notice the flowers, look at a butterfly and marvel at its flight, not talk about food, salt intake, pills, fluid retention, blah, blah, blah," she sighed. "Sorry, Ben. I don't mean to be so, well, mean. You're so good to me, you look out for me, you protect me; I don't know what I'd do without you. But you have to give me a moment to breathe."

Ben's eyes glistened with tears that he refused to let fall. "I don't know what I'd do without you either, babe. That's why we need to follow everything the doctor says. He said you have a chance. We need to concentrate on that chance."

Doc finished taking her blood pressure and then got out his stethoscope. "If the cardiologist said that you are healthy enough to go walking then you need to listen to him. Give this heart a little movement, Marlene."

"Would you mind if I came over in the mornings to walk with you?" Krista asked her. "I've been meaning to get moving in the mornings."

Marlene shook her head. "I meander. I don't really walk. You'd be dying to go faster."

"No, I wouldn't. Anything to get that blood moving will kick start my day. And I promise not to lecture you about anything. You could talk, or not talk, whatever suits you."

Marlene stared at Krista while Doc listened to her heart. A hint of a smile crossed her face. "How are you liking Cedar Creek?" Marlene asked Krista.

"I love it."

"The town has always been good to me. Good people here."

"I'm lucky to have found it, seeing as I wasn't exactly planning to do more than make a brief stop here. I've been welcomed with open arms, for the most part."

Marlene gave a soft laugh. "I heard about Sam."

Krista smiled. "I think he's starting to come around."

"You don't look like a scam artist to me."

"If I were a really good one, then nobody would be able to tell," Krista said with a wink. "So what do you think about me coming over tomorrow?"

"We don't have much money for you to pilfer," Marlene warned.

"Just lock up your purse before I arrive."

Doctor Baker stood back up. "Marlene, I think you're doing as well as can be expected. And I think that you should take your doctor's advice on everything, including the exercise. I also think you should never give up hope, and if that is what you are doing here on this couch – surrendering – then you need to stop."

"That's what I've been telling her... especially about the hope." Ben talked slowly; for fear that his voice might crack. He wanted so desperately to be strong for his wife. He'd fight for her. He'd charge into heaven and scream, Not yet! He'd crawl into hell and beat the devil away if he had to. Ben wanted to grow old with Marlene, not without her. "If you'd rather walk with Krista, then I am all for it."

"Doc, should we limit the time at first?" Krista asked.

Doc looked at Marlene. "What did the cardiologist say?"

"He said to start with at least fifteen minutes a day, and to work up from there," she told him.

"I'll see you at eight-fifteen tomorrow morning then," Krista told Marlene. "Does that sound alright?"

"Are you sure? You hardly know me."

Krista reached over and gave Marlene's hand a squeeze. "You look like someone worth getting to know. See you tomorrow."

Marlene smiled at Krista and squeezed back. "It's a plan."

"We'll get out of your way. Have a good evening," Doctor Baker said.

Ben went to open the door. "Thanks for coming over, Doc."

When they were back in Krista's truck Doc let out a long satisfied sigh. "I think that went very well. Good job with the walking suggestion. If what you said is true, the more time people spend with you, the more trust they'll have in your ability, correct?"

"That's the way it works," Krista assured him.

"Then you can work your magic on her once a day."

"That's my plan." Krista pulled the truck out onto the main road. "Did you ever call that number I gave you?"

"I threw it away."

"Why?"

"If you only get one call with that family, then it should be saved for someone with more doubts than I have."

"You're not doubting me?"

"Strangely enough, I'm not. I'm pretty much at peace with this. And although a small, faint yet persistent, voice in the back of my head is saying that I'm an idiot to believe someone could ever take on a death for someone else, there is a larger voice shouting that miracles happen every day. Why can't you be the keeper of that miracle for Marlene?"

Krista continued to drive, with a smile on her face and one in her heart. She had never told a doctor that she was a Deathtaker before and was pleased to find out that even a man with most of his beliefs tied up in the scientific and biological world in which he existed could still have a little faith in the unknown. After she dropped Doc off at his house, she headed to the diner for something to eat.

The familiar clang of bells on glass greeted her as she swung open the door.

"Miss Vita," Adeline sang out from her favorite stool at the front counter. Her brother Albert sat by her side. "How's it going?"

Krista smiled at the warm greeting. "It's going pretty good. And how are my favorite Cedar Creek twins?" she asked, as she went to Addy's side.

"Strangely, we are the only Cedar Creek twins," Sheriff Tucker replied.

"In current residence, that is," Adeline added. "There were those red boys, Redmond and Redford – poor choice of names if you ask me – but their parents moved the family away ten years ago, or sometime thereabouts. We are overdue for another set. Opal, get working on that."

"I need a decent man before that can happen," Opal stated as she placed a glass of ice water in front of Krista.

"Speaking of a decent man..." Krista started.

"Stop right there," Opal warned.

Addy's eyes sparkled with interest. "This sounds interesting."

"Now you've gone and done it," the sheriff said with a shake of his head. "The inquisitor will not be satisfied until she has all the details."

Addy gave her brother's shoulder a playful shove. "Shush, Albert. Shouldn't you be getting home to Patricia? I'm sure she has dinner just about ready."

"I actually get to go home for dinner with my wife today. Hallelujah!" Sheriff Tucker smacked the top of the counter. "The town council voted to bring Wilson Cooper's position from part-time to full-time; a necessary increase with Ben needing to stay at home more for Marlene. We've started Ben on two three-hour shifts a day – one in the mornings and one in the evenings – but we'll still keep him at a full time salary. It's the right thing to do. An anonymous grant in Ben's name made that possible, without having to stretch the town's budget. And all that means I get to eat with my wife! Good evening, dear woman." He stood up and gave Adeline a kiss on the cheek. "Don't pry too much."

"I'll do my best to squeeze every last drop of information from these girls," she said with a smile.

"I expect nothing less of you." Albert winked at his sister before turning to leave.

"Goodbye, Sheriff Tucker," Krista called out to him.

"Goodbye, Kristanta Jessmina Vita. I really do like the way that name rolls off my tongue. Have a good evening." He tipped his hat to them as he walked out the door.

Adeline looked at Opal and then at Krista. "So, decent man..."

"I'm actually quite shocked that you do not know this already. Your reputation is failing you," Krista told her.

"I've been busy. I painted three separate rooms this week. Spill the beans. Opal?"

Opal shook her head. "I'm not saying a thing."

Addy poked Krista's arm. "Miss Vita?"

"If you won't tell her, I will," Krista warned Opal.

Opal scowled. "Fine. Go ahead. I'm going in the back to check on my pies. I can't stand to hear people talking about me."

"Spill!" Addy commanded.

"Right before you came into the diner during Sam's, Krista's out to hurt my uncle, tirade last week, Opal told Pete that he should ask her out sometime."

Addy's mouth dropped open.

"She said, and I quote, 'Nurse Pete, you should try asking me out some time. You're a little on the young side, but I might actually say yes,'" Krista repeated the line word for word.

"She did not!"

Krista slowly bobbed her head up and down. "She did too."

"And so did he?" Addy asked as she drummed her fingers on the counter top.

"He's been calling and texting her for a few days now. And he is supposed to be asking her to come over to the Webber property for a campfire, roasting marshmallows and sipping hot chocolate, this coming Saturday. Sam and I will be there; we'll be acting as proper chaperones."

"Opal, did he ask you?" Addy called out.

Opal came out from behind the swinging door that opened to the kitchen. She'd been standing directly on the other side, listening to their every word. Opal looked at right at Adeline and nodded her head.

"Well?"

Opal rushed forward and sat down on the stool beside Krista. "I don't know what I was thinking, telling him to ask me out like that. He's so young, cute, and innocent. I feel like I am toying with him. I should never have said that."

"Nonsense!" Adeline chided her. "You two are just a few scant years apart. I see bigger age gaps all the time. So he's a little bit young. You know women live longer than men, so that just means you get more years to spend together. He's cute and innocent. The cute part is a definite asset, and the innocent part is a definite advantage to you. I say take a chance. Have some fun. You don't do enough of that!"

"That's what I keep telling her," Jim piped in.

"Hush, Daddy," Opal frowned.

"Don't hush me. Get out there and live a little," he told his daughter. "I want you to. Do it for me. Your smile has been a little brighter since that boy started calling. I can see it. That means something."

"Come on, Opal," Krista urged. "Just come out with us on Saturday night and have some fun. No pressure, not a date or anything. Just a few friendly people having a good time together."

"Ugh. I've been ignoring that text all day," Opal admitted.

Krista leaned into Opal. "You should answer it."

"Fine. Fine. Fine!" She stood up and stomped back into the kitchen.

"Where's she going?" Addy asked.

"She's getting her phone," Jim answered with a smile. "You know, Adeline..." Jim came out of the kitchen. "You and me, we should go see a movie sometime."

Addy's mouth dropped open again. "Jim Stone, are you asking me to go on a date with you?"

"I believe I am."

"I believe I'll acquiesce to your request," Addy answered with a wink.

Krista smiled at the two of them. "Look at the Downtown Diner! It's become a hotspot for match making. I wonder who's next? Oh, I know. We should find a fella for Doris the librarian. The next time she's in here I'm going to pick her brain."

"That's a lost cause right there," Addy told her. "Doris has never had a fella and never will. She likes her privacy, and has never revealed anything about her personal life. But she lived with Hannah Prichard, her partner at the library, for fifty years, and many of us agree they were partners outside of the library as well. They were known as the two spinster librarians to most of the people in Cedar Creek. But I think they used to have a chuckle at the town's expense when they got home every night and sat down at their kitchen table. They lived a quiet but fulfilling life with each other. One of the happiest couples I knew. It was heartbreaking when Hannah passed away a few years ago. Doris will never love another."

"That's so sweet and, as you said, so heart-breaking."

"Doris had fifty years to live with her love; that's a blessing. I lost my husband after ten."

Jim poured more sweet tea into Adeline's glass. "Losing a partner is real hard. Opal and I struggled to keep going after her mamma passed. But life must go on."

"Life must go on," Addy agreed.

Opal burst out of the kitchen "Alright. I sent him a text and told him that Saturday night will be great. It'll have to be late, though. We don't close the diner until ten on Saturdays."

"Why don't you just take off a few hours early, around eight. I can handle it by myself; come then. You can change out of that pink apron and leave it all to me," Jim told his daughter.

"Daddy, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. And Adeline can come over to keep me company."

Adeline smacked her hand on the countertop. "I'll come over, but don't think you can put me to work," she said with a playful smile.

"Wouldn't think of it," Jim told her. "Krista, I assume you're here for dinner, what will it be?"

"What's the special?" Krista asked.

"Chicken pot pie."

Krista licked her lips. "Sold!"

Jim went back into the kitchen and Opal tugged on Krista's sleeve. "He's a good guy. Right?"

Krista scrunched her brow. "What are you asking me for? You've lived in the same town as him for a few years now. I just got here weeks ago."

"You work with him every day. You've probably spent more time with him in those weeks than I have in my years. I don't do a whole lot outside of this diner," Opal admitted. "He seems like a sweet guy. But..."

"Whenever I saw him around, when he was in high school, I always thought Pete was a good kid. After he moved here to work for Doc, he blended in quite well." Adeline mused.

"Krista, give me your honest opinion. Is he a good guy?" Opal asked. "And if so, why did his girlfriend leave him and move away? I never got to know her very well; she wasn't from around here, she moved here with him when he took the job with Doc. But from what I knew of her, I liked her. So, what was wrong with him?"

"Nothing is wrong with him, Opal. The girlfriend moved to California because she dreamed of becoming an actress and there was no way she could do that while living in a small town. Pete wasn't willing to follow her. He likes his job, likes living in Cedar Creek, and said California didn't appeal to him. That is what he's told me, and I believe him. Pete's great. He's funny, hardworking, caring, and he seriously loves the small town life. He wants a partner, he wants family, he wants foxy pink Opal."

****

Chapter Ten

Krista looked at her watch, the last gift from her grandmother, something she cherished. Grandma had always told her that a good quality watch would never go out of style. Krista loved feeling the weight of the metal on her wrist; it was a constant reminder of the woman who had given her so much unconditional love.

It was nearly eight o'clock and Sam would be arriving soon. He'd promised to leave the diner around seven-thirty, go home, grab some supplies, and then meet Krista at the guesthouse. They would walk out to the fishing pond together, with Opal and Pete scheduled to arrive sometime soon after. Krista hoped the evening would be a success. When Sam had come over the night before, to sketch out a plan for the evening, he laughed at her determination to aid in the match. But before he left, he decided it was good of her to want Pete and Opal to find happiness.

"Sometimes life passes by much faster than we ever imagined, and to be truly happy in the moments that we have, well, that is something worth striving for," Sam had told her.

It was a statement that held so much truth; Krista could do nothing but agree with it. Strive for happiness, live in the moment, because no one ever knows when their last breath will come.

Krista looked out the window when she heard the crunch of tires on gravel and saw Sam park his car and then run into the main house. Krista grabbed her backpack, which contained all the ingredients for S'mores, and went outside to wait for him. Sam emerged a few minutes later, his own backpack slung over his shoulders and a duffle bag in hand.

"You ready?" he asked.

Sam was breathing more heavily than he should be. He felt as though he'd been rushing through every single movement that evening. He was excited to spend some time with people closer to his age; since he moved in with Abe, he'd done nothing but sit around with his uncle, work at the diner, and hole himself up in his room doing schoolwork.

"Absolutely," Krista said with a smile. "Are you sure Pete knows how to get out to the pond?"

"I drew him a detailed map with this exact spot as their starting point. They'll be fine. C'mon let's get out there and get the fire going before they arrive." Sam turned his flashlight on to illuminate the path up ahead and then handed another one to Krista. "We'll need these. Walking through the woods in the dark is not the best idea."

"Good point. Lead the way."

Sam started walking. "We're going my way, across the creek on those big rocks I pointed out."

Krista stopped in her tracks. "You don't think the bridge is better?"

"Do you really think crossing a plank bridge with big holes every other step, in the dark, when you need both hands on the ropes to stay stable, is the best idea?"

Krista started walking again. "Do you think jumping from rock to rock is any better?"

"I do. One of us will light the way while the other one crosses. Don't worry. It'll work. I've done it tons of times with both Uncle Abe and with my mom."

"You've done it tons of times... I haven't done it at all," Krista pointed out.

"You'll be fine. There's no rain in sight. The rocks will be dry, and I promise that makes them easy to cross."

"Fine." Krista forced out a huge sigh. "I'll trust you."

Sam and Krista walked beside each other on the well-worn path through the trees. Sam slowed from his usual large strides to match pace with her shorter ones. Every few steps his arm bumped into her shoulder and after the fourth time he widened the gap between them. "Sorry about that."

"What?"

"I keep bumping into you."

Krista laughed. "I think technically it's my uncoordinated self that keeps bumping into you. I just hope I don't trip over a tree stump and bring you down with me."

"If you do, just make sure you soften my fall." Sam laughed with her.

"Jeez. I have to land underneath you? I can't even guarantee that I'll walk straight, let alone fall with perfect aim."

"If you can't promise to shield me from harm, then you'd better not fall. And if you do, just don't take me down with you."

"I'll do my best," Krista promised.

When they got to the path of rocks across the creek, Sam insisted on going first. Krista lit his way while Sam hopped from one large stone to another until he was safely on the other side. He didn't even seem to lose balance carrying the duffel and supporting his backpack. Krista was impressed.

"Your turn," he called from across the creek as he aimed his flashlight so that she could clearly see her way.

Krista tried her best to match Sam's movements. She stumbled once, her foot slipping to the side of the stone and splashing on the top of the water. But she quickly recovered and decided she needed to take it slower; she figured hopping, like Sam did, was going to have to come later, and with much more practice. When she got to the last stone, Sam reached out his hand and she laced her fingers with his. It steadied her movement as she jumped beside him.

"It's a shame the moon isn't full tonight. It lights up this whole area. Mom used to say that the water dances as the moonlight glitters off the surface. It's beautiful."

Krista shined her light across the top of the water and tried to imagine it illuminated by the moon. "I'm sorry she's not here with you, Sam." She reached out and gave him a quick spontaneous hug. "I bet the full moon is amazing out here."

Sam tugged on her hand and they started walking again. "We'll come back when it is. You can't miss the creek in a full moon."

"I'd like that."

Sam felt like he should let go of her hand. But in that moment, he realized he didn't want to. He liked the warmth that seemed to flow through her and into him. He'd been cold inside for so many months, his pilot light having blown out the moment his mother died. He wanted to feel warm again.

Sam gave Krista's hand a squeeze.

When they arrived at the pond, Krista noticed several cut logs piled up beside the fire pit, the whole area looked smoother, and there was much less debris than the last time she had been there. It looked as if someone had carefully gone over everything with a rake. "You?" Krista asked, pointing it out.

"Yeah. I came out this morning. Figured I'd clean the place up a bit. Good impression for the budding romance and all. Seems kind of a waste now. It'll be too dark to notice."

"Once you get the fire roaring, I'm sure it will all look amazing."

"What's this you get the fire roaring stuff?"

"Do you want a fire?" Krista asked in a breathy voice. "Or a fire?" she boomed. "I'll produce the first kind. I leave you in charge of the second one."

"Good thinking. No wimpy fires at the pond. Nothing but big flames allowed."

Sam set the logs in the pit and started gathering twigs while Krista pulled a large blanket from Sam's duffel and spread it out. She opened her bag to pull out plastic containers that held graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate bars, and also produced two thermoses of hot chocolate. She set them in the middle of the blanket.

Krista reached back into her bag and cursed. "Dammit."

"What?"

"I forgot metal skewers for the S'mores."

"City girl, we don't use metal skewers in Cedar Creek. We use long, thin sticks, and sometimes we even carve them to a point. Then we scorch the ends in the fire and stick the marshmallow on top. Go over near those trees, take your flashlight with you, and look for some long, skinny sticks, twigs, or branches, whatever will work."

"Isn't that unsanitary?" Krista cringed.

"Scorching them in the fire first is sanitary enough. Everyone here is still alive, and marshmallows have been roasted that way my entire life. You'll live, I promise. Plus, getting your fingers burnt from flaming hot metal might be worse than a little dirty stick."

Krista looked at him with doubt. "If you say so." She marched toward the trees in search of marshmallow roasting sticks.

While she was doing that, Sam crumpled up some of the newspaper he brought, shoved it beneath the pile of logs and twigs, and lit the fire. Then he pulled a bottle of Irish Crème and a bottle of Peppermint Schnapps from his bag, and set them near the stuff Krista brought.

As soon as Krista returned with the sticks, they heard voices, footsteps, and laughter approaching. When they saw random flashes of light, they knew Pete and Opal were near.

"Now that's a fire!" Pete announced as they came into view.

"And that is exactly why you needed to be in charge of the fire," Krista whispered. "Good job."

"Thanks," Sam whispered back. "Why are we whispering?"

"No idea." Krista shrugged. "You made it!" she sang out as she rushed forward to give Opal a hug.

"Seriously," Opal began with a huge smile on her face. "Jumping across those rocks in the creek was so cool in the dark. Heart pounding fun!"

Pete shook his head, clearly not sharing her sentiments. "It was interesting."

"It's alright, Pete. I was nervous too," Krista assured him.

Pete caught Krista's eye and held a finger up to his mouth. He clearly didn't want Opal to know he didn't share her enthusiasm. "Great directions, Sam. We found it without a hitch."

Opal did a full circle around the fire pit. "I can't believe this is your backyard."

"Abe's great-greats were one of the first families here. They helped settle this place; the original homesteaders," Sam admitted. "I think Eli is the only other person with family that's been around since the beginning of Cedar Creek."

Krista sat down on one of the stumps by the fire. "Those are some deep roots you got there."

Sam stuck his thumbs in his pockets and shifted back on his heels. "Not everyone moves around like you."

"My grandma and I lived in the same house for almost all of my life. She bought it when I was one, after my mom took off. I've just been moving around since she died. Wait, how do you know I move around a lot?"

A look of sheer guilt came over Sam's face. "I might have dug around the interwebs trying to figure you out."

Opal placed her hands on her hips. "You Googled her?"

"I was trying to figure out if she had a record." Sam looked down at his feet and kicked at the ground. "I admit. I overreacted. I was worried about Abe and I let my imagination get the best of me."

"What did you find out?" Krista asked him.

"Absolutely nothing, other than where you've worked."

Krista picked up a stick and poked at the fire. "So my record is clean?"

Sam looked up at her. "Squeaky clean."

"Phew!" Pete exclaimed, wiping his brow. "I have to work with the girl. I've been scared for my life."

"Oh, shut up, Pete!" Krista pointed her stick at him.

Pete picked up a stick and pointed back at her. "Hey, you look pretty sneaky and dangerous to me."

Opal tapped at her cheek. "Come to think of it, she does to me too. Don't go getting designs on my father! Maybe you should stay out of the diner." Opal couldn't hold a straight face; she started laughing.

"Alright guys, I get it. I'm an idiot." Sam threw his hand up in the air. "Krista's a nice girl. Can we get off the subject now?"

"I suppose we can, unless you want to keep telling me how nice I am. But no more teasing Samuel, guys," Krista said with a smile. "Let's roast marshmallows. Sam assures me that we won't die from using sticks instead of metal skewers. I'm skeptical."

Pete rolled his eyes.

A short time later, they were full of S'mores, had plenty of hot chocolate, and had told each other a ton of childhood stories. Pete and Opal ended up sitting quite close to each other on the blanket by the fire. Krista was pleased to see Opal lean her head on Pete's shoulder and she moved her hand to hook her pinkie finger with his. It was a beginning.

At around eleven o'clock, Opal started to yawn uncontrollably. Pete reluctantly admitted that the evening had come to a close. It was time for them to leave. After packing up, they all walked back to the guesthouse, where Pete had parked his motorcycle.

Krista was shocked that they hadn't taken Opal's car. "It just occurred to me... you were nervous about jumping on stones across the creek, but you have no problem riding a motorcycle," she remarked.

"I wasn't nervous," Pete said a little too quickly.

Opal patted his back as she got on the back of the bike. "He was nervous," she assured Krista.

"See you Monday, Krista," Pete said, waving her over to him so he could give her a quick hug goodbye. "Thanks for inviting us over, Sam." Pete gave them both a wave before he rode away. Opal's arms were wrapped around his middle and he thought that having her hugging onto him tightly was about the best thing ever.

"You want to come in for awhile?" Krista asked Sam, when Pete's motorcycle was out of sight. "Unless you want to go to bed or something."

"Sure, I'll come in. Abe'll be snoring and I'm not tired."

"We could watch a movie or something."

"Just not a chick-flick, please, or something."

Krista laughed. "I overuse that phrase. I know. And I'll spare you the embarrassment of a chick-flick. We'll find something to stream that we can both live with."

"Sounds good to me," Sam agreed, walking up the steps behind her.

Krista pushed open the door but then spun around to face him. "You think this evening was productive?"

Sam stopped quickly, their faces just inches apart. He breathed in. Krista smelled of campfire and sweets. "Pete and Opal?" he asked, his mind having gone blank.

Krista nodded at him. Sam was looking at her strangely, she wasn't sure what to make of it.

Answer her question, Sam silently admonished himself, noting the growing silence between them. "Yeah, I see a spark there."

"Me too." Krista spun back around and entered the house. She kicked off her shoes and put them near the door. "Just throw your stuff in the corner and we can flop on the couch. You want anything to drink?"

"Just water," Pete said as he put his stuff down. "I had too much chocolate. I'm on the edge of a sugar stomachache."

"But those melty marshmallows were so freakin' good," Krista told him as she went into the kitchen. "How about popcorn? Something salty to cancel the sweet."

"Sure. Why not?"

The beeping tones of microwave buttons sounded, followed by the tiny explosions of corn kernels as they popped. Sam grabbed the TV remote from the table and began to look for something they could watch. By the time Krista returned with the popcorn and drinks, he'd highlighted a title on the guide.

"Is this one okay?"

Krista plopped down on the couch beside him. "Zombies! You sure know how to make a girl happy."

"Oh good. If you hated zombies, I might have had to end this friendship."

Krista gave him a skeptical look. "Are we friends now?"

"Do you normally invite people you are not friends with into your house to watch TV with you?"

Krista brought a handful of popcorn up to her mouth and shook her head.

"Then I guess we're friends now," he said as he grabbed a handful of salty, buttery goodness for himself.

****

Chapter Eleven

"Marlene, a few more steps, and we'll be back to your house," Krista promised the woman as they took their daily walk.

Marlene's face was red, her breaths labored. "I can't believe how tired I am today. We made better time yesterday," she huffed.

"Every day is different. We can only take them one at a time." Krista hooked arms with Marlene as they continued on toward the house.

"I need to sit," Marlene insisted, when they reached the front porch.

"You don't want to go inside first?"

Marlene lowered herself onto the bench by her front door and shook her head. "Can't," she breathed.

Krista placed her hand on the woman's head. "I'm going to run in and get you a glass of ice water."

Marlene looked up at her and nodded. When she'd gone inside, Marlene placed her right hand over her heart and concentrated on the rhythm. "I hate you," she whispered to the organ that refused to work properly. The malfunctioning thing inside her was taking everything away from her. She felt it would soon end her life. "I hate you."

"Did you say something?" Krista asked as she returned with the glass of water.

"Just mumbling to myself," Marlene told her. She brought the glass to her lips and sipped at the cool liquid. "Thank you."

"Maybe we should go back to fifteen minutes tomorrow," Krista suggested.

"Maybe I should just stay in bed tomorrow," Marlene countered. "What use is this?"

Krista sat down on the bench and squeezed the woman's hand. They had been walking together for a few weeks, and during that time Krista had seen Marlene's spirits rise and fall. Some days she clung to hope, other days she was planning her funeral, but every single time they walked she told Krista how much she fretted for Ben. Marlene berated herself over the stress and worry that her husband was going through.

"You most definitely should not stay in bed tomorrow."

Marlene slumped down on the bench. "Why not? I'm just going to die, why prolong it?"

"We're all going to die, Marlene. Every single one of us. But you're not going to die anytime soon. Not in the next week, not in the next month, not in the next year... at least not from your heart issue."

Marlene studied Krista's face as she spoke. For the first time, a real and true sense of hope stirred within her; not the fake hope she put on her face like a mask for all to see. She felt this hope deep down inside her. Marlene had been telling herself to concentrate on getting better, and to believe that there was a chance, but she'd never really allowed herself to do it. She'd gone through the motions for Ben's sake, for Doc's sake, and to humor Krista, but there had been nothing behind those motions; they were empty. But suddenly, and without explanation, Marlene finally felt full of glorious, shining, warm, radiant hope.

"You..." Marlene whispered.

Krista stared into the woman's eyes, trying to see if the spark had finally ignited. "What about me?"

"I believe you. This heart is not going to kill me."

Krista smiled. Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. "No, it is not."

Krista's grandmother had always encouraged her to gain the confidence of the people she planned on helping. She said that it made the process easier, less painful for the Deathtaker and more pleasant for the patient. A death could be taken without that confidence and belief in their gift, especially in dire situations, but it wasn't the preferred method of most Deathtakers. Or so her grandmother had said.

Marlene sat up straighter and squared her shoulders. "And I need to trust you."

Krista could see that a quiet determination to survive had replaced the despair that had taken over Marlene's body at the end of their walk. "And you need to trust me," Krista affirmed. "I promise to get you through this. Then you and Ben will be able to move to Charleston."

"Wouldn't that be lovely?" Marlene mused.

Krista stood up and reached for Marlene's hands. "We are going to make that happen for you," she said as she helped Marlene stand back up. "Let's get you inside your house, and I will most definitely be back tomorrow to go on our walk. Okay?"

Marlene smiled. "I'll be here, and ready to go out with you."

"Excellent."

Krista left Marlene's house and drove straight to the medical center. As it happened most mornings, Pete was getting off of his motorcycle as she pulled into the parking lot. They waved to each other as Krista parked her truck, and Pete waited for her at the door.

"Did you walk with Marlene today?" Pete asked, unlocking the door.

"Every morning!" Krista sang as they walked into the lobby

"She doing okay?"

"Yeah," Krista lied. "I think she might be doing better... with the new meds, and her daily exercise, and all that."

"Really? I talked to Ben at the grocery the other day. He didn't say much, but he looked pretty worried."

"I'm sure he is worried, but I do think things are looking up. Are we still going to dinner at the diner tonight?" Krista asked, changing the subject.

"That seems to be what I have to do if I want to see Opal more often."

"I can't believe the two of them run that whole thing by themselves. Have they really never had any extra help, other than Sam, recently? And he's only there a few days a week. It's crazy."

"It's dedication," Pete said with a note of pride in his voice. "Did you know Jim and Opal gave themselves five years to pay off the loan they took out when they opened Downtown Diner? They scrimped, spent very little, and worked nonstop. Opal told me they're free and clear now. That's the only reason she decided to have Sam take some shifts."

"I wonder if Sam will be there tonight?"

"You like him," Pete teased. "Sam and Krista sittin' in a tree..."

"What are you? A ten year old? Sam and I are friends. We hang out, watch movies, go hiking. That's all," Krista protested. "But I do know who is k-i-s-s-i-n-g."

Pete arched his left eyebrow. "Guilty and proud. I won't kiss and tell, but I will say the woman smells amazing."

"Jeez Louise, you love the way she smells. She smells like pie, doesn't she? Does Opal know you just love her for her baking skills?"

"Shut it! Not true. I love her because she has an amazing heart. She wants the best for everyone." Pete snapped his mouth closed.

"Does the woman know you love her?" an unexpected voice asked.

Krista jumped back and brought her hands up to her mouth as Doc Baker poked his head out of the storeroom. She let out a yelp. "Doc! You scared the bejeezus out of me!"

Doc looked at Pete. "Well, does she?"

"I-I-I haven't actually said the words yet," Pete stammered.

"You'd better get to it quick, son. Never delay the opportunity to tell a woman that you love her," he said as he waved a finger at Pete.

"Listen to the man," Krista told Pete. "He's a doctor. He knows."

"I know," Doc said with a wink.

Pete threw his hands up in the air. "I know too. It's easier said than done."

"If it is easier said, then just say it!" Krista urged.

Pete shook his head. "That was a bad use of that phrase. How about, it's harder than it looks? ... than it seems?"

Krista placed her hand on Pete's shoulder. "Just tell Opal how you feel about her."

"Can we get to work now?" Pete asked. "I've had enough councel this morning."

"I'd love for you to get to work," Doc said. "Dan and Sherine are bringing baby Ella in for a check-up. They'll be here soon. And Charlie Newland called a little while ago. The darn fool drove a nail through his hand this morning. I had to convince him to come in so I can look at the wound. He sounded surprised that I answered the phone, since he called before we open."

Pete laughed. "I'm sure that was done on purpose."

"Quite true. Charlie said he just wanted to know if he should pour alcohol or peroxide on it." Doc exhaled with exasperation. "It took a few harsh words on my part, but the stubborn mule finally promised to come to town. I expect he'll take his sweet time doing it, just to prove a point."

"Who's Charlie Newland?" Krista asked, still not acquainted with many of the neighboring residents.

"He's a recluse. Likes to say he's off the grid, but his wife insists they keep a phone line for emergencies," Doc explained. "He hates it, and I'm quite sure she had to threaten him somehow to get him to make the call. I'd better have a tetanus shot ready to go as soon as he walks in the door. I looked in my records and it's been about nine years since I gave him the last one. I probably won't get another chance, so I'm going to stick him with it before he knows what happened."

"I'll make sure rooms one and two are prepared for them," Krista told him.

"And I'll get the shots ready for both Ella and Charlie," Pete added.

Krista motioned for Doc to follow her into the exam room and waited for him inside.

"What is it?" Doc asked in a whisper as he closed the door behind them.

"Marlene's trust kicked in today. I told you it would happen at some point, and, well, it happened. The good news is I know she's going to let me help her," Krista told him.

"What's the bad news?"

"Her heart is going to get worse, and she will go downhill faster than normal. My presence and my connection to her will quicken the process. Death wants its original host. It's almost like it will try to take her before I can take it," Krista explained. "I just thought you should know."

"Did you tell her everything?"

"Not yet. But I will very soon."

Doc stroked his white Santa beard. "Her cardiologist will want to admit her if he sees her failing."

"I'll make sure both Marlene and Ben understand that she must stay here, with me, if she wants to survive. Anything you can do to help that process along will be appreciated."

"I'll do what I can," Doc promised.

"Thanks, Doc. Do you want Ella in here and Charlie in room two?" Krista asked him.

"Sure. That's fine," Doc responded, his face still perplexed. "Do you think I'll ever be able to wrap my head around everything you keep telling me?"

"Probably not until you see it happen."

"When will that be?"

"Soon."

They heard Pete call out a greeting to Dan and Sherine, and Doctor Baker slipped out of the room.

Baby Ella was a sweet little girl. Her parents declared that other than desperately wishing for her to sleep in longer stretches, Ella was a perfect baby. The little one barely cried during her immunizations. Charlie Newland, on the other hand, let out a loud yelp when Doctor Baker stuck him with a needle. Charlie refused stitches, to lessen the scarring, and insisted Doc just throw some glue on it and bandage it up good. Krista was happy when it was time to print out Charlie's aftercare instructions and get the man out the door.

It was an otherwise uneventful day at the CCMC, and by four in the afternoon Doc decided they should "close up shop," as he put it. That gave Krista and Pete enough time to go home and change before meeting back at the diner. Krista was thankful that Doctor Baker didn't care for the traditional medical scrubs. He wanted his patients to feel like they were visiting a friend, so they all dressed in semi-casual clothes. Krista had put on a nice pair of jeans and a light sweater that morning, so all she needed to do was change out her top for something that smelled a little fresher; she always felt funky after a day at work.

When Pete got to his home, he did the exact opposite. He showered, restyled his hair, put some cologne on, and changed into an entirely new outfit. Looking his best in front of Opal was paramount. He wanted to impress her, to look like someone who matched foxy Opal Stone... because she was worth the effort.

When Krista got to the diner, Pete was already there, sitting at the front counter. His whole body was leaning forward toward Opal, who was standing on the other side. She was bent down, with her arms resting on the countertop, and a wide smile was on her face. "Miss Vita has arrived." Opal waved at Krista as she approached the counter.

"The fun can begin," Krista said with a smile. "Are you and Jim working alone tonight?"

Opal winked at Pete. "You were so right."

"I told you," Pete said with a smug look upon his face.

"Goodness. It is nothing. I didn't see his car at Abe's so I was just wondering where he is," Krista told them.

"Ummhmm," Opal hummed. "He's in the back." Opal twisted around and looked through the order window. "Sam, Krista's looking for you."

"I'll be right out." Krista heard Sam's reply.

"He'll be right out." Pete nudged Krista.

"Yeah. I heard him," Krista told her friend. "Opal, did Pete tell you he loves that you smell like pie?"

"That's not exactly what I said. I said that I love the way you smell," Pete corrected Krista's statement.

"Among other things," Krista mumbled.

Pete kicked her under the counter.

"What?" Opal looked at Krista.

"I said, among other things," Krista repeated in a louder voice.

Opal looked at Pete, her eyes open wide. "Oh yeah? What else do you love?"

Pete knew he was cornered. Either tell a lie, because he was nervous, and risk missing the opportunity to let Opal know his feelings for her... or tell her right then, and risk her not feeling the same way about him. It was time to put it out there, to take a chance.

"Could we go outside? By ourselves? For a few minutes? In private?" Pete asked in stunted sentences. His brow instantaneously moist from nervousness.

"I guess we could," Opal told him. "Sam, I need you to come out front. Now," she ordered, as she walked around to the front of the counter. Pete stood up, took her hand, and they walked out the front door together.

"What's going on there?" Sam asked as he came through the swinging door.

"Pete's finally telling Opal that he loves her. At least he'd better be!" Krista told him.

"Are we spectating?"

"Absolutely!" Krista turned around on her stool so she could look through the front windows. "This is the good stuff in life. Fairy tale, movie stuff."

"Or, everyday life stuff. Cedar Creek stuff."

"Shhh," Krista hushed him. "I've never seen it in person before."

"What?"

"Two people falling in love. It's kind of cute," she sighed, looking out the window.

Sam had leaned forward, and Krista could feel his breath moving her hair as he talked. "You've never been in love, I take it."

"Not really. In lust, in infatuation, in like... but not in love. How about you?"

"I think so. First love, anyway. I dated my high school girlfriend through our first year of college until she left me for a Psych major. Bad break-up. It tore my heart out. So, yes, I guess I'd call it love."

"If it tore you up, then I'd call it love too. Are you completely over it now?" Krista turned around to look at him.

"I was completely over it within three or four months. Her loss. Look," Sam pointed outside. "Opal looks happy."

Krista turned to look out the window again and saw Opal throw her arms around Pete's neck and lock her lips with his. Opal did look happy. Krista suddenly felt like she was intruding. She turned back to Sam.

"So never in love, but in lust, huh? You brazen hussy. Have you no shame?" Sam teased. "Abe says that to the TV quite often. I thought I'd try it out."

"Next you'll be polishing your penny loafers and brushing off your letterman's sweater. I think you could actually pull off that look."

"Of course I could," Sam insisted.

"What are they doing now?" Krista asked, not wanting to turn around to look for herself.

"More of that hugging and kissing junk," Sam told her. "It's disgusting," he added with an overabundance of sarcasm.

The door bells chimed and Ben Richardson walked in.

"Hey, Ben," Sam called out in greeting.

"How's Marlene been today?" Krista asked him.

"Actually, I came here to thank you. Doc said you and Pete were planning on being here tonight so I took a chance. I probably would have driven over to Abe's if I hadn't found you here. I just really wanted to thank you, in person." Ben gripped his hands together and then stuck them in his pockets. He shifted his weight, looked around the room, and felt silly that he hadn't prepared more to say to her.

"Thank me for what, Ben?" Krista asked.

"For whatever you said to Marlene today. She's happier than I've seen her in weeks. She seems at peace, but not in a defeated way, in an I'm looking forward to the future way, if you know what I mean. She said you and her had a nice talk after your walk this morning, and she said that we should still think about Charleston. I can't tell you how happy that makes me."

"That's great. I told her not to give up, that her heart wasn't going to fail her," Krista offered up the parts of her conversation with Marlene that she was willing to reveal.

Ben dug his hands down further in his pockets. "It may be false hope. But at this point, just to see that smile on her face again, I'll take it."

"It's not false hope, Ben. It's just hope. Everybody needs to have a little hope. Don't you agree?"

"I guess I do. And thank you."

Krista smiled. "You are very welcome."

"Sam, I want to get Marlene some dinner. She hasn't had much of an appetite lately, but today she said she was craving a grilled cheese sandwich and Jim's creamy tomato basil soup. So I'd like an order of that to go."

"Coming right up," Sam told Ben as he wrote out the ticket.

"You should walk with us tomorrow," Krista told Ben. "Maybe you can go in a little later. If not tomorrow, then soon."

Ben shook his head. "Can't tomorrow, sorry. Sheriff Tucker has to go to Greenville to file some papers with the county office in person, and Wilson has the day off. Maybe the day after."

"Whenever you can," Krista said. "Just soon."

"I will. I promise." Ben leaned down and gave Krista a hug. "She told me that you're something special. I think she's right."

Krista hugged him back. "Your constant care and devotion to your wife... that's something special."

When Ben left, with Marlene's food in hand, Opal and Pete finally came back in. They were holding hands. Opal grabbed a coat, told Sam and Jim that she was going out for a walk, and the two left again.

"Thanks for giving him a push," Opal whispered as she passed Krista.

Sam gave a slow whistle as he wiped the counter down. "Look at you, and all your admirers. I can't think of a person in Cedar Creek that hasn't succumbed to your charm. Everybody thinks Miss Vita is wonderful."

"Except you?" Krista asked.

"Somehow you managed to win me over, as well. You do seem to have a talent for it. I think that deserves something special," Sam said as he tore a slip from his order pad.

"What do I get?" Krista asked.

"Patience," Sam told her and turned around so his back was to her.

"What are you doing?"

"I said patience."

"Fine, I'll wait. But when you turn around, I'd like a glass of water, with a lemon. Your serving skills are quite poor, I've been here forever and you haven't even offered to get me a drink."

"I'll get you your water. Almost finished."

"Finished with what?" Krista leaned to the side, trying to see what Sam was doing.

Sam sensed her movements and angled his body away from her. "You really suck at patience, don't you?"

"Apparently," Krista admitted.

Sam turned around and placed a tiny folded piece of paper in front of her and then went to fill up a glass of water. Krista picked up the paper and placed the little folded bird in the palm of her hand. "That's so cool. When did you learn to do that?"

"When I was a kid." Sam set her glass of water with lemon on the counter. "Mom bought me an origami book for my birthday. We learned how to do the swan together. I taught myself a few more, but Mom and I would make swans for each other. She said that the swan would remind me to strengthen my relationships, and make new ones with people that I admire."

"I thought the swan was a symbol of love."

"It seems that a lot of people are showing you some love today," Sam told her. "Food is love too, right?" He picked up his order pad and gave her a smile. "What can I get you to eat?"

Color flushed into Krista's face. She wasn't sure if he was flirting or not, but she'd found herself actually wishing he was. "A Monte Cristo, please, with a side of fruit."

"Are you going to stick with water?"

"Yeah, water's fine. So, how's school going, college boy?"

Sam clipped the order slip up for Jim. "Good. I got an A on my last paper."

"Oh, wait." Krista held a finger up and then grabbed for her purse. "I have a reward for you, for being such a good boy." She dug around the bottom and pulled out a cellophane wrapped, green lollipop. "Good job!"

Sam's eyes widened. He clapped his hands together in exaggerated excitement. "For me! Yay!" He pulled the wrapper off and stuck the sucker in his mouth. "Mmmm. Sour apple."

"It's the best." Krista shrugged.

The bells clanked against the front door and Krista turned to see Abe and Eli walk in. They waved at Sam and Krista as they made their way to their usual table. It was chess time, Krista noted with a smile. She loved how the two men were creatures of habit. If they were going to eat at the diner, they were going to play chess, plain and simple.

The bells rang again, and then a minute later, yet again. The dinner rush had begun. "I'll be back," Sam told her. "Your sandwich should be up in just a few."

Sam went to his uncle's table and confirmed that the two men wanted their usual sweet tea, and then he moved to the other two tables to see what he could get everyone to drink. He checked in on the man who'd been quietly reading a paperback at the end of the counter since Krista had arrived, and then got back behind the counter to fill everyone's drink orders. As he went from table to table, setting down glasses, Opal and Pete returned.

"Oh my word, it got busy in here fast," Opal declared and rushed to Sam's side to see what needed to be done.

Pete sat beside Krista. A huge grin was plastered on his face.

"I'm going to guess you two had a nice walk," Krista whispered to Pete.

"It was most satisfactory, indeed."

"You are a strange bird, Peter Venkman Jones."

"It was great. Is that better?"

Krista bumped her shoulder into his. "Much better. Because from the kissing and the handholding I saw, I would have guessed something much more than just satisfactory."

"It's mutual," Pete whispered.

"As I knew it would be," Krista whispered back.

The bell on the counter dinged. "Order," Jim called out and then disappeared into the kitchen again.

"Here you go, darlin'," Opal smiled as she placed the plate in front of Krista. "Pete, what can I get you?"

"I'll take the special," Pete told her, pointing to the chalkboard behind her.

"Chicken and dumplings, coming up." She placed her pad on the counter to write down Pete's order and drew a big heart at the bottom. She tapped at the heart, making sure Pete saw it, and smiled as she ripped the sheet off. "Something to drink?"

"Iced tea, please," he told her, reaching across the counter to brush his fingers over the back of her hand. They stared at each other as if time had stopped for a moment, with that new-love electricity coursing between their bodies. It was a powerful thing, and they both looked a little blown away by it.

The bell dinged. "Order."

Opal didn't turn. Sam moved behind her and grabbed the plate. "Chili cheese fries for Abe and Eli," he called out as he moved toward their table.

"I should get that tea for you," Opal said, her voice deflated from its normal sweet and cheerful tone. She didn't want to move her hand and break contact. Pete slowly retracted his fingers, his reluctance as plain to see as hers was.

Krista laughed quietly as she picked up her sandwich. "You two are cracking me up. It's alright to let go... your emotional connection will not be broken." She took a bite. "I promise," she added.

"Miss Vita. Manners," Opal scolded. "No talking with food in your mouth."

"Yeah, you untamed heathen." Pete poked her shoulder.

"Whatever," Krista mumbled through the mouthful. "Your open display of affection in the workplace is slightly unprofessional."

"It's my diner. I'll do what I want," Opal sassed back.

Pete gave Opal a wink. "That's my girl."

It took almost two hours for Sam, Opal, and Jim to get through the wave of people who continued to arrive for dinner. During much of that time, Krista sat at the counter reading on her phone. When it was finally slow enough again, Opal and Pete tucked themselves into a booth in the corner. They sat next to each other, Pete's arm draped around Opal's shoulders. Abe and Eli had pushed the chessboard to the side and ordered dessert; two slices of pie with vanilla ice cream. Once Sam was finished with them he parked himself in front of Krista, on the other side of the counter.

"Can I get anything else for you?"

"Can you make another one of those paper swans?" Krista asked. "I want to watch you do it, to see how it's done."

"With pleasure," Sam said. "But I'm gonna go in the back and get a piece of white printer paper. It's bigger and you can see all the folds better," he explained.

"Awesome, thank you. This little guy is so cute," Krista said with a smile, pointing to the paper swan he'd made from an order sheet. She had it balanced on top of the saltshaker in front of her. "I've never tried origami, except for those fortune teller things we used to make in elementary school."

"What do you mean?"

"Grab an extra piece of paper and I'll show you," Krista told him.

Sam disappeared through the swinging door and came back with two sheets of paper. He sat down on a stool next to her and handed one of the sheets to Krista. "Maybe I should have grabbed more paper. Do you want to do a swan with me or just watch me?

"Oh. No. This is good. I think I'd fumble my way through, and it would end up contorted and wrong. Too many tiny folds. I just want to watch you."

"I'm sure you could do it, but okay. Here it goes." Sam bit his lip in concentration as he made the first fold. "I'll do it slow."

Krista leaned forward and watched his hands as they folded and manipulated the paper. "Are there different ways to do it?"

"There are different swans you can make. They can look like they're in flight or like they're floating on a pond. You can give them skinny pointed tails, thicker bent ones... actually, there are lots of variations," he told her as he continued to fold. "This part will be the wings, this part the neck, and the tail is here," Sam explained, pointing to the different folds in the paper.

Krista watched his fingers as they expertly and carefully brought the swan to life. She thought Sam had strong looking hands, and she found herself concentrating on them more than the paper. When he folded the neck of the swan, all Krista could think about was that she wanted to feel his hands on the back of her neck, his fingers trailing down her spine. She closed her eyes and took a long, slow breath. She had no idea where that thought had come from, and it shocked her. Sam was obviously an attractive guy, but she didn't want that kind of attention from him... or did she?

"Are you falling asleep on me?"

Krista's eyes popped open. Sam held the swan barely an inch from her face. She was nose to nose with the paper creation. "No. I was just... just trying to visualize, to recreate your steps in my mind."

Sam placed the swan on the counter in front of her. "Yeah. Okay. So, your turn. Fold up a fortune teller."

Krista folded one corner of the paper until it touched the long side, and she made her first crease. "It's got to be a perfect square so you can cut this bottom part, or tear it off. I usually just tear it," she explained as she creased the bottom with her fingernail and then carefully ripped two and a half inches from the paper. "So now this is a square with a diagonal fold, and then you fold it on the other diagonal." Krista continued to talk through her motions, folding corners up, and back until she was able to move her hands into position. "Thumb and index finger," she explained as she alternately opened and closed the fortune teller.

"I totally remember these now. I don't think the girls at my school called them fortune tellers, though. Don't you write words and numbers and stuff on all the little flaps?"

"Yup!" Krista smiled. "Or you could play MASH with it, but I always played MASH on just a plain piece of paper with a pencil or a marker, writing all the stuff out. That way we could change up the boys' names every time."

"Mansion, apartment, shack, house," Sam said. "Alright, it is all coming back to me now. Cootie catcher! That's what they called these things at my school," he exclaimed, pointing to the paper she held. "Wow, that brings back memories. Give it here. "He snatched it from her hand. "I want to write on it."

Sam pulled a pen from his apron, angled his body away from hers, and started writing. Krista grabbed his shoulders and tried to get a peek at what he was doing, so Sam moved further away.

"Oh, come on," Krista protested. "I made the thing."

"Patience."

"You use that word too much."

When Sam turned back around he was holding the fortune teller with his thumbs and index fingers. "Pick a color."

Krista looked at her four choices. "Yellow."

"Y.E.L.L.O.W." Sam spelled out the word as he moved the paper flaps back and forth with his hands. "Pick a number." He angled the fortune teller toward her so she could see the choices written inside.

"Four."

"One. Two. Three. Four. Now pick another number."

Krista looked again. "Six."

Sam opened the flap with the six written on it, and let Krista read what he'd written inside.

"Sam's the greatest!" Krista read out loud. "Maybe I should have picked number eight." She took the fortune teller from him and opened that flap. "Sam's the greatest!" Krista opened the rest of the flaps. "They all say, Sam's the greatest!"

Sam bobbed his head up and down. "He kinda is!"

Krista reached over and smacked him on the shoulder. "Don't you have some work to do?"

Sam laughed. "But I do excellent work of getting on your good side!"

"You're a piece of work, that's what you are." Krista laughed with him. "I think I'll go home now. Thanks for the origami lesson. Bye, Abe. Bye, Eli." Krista waved. "Goodbye, lovebirds," she added as she blew a kiss over to Opal and Pete.

Sam walked with her to the front door. "Can I come by later?"

Krista looked down at the two swans she held in her hand. "If you want."

Sam took a step closer to her. "What do you want?"

Krista looked up, meeting his gaze. "Yes. Come over. I'd like that."

****

Chapter Twelve

Krista was on her couch, half asleep, when she heard a knock at the door. She'd changed into pajama shorts and a t-shirt and then put on a movie, when she got back from the diner, but she had ended up dozing off about half way through. Krista sat up and stretched her arms above her head, letting out a yawn. "Coming," she mumbled.

The scratch in her throat as she uttered the single word reminded her of the mint tea she'd left on the table before falling asleep. Krista reached for the glass and took a gulp as another knock sounded. "I'm coming," she said a little louder, standing up from the couch. She put her hands in her hair and rubbed her scalp; a little blood flow to the brain always helped to wake her up. Her grandmother had sworn by it.

When she opened the door, Sam took one look at her tired eyes and tousled hair and gave her an apologetic smile. "I woke you. Sorry."

Krista rubbed her face. "I must have been exhausted. I don't even remember closing my eyes. Come in."

Sam stepped forward, closing the door behind him. "I stayed a little later than usual so I could close up with Jim. Opal and Pete took off right after you did."

Krista leaned against the wall and smiled. "They are so cute together."

Sam noticed his two swans on the table near the couch and placed the fortune teller down beside them. "I thought you might want this, since it tells the truth and all."

"Yeah, yeah. Sam's the greatest."

Sam stepped closer to Krista and placed his arms on either side of her shoulders, his palms pressing into the wall. Krista looked into his eyes, suddenly awake. She felt the heat of his body as he leaned forward, getting even closer to her. She arched her back, an automatic response to his nearness, wanting to close the gap between them.

"I really want to kiss you," Sam told her in a quiet voice.

Krista's only answer was to quickly bring her mouth to his. She placed her hands on his hips and pulled him against her. Sam closed his eyes as his body pressed her flat against the wall. He moved his hands to the sides of her face, kissing her with abandon. Krista softly moaned against his mouth, and Sam could feel flames igniting inside him.

He pulled back and looked at her. "I've been picturing this in my head for weeks, maybe since the day I met you."

Krista's chest heaved as she tried to catch her breath. "You hated me then," she reminded him.

Sam shook his head. "I tried to. It didn't work."

He brought his mouth down on hers, hungry for the taste of her once again. Krista moved her hands under Sam's shirt, gripping his back, pulling him even closer to her. She nipped at his upper lip and drew his bottom lip into her mouth, sucking on the flesh. She leaned her head back slowly, dragging her teeth across the tender skin as she released his lip from her mouth. Sam drew in a slow ragged breath as Krista pushed the front of his shirt up. She kissed his skin; it was smooth and warm, and she could feel his muscles contract as she moved her hands over his chest.

His flesh dotted with goosebumps, either from her cool hands, or from the excitement of it all... or maybe it was a combination of both. "You're killing me," Sam breathed.

Krista raised her head, her full lips slightly swollen. "I'm sorry, I kind of attacked you, didn't I?"

"No need to apologize." Sam kissed her. "I'm not complaining." He kissed her again. His hands were in her hair, and then they moved down her body, resting on her hips. His fingers found the inch of exposed skin on her lower back, between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her shorts, and he trailed his fingers along that line as they continued to kiss.

Krista finally pulled back. "We should probably take a step back and slow down." She bit at her bottom lip. "I'm not really sure how far I'm prepared to take this tonight."

"We'll take it as far as you want to, and not a step further," Sam told her as he pushed the hair back from her face. "Just to be clear, does slow mean stop? I'm just asking."

"Not yet," Krista answered with a smile. "But the couch might be a more comfortable place to take it slow."

"Thank God!"

Krista laughed. "Not ready to stop?"

"Hell no."

"Me either," Krista whispered. She took his hand and led him to the couch. "Tell me if I'm asking too much, but... shirts off? But my sports bra stays on and so does everything else. I just want to feel your skin against mine, but I'm not willing to take off any more and I don't want to push you too far over the edge. So just say no if that's going to maybe be an issue. I'm talking too much... terrible habit of mine." She looked down at the floor. "I'm ruining this, aren't I?"

"Whatever you want, Krista. I'm game for whatever you want to do." He pulled his shirt over his head. Sam held her face and kissed her softly. "I'm not some oversexed animal. I can control myself. Cross my heart," he whispered against her lips as they stood in front of the couch.

Krista pushed him down on the couch and moved over him, straddling his body. She pulled her shirt off and froze for a moment. What was she doing? What was she thinking? When Sam put his hands on her waist and looked up at her, her worries disappeared. She slowly lowered her body and he twisted onto his side so she could lie beside him, facing him. Sam placed his hand at the small of Krista's back and waited for her to make the next move.

Krista traced the contours of his face with her hand, the line of his jaw, the bridge of his nose, the stubble on his cheeks. She traced his lips with the tip of her finger and brought her mouth to his. She kissed him softly, small airy kisses at the corners of his mouth and then pressed her lips firmly against his. When Krista traced Sam's lips with her tongue, he groaned, pulling her hips against his.

He kissed her deeply, explored her mouth with his tongue, while his hand moved slowly up and down her spine. Their mouths crushed together. When Sam trailed kisses down her neck and across her shoulders, Krista's breath caught in her throat. She moved her head back, lengthening her neck, and scratched at his back with her nails.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered against her skin. "And I would like nothing more than to continue with this," he told her between kisses. "But if I am going to maintain my control, I think we should definitely stop." He placed a kiss in the hollow of her throat.

Krista looked at him with half closed eyes, and then kissed him softly on the lips. "I think you're right," she told him. She turned around, pressing her back against him, and reached for the TV remote. Sam rested his hand on her stomach and as she searched for something to watch, he kissed the back of her neck and the tip of her ear.

"I thought you said we should stop?" Krista said with a soft laugh.

"You can't give me that drug and then expect me to stop cold turkey. I'll ease myself down from the high."

Krista snuggled herself into the curve of his body. "You can do that as long as you'd like. It feels amazing," she told him.

Krista put on an Eighties teen flick, and Sam continued to place small kisses on the back of her neck. She closed her eyes and started to fall away, melting into the feeling of him.

As Sam felt her body relaxing against him, he whispered her name. "Krista?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you landed in Cedar Creek."

"Me too."

When the alarm on Krista's phone started to go off, her eyes opened and she found herself in her bed. Sam was there, his arm draped across her stomach. She vaguely remembered Sam turning the TV off and walking with her to the bedroom. They'd both crawled under the covers and fallen asleep.

Krista grabbed her phone from the nightstand to quiet the buzzing.

Sam stirred beside her, and Krista turned her body to look at him. You're an idiot, she told herself. You are getting ready to take a death, and you start something with the nephew of your landlord. Good thinking! "I should have waited," she whispered.

Sam heard her speak, but didn't open his eyes. She should have waited? What did Krista mean by that? He assumed that she didn't intend for them to jump headfirst into a make out session like they did. Did she regret it? He replayed the first kiss in his head. While he was the one who said the words, she was the one who initiated the kiss. She wanted to be there with him, just as much as he did, he could feel it. He just hoped she wasn't feeling buyer's remorse, after having some time to think about it.

Then another thought occurred to him. Damn! She didn't mean wait for someone else, someone better? Did she? His eyes popped open "Waited for what?"

"You're awake. Oh God, morning breath." She jumped up from the bed and ran into the bathroom.

Sam heard the water turn on and then the sound of brushing. He got out of bed and followed her into the bathroom. He reached over her shoulder, grabbed the toothpaste from the counter, and squeezed a little onto his finger. "This wasn't exactly a planned sleep-over, but this will do." He did a little finger brush of his teeth and then rinsed his mouth out.

Krista finished, rinsed out her mouth, and then turned to him. "You're in your boxers," she stated.

Sam smiled. "You're in sexy little shorts and a sports bra."

"Sorry. Stating the obvious. The last I remember, you had jeans on."

"Too uncomfortable to sleep in. I took them off," he explained. Sam took a step toward her, backing her up against the bathroom wall. "I heard you say that you should have waited. Waited for what?" he asked again.

Krista stared at his chest, she wanted to put her hands on it and trace all the curves in his skin. She wanted to kiss every inch of him. Stop it! "I was just thinking that we could have shared a kiss or two, and then watched a movie. But instead, I jumped all over you... and then I pulled everything to a stop." Jeez, those boxer briefs look amazing on you!

Sam put his hands on either side of her face and tilted her head up to look at him. He kissed her softly on the mouth. "I wanted you to jump all over me and I was willing to stop. It wasn't a mistake. Nothing that feels this good could be a mistake." He kissed her again; harder, deeper, and more intense than any kiss they had shared the night before.

Krista could feel the ground fading away from beneath her. She ended the kiss and put her hands on his shoulders. "You can't do this to me right now. I have to get to Marlene's, I have to go to work, I have to get away from you before I do something that I just don't want to do right now. Damn, you're really freakin' good at that." She licked her lips and took a breath. "Why do I have to be so sensible?" she muttered as she walked away from him, leaving him standing by the bathroom door.

"I'm working at the diner again tonight, with Friday nights being so busy and all, but I'm coming back here the moment we close," he called after her. "No obligations, no work tomorrow, nothing but you and me."

"I've been warned." Krista grabbed some clothes from her closet and set them on the bed before she returned to where Sam still stood. "I'm getting in the shower now, and I'll be closing this door behind me. Get dressed, go home."

Sam leaned in and placed a kiss on her shoulder. "But come back?"

"Yes. Come back." She pushed Sam away from the door with a smile and closed it behind her.

Sam pressed his forehead against the bathroom door as he listened to Krista turn on the water. "I'll see you tonight."

Krista leaned against the other side of the door and closed her eyes. "Okay," she quietly answered.

By the time she got out of the shower, Sam had gone. Krista had peeked outside the bathroom after she wrapped a towel around herself, and then did a quick once-over of the house. After blow-drying her hair, she went to her bed to get dressed. Underneath her shirt, waiting for her, was a little paper swan.

Marlene was exhausted and swollen when Krista got to her house, but she was in a crazy positive mood – or at least, that's how Ben described it. Krista hadn't seen her yet.

"She thinks she is going to get all better, that you told her that, and that I should just believe it because she does. She's been arguing with me since last night."

"I thought you weren't going to be here this morning," Krista said to him when he met her outside and unloaded on her. "And are you trying to tell me Marlene is too tired to walk today?" She was getting a little annoyed with his accusatory attitude, and she wanted to smack the finger he kept pointing at her as he spoke.

"Sheriff Tucker had to postpone until tomorrow, so I told him I'd like to be here at home this morning. And, no... I mean, yes. Marlene is in no condition to go out today," Ben huffed.

"Can we go inside and talk?" Krista asked, trying to remain calm.

"I don't want you to upset her or fill her with false hope."

"Yesterday you were all about the hope, Ben. What happened since then? And there is no such thing as false hope, or true hope, or any other kind of hope. Hope is just hope. It's a desire for something to happen. She has every right to desire, to want, her heart not to fail her. Doesn't she?"

Ben put his hands behind his head and gripped at his hair in frustration, his eyes glistened with tears that he tried to blink away, and his body started rocking. "She just looks so bad off this morning and I freaked. That woman means the world to me... the whole goddamn world, excuse my French. I got put on this rollercoaster from hell, and it's driving me crazy with all the ups and downs, and... and... The woman is only thirty-five years old!"

Krista placed her hands on Ben's shoulders and he stopped moving, he stopped talking, he stopped ranting in his own head. He just stopped. "Ben? Can we go inside?"

Ben looked at Krista. "I'm sorry. What?"

"Can we go inside, please?"

"Yeah. I guess we should. It's better than being out here, with me raving like a madman..."

Marlene was sitting on the couch with a perfect view of her husband and Krista. Ben was agitated. Marlene could see it in his posture, she could tell by the occasional rise in the volume of his voice, and then there was the fact that he hadn't let Krista in the house yet. When they finally came up the walkway together, she felt a bit relieved.

"Marlene, I'm bringing Krista in," Ben called to her as he opened the front door.

"Good," she told him. "It's better than you being out there, raving like a madman."

"That is exactly what he just said." Krista smiled. "How are you feeling today?" Krista felt a dull ache in her chest.

It had started.

Marlene was sitting sideways on the couch with her feet propped up by a few pillows, and a blanket lay over her lap. "Oh, I'm alright. Just a tired day, that's all. My stupid feet are all puffy. Nothing sweeter than a girl with cancles."

"I'm going to call Doc and see if he can stop by on his way in," Krista told her. "Is that alright?"

"Do you really think it is necessa-?" Marlene asked.

"Of course it's alright," Ben interrupted his wife.

Krista pulled her phone from her purse and called Doctor Baker. "I'm just going to go outside for a minute," she told the Richardsons, while the line was ringing.

"What is it, Krista?" Doc answered the phone.

"I'm with Ben and Marlene. Now is the time, Doc. We have to convince Ben. I was hoping you could come by their house this morning and help me plant those seeds inside Ben's mind. They trust you. Marlene sees me every day, and I know she's good. But Ben's hardly around me, so it will be easier with someone he trusts."

"Is there a particular reason that today is the day?" Doc asked. "Scientifically speaking, I'd like to know."

"I felt something click with her yesterday," Krista told him. "And today, well... Doc, a few minutes ago I felt a chest pain."

"I understand," Doc said, even though he didn't really. "I'll come now."

"Thank you," Krista said as she ended the call.

The cool October morning breeze caught the fallen leaves and tumbled them across the lawn. Krista looked around at the few neighboring houses, with their fall decorations; the ghosts, witches, and skeletal Halloween adornments. Everything was picture perfect in Cedar Creek. It was a serene little town, with the cozy, warm, and festive streets, which seemed like they should house ideal, problem free, families. Funny how those kinds of things always seemed to exist in old TV shows and movies, but they never did in real life. No one could escape the twists and turns life threw at you.

Krista stayed outside for a few minutes, and then quietly went back into the house. Her heart ached when she saw Ben kneeling next to the couch, holding Marlene's hand. If they refused to believe what she could do, her connection to Marlene would break. And unless she was allowed to be near her when the time came, Krista couldn't even forcefully take the death from Marlene.

"We are going to make it through this," Ben rasped.

Marlene ran her hand over the top of his head. "Of course we are, pumpkin."

They would make it through, but only if Ben was able to have blind faith in what Krista wanted to do.

"Doc's on his way," Krista told them. "He'll be here soon."

"He can't really do anything for her, can he?" Ben asked, keeping his eyes on his wife.

"He's coming here to talk," Krista told him. "Doc and I, well, we want to talk to the two of you about Marlene's condition."

Ben looked at her. "Do you know a lot about heart conditions?"

"I know some. Doc knows more. But I can tell you exactly how Marlene is going to survive this."

Ben grunted, doubtful that a young girl, without extensive medical training, could tell them more than their own cardiologist could.

Marlene squeezed Ben's hand. "This girl is special, Ben. I can feel it. Just listen to her."

Ben moved his head back and forth; it was an almost imperceptible movement because he didn't want to openly disagree with his wife. Krista seemed nice and caring, she was a good health care worker, he assumed, but she was just a girl who had somehow managed to get into his wife's good graces. Ben didn't think she was all that special. "I'll listen to her... for you," he told his wife. He turned to Krista and gave her a look that screamed, impress me.

"Should we wait for Doc?" Krista asked.

"I'd prefer it if you start talking now," Ben told her.

"I want you to speak to someone on the phone, first. It would be good if you could both listen in."

"There is a line in the kitchen and another one right here," Marlene pointed to the phone on the table beside the couch. Cedar Creek was the kind of town where everyone still had multiple home phones.

"That's perfect. I'll make the call."

"Ben, go into the kitchen," Marlene sweetly ordered her husband. She picked up the phone and held it out to Krista. "Make your call."

Krista punched eleven digits into the push button phone and waited for the line to pick up on the other side. "It's ringing," she told Marlene. "Ben, just give me a minute before you pick up."

Ben nodded in understanding.

Krista's eyes lit up. Marlene and Ben carefully listened to the only side of the conversation they could currently hear.

"Hi, Linda. It's Jesse. ...

Yes. It's really me. How is she doing? ...

That's wonderful! I'm so glad. ...

Yes, I do need you to talk to someone. It's a husband and wife. ...

The wife. ...

Soon. ...

Just tell them the truth. Tell them whatever you want to. ...

Thank you, Linda. Give your daughter a big hug from me. ...

She's such a blessing. ...

I'm not. I'm really not. I'm putting them on now, okay? ...

Give her a wonderful life. ...

You're welcome."

Krista handed the phone to Marlene, and then turned to Ben. "You can go ahead and pick up now," she told them and then went outside.

She didn't want to hear their questions or try to gauge their responses. When faced with an untimely death, people were usually desperate enough to believe in the unbelievable. Krista hoped that talking to Linda would spark that desperation. Once the spark ignited, she and Doc could fan the flames and then get the Richardsons ready to embrace something they'd previously thought impossible. She knew that Ben and Marlene, like all people in their situation, wanted a miracle... no matter how unbelievable it seemed.

Doctor Baker arrived while Krista was outside waiting. "What's going on in there?"

"I gave them the phone number that you didn't use."

"Good thing I didn't use it."

"Yes, it is," Krista agreed. "Ben needed it. He feels so defeated about the whole thing. He keeps telling Marlene to have hope, but he seems to only want her to have a little bit of hope, and he isn't holding on to any hope of his own."

Doc scratched at the back of his head. "I thought that might happen. Ben's always seemed to be the black cloud sort. He's always looking for rain on a sunny day. "

"He has had a lot of rainy ones lately."

"No reason to stop looking for the sun. Should we go inside?"

Krista shrugged.

Doctor Baker grabbed her hand. "Come on."

"We could always just keep ourselves informed of her deteriorating condition, then tie them down and forcefully take it from her when the time comes, and then run them out of town."

"We could," Doc agreed with a chuckle. "Or we could get them to cooperate. You said the process would be easier on both of you."

"I did say that," Krista frowned.

Doc opened Ben and Marlene's door. "Anybody home?" he called out.

Marlene motioned them in. They were still on the phone.

"Did the doctors give her any chance?" Marlene asked Linda.

"Wasn't there some further treatment options you could have tried?" Ben voiced.

"I see," Marlene said. "She's a miracle." And then after a pause she added, "She is an angel. I guess we are the lucky ones. Thank you so much for your time."

"Yes. Thank you," Ben added and then they both hung up their lines.

Marlene swung her feet to the ground and flung the blanket off. She sat up tall. "Doctor Baker, do you know about Krista?" Marlene asked, her eyes wide with wonder and excitement.

"She's told me, but I have to admit that I haven't witnessed anything. I'm compelled to have faith in her," Doc answered.

"Why?" Ben charged in from the kitchen. "Why would you ever believe in something this insane?"

"She can diagnose patients, just by being near them. She's the one that told me Marlene needed a cardiologist, even before I was able to examine her. I've taken her with me to the home, in Greenville, and she was able to do it there too, and she'd never seen anyone's chart."

Ben opened his mouth to protest.

"She didn't even know the name of the place I was taking her. She'd have had no way to try to sneak the information beforehand. I already thought of that."

Ben snapped his mouth closed again.

"When can we do it?" Marlene asked. Her voice held none of the trepidation that her husband had.

"I need to talk to you about that." Krista sat down next to her. "After it is over, we can never be near each other again, because there will be a piece of the sickness living inside me. It will seek you out, and want to inhabit you again, and if it gets ahold of you a second time, there will be no way to save you from it."

"Doc, come on! This is the biggest load of bullshit." Ben paced the room.

"Ben!" Marlene scolded.

"I want to believe in it. Who wouldn't? But you can't stop someone from dying without medical help," he fumed.

"You can if you are a Deathtaker," Krista told him.

"Oh. Her great and wonderful powers have a name!" Ben continued pacing.

"Ben, I'm dying. I can feel it," Marlene told him.

"Shut up, Marlene!" Ben yelled. "You are not dying."

"Benjamin Richardson," Marlene gasped. "You did not just tell your dying wife to shut up!"

Ben turned around and faced her. Tears stung his eyes. He blinked fiercely, trying to make them disappear, but they spilled down his face. "You. Are. Not. Dying."

Marlene stood up and grabbed him, hugging him tight. "Have a little faith. Please. I'm begging you."

Krista spoke softly, not wanting to further upset the man. "There is nothing invasive about what I do. I don't even have to touch her. We will just be in the same room, and you can be there too, to witness. I've already asked Doc if he will observe the whole thing."

"Doc, I'm still shocked that you are going along with this." Ben shook his head.

"I'm a little shocked, too. But I am going along with this, Ben." Doctor Baker assured him. "I'm jumping in, feet first."

"After it's done, if you agree to do this, all I ask is that you move away from here. Go to Charleston, like you two were planning," Krista told Marlene, no longer addressing Ben. It was obvious he needed time to absorb. "You'll have to be ready to leave, either that night or the very next day. And if you want to come back to visit Cedar Creek while I am still living in here, I will be glad to take a little vacation of my own and give you time to visit your friends."

Marlene gave a single nod of her head. "We want to go. That's not a problem. Ben's family will be happy to put us up until we can find a place of our own. Won't they, pumpkin?"

"You know they would, Marlene." Ben said. "Krista, Doc, just tell me what you want to try, and I'll humor you all."

"That's fine, Ben. You don't need to believe in it for it to work," Krista told him. "Your wife and I will just have to be in the same room when it seems like she is near the end. She'll fall asleep, and then she'll wake up perfect... and then you guys need to leave. Cedar Creek is just too small of a town to risk staying afterward. We can't be within a hundred feet of each other, ever again."

"Where will it need to happen?" Ben asked.

Krista shrugged. "Anywhere, really."

"We'll do it at my house," Doc said.

"You sure?" Krista asked.

Doc nodded. "Yes. I'd be able to observe the whole process: before, during, and after. So I think it'd be best."

"I think I've heard enough for today. I'm going upstairs to be by myself," Ben announced. "I need to think." He walked up the stairs without another word.

Krista went over to Marlene and gave her a hug. "We'll talk soon."

"Just come over on Monday morning. That'll give Ben a few days to absorb and process. We are trying this, whether he wants to or not. I'm all in."

Krista felt the energy zap from her, Marlene's determination had strengthened their bond. Krista brought her hand up to the middle of her chest."

"If it doesn't work, you lose nothing," Doc told her.

"Can't argue with that." Marlene gave Doc a hopeful smile. "Krista... the lady on the phone, Linda, she told me that you started to feel her daughter's pain. Can you feel mine?"

"A little," Krista told her the truth; in the beginning it was only a little.

Sadness darkened Marlene's eyes. "I'm sorry for that."

"Don't be. It's part of the process."

"Doesn't matter. It shouldn't be. I can't imagine all the different things you've taken on." Marlene closed her eyes, pausing for a moment. "Linda also said that she won't change her phone number, that she is there if you ever need her, and that she will be forever grateful for what you did for her daughter. She said to tell you that you can call her anytime, or anyone else for that matter, because she feels it is her duty to share you with whomever you choose to help."

****

Chapter Thirteen

Krista and Doc had gone on to work after leaving Ben and Marlene. Krista pushed the dull ache, which came from her connection to Marlene, deep down inside her. She would continue to function, as she always did in these situations, and as her grandmother had as well. "Vita women are strong women," her grandmother would always say. "It's just pain. Pain will pass."

But the nurse part of Pete noticed things that other people wouldn't, which happened every time she made a close friend at work. Toward the end of the day he finally voiced his concern. "You feeling alright today?"

"Didn't get a lot of sleep last night. Somebody came over," she said with a wink. There, she thought. That will keep his thoughts occupied, and give her an excuse in the future. "Nothing happened, by the way. Well, nothing much happened."

Pete gave her a sly smile. "It looks like you and me had similar nights. But, I seem to remember someone protesting that it was strictly a just friends situation!"

"Things changed."

"That fast?"

Krista tried to act nonchalant. "He came over after closing up the diner with Jim, because you and Opal were off doing your own stuff."

Pete raised an eyebrow. "We were. And?"

"And he said he wanted to kiss me... so I pretty much threw myself at him."

"That's enough. I don't need to know any more." Pete stopped her.

"It's fine. There isn't much more to know. I put the brakes on pretty fast after that, which amazingly he seemed pretty okay with. Not all guys would be."

"I would be!" Pete balked.

"You are a pretty special guy. I knew that when I met you. Opal is one lucky girl," Krista told him.

"And Sam's a lucky guy. We are pretty spectacular people, you and I."

Krista laughed. "Totally spectacular. That's how I've always thought of myself, funny you should mention it." Krista loved that Pete could be just as sarcastic as she was. He was her first close male friend, and Krista wondered why she'd waited so long to embrace the concept.

"Go home and get some rest," Pete told her.

"I will. I'll need it. Sam's coming over after the diner closes."

"Opal too. It's like we are living parallel lives," Pete said in his best spooky voice. "I bet you even showered this morning, just like me."

Krista shook her head. "You really are too much sometimes."

"You can never have too much of a good thing. I thought you knew that," Pete replied as he shuffled her out the door.

Krista went straight home, as ordered, and made dinner for herself. After that she decided to clean the house, because she figured it was the easiest way to keep her mind off of Marlene and especially off of Sam. Sam, Sam, Sam... She wanted to smell him, she wanted to feel that closeness again, she wanted to hear his heartbeat as she rested her cheek on his chest. Krista shook her head. Scrub, she ordered herself. By the time she heard a knock on the door, she was positive the kitchen and bathroom had never looked shinier.

Krista opened the door. "Hi, I lost track of time. I've been cleaning, I'm sweaty, I look disgusting, and I'm going to go take a quick shower," she told him as she spread her arms open wide to display her disheveled appearance.

Sam swooped into the house and kissed her. "You look good to me."

Krista batted him away. "Stop. You are obviously blind, and I feel gross, so I'm showering!"

"Can I join you?"

"NO!"

"You're no fun."

Krista gave him a stern look.

"Fine. I'll run up to the main house and take a shower too. Then I'll come back over."

"Perfect." She kissed his cheek and pushed him out the door.

As soon as Sam left, Krista jumped in the shower and made sure the water was steaming hot. After washing her hair, she decided that a fresh shave was necessary. Stubbly legs would simply not do.

Sam had sprinted back to the main house, said hello to his uncle, and then showered as fast as he could. While he rushed back down the stairs, Abe called out to him. "What's going on with you and that girl?"

"Not sure, Uncle Abe. Something good, I hope."

Abe smiled at his grandnephew. "That's good to hear, son. It's time you let a little joy back into your life. Oh, to be young again."

"You'll always be young. I don't think you ever grew up all the way," Sam laughed.

"And no sane man should! If you don't keep a piece of your childhood with you, you'll miss all kinds of wonder and excitement as time goes by. I never want to lose that stuff. That's what makes life fun."

"Life is good right now. Life is real good," Sam told him.

"Glad to hear it. Now, go have some wonder and excitement."

Sam gave his uncle a hug and sprinted back over to Krista's. She was still in the shower when he arrived. He stood in the hallway and listened to the water run, while she hummed in the background. She continued with the tune after the shower stopped. Sam knocked on the door. "I'm back. Just letting you know."

"I left the TV on, find something to watch while I get dressed."

"Okay. Do you want to go for a walk?" Sam asked.

"Tonight?"

"Um. Yeah."

"Sure, I guess."

"It's a little cold out, so dress warm," he told her.

"Okay. Go away now, so I can go to my room without you being there," Krista ordered. Her voice was stern. She wasn't quite sure she trusted herself not to fling off her towel and rush into something she wasn't ready for... yet.

"Alright, alright, I'm going!" He stomped down the hall, making sure Krista was aware of his retreat.

Sam went into her kitchen and opened the fridge, hoping to find bottled water. He grabbed two and went to the couch to wait. He sat down and flipped through the channels, finally settling on some scientific show about asteroids, at about the same time he heard Krista's hairdryer turn on. He wasn't really sure what the scientists were talking about, because he wasn't paying much attention to the television. His mind was replaying what had happened the night before. He pictured the curve of her hips, the feel of her soft skin, the way her mouth fit so well with his. Sam leaned back against the cushions and closed his eyes.

Krista found him that way when she came out of her room. "Did you fall asleep?" she whispered.

"No," he said softly with a smile on his face. "I'm just picturing you last night."

"It was so boring it made you want to fall asleep?"

He pulled her down onto his lap. "It was so wonderful," he said as he pressed a kiss against her neck. "That closing my eyes was the only way to give the memory my full attention."

Krista leaned her head back. "I've been thinking about you all day."

Sam trailed his kisses down and across the exposed skin on the top of her chest. "We should probably go out now, but... we could always stay in."

Krista moved to straddle Sam, placing her thighs on either side of his. She brought her lips to his and kissed him slowly. When she pulled her mouth away from his, she sighed. "You're the one who suggested the walk, so let's go. We have time enough for this later."

"There is a huge boulder, with a flat top, that is perfect for gazing at the stars. I want to show it to you." Sam placed his hands on her hips and pulled her down harder against him.

"Sam, are you using nature to talk dirty to me? Because it's pretty hot."

"You're pretty hot." Sam pushed the strap of her tank top down and kissed her shoulder. "But outside will not be. You'll freeze in this."

"Should we take a blanket? Since it is so cold out." Krista kissed his forehead. "And I have a sweatshirt right there." She pointed to the end of the couch.

"Definitely a blanket," he kissed her neck again. "You smell amazing."

"Eucalyptus mint," she told him. "I'm going to get up now."

"I really shouldn't have suggested the walk."

"Yes. You should have." Krista stood up and reached for his hands. "I'll get us something to drink."

Sam sighed as he got up from the couch. "I grabbed some waters from your fridge." He pointed to the table where they stood.

"I didn't even notice. You distracted me." Krista kissed him again.

"You're the distraction. Grab a blanket. Grab two," he told her. "I brought flashlights."

It was definitely cold outside, with a lazy breeze moving through the trees. The wind had pushed away all the clouds and allowed the stars to shine brightly in the sky. Sam held her hand as they walked. At first they stayed on the worn trail, and later moved off the visible path. But Sam's steps were sure, purposeful; he knew exactly where he was going. When they turned in the direction of the creek again, Sam pointed to a rocky spot ahead.

"There it is." Sam waved his flashlight so she could see it.

When they got to the boulder, Sam helped Krista climb the few feet to the top. They spread out one of the blankets and rolled the other up to serve as a pillow. Flat on their backs, they held hands and looked up at the sky. Sam started pointing out constellations, and Krista watched as he traced his finger across the bright dots on the black inky background. She'd never tried to find any of the constellations before and was excited to find that she could actually see what he was describing.

When a far away light shot across the sky, Krista gasped in excitement. "Make a wish, quick," Sam told her.

"I think that was my first shooting star! Thanks for bringing me out here," Krista told him as she snuggled closer into his side. "This place is perfect. Did you used to come here with your mother?"

"I did. She's the one who showed me all the constellations. She had so many books about the stars. It was more than a hobby to her, it was something she was really passionate about."

"The stars will always be there as a sweet reminder of her. I think that's pretty special."

Sam squeezed her tighter to him. "This is the first time I've really looked up at the sky since she died. It almost feels wrong to look at them knowing she's not able to do it anymore."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe she is somewhere where she can see those stars. Maybe she's looking down on them, while you're looking up."

"That's a real nice thought. I like that."

Krista turned her face to his and kissed him. "We have to think about the ones we've loved and lost, keep them close in our hearts and minds. It keeps a little part of them alive and with us always. Grandma is still looking out for me. I know it. And your mother is doing the same for you."

"Thank you for saying that. I needed to hear it. Sometimes it feels like if I stop thinking about her then things will get better, but it just makes me feel worse. I get angry."

"Let the anger go and celebrate her life instead of dwelling on her death. She'd want you to live with joy. She'd want you to be happy," Krista told him.

"You're right. She would. Being with you makes me happy," Sam whispered to Krista.

"I'm happier than I've been in a long time," Krista whispered back. "Especially now that you're not a big jerk anymore."

Sam laughed. "Come on. I was still kinda cute as a big jerk. Wasn't I? I had to be or you wouldn't have given me the chance to prove that I wasn't one."

"Maybe a little cute."

"Only a little?" Sam grabbed her side and started to tickle her. "Just a little? I can't believe that."

"Stop it," Krista tried to wiggle away from him. "Stop it. Stop it!"

"Admit it," Sam urged as he kept tickling.

"Stop it! Okay, okay. A lot cute. Very cute. You were the most handsome thing ever!" Krista screamed.

Sam took his hands off of her. "That's better."

Krista tried to catch her breath. "You suck! I hate being tickled."

"Sorry. But tickle torture totally works."

Krista put her hand up the back of his shirt and pulled him closer. "I know a better kind." She flattened her chest against his and brought her leg up over his hip. "My kind of torture works too."

"I'll let you torture me any time you want to," Sam grinned.

Krista's face contorted in discomfort. "This rock is digging into my side."

"It isn't the most comfortable of rocks. Not enough cushion to it." Sam chuckled. "We've been out here for a while. Want to go back?"

"I think we should," Krista said, as she untangled herself from him. "Next time we bring a couple of sleeping bags and a blanket. More cushion that way."

"Good suggestion," Sam agreed.

They walked back in silence, both knowing that they were forming a bond. It was the sweet, sweet start of new love. Their bodies, their minds, and their spirits were in overdrive, eager to move the budding relationship forward. Sam squeezed Krista's hand as they neared the guesthouse, and she hugged his arm. "Come in and watch a movie with me?"

"Absolutely. I'd be crushed if you didn't want me to."

"We can't have that."

"No. We can't." Sam kissed the top of her head as they walked up the steps to her house. "Halloween is only a few days away."

"Yup. It is," Krista said as she opened the door. "What does Cedar Creek do for Halloween?"

They tossed the blankets into the corner of the room.

"I'm going off what I've been told because, like I told you before, this is my first October. But I know they do a big party on Main Street," Sam told her. "Everybody is in costume, and the kids can trick-or-treat at the stores and restaurants. It's supposed to be a big deal."

"I guess that sounds like fun." Krista walked toward the kitchen. "I'm making hot chocolate. Do you want anything?"

"Coffee?"

"I only have instant."

"That's fine." Sam followed her into the kitchen and leaned against the counter. "So, listen, about Halloween... I told Opal and Jim I'd hand out the candy at the diner. Do you want to do it with me?"

"Dress up?" Krista asked as she put two mugs of water in the microwave and turned it on.

"Yes. Opal wants the whole place themed like the fifties. I think it's because she already has the clothes."

A light bulb went off in Krista's mind. "Oh yeah. Pete was talking about that the other day. He said something about doing the whole leather jacket, white t-shirt, and jeans thing for Halloween. To be honest, I was only half listening to him, I was thinking about something else at the time."

"There's a letterman's sweater in Abe's attic. I'm wearing that."

Krista stirred powder into each cup. "I've never been a huge fan of dressing up, even as a kid. Plus, it's a little late to find something, isn't it?"

"Aren't you a bummer? Dressing up on Halloween is fun, handing candy out to kids is pretty great, and I'm quite sure Opal would be willing to lend you a dress. All she wears is stuff from that era."

Krista sprayed whipped cream into a perfect swirl on top of her hot chocolate and then handed Sam a mug of coffee. "Do I have a choice?"

Sam raised a single eyebrow. "Not really."

"You know, I think I'm going to be handing out candy with you at the diner on Halloween." Krista smiled as she took a sip from her mug.

"Really? That's great news. I had no idea." Sam smiled back at her.

"For that, you get tortured with a Jane Austin movie," Krista told him as she went to the couch and turned on the TV.

"Don't get mad if I fall asleep," Sam warned her.

They both ended up falling asleep on the couch before the movie was over. Sam went first, about halfway through, and Krista followed just before the end. When she realized she was nodding in and out, she turned off the television, pulled a blanket over them, and curled up in Sam's arms.

****

Chapter Fourteen

Pumpkins, scarecrows, and fall wreaths lined Cedar Creek's Main Street, while orange and red lights lit it up. The town's decoration committee had been working on it for days. Adeline told Krista it would all stay up until the Saturday after Thanksgiving, when the committee would switch it out for the Christmas decorations. Apparently the orange lights would be swapped out for green ones at that time. Adeline called the mixing of orange and red lights a "bad move" on the committee's part; she thought the orange lights would have looked better by themselves.

Early Halloween evening, at around five o'clock, Krista and Sam arrived at the Downtown Diner dressed up in their fifties era costumes. Krista had found some cat-eye glasses at the thrift store and popped out the lenses, she'd pulled her hair up into a pony, and was wearing one of Opal's outfits; a voluminous skirt with a full petticoat underneath it and a white collared shirt with a fuzzy pink cardigan over it.

Sam was wearing dress pants and Abe's letterman's sweater, with a shirt and tie underneath. Abe insisted Sam wear it as if he were going to a team banquet, and refused to allow him to wear dungarees with the sweater. "If that sweater is going to be worn again, then give it a nice night out at least," Abe had told him.

Main Street was filling up with costumed residents who were waiting for the trick-or-treating to begin. Krista waved to Adeline, who was sitting in one of three chairs set around a small fire pit. Sheriff Tucker and his wife, Pauline, occupied the other two. Krista walked over to where they sat and noticed a black cauldron that was bubbling and smoking, thanks to the block of dry ice Albert had ordered from the grocery. Adeline, Albert, and Pauline wore black robes, but while the two women had tall witch hats on their heads, Albert Tucker wore his Sheriff's hat.

"Where's your hat?" Krista asked him.

"I'm wearing it!" Sheriff Tucker said as he stroked the brim.

Pauline laughed. "He's such a party pooper. At least we got the robe on him."

Adeline put her hand to the side of her mouth. "Don't call it a dress," she said in a not-so quiet whisper.

"It's a robe," Albert insisted. "Kings wear robes."

"And you are definitely king of your own little world." Pauline leaned over and kissed her husband on the cheek. "And of my world too, honey, as long as you realize that queens are the real rulers."

"Believe me, I know who rules the Tucker house." The sheriff squeezed his wife's hand with a knowing smile.

"Well, I just wanted to let you guys know that you look amazing. I love the cauldron, and the fire. It's cold out here, you definitely need one," Krista told them as she shivered. "So, are you the three witches of Cedar Creek?"

"I'm casting spells over here," Adeline laughed. "Oh wait, let me try that again," she said and laughed in her best witch's cackle.

"Say, you're a natural at that," Albert teased his sister.

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Adeline shot back at him.

Albert looked at Krista. "I suppose you already know this, since you spend so much time with Marlene Richardson in the mornings, but Ben just gave me his notice. Said he's finally making the move to Charleston, said Marlene's feeling better, said he wants to wait until I can get somebody trained but they're at the mercy of his family. Apparently when they say go, Ben's going. Kinda strange, don'tcha think?"

Adeline scrunched her brow. "That is strange."

"How are you supposed to function without a timeline?" Pauline asked her husband.

"That's what I told him," Sheriff Tucker said. "I made him set a date. So he said Thanksgiving. Well, his last day will be the day before Thanksgiving. He said they'll leave right away. I guess a holiday weekend is as good as any to make that kind of a drive." As he spoke, the sheriff watched Krista's reaction, studying her body language and her facial expressions. He'd always been good at reading people. "You look a little surprised, Kristanta Jessmina Vita."

"I guess I am a little surprised, Sheriff Albert Tucker. I mean, I knew about the move – about them wanting to go to Charleston. I just hadn't heard they'd decided on an exact time to leave," Krista said, rocking slightly backward and shifting her weight to her heels.

"I don't think he had an exact time in mind until I told him that I needed one," the sheriff stated. "Sounds like he's confused about what's going on."

"Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away," Krista noted.

"Maybe his family is really putting on the pressure to move, since Ben and Marlene put it off earlier this summer," Pauline reminded her husband. "You know how family can be with pressure," she nudged Adeline with her elbow.

"Pressure. You can't be talking about me. I'm the most laid back person around," Adeline said, although she couldn't keep a straight face as she uttered the words.

"I'm going to get back to Sam," Krista said as she started to back up. "I've got to help him set up the table with the candy. Happy Halloween."

Albert Tucker watched as Krista made her exit. The girl looked worried; she looked secretive, and he was sure she knew more about what was going on with Ben and Marlene than she was letting on. The whole thing had a stink to it, and he didn't like it. But he figured it wasn't really his business and thought maybe he shouldn't dwell on it too much. Because, while Ben and Krista seemed evasive, he didn't think any laws were going to be broken in the process of whatever was going on.

As Krista walked back, Sam waved to Sheriff Tucker, Pauline, and Adeline, and then turned around to focus his attention on the table he was supposed to be setting up. He locked the legs into place and flipped the table upright. As he smoothed the black tablecloth across the top, Krista walked past him. She looked slightly bewildered, and a little confused.

"I'll get the big bowl of candy." She motioned to the inside of the diner, pulling at her bottom lip as she walked.

While she was in the diner, Sam set up the two jack-o-lanterns that Jim had carved, putting them at either side of the tabletop. He was lighting the candles inside of them when Krista came back out with the bowl. She set it down, pulled at her bottom lip again, and then placed her hands on her hips.

"I've got to call Doctor Baker," she told him. "I'm going to sit in my truck for a few minutes while I'm on the phone. I'll be right back."

"Is anything wrong?"

Krista frowned as she looked at him, but shook her head. "I just have to ask him a question."

Sam pulled her closer to him. "Are you sure nothing is wrong?"

"Not with me... maybe someone else. It's a patient. I can't really talk about it."

"Okay. I just want to make sure you're good. You look worried," he told her.

Krista focused on him for a moment and tried to clear her face of emotion. "Just a little concerned. I'll be right back."

After sliding into the truck, she closed the door and dialed Doc's cell phone.

"Doc, where are you?" Krista asked, the moment he answered.

"I'm about to leave the center and head to Main Street. What's going on?"

"Sheriff Tucker just informed me that Ben told him that he's leaving town for good on Thanksgiving. Did Ben or Marlene talk with you about this?"

Krista heard Doc sigh into the phone. "No. He did not."

"What's he thinking? Are they leaving without letting me help her, or does he think he can pick a random date for this to happen? He didn't discuss any of this with me."

"With me either, Krista."

"Apparently Ben first told the sheriff that he'd be leaving at some unknown date, at a moment's notice. But after the sheriff said he needed an exact day, Ben said Thanksgiving!" Krista paused. "Thanksgiving! That's just a few weeks away from now. I don't know what the man is thinking." Krista gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.

"Sounds like we need to confront them both, so we can find out," Doc said.

Krista blew out a slow breath, "I guess so. Well, no use worrying about it now. I'm at the diner if you want to stop by."

"Alright. Do you want me to go over to Ben's and talk with them?" Doc asked.

"No. Not without me there to explain more of the process to him."

"Alright. I understand."

Krista hung up the phone, and returned to Sam's side. "Did you get an answer to your question?" he asked.

Krista shrugged. "Not really. But I'll figure it out soon. It's fine. No worries."

"So, back to Halloween fun?"

"Absolutely!" Krista rubbed her arms. "It is pretty chilly out tonight, and it's still fairly early. It's just going to keep getting colder."

Sam stood behind Krista and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her into his chest. "Jim's bringing a propane heater from the back. We are going to set it up behind the table, right here."

"Oh, that's perfect. Just keep your arms around me until it gets here."

"Or I can warm you up in other ways."

"I'm not sure that's appropriate out here in the open." Krista leaned back into him.

"You're probably right," Sam agreed with a small laugh.

The heater came out, music was turned on, and the children started parading up and down Main Street. Superheroes, princesses, aliens, ghosts, zombies, athletes, mini policemen, and cartoon characters marched by. The little children, tweens, and teens stopped to say the magic words while holding out their bags and buckets to capture their hoard of goodies. Krista and Sam took turns passing out the candy, with Pete and Opal coming out when they could to join in the fun. Jim brought out hot drinks, and a few scrumptious snacks.

But Halloween in Cedar Creek wasn't just for the young. Many of the town's adults were dressed in costumes as well. People walked around to greet their neighbors and friends, and also to see what kind of dress-up everyone else was playing. It was definitely a night to recapture youth, to jump out of the mundane and a time to do, wear, or be something unexpected. Even Abe and Eli got in on the fun, dressing up as Laurel and Hardy. They were both shocked Krista knew who they were, and Krista silently thanked her grandmother for watching the duo when Krista was a young girl.

Krista was completely enjoying the evening and had pushed all her concerns away, until she saw Ben and Marlene coming her way. They had outfitted themselves in black from head to toe, with plastic vampire teeth in their mouths and painted dripping red blood on their faces. Marlene seemed particularly pale, but Krista could see that she'd enhanced the look with white make-up on her face and dark kohl outlining her eyes. Doctor Baker was walking with them as they approached the table in front of the diner.

"I vant to suck your blood." Marlene held her hands up, like she was going to claw someone.

"Not my blood!" Sam quickly covered his neck. "It's good to see you two out tonight. It looks like you're feeling better."

Marlene smiled. "I am."

Sam extended a hand to Ben. "Enjoying the evening?"

"Marlene made me put this on. I'm not a costume kind of guy"

"I twisted Krista's arm a little too," Sam told him.

"And she looks great!" Marlene exclaimed. "As do you, pumpkin," she told her husband. "You've made me very happy."

Ben gave Marlene a hug. "That's what I'm here for."

"Doc, is this really a costume?" Krista asked as she inspected her boss.

Doctor Baker stuffed his hands into the pockets of his bright red pants. He had worn a red suit, a white shirt and tie, with shiny black boots on his feet. He'd embraced the Santa look for Halloween. "It is my official Halloween, Santa-ish suit. I pull it out twice a year, Halloween and Christmas Eve."

"Well, you look great," Krista told him.

"The Richardsons and I were just talking about your morning routine with Marlene. I think we may have a few revisions. Could you come away with us, for just a couple minutes?" Doc motioned to her.

Krista looked at Sam. "Go ahead. I've got this," he told her.

"I'll be right back," Krista said, giving him a kiss on the cheek. When she was near enough to Doctor Baker to whisper a warning, she told him to walk away from the motel. "They'll ask questions."

Doc looked over at the sheriff, his wife, and his sister and nodded his head in understanding. He steered the group in the opposite direction, away from curious ears.

"What's with the whole Thanksgiving exit?" Krista hissed at Ben under her breath.

"I don't know. Marlene and I have been talking. She's got me convinced that she's going along with this, no matter what, so I put in my notice. I panicked when Tuck wanted a departure date, and I just picked the next holiday."

"Why'd you talk to him at all yet? What was the rush?" Krista kept a smile on her face as they walked along in case anyone was looking at the four of them.

"Because he was worried about leaving the sheriff without proper notice, and that would mean he might not get the recommendations he needs to find work in Charleston," Doc explained. "He told me that much as we walked over to the diner to get you."

"So you just picked a random day for your wife to die? I can't make Marlene sick enough to be on the verge of death. I can only step in when her body gets there on its own." Krista wanted to shout. She'd gone into panic mode. No one had ever tried to give her a timeline before.

"I screwed up," Ben admitted. "What are we supposed to do now?"

"We could accelerate my symptoms," Marlene suggested. "Stop taking my meds, stress out my system."

"Oh, God, no!" Ben almost yelled. A few heads turned their way and he lowered his voice. "You are not forcing your heart to give out on you!"

"If you want this done by Thanksgiving, you might have to," Krista sighed.

"The sooner the better," Marlene said, her voice chipper. She had cast all her hopes into Krista's basket. As desperate as she was for a miracle, she'd clung to the first one that appeared. She knew it was crazy, but some part of her knew that it would work... so it didn't feel crazy. It felt right.

"Doc, talk some reason into her," Ben pleaded.

Doctor Baker put his hand on Ben's shoulder as they continued to walk. "Ben, I don't know what to tell you. You can go back to Albert and tell him that you were mistaken, that it may be months from now before you leave. Or you can stick with Thanksgiving and I can go against all my medical oaths and training and assist you and Marlene in making sure her heart starts to fail." Doc shook his head. "I can't believe I just said that."

"I can't believe it either," Ben gasped.

"Nor can I," Krista hung her head as they walked. She'd never suggested someone accelerate his or her symptoms before. It just seemed wrong.

"Well, I can. Seems like a solid plan to me. Let's leave the car here and walk all the way home," Marlene suggested. "That'll strain my heart."

"Absolutely not. We are not doing that." Ben shook his head in refusal. "I'll think about it tonight..." he told Doc. "And figure out what I should do."

"What we should do," Marlene reminded him. "Actually, I'll decide what I should do. It's my body, my heart, my life."

Ben's shoulders slumped with the weight of her words. "I know, sugar. I know."

"It would have to be done naturally. I won't administer any drugs that would adversely affect you," Doctor Baker told Marlene.

"I'm sure we can figure this out," Marlene told them all. "No more talk about my ridiculous heart. Let me enjoy this evening. It will probably be my last Cedar Creek Halloween."

Ben's face went blank with those words. While Marlene was talking about moving away, all he could think about was the end of her life. He still hadn't embraced Krista's abilities. He simply didn't believe there was such a thing as a Deathtaker. He was trying to mentally prepare himself to let Marlene go, on her own terms. It was the hardest thing he'd ever tried to do, but he wanted her to enjoy the time she had left. Marlene was happy again, for the first time in a long time.

"Call me tomorrow," Krista told them. "I've got to get back to Sam."

"I will," Marlene promised as she dragged Ben over toward Frank's Drive-in. Krista heard her sing out, "Ben, let's get milkshakes!" Her voice was filled with joy.

Doctor Baker gave Krista a silent wave and walked off on his own. He wanted to go home to think about the best way to allow one of his patients to decline to near death within the next few weeks. Doc knew he'd help Marlene in any way he could. It was his job, after all, to do what he could to make things right... even if he had to go down the wrong path to end up at the right destination.

Krista banged her fists against her sides. She didn't like the time constraint and she didn't like the thought of Marlene making herself worse. Krista didn't like the whole situation. What if Marlene caused herself to have a massive heart attack and Krista wasn't able to get to her in time? She walked toward the diner, trying to make sense of it all. As she approached Sam, she could no longer conceal her worry, and she put her hands up to cover her face. Her heart thudded in her chest.

Sam immediately wrapped his arms around her, and Krista rested her cheek against his shoulder while she hugged him tight. "I can feel your heart beating against my chest. Did you run over here?"

"No. I've suddenly got the worst headache," she told him.

"I told you I thought something was wrong," he said, rubbing her back. "Did you take anything for your head?"

She saw the opportunity to mask her concern for the whole Marlene situation with his belief that she'd been feeling ill all evening. Lies. Could someone start a relationship with lies? It probably wasn't the best idea. Maybe that is why her grandmother never remarried after her husband had died, and why her mother never wanted a relationship with her father. Lies drove a wedge, even if they were told to protect the ones you love.

"No, I didn't. It was barely hurting before, but it has been growing all night," she lied. "I probably should."

"I'll ask Opal. She has a whole medicine cabinet in the back. She'll have something for you to take," Sam told her and then kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you," Krista said as he pulled away from her. "Can you get a huge glass of water too? That always seems to help my headaches."

"Absolutely. Be right back." Sam spun around and went into the diner.

Krista watched him go inside.

"Trick-or-treat!" A little girl excitedly screamed behind her.

Krista grabbed some candy from the bowl and turned around. She jumped back in mock fear. "Oh no! You're a scary one," she told the black robed figure. The little girl's hood was so deep that Krista couldn't see her face.

The girl turned to the adult behind her. "Mom, where's my thing?"

"Dad's carrying it, he's coming now, with your brother," she told her daughter.

Krista looked behind them to find a little cowboy, holding on to a man's hand. The man was carrying a plastic scythe. "Hurry, Daddy!" the girl called out to him. "I need my thing. I need it."

"You said you didn't want to carry it anymore," he said. "Here. Carry your own weapons."

The girl turned back around. "I'm The Reaper!" she said in her best scary voice.

"You certainly are," her father laughed.

She pulled her hood back and looked at Krista. "I remember you from school. I'm Tianna, I'm seven, and I hate princesses."

Krista put the candy she was holding into the black bucket the girl was carrying. "You make a good Reaper, Tianna," she told her.

"I've decided I'm the kind of Reaper that comes after," she whispered to Krista.

"Her grandfather is a mortician," the father explained. "She is very interested in death right now."

"And this one is interested in cowboys," the mother said as she swooped up her son.

"That's Trey. He's only two." Tianna pointed to her brother.

"I'm fwee!" Trey shouted.

"Not for a little while, sweetie. You're still two," their mother corrected.

"Kids' resale!" Krista exclaimed as a light went off in her head. "You guys own the store at the corner of Main and Fifth. Right?"

"Yes, we do. I'm Tawny and that's my husband Tyrell. We're the Tysons," Tawny said in introduction. "You're Krista. I've seen you around. Thankfully, we haven't had a reason to see you in a professional sense."

Tyrell gave her a wave.

"Not needing to visit Doc is always a good thing. It's nice to meet you guys." Krista smiled.

"I think it's time to go home. The cowboy looks plumb tuckered out," he said in a drawl.

"I've got the cowboy, you get Death," Tawny told her husband. "Goodnight, Krista."

"Goodnight."

"Bye!" Tianna waved as she walked away with her parents.

"Goodbye, Death." Krista waved back at the girl.

Sam came back outside with a cup of water and two pills. "I told Opal that I'm taking you home. You look like you need to rest."

Krista swallowed the pills. She was starting to get a headache after all. "Thanks, Sam. I think I'll be fine. Let's just give these a few minutes to kick in."

"You sure?"

Krista smiled at Sam. "Yup. Thanks, preppy letterman."

"You're welcome, sock-hop gal," Sam said. "That doesn't sound right."

Krista shrugged. "Close enough. You know, you're pretty cute in those clothes."

Sam nuzzled his face next to her ear. "I think I prefer you in that sports bra and those little shorts."

"I wouldn't mind seeing you in your boxers again, either," Krista breathed.

Sam brushed his lips against hers. "Later?"

"Hey, you two need a room?" Adeline called out. "I got plenty," she laughed.

Pauline started giggling beside her.

"Don't let that go too far," Sheriff Tucker warned. "I'll have to get you on indecency!"

"Shut it, you two," Krista called out to them.

The bells on the diner's door clanged as Opal and Pete came outside. Opal held up her phone. "Say cheese, lovebirds."

Krista held up the edge of her skirt to fan it out, and rested her head on Sam's shoulder. "Cheese," she said with a grin.

The shutter noise on Opal's phone clicked five times.

"I think you got it," Sam said.

"I always take a lot and then you can choose the best one," Opal told Sam as she handed her phone to him. "Take a few of us." She backed up next to Pete and posed.

Sam clicked a few pictures and then gave the phone back. "Send me those," he told her.

"Me too," Krista added.

"Yeah, yeah. Hey, Addy. Daddy said you should go inside and visit with him," Opal called out to her friend. "I think he's lonely."

Adeline got up from her chair. "I think I will."

Albert and Pauline Tucker chuckled. "We'll get all this," Albert told his sister, motioning to the chairs and the fire pit. "I'll put it in the office before we leave."

Adeline patted her brother on the shoulder. "Thanks, Albert."

"If you need a room, you've got plenty," Sam told her as she passed by.

"Don't you know it," Adeline said with a wink.

"Thanks, Sam." Opal hit him on the shoulder with the back of her hand. "I didn't need that visual."

Pete looked down the street. There were only a few families left. "Looks like things are dying down."

"We can start packing it up soon," Opal remarked.

"You guys want to hang out tonight?" Pete asked.

Sam immediately shook his head. "Nah. Krista's got a really bad headache, and I promised to get her home so she can get to bed soon."

"Sorry, hun," Opal said with a frown. "Well, you two should just go. Pete and I can get this stuff in. Go home. Get some rest."

Krista gave her friend a hug. "Thanks, Opal. You sure?"

"Go on." Opal gave her another squeeze. "And bring my outfit back to me tomorrow. Do not wash it. I'll do it myself. It needs special care."

"Will do," Krista said.

"Bye, guys," Sam called out as they walked to Krista's truck.

Sam held her hand as she drove. He stroked her face, he massaged the back of her neck, and he traced the line of her collarbone. "You're going to make me crash," she told him as his fingers moving across her chest.

"Don't crash. I'll keep my hands to myself." He clasped his hands together and placed them in his lap.

Krista smiled as she turned down the gravel path. "It's a good thing we're almost home."

As they walked up the steps to the guesthouse, Sam couldn't keep his hands off of her. They slipped under her shirt as she unlocked the door, and they peeled the sweater from her after she locked it behind them. His hands reached for the closures at the back of her shirt as she unzipped the skirt and kicked off her shoes.

Krista let the skirt fall from her hips, and then she pushed it further down, along with the petticoat. The fabric pooled onto the floor at her feet. As she stepped out of the skirts, she pulled the shirt all the way off and dropped it on the floor. Krista stood and faced him then, and Sam took a step back to drink her in.

Sam's eyes softened as he looked at her standing before him. Her simple white bra and lacy thong were about the sexiest thing he had ever seen. His eyes filled with desire, his body ached for her. Sam placed his hands on Krista's hips and pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily. He let his hands fall to her thighs and then slowly brought them over the curve of her bottom, resting them on her cheeks.

Krista reached for his belt buckle.

"You sure?" he whispered, his lips against her mouth.

She kissed him hard, nipping at his bottom lip. "Yes. But... protection?" she asked.

Sam groaned. "Not with me, in the house, in my room. If they are expired, I'm going to die."

"Let's hope they're not." She pointed him toward the door. "It's a good thing you're still dressed. Hurry back."

Sam kissed her again. "You're killing me."

"Hurry," Krista told him.

Sam rushed to the main house and up to his bedroom, hoping that Abe was still out with Eli. He didn't want to explain the bulge in his pants or why he desperately needed to get back to the guesthouse. Sam ditched the costume, leaving it on his bed, applied fresh deodorant, and threw on a t-shirt and jeans. He found the box of condoms that had been purchased the year before and hadn't been touched since. They were still good, or so the date on the package said. He breathed a sigh of relief, before running back downstairs, box in hand. He silently thanked Abe for staying out late that evening as he jogged back to Krista.

When she heard the door open, Krista called out to Sam. "I'm in here."

Sam followed her voice back to the bedroom.

"Are we good?" Krista asked. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the side.

"We are golden."

Sam stood in front of her and she wrapped her legs around him. "You changed," Krista frowned. "There were so many things I was going to do with that tie."

"I can go back and get it," Sam suggested. Krista popped open the top button of his jeans. "Or not," he said as she undid the next one.

Krista completed the row of buttons and pushed his jeans down to the ground. Sam stepped out of his pants, threw the box he was still holding onto the bed, and reached over his head to grab the back of his shirt, pulling it forward and off his body. Krista crawled backwards on the bed, until her head reached the pillows and she motioned for Sam to follow. He obliged, positioning himself so that he hovered over her.

Sam slowly lowered himself, onto her, their skin finally touching. Electric currents of pleasure raced over the entire surface of both of their bodies. Sam kissed her mouth, her face, down her neck, and her shoulders, pushing the straps of her bra down. Krista reached between her breasts and popped the front closure of her bra.

Sam rolled to the side of her and gently placed his hand under the fabric, running his fingers over her nipple. Krista bit her lip, closed her eyes, and arched her back as Sam went from one breast to the other, awakening her flesh, increasing the need inside her. He pulled the fabric from her body, and when his mouth came down on her skin, she brought her hands to the back of his head and grabbed his hair. His tongue licked and teased her until she ached for more.

Krista pushed him onto his back and moved so that she hovered over him. It was her turn.

She lightly raked her nails across his body, awakening his senses. Her mouth explored every inch of his chest, kissing and licking, sucking and nipping. Teasing him as he had teased her. Sam pressed his head back into the bed, his eyes closed, his skin on fire. When she placed a finger on the band of his boxers, his body tensed. Krista moved, lying on her side, and Sam followed, facing her.

Krista traced her fingers across his stomach, along the edge of his boxers. Sam did the same to her, tugging lightly at the top of the white lace panties. She looked into his eyes. "Please don't freak out, but I... I think I'm falling in love with you. I know we haven't known each other that long, and I don't want you to feel like you have to say anything back to me. It would sound forced, because you might think you have to, because of what we're about to do, but you don't." Krista closed her eyes. "I'm ruining it again, aren't I?"

Sam kissed her. "You're not ruining anything. Everything is perfect. You're so beautiful." Sam slipped his hand inside the white lace. "And so hot, and... I want you."

Krista followed his lead. Her fingers pulled down the front of his boxers and her hand closed around him, stroking him. Moments later, they both peeled the remains of their clothing away and touched, caressed, and teased each other to the height of pleasure, stopping just before the crescendo.

"Now," Krista whispered.

Sam retrieved a condom from the box and tore opened the foil package. Krista rolled it down, stroking him as she fit it into place. "Start slow," she requested, and he was more than happy to oblige. He entered her, pressing down until he could go no further, and then slowly pulling back until he was nearly out again, repeating the process with slow, long strokes until he felt as if he could no longer continue the agonizing pace. When she grabbed his back, urging him to go faster, he increased his speed. Quicker, harder... "Now, Samuel!" she screamed with pleasure.

Sam closed his eyes and felt his body give in, give up, give all to the moment. He grabbed her ass, pulling her tightly to him. Krista wrapped her legs around him and squeezed every muscle she had. They reached their peak together, and then collapsed into each other. Krista worked to steady her breaths, trying to bring back a normal rhythm to her heart. Sam trailed his fingers down her side, over her hips, and down her thigh, as he softly kissed her neck.

"Can I say it now?" he asked.

"Say what?" Krista breathed.

"I love you."

Krista shook her head. "No. Not yet."

****

Chapter Fifteen

"I'm helping her pack up their house. I've already explained this to you," Krista told Sam over the phone.

"I've barely seen you in the past three days. After we made love for the first time, you've pretty much ignored me. I'm starting to feel like you used me," Sam sighed into the phone.

"I can hear the sarcasm. You're going to have to try better than that if you want me to feel sorry for you, or guilty about something." Krista's face lit up with a smile. "I'm staying here late, until Ben gets off his shift. So how about tomorrow after work? Come over and I'll cook dinner for you."

"Are you sure Marlene isn't going to need you?"

"Don't be bitter, Sam. Marlene is supposed to be on the mend, but with her history, I just want to be here while Ben's at work in the evenings, in case she needs medical help. They're leaving town soon. You'll have me all to yourself then."

"I'm not being bitter. I just miss you."

Krista's heart melted. She wanted this whole thing with Marlene to be over as soon as possible, so she could focus her attention on Sam. "I miss you too."

"Promise that I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow, for sure," Krista promised.

"Can I say it yet?"

"Not yet!"

Krista ended the call, closed her eyes, and imagined Sam's hands on her back while he held her close and kissed her. When she turned around, Krista found Marlene standing in the doorway. "You should be spending time with him, not me," Marlene said.

"No. We need to be together, it's necessary. The link between us is growing stronger. I can feel it."

"Does that mean I am getting worse? Because I feel worse every day now."

Krista grabbed a stack of books and put them in the box she'd been filling when Sam called. "Yes. It does. And if you want to get out of here by Thanksgiving, that's exactly what needs to happen."

"I keep trying to figure out how to give myself a heart attack, but then I'm terrified you won't be around when or if it kicks in."

"Please don't do anything drastic like that." Krista turned around and reached for Marlene. "You should sit back down. Just rest."

"I don't see the point in taking it easy. Aren't we just prolonging the inevitable?" Marlene pulled her hands away from Krista and grabbed more books from the shelf. "What if I slit my wrists when you're around?"

Krista violently shook her head. "No, no, no. That is not the way this works at all. I can't take away a suicide. Once you make that choice, Death has you firmly in its grasp. There would be nothing I could do."

"I figured I'd better ask," she said. She didn't want to look at Krista, so she stared at the books she held. All those lovely stories that lived in her head, they'd disappear when her time came. "I've stopped taking all my medicines," she said, and then handed the stack over to Krista.

Krista silently nodded her head as she put the books in the box.

"I didn't tell Ben. Doc knows," Marlene continued. "That's probably why I'm feeling worse."

"And that is probably why the connection between us has felt so strong in the last few days. I'm glad you told Doctor Baker."

"It felt wrong not to. But it's killing me not to tell Ben. We share everything, you know?" Marlene handed Krista some more books. "We would have been great parents..."

"You still can be," Krista told her.

"Only if this works, and only if we adopt. I don't even have someone to carry on my stories." Marlene leaned against the bookshelf.

"It will work, and then you can adopt. That lucky child will know everything about you, and all your stories," Krista said with a smile. "Just remember to call me, day or night. And if for some reason you aren't able to call, make sure that Ben does."

"He'll call, or I'll come back and haunt him!" Marlene smiled. "I'll find a way to make things in the house move, to make him feel my ghostly touch, and maybe to wail in his ear. He won't have a moment of peace."

"Marlene, you sassy woman!" Krista hugged her friend. "You should threaten him with that."

"Believe me, I have! And he's scared shitless."

"I would be too." Krista laughed. "I think this room is about done, except for the linens. How do you want those packed?"

"I don't. I've been wanting new linens for years. Got my eye on a set I found online. So, new town, new house, new life, new linens! We'll just leave the beds made, I guess."

"Leave the beds?"

"We decided not to pack any of the major furniture. If it doesn't fit in a box, we aren't taking it. We'll sell the house furnished," Marlene told her. "You said to get out fast, and we will. I want that new life, Krista."

"I completely understand."

Krista put a pan of lasagna in the oven and then thoroughly cleaned all the bowls and pots she'd used to make the gloriously cheesy pasta dish. After the kitchen was clean, she pulled some vegetables out of the fridge for a simple salad. Krista set the cutting board on the counter and had just sliced into a cucumber when she heard a knock. She couldn't keep the smile from her face as she rushed to the door and flung it open.

"Well, that's an interesting greeting," Sam said with a laugh.

Krista looked at her hand and realized she was still holding the knife. "I guess I'm all kinds of psycho-new-girlfriend," Krista shrugged.

"I'd hug you, but, you know..."

"I promise not to get stabby."

"That's a relief." Sam moved in for a brief, but careful, embrace. "I brought wine," he said as he held up the bag he was carrying.

"I'm cutting veggies for a salad," Krista told him. "You can help me."

"I can do that," Sam said as they went into the kitchen.

Sam put one bottle in the fridge and one on the counter, as Krista pulled out another cutting board and knife. "Cherry tomatoes." She pointed. "Slice those in half and throw them in the bowl."

"Got it. Cut the tomatoes."

Krista kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you."

She went back to slicing the cucumber, while Sam got to work halving the sweet little red globes. She'd just begun to shred a carrot, when he halved the last tomato and then moved to stand behind her. He braced his arms on either side of her, leaning against the counter. Krista leaned back into him as she continued to work on the salad.

"What's in the oven? It smells delicious."

"Lasagna, with an obscene amount of cheese."

"Obscene," Sam whispered into her ear. "That's a great word." Her shirt had slid off one shoulder, he kissed the exposed flesh, and then trailed kisses up the side of her neck, back up to her ear. "I could use it to describe some other things."

"I'm sure you could." Krista stopped what she was doing and turned around, clasping her hands behind his neck. "As could I. But I prefer the word sensual." She placed a soft kiss on his lips. "Or erotic," she whispered into his mouth.

"Those are excellent words." Sam slid his hands up the back of her shirt and crushed her against his chest. He pushed the cutting board to the side and lifted Krista up, so she was sitting on the counter. The salad was completely forgotten as the two kissed each other with abandon. "Damn, I've missed this," Sam said when they finally paused for a breath.

Krista rested her forehead against his. "It's only been a couple of days."

"Four," he corrected her. "It has been exactly four days since I've done anything close to this. I've been going through withdrawal."

"Am I your drug?" Krista nuzzled his nose with her own.

"I think that's exactly what you are."

Krista kissed his mouth, his nose, and then his forehead. "We need to hit the pause button, my junkie. My lasagna is almost done, I can smell it, and I worked very hard on that."

"Doesn't it have to cool down before we can eat it? I wouldn't want you to burn the inside of your lovely mouth with molten lava cheese," Sam reasoned, and then kissed her.

"Yes, it does."

"How much time does that give us?"

"About fifteen minutes, after it comes out of the oven," she told him.

"I promise to use every second of that time to my advantage." Sam smiled.

The lasagna was taken out of the oven, the salad set in the fridge, and the fifteen minutes was put to very good use... and was actually stretched to twenty. What finally pulled them apart, and led them to the table, was the growl coming from Krista's stomach. Sam cut the bread and poured the wine, while Krista slid a spatula into the pan of cheesy pasta that had cooled on the table.

As she placed the salad into two small bowls, a sharp burst of pain had hit her temple. Krista brought her hand up to her head and sat down. The pain quickly moved all the way down her body. She closed her eyes for a second and waited for it to pass.

"Are you alright?" Sam's face filled with concern. She was working too hard; if she wasn't at the medical center, she was at Ben and Marlene's. On top of that, Sam was pretty sure she wasn't getting enough sleep; the few times he had seen her in the past few days, she seemed run down and tired.

Krista kept her eyes closed and nodded her head. The pain was beginning to lose its edge. "Crazy headache pain, that's all." She opened her eyes. "I'm good now."

"Have you talked to Doc about those headaches?"

"I get them from time to time. I was told by my old doctor that it's probably a light sensitivity," she lied.

Sam looked at her with skepticism. She'd had one on Halloween, outside, in dim light. "But Halloween..."

"Yeah. I looked straight into one of those strobe lights while I was walking with Doc," Krista offered in explanation. It was the best she could come up with. "Seriously, it's fine now. I'm hungry. Let's eat."

"I get to worry a little, don't I?"

"A little," she agreed. She dug into the lasagna with the spatula and placed a cheesy, saucy square on each of their plates.

Sam looked down at his food. "It looks wonderful," he told her.

"Thank you. I really do love to cook. I just don't like all the clean up involved, so I get lazy. Plus, cooking for one isn't as fun as sharing a meal."

He cut into the pasta and took a big bite. "You should definitely cook more often. This tastes amazing. And I promise to always be there for the clean up part."

"You might have just sealed the deal."

"I make a pretty mean egg-in-a-hole. Thanks, Mom," he said, as he looked upward. "And she taught me how to slow cook a spicy chili, it's crazy good. Abe is the pancake master, which he has passed down to me. But he still won't share the spice mix for his stew."

"Ooh, very secretive."

"He guards it. I'm not even kidding. There is a locked drawer in the kitchen. Abe just keeps saying, some day you'll get the key. It's a bit obsessive."

"Okay, that's pretty funny." Krista laughed.

Krista and Sam fell into a comfortable conversation; it was an easy flow, from one topic to another. Food, school, work, and childhood memories... stories were shared back and forth. There were no awkward pauses anymore, but occasionally a comfortable silence would fall over them and words were not needed. They smiled, laughed, and even blinked back a few tears.

Krista cleared their dinner plates when they were finished, and as she turned on the water in the sink, she decided it was the most pleasant evening she'd had in years.

Sam brought the leftover food into the kitchen, opened a drawer and pulled out the plastic wrap. He tore off a long sheet and secured it over the lasagna pan. "Can I come over tomorrow night, for reheated lasagna?" Sam asked as he put the pan in the fridge.

Krista dried off the plates she'd washed and put them in the cabinet. "I'd love that, it's just as good the second time around."

Sam came up behind her, his hands lifted up the hem of her shirt, and his arms wrapped around her middle. "And can I stay tonight?"

"Only if it will be just as good, the second time around," she said, spinning around to face him.

That face, those eyes, that crooked, sexy, half smile. Sam wasn't going to let this one go. He wanted her, and not just physically, he wanted all of her. "I think we can do even better. Don't you?"

Krista took his hand and led him toward the bedroom. "Let's give it a try."

When Krista woke, she was alone. A dozen folded swans of various sizes littered the bed all around her. The largest one had her name written on it. For Krista: Unfold me.

I had a paper due today, and I've been procrastinating. I woke up early to finish it. Thanks for dinner... and for desert. I'm going to be thinking about you all day. ♡Sam

Before heading to work, as she drove over to check on Marlene, she ran her hands across the unfolded paper swan that she'd taken in the truck with her. She wanted to keep it close. That little heart next to his name had twisted her up. She wanted to be loved, but at the same time she didn't want the complications of it. You should have waited, she told herself again. She'd entangled herself with him, when she should have been concentrating on other things.

As Krista pulled up to the house, she noticed Ben's truck was still parked outside. He was supposed to be on a shift. He shouldn't have been home.

Krista rushed into the house. "Hello. It's me," she called out.

"Upstairs," Ben answered.

"Why are you home?" Krista asked as she ascended the steps.

Marlene was lying in bed, with her running shoes on. "My fault," Marlene breathed.

"I saw her down the street, sitting on the side of the road. I was coming back home to get my other jacket, because I noticed a stain on this one, and I saw her there," Ben told Krista. "What were you thinking, Marlene!"

"Shut up, Ben. I'm tired of hearing you say that. I thought I'd push myself today. I got a couple of good sprints in before I lost my breath," Marlene huffed, a proud smile on her face.

"Silly woman," Krista sighed as she sat down on the bed, next to Marlene. "You could have waited for me. I would have run with you. I would have beaten you too."

"Not on that first sprint." Marlene giggled breathlessly.

Ben whipped his jacket off and grabbed a new one from the closet. "You are too much. I can't listen to this." He spun around and left the room "I'm going back to work!" he yelled out as he clomped down the stairs and then out the door, slamming it behind him.

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that I might have made my husband angry with me," Marlene said with a frown, but she didn't look the slightest bit guilty. "I'm so thirsty! Could you please get me some water?"

"Sure. Be right back." Krista hopped off the bed and went down to the kitchen. When she got back with the water, Marlene drank it down in one long continuous gulp.

"Thank you. I hate to ask, but can you get me another?"

"No problem."

Krista returned with a second glass and Marlene drank it down a second time.

"Thanks again." Marlene set the glass down by the bed. "I woke up today and I just had this energy. It was bursting to get out of me. It made me feel really alive again."

"You're still alive, Marlene."

"Fine. Functional. It made me feel like a functional adult, who could do anything she wanted to. And I just wanted to run, to feel the wind in my hair, and the burn in my lungs, the strain on my legs, and that pride of accomplishment. Being sick all these months has taken that away from me. And if for some reason, if this thing with you and me doesn't work, I wanted to feel like that again... one last time."

Krista sat back down on the bed and rested her head on Marlene's shoulder. "You're such a good woman, and you didn't deserve to have this sickness grow inside of you. I'm so sorry you are dealing with so much emotional turmoil like this. I know how hard it must be to believe that things can go back the way they were, that life will go on, and that your heart will continue to beat, and be stronger than ever. But it will. It will all happen."

"When?"

"I don't know."

"That's a really shitty answer," Marlene sighed.

"Yes, it is," Krista agreed.

"I don't want to wait any longer."

A few days later, Marlene got her way. Doc was in an exam room with Pete when Krista popped her head in. "Ben asked if you could go by their place."

"Anything wrong?" Doc asked.

"He didn't say."

Doc nodded his head in understanding. "Pete, I trust you can hold down the fort."

"Will do. We don't have any more scheduled appointments, anyway."

"Krista, you should take off in a few. You look run down today. You need to go home and get some rest," Doctor Baker told her.

"I have no idea why she even came in today," Pete added. "I told her that when she came in this morning. Dark circles under her eyes, pale, sickly looking... If she makes me sick, I swear..."

Krista stuck her tongue out at him. "I love it when you talk about me when I'm right in front of you, Pete."

"There is nothing right in front of me." Pete looked around blindly. "Because Doc is on the way out, and Krista has taken the rest of the day off."

Krista smacked his arm.

"I think we have a poltergeist, Doc. I just felt something strange."

Krista smacked him harder.

"It's an angry poltergeist."

Doctor Baker chuckled.

"Fine. Fine. I'm leaving." Krista spun around and left the room.

"It's gone, Doc. The presence is gone."

"Bye, Doc. Bye, Pete," Krista called out as she went to the door.

"Did you hear something?" Pete shouted.

"You really are too much sometimes." Doc shook his head. "I'll be leaving now. Close up early if you'd like. It's a slow day."

"Thanks, Doc. I hope everything is good over at Ben's. I'll give it a half hour before I take off," Pete told him.

"Sounds good, Pete. Thanks. You're doing a great job here. I probably don't say that enough. But I just want you to know that I appreciate all that you do," Doctor Baker said, giving Pete a pat on his back. "Don't know what I'd do without you."

"Why thank you, kind sir," Pete said with a smile. "That means a lot to me."

Doc exited the medical center and checked his phone. Krista's text instructed him to drive straight home, so that is exactly what he did. Krista was waiting for him there, with Ben and Marlene. They were all in his extra bedroom. Marlene was passed out on the bed, with Krista sitting beside her, and Ben pacing the small area near the window.

Doctor Baker could see the steady rise and fall of Marlene's chest, and he watched Krista's face wince in pain. He rushed to Marlene's side "What happened?"

"I think she went out running again. I found her in the kitchen. She'd collapsed. She could barely talk when I got to her, but she'd made me promise to call. I had to bring her here," Ben told Doc. "And now I can't seem to wake her."

"It was a heart attack," Krista confirmed. "I can feel it."

"How do you feel?" Doc asked her as he checked Marlene's vitals. "Are you in pain?"

Krista nodded her head. "Seizing in my chest, like somebody is squeezing me to death. It's hard to breathe."

"Is there anything I can do to help, to ease your pain?"

"No. There is nothing that will help me now. I just need to finish the process, get Marlene and I to the next step."

"Do you mind if I check you over?" Doc asked Krista and then turned to Ben. "I will make sure Marlene is stable. I promise."

Krista and Ben silently nodded, and Doctor Baker went to work. He checked their pupils, measured their blood pressure, took their temperature, and then listened to their heart and lungs. He tried to get Marlene to react to stimuli, but there was no response. When Doc put his instruments back in his bag, Ben moved to his wife's side. He held her hand and whispered into her ear.

"You're going to wake up, sugar, because I need you here by my side. I can't even find my car keys without you. I'll empty the checking account without even knowing I did it if you aren't there to yell at me about the budget. Baby, you can't leave me." He kissed the palm of her hand and placed it against his cheek. "I don't want to have to walk through life without you."

Ben looked from his wife to Krista. His mind was trying to process, trying to accept that he was losing his wife. He stared at Krista and saw the pain in her face. He knew his wife was sick, but he couldn't figure out why Krista suddenly was.

He watched as Krista reclined herself on the other side of the bed and placed a couple pillows between her and his wife. It seemed like some sort of silly barrier to him. He shook his head.

"I've never seen Marlene look so pale." Ben stood up, let go of his wife's hand, and went to stand near Krista. "What's wrong with her?" he asked Doc, pointing to Krista.

"She's dying, Ben. She's doing what she's been telling you she would. She's dying so Marlene can live," Doctor Baker answered without a hint of doubt in his voice. He wasn't going to argue with what he could see right in front of him. There was no other explanation for Krista's sudden symptoms. Doc turned back to Marlene. "Marlene is stable, but unresponsive, it's like she's in a coma," he remarked.

"It's my presence at the moment of what would be her death, it induces a deep sleeplike state," Krista explained. "Ben, you'd better be ready. When I drift off to sleep, she's going to wake up. Get her out of here. You'll have twenty-four hours to leave town. Remember, once I wake back up, she can never be less than a hundred feet from me, ever again. If I were you, wouldn't chance even that."

Ben silently and slowly nodded his head. Was this really happening? Were both women dying? Would his wife really wake up and be given a second chance? His thick head finally saw the truth. A peaceful calm settled over his body. "I remember what you said. I'm so grateful for this. Thank you. Oh my God, thank you." Tears ran down Ben's face and he held his wife's hand.

"You're welcome, Ben. She wants kids. Make sure you give her kids," Krista whispered.

"I will. I'll give her a dozen if she wants them," Ben cried.

"Doc, keep my body safe. I'm trusting you."

"Don't you worry about a thing," Doc told her. "I'll guard you with my own life."

"It's happening." Krista's eyes were too heavy to keep open any longer. She closed them and grabbed the sickness and death that was festering inside of Marlene. Come to me, she told it. She is no longer yours.

Searing pain invaded her entire body, burning her from the inside.

Everything went blank.

****

Chapter Sixteen

Marlene's eyes popped open and she gasped for breath. She sat up in bed and looked around her. Krista was lying beside her, Ben was kneeling next to her, holding her hand, and Doc was standing near the bed. "She did it. She took it from me. I felt it leaving."

"Thank you, Jesus," Ben breathed. He pulled his wife off of the bed and hugged her tightly to him, kissing the top of her head. "I was afraid you'd never wake back up."

"It felt like all these strings were being pulled out of my body. Hundreds of long strands being drawn from me. It was the strangest feeling," Marlene told her husband. "Oh, the poor thing. Look at her, lying there. I just want to give her a big hug and thank her." Marlene reached toward Krista but Ben yanked her close against his side.

"No. Don't you touch her," he warned. "She said that Death wants its original host. We need to get you out of here, right now," Ben gently pushed his wife toward the door.

"Surely it can't hurt," Marlene protested.

"Marlene Richardson," Doc caught her attention with a booming voice. "This is something none of us can make a judgment call on. We can only go on what Krista has told us, and she said to get you out of here immediately. So I'm telling you, get out of this house, right now. And I expect you to be gone from Cedar Creek by tomorrow morning."

"We will be," Ben assured Doctor Baker.

"She truly is my angel," Marlene whispered right before they left.

Doc listened for the front door to open and then close, making sure they'd gone, and then he turned his attention to Krista. He put his hand on Krista's forehead then touched his palm to hers. Her skin was cool, too cool, in his professional opinion. He held her wrist and checked for a pulse, but could find none. He moved his finger to her neck and checked there. Again nothing.

Doc opened his medical bag and took out his stethoscope. He listened to her heart. Nothing. Her lungs. No sound. The girl was dead. He took a reading on his thermometer – ninety-four point eight degrees Fahrenheit. That was entirely too low. In a normal death, temperature didn't drop that fast. But there was nothing normal about Krista, was there?

Doc pulled a blanket up to her shoulders. He didn't think it would make a difference, but if she'd simply fallen asleep, that's what he would have done. He'd rather think of the girl lying in his spare bed as someone asleep. Doc went into his bedroom, grabbed the book from his nightstand, and went back to where Krista lay. He sat in the recliner in the corner, opened his book, and started to read. He had no idea what else to do but wait.

Sam stood outside the guesthouse behind his Uncle Abe's place and knocked on the door for the third time. He'd just come from the diner, where Pete had told him that Doc sent Krista home early. Pete said that Krista looked run down, and Doc told her to go home and get some rest.

Sam waited a few more minutes, but decided not to knock again. If she was sound asleep, and exhausted, he didn't want to take her away from a much-needed rest. With no immediate deadlines for school, he decided to go through a few more boxes. He went over to the garage and opened the doors, but Krista's truck wasn't there. It was pretty obvious she hadn't gone straight home. She probably didn't feel as bad as Doc and Pete thought she did, he figured she made a stop somewhere, maybe Marlene's. Sam called her but it went to voicemail, so he left a message for her to call him back, and then he sent a text saying the same.

While he waited for Krista to get back to him, Sam went back into the garage and opened up a box.

Doctor Baker was still reading when Krista's phone went off. He took it out of her purse and saw that the missed call was from Sam Webber. They hadn't planned on that, had they? What was he going to do about that boy? The phone beeped, indicating a voicemail and immediately after, a text came through. Doc read the message as it scrolled across the top of her phone. Where are you? Pete said you went home sick. Are you okay?

Doc figured he'd better call the young man, and feed him some plausible excuse.

Ben and Marlene got home and started packing boxes. It was a wordless, frantic mission to get everything that wasn't already packed, into a plastic bin or a cardboard box. Marlene was in the bedroom, dealing with all the clothes, and Ben was in the garage, trying to box his tools. It was too overwhelming.

He went back inside, climbed the stairs, and went into their room. Ben sat down on the edge of the bed. "There is no way we can do this, love."

Marlene poked her head out of the closet. "Maybe we can just hire a moving company to come in and finish it up for us. They can ship it all to Charleston."

"I think that's a great idea. I'm surprised I didn't think of that before."

Marlene went to stand in front of her husband. "That's because you never thought I'd get better."

Ben looked up at her with wonder. "How do you know you are?"

"I just know, my darling husband. We'll go see a specialist as soon as we get to Charleston to confirm. But I'm quite positive that nothing will be found. I know I'll get a perfect check-up."

Ben put his arms around his wife, resting his head on her stomach. Marlene ran her fingers through his hair. It felt so good. He sighed into her. "Let's just pack like we are going on a vacation and get on the road."

"Alright." She kissed the top of his head. "I don't care what we do, as long as we get to do it together."

"Always together," he said, giving her a little squeeze. "I'll get the suitcases."

Ben and Marlene got on the highway an hour later. The keys to the house were sitting in a mint tin, buried under the soil of the plant by their door. Ben planned to call Sheriff Tucker first thing in the morning, and break the news that they'd gone in the middle of the night. Sam didn't even want to imagine what Tuck would think of him, but nothing else mattered anymore.

Marlene's hand was firmly in his as Ben drove them away from Cedar Creek and their miracle cure, and toward their second chance at life together.

It was nearly eleven o'clock in the evening by the time Doctor Baker decided what lie to tell Sam. He must have almost dialed the young man's phone number a dozen times prior, but was never able to put in the last digit. His palms were sweating as the phone rang. Doc didn't like to lie.

"Hello?"

"Sam, it's Doc Baker."

"Shit. Has something happened to Krista? Pete told me she was heading home, but she's not home, and I have no idea where she is," Sam rushed through the words. He'd already called Pete, Opal, and Adeline, after having no luck reaching Ben or Marlene, but nobody knew where Krista might be. "I'm seriously out driving around, right now, because I called several people and nobody has a clue."

Doc wanted to smack himself. Sam was alerting the whole damn town. He knew he'd waited too long. "I'm sorry, son. I should have called you earlier. Krista is here, she came to see me soon after I told her to go home. She said her headache was getting worse by the second, and when she got over here she began to vomit. It looks like a severe migraine. I gave her some pretty high dose pain pills, and finally got her to lie down after she stopped vomiting. She's asleep in my guest room and I'm watching over her. She should be fine sometime tomorrow."

"I'm coming over."

"No, Sam. You're not. I'm damn tired. I'm going to bed. I don't want anybody else invading my house this evening. I'm sure she'll be fine tomorrow, and I'm also sure you can do without your girlfriend for an evening... while she rests, without you disturbing her!" Doc decided to play the crotchety old man. If he were grumpy enough, maybe Sam would want to keep his distance.

Sam gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. "Doc, come on! I just want to check in on her." Sam pounded on the wheel.

"I'm a doctor of medicine. I'll do the checking," Doc insisted.

"I want to see her," Sam argued.

"I understand that. And you will, tomorrow. Drive yourself home, son. Let the girl sleep. If you come over here, and she wakes up, and that migraine gets worse, what kind of selfish man does that make you?"

Sam sighed into the phone. "Alright, Doc. I get it. I'll go home. It just... she's been looking not quite right for days now. I'm just worried."

"I know you care about her. I do too. Migraines are tricky and sometimes they last for a couple days. We'll see how she is tomorrow. Goodbye, Sam."

The phone went dead in Sam's ear. Doctor Baker had hung up. Sam turned around and headed back to Abe's. At least you know where she is, and that she's safe, he reasoned with himself. He knew Doc would take care of her, but that didn't stop the worry that had grown inside of him. He hoped Doc was right, and that it was just a bad migraine, because he knew he wouldn't be able to handle it if something was seriously wrong with Krista. He couldn't lose someone else that he loved right now.

What if it's a brain tumor?

"Shut up, Sam," he told himself. "Go home."

Abe was waiting at the table for him when he walked in through the back kitchen door.

"Did you find her?" Abe asked.

Sam looked at his uncle in confusion. He hadn't told him what he was doing, he'd just said he was going out for a drive.

"Adeline called while you were out driving," his uncle explained. "She said you called her, Pete, and Opal asking about Krista's whereabouts. That girl's truck is gone, and she didn't come back with you... so did you find her?"

"I didn't find her, but I know where she is. Doc called me while I was driving around and said that she's at his place. Apparently she got a severe migraine that had her throwing up. He gave her something to kill the pain, but it knocked her out and he wants her to stay and rest."

"Sounds reasonable," Able said with a single nod of his head.

Sam sat down next to his uncle. "It does, doesn't it? But I got all crazy on the phone and started barking that I needed to come over and see her."

"Sounds like a worried young man in love."

Sam ran his hands through his hair. "Sounds like a possessive, crazy, soon to be ex-whatever, if you ask me. I'm throwing a fit with her boss, even after he calls to tell me she is fine, because I can't stop my mind from thinking terrible thoughts. I got myself all worked up driving around, looking for her, imagining the worst. And even after Doc says it's a migraine, I start thinking brain tumor."

"You didn't know where your girl was, you had a scare, that's understandable. I think most men have that protective gene in them. But the whole tumor thing, that's your fear creeping in. You lost your mom and it's still a raw wound. It's not going to go away, that wound is yours forever. I carry my own, but they won't always sting so bad. I can promise that much," Abe told his nephew. "I'm off to bed. You should get some rest too." He got up from the table and motioned for Sam to do the same. "Come on, son. It's late. You can talk to Krista in the morning."

Sam followed his uncle up the stairs, and tried to release all his fears into the air. "You're stupid for freaking out over a headache," he mumbled to himself as he climbed into his bed.

At eight in the morning Doc made the decision to text Sam from Krista's phone. I'm still at Doc's. This migraine is crazy. Light sensitivity. Even the phone screen is too bright. I'm staying here, in a dark room. Doc just gave me some more meds so I'll probably be out for a while. Turning my phone off. Call you later.

He hoped that message was good enough.

Doctor Baker called Pete and told him he was staying at home unless he was needed. Which, it turned out, he was. Pete called him back around noon. The principal had brought Tianna Tyson in, with her arm wrapped in gauze. She fell down on the school playground and sliced her arm on a broken tree branch. Pete was pretty sure the little girl needed stitches.

After confirming that every door and window in his house was locked up tight, Doc headed out.

Sam was driving toward the diner when he passed Doc. He glanced in his rearview mirror and saw the man pull into the medical center. Without hesitation, he made a U-turn and went over the bridge, and then down the dirt road that would take him to Doc's house. Krista's truck was parked out front. After trying the front and then the back door, which were both locked, Sam walked around the perimeter of the house, peering in all of the windows.

"You're a creepy peeping Tom now," Sam muttered as he went to the next window. "You could get arrested for this."

The curtains inside were drawn, but there was enough of a slit down the middle that Sam could make out a form on the bed. He assumed it was Krista, asleep. He tapped on the window, knowing he was stupid to risk waking her, but somehow that didn't stop his hands from moving. She didn't move. He knocked a little harder. Nothing. Sam banged on the side of the house with his fist. Krista didn't stir.

"You can wake up from a buzzing phone, but not from pounding on the wall. What did Doc give you?" he asked, out loud. "And you, Sam, are talking to yourself like a crazy person. Crazy peeping Tom having crazy one-sided conversations. Crazy Sam Webber. Yup, that's what people will start calling you."

Sam went to the porch and sat down on the swinging bench that was there. He decided he would wait for Doctor Baker to get back. Which took about an hour.

Doc shook his head in disbelief as he approached his house. He shouldn't be shocked to see Sam Webber sitting on his porch swing, staring him down, but he was.

"Hi, Doc."

Doctor Baker rubbed at the back of his neck. "Hi, Sam."

"I just came by to see Krista."

"I'll go in and check on her for you," Doc sighed.

Sam stood. "I'll go with you."

"I'd prefer it if you didn't. Just wait outside, please."

Sam clenched his fists at his side. "Yeah. I don't want to wait anymore. I want to see her now," Sam insisted.

"This is my property, young man, and I don't like your tone."

"Yeah? Well, this is all starting to seem a little sketchy and secretive to me. What kind of drugs have you given her to make her sleep this much?"

Doc tried to walk around Sam. "I'm not drugging your girlfriend, Sam. I gave her medicine."

Doc started yelling at himself in his head. Why hadn't he and Krista planned on how they would deal with Sam in this situation? He shouldn't be blindly stumbling through this subterfuge.

Sam blocked his path. "Medicine that has knocked her out cold. I was banging on the back wall of the bedroom she's sleeping in and she didn't budge, not even an inch."

Doc stared at him in disbelief. "You were looking in my windows and banging on my walls?"

"You're holding Krista hostage!" Sam raised his voice a notch.

"Please get out of my way."

"Let me in your house."

Doc hung his head in defeat. He didn't want to provoke Sam; he was obviously distressed. "If you are willing to listen to a story first, then I will let you in."

Sam's frustration was rising. "Are you stalling for some reason?"

"It's a bit of a tale. I think we should sit down for this."

"I'll stand. Start talking, Doc."

Doctor Baker told Sam everything he knew, everything he believed, everything Krista had told him, and everything he'd witnessed the night before. Throughout his tale, Sam looked at Doc with a mixture of disbelief, shock, concern, and anger.

"I've given you her secret, without her permission. Please respect that," Doc said as he finished.

"You want me to believe all this?"

Doc shrugged. "Believe it, or not. It's all true."

"Marlene was dying, Krista reversed that, and now she's asleep in there?" The disbelief in Sam's voice rang through in each word he spoke.

"She told me that it would take at least twenty-four hours for her to awaken. We've got a few more hours before that is supposed to happen."

"So when is she supposed to wake up?" Sam asked.

"Krista didn't say it happened like a kitchen timer going off. Ben and Marlene left here around five, and it's one-thirty now. Like I said, a few hours."

"I listened to your story. Can I see her now?"

Doc nodded his head and unlocked the front door. "I guess so."

Doc walked down the hallway, with the boy close at his heels. As he cracked open the door to the bedroom, Sam pushed his way in front and rushed to Krista's side.

She was flat on her back, her body covered with a blanket, only her face was visible. Her eyes were closed and she looked completely still, like it wasn't her on that bed, like it was a doll of her. Sam touched her cheek, but quickly snapped his hand away from her skin.

"She's so cold." Sam reached under the blanket and held her hand. "Her fingers are like ice. What did you do to her?" Sam stood up and turned to look at Doctor Baker. "Did you kill her?"

Doc chose to ignore the murder accusation. "A dead body wouldn't be that cold. It would get to room temperature eventually, but not colder. Her temp started to drop quickly, as soon as Ben and Marlene left here last night. The coldest reading I've recorded is thirty-seven degrees. But it seemed to be rising before I went out earlier." Doc reached into his bag and pulled out a digital thermometer. "Here. Swipe this across her forehead. See for yourself."

Sam did as instructed and looked at the reading. "Forty-three point two."

"Still rising," Doc noted. "I have Marlene's cell number. Do you want to call her? That may put your mind at ease."

Sam wasn't listening; his mind was trying to process what was in front of him. "She looks dead, Doc."

"At initial inspection, she appears to be. There is no pulse, no heartbeat, no breath. But there is no rigor mortis, you can easily bend her joints." Doctor Baker went to Krista's side and moved the blanket away from her body. He lifted her arm, bending it at the elbow. "See? And though her blood is not flowing, it's also not pooling, or settling, within her body. She is not a corpse. She is in stasis."

"She's not dead, but she's not alive?"

Doc tapped at the side of his head, considering the question. "As far as I can tell? Yes. Krista told me she would wake-up, but I've determined that what she really means is, she will reanimate."

"When will she reanimate?"

Doc closed his eyes. "Sam, seriously, this is the third time. I don't know! I'm guessing in a few hours. We will wait together and when it happens, it happens."

"Do you really think it will happen?" Sam asked as he took the blanket and carefully spread it back over her body.

"I do. I really do."

Sam sat down on the floor, resting his back against the side of the bed. "Then what was all that talk about migraines?"

Doc went to the chair in the room and lowered himself into it. "That was me trying to buy her some time. We didn't plan on you. But then, we didn't really plan on what we'd tell anybody. I called and texted on my own. I thought if I could stall until she woke up..."

"But the desperate guy got in the way."

"You're not desperate, Sam," Doc told him. "You were concerned. You love her; that's plain to see. Have you told her that?

Sam shook his head. "Well, I kind of did."

"Never delay the opportunity to tell a woman that you love her. What's wrong with young men these days? I had to tell Pete the same thing."

"She told me not to," Sam explained. "She said it to me, and then she told me not to say it back."

"Women are an enigma."

"Krista is a mystery, that's for sure." A sad smile crossed Sam's face. "Doc, if she doesn't reanimate by six, I'm calling Sheriff Tucker."

Doc raised an eyebrow. "You do realize that, when it comes to dead bodies in this town, I am the medical examiner?"

"That's pretty sinister, Doc."

Doc leaned back into the chair and picked up his book. "I'm going to sit here and read while we wait for her. I don't think any calls will need to be made."

Sam moved to sit at the foot of the bed and rested his hand on Krista's leg. "Okay, Doc. We'll wait."

The two men moved in silence. Sam flipped through magazines, scrolled through his phone, and attempted to get a jumpstart on his next assignment. Doctor Baker got up from time to time to check Krista's temperature. He held out the thermometer for Sam's inspection at each reading. Doc was fascinated by the dramatic drop and then the steady rise. It was a few hours later, as her body was nearing eighty degrees, when Sam noticed a twitch in the corner of her eye.

****

Chapter Seventeen

"She moved, Doc. I swear to God, she moved!" Sam inched toward the head of the bed.

"What moved?" Doc asked.

"Just a twitch by her eye, but I saw it."

Doc leaned in for a closer look. "Sorry, I don't see anything." He checked for a pulse. "Nothing."

Sam grabbed Krista's hand; no longer ice, but cool to the touch. "I'm here with Doc, Krista," he whispered into her ear. "Sorry I blew your cover, but I just couldn't stay away."

Krista's finger twitched against his hand.

Sam looked up at Doctor Baker. "She did it again. This time it was her finger against my hand."

They were small, almost imperceptible movements, but Sam caught each one. It took some time, but eventually Doc started to notice them as well: a wiggle of her big toe, eyes pinching slightly tighter for a second, her pinky tapping on the bed, the slight parting of her lips.

"Still no heartbeat," Doc noted. "I am confounded by this whole process."

Sam rested his head against Krista's chest and tried to listen, hoping to hear something that Doctor Baker hadn't, but there was nothing. "You would think if her body is twitching, that something is happening inside."

"I don't know what..." Doc trailed off, not finishing his sentence. He was working in the dark; he wasn't going to try to guess what the next step would be.

Sam got off the bed. "I'm going to get some water for her... for after."

"Mmhmm," Doc responded. "That's probably a good idea, but what do we know? Maybe she needs bananas after, for their potassium, or something with high sodium, or maybe something sugary, or caffeine."

"I'll get the water. That's a start. She can tell us what she needs after that," Sam told him and left the room.

When he was in the kitchen, Doc shouted his name, and Sam rushed back down the hall.

As he entered the bedroom his vision seemed to blur; the air felt thick, and he blinked several times before he was certain... Sam saw waves. It was like when he was driving down a long road on a hot day, when the heat radiated off the pavement up ahead. The whole room was like that. The air waved.

Sam turned to look at Krista. "Shit," he cursed. Her body was the point of origin, and he could see each and every wave as it vibrated away from her still form. "Doc, is it getting hotter in here?"

"It most certainly is," Doc responded.

"This is weirding me out."

"Now it's weirding you out?"

Krista's eyes popped open, and then her mouth. She gasped for air as she propped herself up with one hand while the other went up to her throat. She couldn't seem to capture the breath her body so desperately needed.

Sam and Doctor Baker rushed to either side of the bed.

Krista saw two blurry figures approach her, her eyes not yet able to focus. She waved them off. Don't touch me. Her mind screamed. I just need a moment. The air would come, her lungs would fill, and her body would start to function again.

She coughed and then sucked in a shallow ragged breath. Krista closed her eyes. Breathe slowly. She took a long, slow, deep breath in through her nose and then exhaled all the air just as slowly. She opened her eyes, blinking several times, bringing the room into focus. Doc's house, she reminded herself. But it wasn't just Doc in the room with her. Sam was there too.

Krista looked at Doc in confusion and pointed at Sam.

"He showed up on my doorstep and wouldn't leave until he saw you," Doc explained.

"I guess we overlooked that factor, huh Doc?" Krista whispered.

Doctor Baker smiled down at her. "You could have warned me that he'd be an issue."

"I should have," she croaked. "Dang, my throat burns."

Sam held out the glass he was still holding. "Here. Drink this."

Krista gave him a grateful smile as she sipped at the water. "Thank you. How freaked out are you?" she asked, noting how large his eyes had grown.

"A lot."

"I'm a little annoyed that you know about this," Krista told him. "It's not exactly something that the general public should be aware of. Doc was supposed to keep it secret. I knew I should have waited, with you."

"I'm not the general public." Sam sat at the foot of the bed. "You could have told me."

Krista breathed a laugh. "You wouldn't have believed me. You'd have thought I was crazy."

"True," Sam admitted. "I was waiting Doc out a bit, but I was ready to run out and get Sheriff Tucker."

"Which would have had terrible consequences," Krista frowned.

"How are you feeling, Krista?" Doc asked her.

"I'm okay. I'm tired, and I will be for the next few hours. It takes a little while for my strength to return to me."

Doc squeezed her shoulder. "You can rest here as long as you'd like. Mind if I check you out a bit?"

"I told you I'd be your guinea pig. Go ahead," Krista told him.

Doctor Baker took out his instruments and gave her a once over, while Sam sat silently at the edge of the bed. "Almost normal, I'd say, though your heart rate is a little slow and you have a slight fever."

"Heart will come up and temp will go down. I promise."

"I have no other choice but to believe you. So if you're sure you are fine, I'm going to take off for a little while," Doc said. "Unless you need anything else from me?"

Krista shook her head. "Thank you, Doctor Baker. It means a lot to me that you kept me safe while... well, you know. Did Marlene and Ben leave after?"

"Yes, they did, late last night. They called me after they'd been on the road for a while. I think they pretty much left everything in the house. Ben said they'll have a moving company take care of it all when they get settled in Charleston. She called you her angel." Doc told her with a smile.

"Not an angel," Krista said, casting her eyes down.

"You've got some angel in ya," Doc insisted. "Will you be here when I get back?

"I'm not sure, depends on how I'm feeling," she told him.

"Take it easy, and just so you know, I'm banning you from work tomorrow. You are not allowed on the premises. Goodbye, you two."

"Goodbye, Doc." Sam waved.

Krista gave Doc an exhausted smile. "Bye, and thanks again."

When they were alone, Sam crawled up next to Krista, sitting beside her on the bed. "Ever since I got here, and saw you like that, I thought I was going crazy. You looked dead, a frozen statue of a sleeping girl. But Doc insisted that you were going to reanimate."

"Reanimate?"

"Yeah. Doc said it's a more accurate term than wake-up. He promised that you'd be you again and we just had to wait. I had all sorts of very bad things running through my head. Doc murdered you and put your body on ice then placed you in bed, that sort of thing. Pretty insane."

"Sounds pretty insane," Krista agreed. "But it also sounds understandable, seeing as this whole thing was just kind of slammed in your face. Sorry about that. I know how difficult this may be for you to deal with. And if you're not interested in dating the Deathtaker, I totally get it. I'd understand if you want to keep your distance, but I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone else about what you saw here today."

Sam's face scrunched up in confusion. "Why in the world would I want to stay away from you?"

"Being with somebody with a talent like this is pretty hard to process. There will always be this need inside me to take the Death away from someone. I'll have to do it again, and again, and again... And I want to."

"You should keep doing it. Giving people a second chance at their life is pretty amazing," Sam told her. "And your secret is completely safe. I agree with Marlene, by the way. It's like you were sent here to be her guardian angel."

"Coincidence. Nothing more."

"We'll have to agree to disagree. I think you landed in Cedar Creek for a reason. You were destined to be here, and we were destined to be together."

"That's a pretty great pick-up line. But you don't need it." Krista rested her head on his shoulder.

"It's not a line."

"I'm glad I found you," Krista whispered.

"Can I say it now?"

"Say what?"

Sam took her hand in his. "I love you."

"Yes. You can say it now." Krista laced her fingers with his.

Sam kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"And I love you."

Krista tilted her chin up so her lips could find his. The kiss was soft and sweet, it radiated the love that they had for each other. It was true, what people say; if you're faced with the possibility of losing something, you'll suddenly realize just how much it is worth. Sam had faced that possibility when Krista had lain unresponsive for hours; he thought he'd lost her. Krista had faced it as soon as she'd woken up to find Sam in the room with her; she thought the knowledge of what she was would drive him away. And both of them realized that neither of them wanted to be without the other one, ever again.

"So, you're a Deathtaker," Sam said, as he traced the lines on the back of her hand. "You save people."

"I don't exactly save them. I consume whatever it is that will ultimately cause someone's death. I take it into myself and I die for them, but only until my body processes that death and then expels it."

"It's the same thing. By taking that death, you save them."

"I don't like to think of myself as a savior, just someone who can offer a second chance. I'm only able to help a few people each year, because I need time to recharge. That always fills me with a great amount of guilt. Like, why didn't I know you before your mother died? Why couldn't I have prevented that loss?"

Sam placed his hands on either side of her face and turned her head so she was forced to look at him. "But you didn't, so you couldn't have. You can't feel guilty about that. You can only do so much, and you can only help the people that cross your path. But it's your path, Krista. Life should be enjoyed, lived to the fullest, and every single drop of pleasure, no matter how small, should be squeezed out of every single moment that we have. My mom told me that before she passed. I didn't really let it sink in until I began to fall in love with you... because I want to enjoy every moment I have with you," Sam said, and then he kissed her. "You're one girl, there are billions of people, remember that."

"I'll try," Krista said, and then she kissed him back.

There were still two extra vehicles in front of his house when Doctor Baker returned a few hours later. The house was silent when he entered and when he glanced down the hallway he noticed that the door to the spare bedroom was open. He peeked inside and found Krista and Sam curled up under the covers, sound asleep. He quietly closed the door and headed toward the kitchen. His body was protesting the fact that he'd skipped dinner.

Doc stood in front of the refrigerator and stared at its contents. He was not in the mood for leftovers and he hadn't been to the grocery for several days. He decided there was only one logical thing to do: make breakfast food. He grabbed the sausage, eggs, butter, and milk and set them on the counter. Then he went into the pantry to gather the dry ingredients he would need to make biscuits.

After mixing, kneading, rolling, and cutting, the biscuits were placed in a hot oven to bake. Doc turned his attention to the sausage. He turned on the stove and put the links into the cast iron skillet, breaking up the meat as it cooked until the pan was filled with delicious, slightly crunchy, sausage morsels. After placing the sausage in a bowl, he turned back to the skillet to start the rue. Butter and flour were added to the sausage drippings and mixed until it reached the right consistency, then he wisked in some milk. Doc sprinkled salt and pepper into the creamy gravy and then he dumped the sausage back into the skillet and stirred it all together. He set the gravy on a very low simmer and turned his attention to the eggs, scrambled hard, the way he liked them.

Krista woke first. The delicious aroma of Doc's food had crept its way under the door and into her nostrils. It smelled heavenly. She poked Sam's shoulder. "Wake up," she whispered, and then poked him again. "Food, Sam. Wake up."

Sam's eyes slit open and he smiled. "Krista, what time is it?"

"I don't know. Late. Doc's making food. Do you smell it?"

Sam breathed in through his nose. "Sausage."

"Bread. I smell fresh baked bread. Do you think he made enough to share?" she asked. "I'm suddenly starving."

"I hope so," Sam yawned. "Otherwise that's our cue to leave. We can go raid Abe's kitchen."

"Let's go out there and ask," Krista suggested.

Krista stood up and stretched the stiffness out of her joints. She yawned as she lifted her hands up over her head. When she lowered her arms, Sam crawled out of bed and then stood at her side.

Doc was pulling the second pan of biscuits from the oven when Sam and Krista walked into the kitchen. "Hope you're hungry," he greeted them.

"I was hoping you'd say that. Biscuits!" Krista clapped her hands in glee. "You have no idea how amazing those smell."

"Pawpaw's recipe, he was the cook of the family," Doc said. "Sam, you should call Abe. He called the center to ask if you were with Krista, said he tried to get hold of you. I assured him that you were fine, but you should still call."

Sam grimaced. "I put my phone on silent earlier. I'll go do that," he said and jogged back to the bedroom.

Doc split a biscuit and put it on a plate. "How do you feel now?" he asked Krista as he ladled on the gravy and then added some scrambled eggs on the side. He handed the plate to her.

"I feel great, I promise." Krista sat down at the little table in the kitchen. "Doc, this is the first time, since I've been on my own, that I've allowed myself to get close to the friends and neighbors of someone I've helped. I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm worried. People are going to wonder about Ben and Marlene's quick retreat from town, and I think they're going to wonder about my convalescing at your house. How safe is my secret?"

"It's as safe as I can make it. I am going to say the same thing to anyone that pokes their nose around. You came over here with a bad headache, I diagnosed a migraine and gave you some pretty strong medicine," he told her. "As far as Ben and Marlene, I can just say that I don't know. That they didn't confide in me. And I advise you to do the same."

"Adeline is going to pester me with questions. I know it."

Doc laughed. "She'll do the same thing to me, and to Sam as well. Just keep saying the same thing, I don't know. She'll give up eventually."

Krista shook her head. "I don't know if she will."

"To be honest, I don't know if she will either."

****

Chapter Eighteen

On Thanksgiving Day, Opal and Jim closed the Downtown Diner so they could share Thanksgiving dinner with their friends. Tables were dragged together to form an extra long dining space. Eli, Abe, Sam, Krista, Pete, Adeline, Albert, Pauline, and Doris, the librarian, were in attendance. Doc declined the invitation. He went into Greenville to have Thanksgiving dinner with his sister; even if she wasn't always aware that he was family, he still wanted to be with her.

Jim roasted two turkeys: one with rosemary and olive oil, the other with citrus and butter. Opal made the mashed potatoes, biscuits, and of course the pie, and the rest of the guests were asked to bring a side dish. Once everyone had arrived, a feast was spread across the long table in the center of the diner.

Krista had been avoiding Adeline and the sheriff since Ben and Marlene Richardson exited Cedar Creek without informing anyone of their hasty departure. Krista didn't want to answer any questions, and since she'd been quite close to Marlene in the weeks prior to their leaving, she knew the inquiries were inevitable. Sam told her that both of them had come into the diner on several occasions while he was working and asked as many questions as they could without appearing too nosey, but it was obvious to him that they were fishing for information. Sam promised to stay by Krista's side for the entire dinner, so no one could corner her and badger her for more answers.

Thanksgiving had always been a quiet holiday for Krista. When her grandfather was still alive, her grandparents would spend the day in the kitchen. They would put the radio on, and dance and sing while preparing a feast for the three of them. But by the time she was twelve years old, that had all ended. A car accident far away from home and a Deathtaker who found herself unable to save the love of her life had left a legacy of guilt. Her grandmother had never quite recovered from her husband's passing, and Thanksgiving was turned into a quiet meal at a fine restaurant. When Krista was on her own, she declined to celebrate it at all.

Opal turned on the jukebox and called Pete over to dance with her. "I'm no good at that," he complained.

"Shut up and dance with me," Opal ordered. She blew Pete a kiss as he came toward her.

Abe took Doris' hand. "What do you say?"

"Let's cut this rug," Doris said with a smile.

After a few minutes Jim and Adeline joined in. Adeline called to her brother but Sheriff Tucker insisted he was a man with two left feet and Pauline said she'd rather keep her toes in an unbroken state.

Krista looked at all the cheerful faces in the room and was grateful for the chance to celebrate the holiday with happiness once again. "My grandpa would have loved this," Krista told Sam as he mixed a drink for each of them. "He went out of his way to have fun."

Sam handed her a glass. "Sounds like a smart man."

"He was. Cheers to a happy Thanksgiving." Krista clinked her glass with his and then gave him a quick kiss.

"Happy Thanksgiving," he whispered in her ear as he wrapped an arm around her.

Adeline came up beside them, fanning herself with one hand. "Phew, I'm out of breath. What are you two lovebirds doing over here?"

"Just toasting to a happy Thanksgiving," Sam told her. "Why'd you leave Jim all alone out there?"

"He's dancing with his daughter," Adeline said. "So, how are you feeling, Krista? I haven't seen you in days and days."

"I'm fine," Krista said as she brought her glass to her lips. She took a long, slow sip of her drink.

"What do you think about Marlene leaving with Ben like they did? Can't believe it was so abrupt. Strange way to leave a town that has been your home for over ten years, don't you think?" Adeline paused and then quickly continued. "Although I imagine Marlene might have mentioned something to you, seeing as you two were so close recently."

Krista shook her head. "No. I'm just as shocked as you are. After I recovered from that horrible migraine, I was planning on going over to Marlene's for our morning walk, but Doc told me they were gone. Strange, I agree."

"Really is strange." Sam nodded his head in agreement. "How are things progressing with Jim?" he asked with a wink.

Adeline's cheeks flushed to an even darker shade. "They're moving along."

The song on the jukebox finished and Opal shouted, "Dinner time! Before those birds get cold."

Krista grabbed Sam's hand. "I'm famished. Aren't you?" She started to walk toward the table and looked back at Adeline. She was staring at them and Krista knew what was on the woman's mind: questions were there that Krista couldn't truthfully answer. "Come on, Addy, let's find a seat," she said.

When they sat down, Krista made a point to grab the seat beside Pauline. Sheriff Tucker's wife would not allow him to try to speak to Krista across her, she'd consider it bad manners, and Pauline would ask the fewest questions of everyone at the diner. Krista decided it was the safest spot at the table for her.

Albert Tucker attempted one comment. "I find it uncharacteristic of Ben Richardson to up and quit, leaving me short handed, and then take off in the middle of the night just because his family said they needed to be in Charleston immediately. Wilson Cooper will be sufficient until I can hire a new deputy, and he'll enjoy being the official second man in charge. But Ben leaving like that, it just doesn't make sense."

"It's not for you to make sense of, Albert. His family emergencies are not for us to dig into. Give him a poor reference if you must, but let it go," Pauline told her husband.

"I won't do that," Sheriff Tucker mumbled as he took a bite of his mashed potatoes. "The man had exemplary performance on the job. Just strange is all."

Pauline gave a slow nod of her head. "Won't be the first – nor the last – strange thing to happen in Cedar Creek."

"Ain't it the truth." Adeline said it more as a statement than a question, and she stared straight at Krista as the words left her mouth.

After that, Sam did his best to move the conversation along anytime someone tried to bring up Ben and Marlene, or Krista's stay over at Doctor Baker's house. Their friends were curious, but they seemed to be able to pretend to respect her privacy, though Krista was quite sure they'd talk about it all when she and Sam were not around.

Later that evening, as Krista, Sam and Abe walked toward Abe's Caddy, Krista whispered to Sam, "That wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be."

"I thought it went pretty well," Sam agreed.

"What are you two talking about?" Abe asked.

"I said I thought the evening went pretty well," Sam told his uncle.

Abe took his car keys from his pocket and opened the Caddy's passenger door. "It was a perfect holiday dinner. Glad to share it with the two of you this year."

Krista got in the front seat and slid into the middle so Sam could sit beside her. As soon as Abe got in she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm glad I got to share it with you. I want you to know that I am thankful for your hospitality when I moved to town, for your confidence in me, and for your beef stew."

Abe smiled at her as he started the car. "I'm thankful that you've brought light back into my boy's eyes. You make him smile, and all an old man like me needs is to see his kin happy. You're a special girl, Krista."

Sam laced his fingers with Krista's. "You have no idea," he told his uncle.

When they got back to the house, Abe waved to the two of them over the top of the car after he shut the Caddy's door. "I'll see you two tomorrow. We are going to put up the Christmas tree, so I expect you over at a decent hour. Don't sleep in too late." He winked.

Sam blinked, slightly shocked at the comment. "Uh, sure thing."

"Don't look so shocked. I was young once," he said as he walked toward the main house. "You two could barely keep your hands to yourself on the drive back," he said over his shoulder. When he got to the door he paused and turned to look at them. "Have fun. Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving," Sam and Krista chorused as Abe disappeared into the house.

Sam whistled. "Well, that wasn't awkward at all."

"Nope, not a bit," Krista said with a laugh. "Well, let's go have fun," she added with a wicked smile.

"Gotta follow my uncle's advice," Sam said, grabbing her waist.

"He is a wise man." Krista shrieked as Sam tickled her sides.

"Into the house, woman."

"Stop tickling me and I will, man," she huffed out the words, trying to catch her breath.

After Sam took his hands away, Krista ran up the steps and unlocked the door and he chased her into the house. Krista went into the bedroom and flung herself onto the bed. "No more," she breathed.

Later, when their bodies were connected, their skin slick from perspiration, their breathing ragged, and their flesh tingling from every warm touch, Krista kissed Sam and breathed into his mouth, "More."

It was nearly noon when Sam and Krista walked over to the main house, and by that time Abe had several strings of white lights sparkling on his tree. There were boxes of ornaments on the floor, and Abe was digging through one of them. "You missed the lights, but you made it for the ornaments," he told them without looking up. "The star is in the bottom of this box, I swear."

"Do you put the star on first?" Krista asked.

"Yes, ma'am, I do. I work from the top down," Abe told her. He stood up, star in hand, and a huge smile plastered on his face. "Here she is." He handed the elaborate tree-topper to Krista and pointed to the stepladder beside the tree. "Will you do us the honor?"

The star was made from delicate stained glass. Little red, green, and yellow patched panes were patterned together and pieced into the silver metal frame. Krista held the star securely in her hands and turned to Sam, "It's a Webber tree. You should put this on the top. I'm afraid I'd get wobbly on the ladder."

Sam kissed her check as he took the star from her. He climbed the ladder and placed it securely on the top of the Christmas tree.

Abe stood back and inspected the placement. "Perfect. Now, Krista, since you didn't do the star, you need to put on the first ornament. Pick one out."

Krista glanced into the ornament box near her and saw a delicate gold angel. She reached down and picked it up by the gold string that was attached at the back in the middle of its wings. When she held it up, the angel looked like it was flying in front of her eyes. "It's beautiful."

"Good choice," Abe said as he touched one of the angel's wings. "My momma picked this one out from a catalogue when I was a boy. She was pleased as punch when it arrived in the post."

Krista stepped up to the tree and reached as high as she could, rising up on her tippy-toes, and looped the gold string over one of the branches. "There you go, little angel," she whispered.

Abe looked at Sam. "You got your angel right there, don'cha?"

Sam went up behind Krista and circled his arms around her middle, hugging her to him. "I do."

Krista leaned back into him. Sam's arms were strong and comforting, a feeling she hadn't allowed herself for many, many years. Sure, she'd been with other guys. After she'd fully transformed into a Deathtaker, during her senior year in high school, she'd broken it off with her boyfriend at the time. They'd been together since sophomore year, but she knew she didn't want the complication of a relationship as she was learning to deal with the sudden change in her being. After high school, she'd only allowed herself brief dalliances, from time to time, but none had lasted longer than a few weeks. She was tempted to, once, when she was working at a dialysis center in Northern California, but something held her back. The guy was nice enough, and the spark had been there, but she hadn't felt anything close to the connection that she had with Sam.

Sam Webber had spun his way into her heart.

Abe looped several ornaments over his fingers and started placing them on the tree. A red apple, a beaded candy cane, a toy car, and a silver snowflake were evenly spaced around the angel. Abe was meticulous with his ornament placement.

Krista grabbed a heavy, red, glass ball and turned to the tree. She looped the ribbon attached to the ornament over a branch and it spun around as it settled in place. She hadn't noticed the hand painted letters until then... Abraham's First Christmas.

Krista placed her hands over her stomach. A strange flutter, a new scent. She counted back on her fingers. Two weeks. And, they hadn't used protection the night before. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom," she said and then walked out of the room.

When she got into the bathroom she closed the door, locking it behind her. Krista inhaled deeply through her nose, concentrating on the scent that was distinctly hers. A Deathtaker could smell death, but could also smell life. Fresh and sweet, airy and earthen; new life smelled like a delicate breeze coursing through a flowering meadow. It was only hours old, it was faint, nearly undetectable, but the scent was there. "Stupid, careless woman," she scolded herself in a whisper. She didn't need to wait for a pregnancy test, she knew immediately.

Krista sat down on the side of the tub, resting her elbows on her knees, and lowered her head into her hands. "Just what everyone wants in a new relationship." She stayed that way for several minutes, letting it sink in. There was undoubtedly a new life beginning inside of her, barely divided but definitely coming into being, a future Deathtaker, her baby girl.

Sam knocked on the outside of the door. "You okay?"

Krista stood up, took another deep breath and then slowly blew it out, calming herself. She opened the door. "Just peachy, and just pregnant," she stated while pulling at her lower lip.

"Just what? How? We are always careful." His mouth dropped open and then he snapped it shut. "Except for..."

"Last night," she finished for him.

"But there's no way you could know that already."

Krista dropped her hand away from her face. "I can and I do." She shrugged. "We screwed up and now I'm having a baby."

Sam took her hand and silently led her out of the bathroom and back to the tree. "You like babies, don't you, Great-Great Uncle Abe?" Sam rested his arm around Krista's shoulder, as Abe turned around, stunned.

"Great-Great?" He looked to Krista for confirmation.

Krista nodded her head, her eyes misting over.

Sam placed a kiss on her cheek, near her ear, and whispered, "I love you. We didn't screw up, we just skipped a few steps."

Abe wrapped his arms around the two of them. "This just turned into the best Christmas Decorating Day ever. Great-Great Uncle Abe."

"It's still super early, so could you maybe keep it a secret?" Krista asked. "You know, some women don't tell anyone until they are showing... so it may be quite awhile."

Abe pulled back and looked at her, a guilty expression crossed his face, as if he'd already broken his word, even before giving it. "I'm pretty darn awful at secrets. Eli can usually pull them out of me, but I can promise to do my absolute best. He would never suspect this one. Jumped the gun a little bit, didn't you?"

Sam smiled at his great uncle. "Just a little bit."

"I'm the bachelor kind," Abe said, pointing to himself. "Decided that early on. You, on the other hand, are not." He patted Sam's arm. "I knew there was a reason you moved to Cedar Creek," he told Krista. "By the way, I love babies."

****

Chapter Nineteen

"Christmas is less than two weeks away," Pete stated. He was sitting in front of the computer at the Cedar Creek Medical Center, looking at a calendar on the screen.

Krista sat on the edge of the front counter, swinging her legs back and forth. It was minutes before closing and Doctor Baker had already said his goodbyes. Krista hadn't told Doc about the baby yet; she hadn't told anyone. Abe had managed to keep their secret, but every day he exclaimed that it was getting harder and harder for him to do so. Eli had already told his friend that he looked like he was sitting on some important information and he thought he was holding out on him, but Abe just brushed him off.

She wondered what everyone would say when they heard the news. They were moving too fast. She had managed to nab her a Webber. Why was this newcomer globbing onto an established Cedar Creek family?

Sam and Abe kept asking her to move up to the main house, but Krista insisted that she wanted to stay where she was, at least until after Sam finished his studies. She didn't want to be a distraction when he was close to getting his degree. But he had emailed his last paper to one of his professors that morning, so there were no more excuses. Krista liked the little guesthouse, especially because that's where the baby girl growing inside of her had been conceived. She wasn't sure she wanted to leave it, but she knew she wanted to feel like she was truly sharing her life with Sam.

Krista looked at Pete. He had a huge grin on his face. "Whatcha getting Opal for Christmas, lover boy?" she asked him. He looked like he was bursting to tell her something.

"I went to see my mother yesterday," he said.

"Yeah, you told me. She made you a jellyroll. You won't stop talking about how good it was," she reminded him. "You could have saved a piece for me."

"I didn't exactly go there for my mom's baking, though the jellyroll was spectacular. I went there for something else."

Krista sighed and swung around so she was facing him. She rested her feet on his knees. "Spit it out."

"I went for my grandmother's ring. She left it to me when she died, for my future bride." Pete said the words quickly and then looked away, pretending to read something on the computer screen. He didn't want to see Krista's reaction. He knew he and Opal were moving pretty fast; they'd only been together for two months. It wasn't just fast, it was lightning speed.

"You did not!"

Pete nodded his head, still not looking at her.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously," he confirmed. "Wait here." He moved her feet and stood up.

Pete went into the storeroom, where his jacket was hanging, and put his hand into one of the pockets. He pulled out a small red velvet pouch and then went back to where Krista sat. Pete placed the pouch in her hand and then sat back down. He started rubbing his hands on the arms of the office chair.

Krista put her feet back on his knees as she opened up the red velvet pouch. She turned it upside down and the ring dropped into the palm of her left hand. On a thin gold band, a large, colorful opal was set. The oval shaped stone with shades of blue, green, cream, and gold, was completely encircled by little, sparkling, round diamonds.

"It's an opal!" Krista exclaimed.

"I know. Cheesy or not?"

"It's absolutely gorgeous, and she is going to love it. I promise you. How perfect is it that your grandmother wore a precious opal stone on her finger and she wanted you to have it for your future bride? If that isn't the definition of destiny, I don't know what is. Awwww... it's so sweet. I can't believe it."

Pete tried to picture Opal as he gave her the ring, but he was too nervous to finish the scene in his head. He couldn't get past the unwrapping part, for fear of rejection. "You really think she'll like it?"

"Pete, I didn't say like it, I said love it. Opal is going to love this ring, especially after hearing that your grandmother left it for you. I promise," she told him. "Christmas Eve, huh?" She carefully placed the ring back in its pouch and handed it to Pete.

"I'm going to spend Christmas Eve with Opal and Jim, and then Opal and I are going to have dinner with my family in Woodside on Christmas Day. You and Sam doing anything special?" he asked.

"Just Christmas at the Webber house. Eli's meeting his son's family in Florida to go on that cruise next week, so he won't be around. It will just be the three of us. I'm looking forward to a quiet, low-key holiday."

"No special gift?"

Krista jumped down from the counter. "He gave me something, I'm giving him something. We already know our gift."

"So..."

"So, I'll tell you after Christmas," Krista told him. "It's a good ring, Pete. Don't worry about it."

"I will, though, until I give it to her and she says yes."

Krista gave her friend a hug. "Don't worry too much, then."

"I'll try not to." Pete didn't sound very positive as he said the words.

When Krista got home, she found Sam sitting on the couch in the guesthouse. He had set up a small Christmas tree in the corner of the room while she was at work, and strung it with multicolored lights. Her face lit up when she saw the little shrub of a tree. "That's so cute. I love it. It looks perfect in here."

"I'm glad you like it. We needed some Christmas cheer in this house too, since you still haven't moved your stuff into the main house."

"I told you, I wanted you to finish your classes."

Sam went to her side. "I finished today."

"I know." Krista placed her hand on her flat tummy. "And, well, she was conceived here. This little house is special."

"The house isn't going to disappear," Sam stated the obvious. He placed his hand over hers. "How do you know it is a girl for sure?"

"Males won't grow in a Vita womb. Grandma made that quite clear," she explained. "I will give birth to a girl, who will one day be just like me. Another Vita woman to take Death and restore life."

"Kristanta Jessmina Vita," Sam slowly said her name. "What does it all mean? I know Vita means life."

"Kritanta, is a male name from India. It is the God of Death. My mother liked to focus more on the death side of being a Deathtaker, rather than the life side. She added the 's' in there to make it seem more feminine, and named me Kristanta. As far as my mother was concerned, she'd given birth to a Goddess of Death, just like herself. Of course this is all coming from my grandmother, because that's all I have to go on since she took off before I could talk."

"And Jessmina?"

Krista smiled. "That one is easy and sweet. It is a version of Jasmine, the flower. Samuel George Webber... know any of those meanings?"

Sam laughed and shook his head. "Not a one. It's just a good family name. Samuel for my great-great grandfather and George for my grandfather."

"It is a good name," Krista agreed. "Can we stay here until after Christmas?" she asked. "And then we can move all my stuff into the main house."

"Of course we can," he said and kissed the top of her head. "I think we should put some ornaments on this lonely little tree."

"I've got something better than ornaments," Krista told him and then disappeared into the bedroom. When she came back, she had a shoebox in hand. It was filled with little paper swans of various shapes and sizes. "I want to put these on the tree. Because they are precious to me."

"You are precious to me. You and the baby," Sam said. He tilted her face up to his and kissed her softly on the lips. "I want you to know that this might not be how either of us planned for this relationship to go, but I am happy with everything exactly how it has happened. I am right side up when I'm with you. You make everything fall into place."

"I feel the same way. I was floating through life until I met you," Krista told him. "I've found my anchor."

"I've found my home," Sam said, kissing her again. "I won't be doing any more shifts at the diner. I talked to Abe today. He's bringing me in as a partner. I'll be working at the hardware store and I'll be devising a plan to get Uncle Abe and Eli to expand into Internet sales. They are doubtful, but willing to try. They even let me make some suggestions about the various plots of land they each own, both in and surrounding Cedar Creek."

Krista felt a pang of guilt. When Sam moved in with his uncle, it was supposed to be a temporary situation. "Are you sure that staying in Cedar Creek is something you want to do?"

"I am. Ever since I got here, I've had no idea what to do once I finished school. That was for my mom, she really wanted me to have a college education. So, I did that. I accomplished that for her, and for me," Sam said. "But, I also know that living here is something that's been in the back of my head since I was a little boy. This is a great town. I always had the best time here, and I know that it is definitely where I want a child of mine to grow up. Can you see yourself living here?"

Krista hugged him tight and nodded her head against his chest. "I can." Flurries of movement, seen out of the corner of her eye, caught her attention. She looked out the window. "It's snowing! It's my first white Christmas!" Krista exclaimed. "Do you think it'll stick around until then?"

"Abe's been feeding me the forecast all week. That man loves following the weather. He says we will definitely have snow on the ground for Christmas."

"That makes me so happy!"

Sam picked the biggest swan out of the shoebox and placed it on the top of the little tree. "We have a lot to be happy about."

"We do," Krista agreed.

By the morning of Christmas Eve there was a thick white blanket of snow, several inches thick, covering all of Cedar Creek. Sam woke early and headed out, leaving Krista in bed with a promise that he'd hurry back, and a new little swan next to her head on the pillow. He was on his way to pick up a book he had seen in the book store, one with all these cool pictures of babies inside the womb. Sam thought Krista would enjoy seeing what their baby girl would look like at all the different stages. But the book at the store was slightly damaged, so a new one was ordered for him.

Most of the stores in Cedar Creek were closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. If anyone wanted to do some last minute holiday shopping, they usually headed out to Greenville. But the owner of the store had called the night before to let him know that it had finally come in, and said to come down in the morning.

After a quick stop, the book was secured in two brown paper bags, one facing each way, tucked inside the other, so Krista couldn't catch a peek and see what he'd bought before he had a chance to wrap it. He tossed the book in the passenger seat and headed toward the diner. He knew Opal and Jim were planning on breakfast and lunch service only that day, and Sam wanted to get a cheesy omelet, crispy hashbrowns, sourdough toast, and some fresh fruit to take back home for Krista. He could almost taste it as he neared the diner.

With the snow, most of the businesses being closed, and school on break for the holidays, Main Street was nearly empty. He glanced down at the passenger seat. The images in that book were so strange at the beginning. He tried to remember what the one-month image looked like. He couldn't remember if Krista was considered four weeks or six weeks along. That part confused him. Either way, there was not much more than a little bean growing inside of her. His little bean. He hoped she would look a little bit like his mother, and a lot like Krista.

It was crazy, trying to imagine what a new little human being would look like.

The driver racing down Main Street, having just exited the freeway, had blasted through the stop sign. He was drinking, had been driving all night, and after he saw the billboard on the freeway for the diner and motel, he'd decided it was time to stop. Food and a bed, that sounded good, he thought as he took another swig from the bottle of whiskey he'd nestled between his legs.

Neither of the men was paying attention to the road ahead. One was operating with blurred vision while the other was daydreaming of the future. By the time Sam noticed that there was a car coming toward him – one that was going too fast, one that had crossed lanes and was heading straight at him – it was too late to avoid the collision. The brake pedal was jammed down to the floor, the steering wheel was turned sharply, but the roads were icy, and his vehicle wouldn't react the way he wanted it to.

Krista's cell phone was buzzing on the bedside table as she came out of the bathroom. Adeline's number was on the screen.

It's Sam. It's pretty bad. You'd better get down here. Doc's on his way. Those were the words that repeated themselves in Krista's head as she pulled boots up over her pajama pants, threw a coat on, and raced outside toward her truck. She was opening the garage doors when Abe arrived. He asked for her keys and said he would drive. Adeline had called him too. Krista gladly handed them over.

"It'll be okay," Abe told her as they headed toward the unknown.

"It has to be." Krista closed her eyes and covered her face with her hands. It has to be okay. Sam has to be okay. She chanted to herself, over and over again.

"Lord, help him," Abe whispered.

Krista looked up. She saw a mass of crunched metal, and the mist of Death as it carried away its prize. Sheriff Tucker covered a lump in the snowy street, a hand poked out from underneath the covering. "It can't be."

"It's not," Abe said as he stopped her truck. "It's too big to be our Sam."

Doc was kneeling in the snow, on the other side of the wreck, while Jim was crouched down a few feet away. Opal and Adeline were standing near. "We're moving him inside, out of the cold," Adeline told Krista as she came around to meet her. The older woman put her arms around the younger one. "Doc said it would be better inside."

Doctor Baker and Jim stood up together, their arms holding onto a cot, which held Sam. His eyes were closed and a blanket covered his body. His face was cut, swollen, and bleeding, and as the two men started to walk, the amount of blood tinting the snow and ice told Krista all she needed to know. "How bad do you think he is, Doc?" Krista asked.

"You and I are going to figure that out," he told her.

"My boy," Abe croaked.

Krista reached for Abe's hand and held it tightly as they walked across the parking lot. Adeline ran ahead and opened up the nearest room while Opal trailed behind. Sheriff Tucker stayed outside to deal with the body that was lying in the street. It was a rare moment that a stranger died in Cedar Creek.

After they brought Sam in and placed him on the bed, and before she went into the room, Krista glanced back to where the sheriff stood. Death might have caught that one, she thought. It can't have Sam.

After Jim helped Doc place Sam on the bed, he said he was going to see if Sheriff Tucker needed anything. Doc thanked Jim for his help and went to Krista's side. He held her hand and brought her closer to Sam. She was afraid to touch him; her strong man suddenly looked so pale. "What do you sense, Krista?" he asked.

Adeline looked at the two with confusion. "Doc, you're the doc. Don't you think we should be calling Greenville General to send an airlift?"

"Quiet, Addy," Doc ordered. Adeline stepped back in shock, and Doc turned to Krista. "Concentrate, Krista."

Krista knelt down next to the bed and held Sam's hand.

Doc put his hand on her shoulder. "I'll tell you what I know. His left leg is broken, crushed is more like it, and he smashed his head against the side window. But if you can tell me what's going on inside of his body, we'd have a better picture."

"He's got a lot of internal bleeding," she whispered. "And there is swelling around his brain," she added a little louder. Krista closed her eyes and concentrated on Sam... only Sam. "His left lung is collapsed and one of the several broken bones in his leg has torn into his femoral artery. He's losing too much blood."

"You're taking her word for that?" Adeline questioned Doc. "He'd need x-rays, or a CAT scan, or an MRI or something before you could tell that, wouldn't he?

Doctor Baker ignored her. "Can you save him?" he asked Krista. "Because I don't know if there is time for conventional medicine to help."

Krista stroked the back of Sam's hand "I can. I can force the connection. I can take his death away."

Abraham Webber had been silently absorbing everything from the moment they'd arrived at the scene. The old man had lost his parents and his brother and sister-in-law. He'd lost his niece, and it looked like he was about to lose his great-nephew as well. He sat down on the chair next to the bed, and tears slid down his face.

Adeline went to his side. "Abe, we need to call for a helicopter."

"We really do! I'm on it." Opal picked up the phone.

"Put the phone down, Opal," Doc ordered. "They wouldn't be able to get him to surgery in time to save his life. There is no way to explain this right now, but Krista can do it. She fixed Marlene, that's why they left town so fast, and she can fix Sam."

Opal put the phone back in its holster, while Adeline threw her hands up in the air. "She can fix him? With what, her magical powers?"

Doc gave her a single nod. "That's exactly what she is going to use."

Adeline balled her hands into fists and firmly placed them on her hips. "Yer off yer rocker, Doc."

"She can do it," came a whisper from the bed. Sam had his right eye open; the left was swollen shut. His voice was labored, and his face winced in pain. "But the baby?"

Krista's breath caught in her throat. She wanted to cry, she wanted to scream, but she needed to be strong. "But this has to be done, Sam."

"Will it hurt our girl?" Sam asked her.

Doctor Baker looked at her in disbelief. "You're pregnant?"

"I am," she told him, a sad smile on her face.

Doc tried to quickly process the new information. "When you die, or fall asleep, or whatever you want to call it... When you take Sam's Death, will it affect the baby?"

Krista closed her eyes and nodded her head.

"Will it survive?" Doc asked.

Krista slowly shook her head from side to side. The baby she didn't know, or the man she did. She loved them both. How was she supposed to choose? "I've got to save him."

"I want you to have the baby. What's the point of saving me if we can never be together again?" Sam breathed the words and then passed out, too weak to remain conscious any longer.

"He's right, Krista. You'd never be able to touch him, let alone be in the same room with him, ever again," Doc reminded her.

Abe, who'd been quiet the whole time, finally spoke. "Isn't there any way to save them both?"

The door to the room had been left open, and a silent figure leaned against the doorframe, listening to everything that was said. Everyone was so focused on Sam, and the unbelievable conversation Doc was having with Krista, they hadn't noticed the strange woman in the doorway.

"There's a way," she said. "For a price."

Krista whipped her head toward the voice.

Adeline walked toward the door. "Room one-ten, what are you doing here? You need to leave, this is a private matter."

The woman ignored Adeline and continued talking. "And since you're family, I'll even give you a discount. Ten grand ought to do it. I should charge you more for making me a grandmother in the process."

Krista stared at her, and saw the resemblance then. The woman looked like a younger version of her grandmother, and an older version of herself... and exactly like the pictures in her grandmother's house. "You gave birth to me."

"I guess that makes me your mother," the woman replied.

"I wouldn't go that far. You left me and never came back."

"It turned out that kids weren't my thing," she shrugged. "But I've always kept track of your movements. You're approaching this whole thing wrong, you know? You should be finding the dying rich, not helping the poor without payment. When I saw that you'd moved here and were staying on the old man's property, I thought maybe you'd finally wised up. I figured I'd sneak into town and smell the guy out for myself, but there's nothing wrong with him. This guy, though," she pointed to Sam. "He's got a lot wrong with him."

Krista let her words sink in. Her biological mother charged people for her services, and she only helped the rich. Krista couldn't believe that this was the woman whose blood flowed in her veins. "You're a Deathtaker for hire?"

"We're losing time here," Doc interrupted. "Will you save him or not?"

Chai Vita, Krista's birth mother, sat down on the bed next to the one Sam was on and looked at her daughter. She held her hand out and rubbed her fingers together, making a gesture that Krista was well acquainted with.

"I don't have ten grand," Krista told her mother.

"I do," Abe told the woman. "It's yours if you can save my boy and spare the child."

"Now we're getting somewhere." Chai swung her legs up onto the bed and rested her head against the pillows. "Everybody out."

"I want to stay with my boy," Abe told her.

Doctor Baker stood firm. "I'm the town's doctor. I'm staying too."

Krista clung to Sam's hand. "I can't leave him."

Chai turned her head to stare at Krista. "I assume my mother told you everything about this power of ours. If you are too close, yours might just try to compete with mine. If you get him first, then that baby everybody wants to protect might not make it. Out you go, baby girl."

"I'm not your baby girl," Krista whispered.

"But you are," Chai told her. "Now go."

"Krista, get out of here. Adeline, Opal, you too," Doc ordered.

Krista took Adeline's hand and then Opal's. "We're going. Keep him safe, Doc."

"I'll watch over him," Doctor Baker promised her.

"You like to watch, huh, Doc?" Krista heard Chai laugh as the door closed behind them.

"I know you guys are thinking this is some crazy, messed-up thing going on here, but you will see. I promise you that in less than half an hour, Sam is going to walk out of that room. His outsides are still going to look banged up, but inside he will be nearly perfect. Don't say anything to your brother, Addy. Just wait. Give it some time."

Adeline set her mouth in a straight line. She was a practical woman. Magic was just a trick, a sleight of hand, and therefore it wasn't real. There was no way a woman could die for someone else. "Let's pretend for a moment that I could believe in all that mumbo jumbo you and Doc were spewing in there. That woman just extorted ten thousand dollars from Abe."

"He's paying her for services rendered. That's not extortion, but I also don't think it's ethical. Great mother I've got, huh?"

Opal swooped Krista up in a hug; she grabbed her friend and squeezed her tight. "It'll work. I know it will. Sam will be fine, and you still get to be a mommy. I can't believe you're pregnant."

"Precious Opal Stone, you're buying this?"

Opal released Krista from the tight hug, but kept her arm around her friend. "Adeline, there is magic in this world. The unexplained happens all the time. Yes. I am buying this, hook, line, and sinker," she told Addy. "You saved Marlene?" she asked Krista. The awe in her voice was unmistakable.

Krista shrugged. "She was going to die, I took Death from her."

"That's so wonderful," Opal told Krista, giving her another squeeze. "And your momma is going to save Sam."

Wilson Cooper arrived on the scene and Sheriff Tucker walked over to where the three women stood. "I assume the helicopter is on its way. It should be here soon, we'll have to clear the parking lot."

Adeline opened her mouth to disagree, but Krista spoke first. "Doc's getting him stabilized. He said it's probably not as bad as it looked. The leg's broken, and he has a concussion from hitting his head."

"That's a lot of blood," the sheriff pointed out.

"Yeah." Krista bobbed her head in agreement. "Head wounds always bleed a ton. There's a lot of blood flow up there, to keep the brain working so well. But Doc's got it under control now."

"Yup," Opal piped in. "He sure does."

Albert Tucker looked at his twin. Adeline was squirming, shifting her weight from one foot to the other while twisting her hair around her finger. "Don't look at me," Adeline told her brother. "I'm no medical person. It just looks really bad, that's all. Makes me nervous."

"Maybe I should go in and see how things are going," the sheriff suggested.

"No!" Krista and Opal chorused.

"Doc told us to wait outside," Krista explained.

"Then why isn't Abe here with you?" he asked.

"Next of kin," Opal told him.

The sheriff took his hat off and blankly stared inside of it for a moment, trying to decide what to do next, before he put it back on his head. "I guess I'll give him a few minutes, then. Did I see someone else go in there?"

Opal shook her head. "Nope."

Adeline turned around. "I'll go call Mortimer, so he can come get the body." Every time she said that man's name she wondered if all the teasing the kids in her class had done had decided his fate. Morty the mortician had been chanted on the elementary playground and whispered behind his back in junior high school. But by the time high school came around, Morty had made it known that being a mortician was exactly what he wanted to do. He got a part time job working at the mortuary when he was fifteen, and he'd been there ever since, taking over when the town's previous one had retired.

"I already called him, he's on his way," Sheriff Tucker told her as he stared at the lump on the ground.

A small crowd had begun to gather and Albert wanted to clear the site as quickly as possible. "Sadly, this irresponsible driver came into town and made some terrible choices. He was more than likely as drunk as they come. He had one of those big plastic bottles of whiskey in the car with him, no cap to be found. He wasn't wearing a seatbelt, had veered into the other lane, and was ejected upon his impact with Sam Webber's vehicle. We are going to try to notify this guy's family, if he has any. And we are waiting to hear from Doc; he took Sam into the motel to work on him away from the cold."

Mumbles and nods of understanding traveled through the onlookers.

Sheriff Tucker turned to Deputy Cooper. "Could you call the garage and have them send the tow truck to clear these vehicles? Try Clarence at home first, he usually doesn't have the garage open on Christmas Eve."

"Sure thing, Sheriff."

"Thanks, Coop."

Krista's phone buzzed in her pocket; a text from Doc. Am I going to need to cast or splint this leg when he wakes up?

Doctor Baker looked at his phone and silently read Krista's response. Brace it before he wakes up. The bone will go back together, but it will be weak. I'll go get one of the good full leg and knee braces from the center.

Chai watched as the doctor checked his phone, and thought that she had landed in a strange little slice of America. When she came to this town she was hoping to find that her daughter had adopted her philosophy of what it meant to be a Deathtaker, but apparently that wasn't the case. What good was having a coveted power if you couldn't make a buck from it? Her own mother had shunned her when she'd learned that she charged for her services. She was the one who stated Kristanta would be better off without Chai for a mother, and that's when Chai left.

"What's up, Doc?"

"Original," he mumbled as he slipped his phone into his back pocket. "How much pain are you in?"

"A shit load. This last minute stuff is not fun. Nor is the fact that this kid was pretty beat up," Chai grimaced. "Fuckin' leg is excruciating."

As unpleasant as the woman seemed, he hated that she was in pain. He hated that anyone had to be in pain. "Is there anything I can do to help you with that?"

Chai squeezed her eyes closed and shook her head. "Nah. Thems the rules, Doc. That's why I charge for what I do."

"Wouldn't want to do it out of the kindness in your heart?"

"I've done that once or twice. The pay's not as good. Hey, has anyone ever told you that you look like Santa Claus?"

"I've heard it before. I think the resemblance kicks in even more this time of year."

"Father Christmas, Sinterklaas, Kris Kringle, good ol' Saint Nick. You don't look much like a Saint. I bet you've done some damage in your day."

Doc scratched at his beard. "You like to talk a lot."

"Keeps my mind off the pain," Chai told him. "I assume you know to keep my body safe? Kristanta told you all about the whole forty-eight hour thing."

"Actually, Krista told me about the twenty-four hour thing."

"Yeah. Another reason I get paid the big bucks. No prior connection, longer time for the body to process the death. Until that happens, I'll be as good as dead, rotting on this bed. I'm losing two days of my life for this boy." She gestured toward Sam.

"I can't thank you enough," Abe commented. He'd been sitting in silence, staring at his great-nephew's damaged body, the bloody smears on his swollen face, and watched helplessly as the boy's breaths became more and more shallow.

"You can thank me with a check," Chai told him. "Or better yet, cash."

"Not sure if the bank can give me that much today," Abe admitted with worry. "I'll need to transfer some funds."

"How about half cash and half check? I'm sure a resourceful guy like you could pull that off."

"You'll have it waiting for you. I'll get it done and bring it back to this room, or your other room. You tell me."

"This room, this bed, right next to me while I'm asleep."

Abe stroked Sam's arm. Was it going to work? Was his boy going to live? What kind of strange powers did Krista come from? "You'll have it."

As far as Abe was concerned, she could have anything she wanted if it saved Samuel from the cruel twist of fate.

"Ten really is a bargain," Chai told them. "Fifty is usually my minimum, and I've charged as much as a million. Stupid old, rich guy that one was. Eighty-six years old and was hoping for another twenty. He had his people find me again after seven. He'd ruined his perfectly healthy liver by drinking nonstop after I'd fixed it for him the first time. But I can only take one death per person. He was SOL."

"So this is Sam's one and only do over," Abe noted.

"From me? Yes. Another Deathtaker could fix him up again, if he should ever need it."

She was a hard woman, with no hint of compassion. Doc listened to her talk and took it all in, soaking up every detail he could about her power as a Deathtaker. "Interesting..."

"It is, isn't it? Pretty fascinating lineage I come from." Chai sucked in a sharp breath. "It's coming on harder now. He'll wake up soon."

There was a knock at the door. After he saw Adeline through the peephole, Doctor Baker turned the handle and cracked the door open. Adeline was holding a leg brace. "Krista said you needed this."

"Thanks, Addy."

"Are you sure you're making the right decision?" she asked Doctor Baker. Adeline tried to look over his shoulder, but he blocked her vision.

"I'm making the only decision," he told her before closing the door.

When Adeline turned back around, she saw Mortimer loading the deceased drunk driver into the back of his hearse. "Hi, Morty." She waved.

"Hello, Adeline. Great start to the holiday." He shook his head. "This guy goes in cold storage until Sheriff Tucker contacts his family. Merry Christmas, poor guy."

Clarence had arrived and was hooking his truck up to the guy's car; it would stay in his yard until Tucker told him what to do with it. "What should I do with Sam's vehicle?" Clarence asked the sheriff.

"Keep it in your yard until we figure it out, Clarence. You're going to have to make two trips."

Clarence grumbled as he got into his truck to take the first car away. "I hate working on my day off."

"Don't we all," Sheriff Tucker grumbled back. "This is not the way any of us wanted to start the holiday."

Krista stayed at the far end of the parking lot, at what she considered a safe distance, and watched the door to the motel room where Sam was. Opal was at her side. She'd insisted on driving her to the medical center to collect the leg brace for Sam. "You need a friend right now," Opal had said. "I'm your extra strength until Sam comes out of that room and comes back to you."

They waited.

After both vehicles were cleared, Wilson Cooper attempted to sweep up the broken glass from the icy street. It was then that the door finally opened. Scooting out of the room, with a sideways hopping motion, was Sam. He had one arm around his uncle's shoulders and the other one around Doc's. Doc pulled the door closed behind them, making sure it was secure as Krista rushed forward.

"Thank you, Lord," Krista said, looking up to the sky. She put her hands on either side of Sam's face and kissed him softly.

"I feel so strange," Sam told her.

Krista smiled. Strange was good. Strange was so much better than the alternative. "It'll pass. Your body is trying to process the quick changes it's gone through."

"One hundred feet," Doc quietly reminded her. "We need to keep him moving."

Krista nodded her head.

"What's that?" Abe asked.

"Sam's got to stay at least one hundred feet away from that woman in there for the rest of his life. If they get near each other, Death will reclaim its prize," she told him.

Abe walked a little faster. "Let's get him moving, then."

****

Chapter Twenty

After Sam and Krista were settled at the main house, Abe went back out. He needed to get to the bank. He always kept two thousand dollars in the bottom drawer of his dresser, for emergencies, but he needed three more for that woman. He didn't want to think of her as Krista's mother. The two of them seemed as different as two people could be, but the biological ties were obvious, the resemblance unmistakable.

It was amazing what had happened so far that day. By eleven in the morning he'd watched his nephew die and then miraculously come back to life; he'd watched as a woman turned into some form of sleeping statue at the same moment his nephew's eyes popped back open, and he learned that Krista was carrying a baby girl. He knew it was too early for her to know the sex of the child, especially since they'd admitted that hadn't seen anyone about it yet, but after the morning he'd just had, he wasn't going to ask how she knew. Abe was sure he'd find out soon enough.

The girl at the bank asked Abe if he was going to use the money for a last minute something special for someone. He just smiled and said, "Yes, ma'am." It was easier than saying no and being asked additional questions. After that, he went back to the motel. Adeline was waiting for him in the office.

Abe got right to the point. "I need you to open that room up."

"Seems wrong. I never go into the guests' rooms when they are in there."

"Technically, it's not her room. She's just using it," Abe pointed out. "You should come with me and take a look at her. You know you want to see it."

Adeline grabbed a key and came around the counter.

Chai Vita was lying in the bed, just where Abe had left her when he took Sam home. She was in the exact same position too, hadn't moved an inch. The woman was perfectly still, like a statue.

"Is it wrong that I want to poke her and see if she wakes up?" Adeline asked.

Abe placed the five thousand dollars in cash, and a check for the same amount, beside Chai, on the bed. "Go ahead. Apparently she is going to stay that way for two whole days."

"Doc told me to expect forty-eight hours or more. Said she may not want to leave for another day after that. But he said to call him immediately if she wakes up and leaves the room when he's not here. I guess he plans on keeping some kind of watch over her." Addy brushed the back of her hand against Chai's forehead. "Her skin is so cool." Then she took a small powder compact from her back pocket.

Abe gave her a funny look. "What are you going to do with that?"

"When Doc came by and told me all that stuff, and got a key for himself, he also said that this woman is dead, but not dead, that she will show no signs of life. So I figured I'd try that test with the mirror under the nose."

"Check for breath?"

Adeline nodded her head. "Exactly." She held the mirror up to Chai's face and she and Abe watched the reflective surface, but it never clouded over. "You think she's actually dead? I don't want a corpse in my motel."

"Doc said she'll wake-up. Krista said so too. She said the same thing happens to her when she does this for someone."

Addy gave him a skeptical look.

"Don't you go calling Mortimer on this one. You wait it out, like Doc and Krista said. And I want you to call me if this woman leaves this room. Doc and Krista also said that if she ever gets close to Sam he'll die. They can't be within a hundred feet of each other. Ever."

"Mumbo Jumbo," Adeline mumbled.

"I don't care what you call it. I want my boy to live. You hear me? We aren't taking any chances with this thing."

"I gotcha, Abraham. Whether I believe it or not, I'll keep you informed. Now let's get out of here. I don't like being around this kind of stuff."

Abe shook his head. "You don't even know what kind of stuff this is. This is miraculous. This is powerful. And you are right on track to not want to mess around with it. Just do what Doc says."

"I will," Adeline grumbled. "Can't believe this all happened in my place of business." She peeled the comforter off the bed Sam had been on and picked up the blanket that had been covering him earlier that day. They were ruined, covered in Sam's blood. "I think I should burn these, destroy the evidence."

"I think you're probably right."

Krista and Sam clung to each other, alone in the main house on Abe's couch, just as he'd left them. Neither wanted to let the other one go. Sam was resting flat on his back, with his good leg hanging off the couch; Krista had positioned herself between his legs with her head on his chest, and Sam's arms were around her.

"I almost died. I can't believe I almost died."

"I can't believe I almost lost you, right after I found you."

"So your mom's a stalker who's been silently tracking your whereabouts," Sam noted. "Who would have thought that having a stalker for a mother would be a good thing?"

Krista's head popped up from his chest. "It turned out to be the best thing. Creepy though. And I can't believe she charges people, and demanded ten grand to save you! Poor Abe."

"I'll pay him back. I'll work it off. It's a life debt now. I literally owe my uncle my life."

"All three of us are indebted to him," Krista said as she looked down at her belly. "And also to that awful woman who saved you."

"No matter what your mother's faults are, by doing what she did for me she has allowed us to have a life together. You, me, and that baby girl... we're going to be a family."

Krista sat up. "The baby has to be a Vita. I will never sign any legal documents to bind us together; I will never change my name. But as long as you'll have me, I will never leave your side. Is that going to be enough for you?"

Sam propped himself up on his elbows. "It's not the way I imagined starting a family with someone, but not much in my life has happened the way I'd imagined."

"I guess my father couldn't handle it when my mom told him and he flipped out, so she left him, pretty much erased him from her mind, and refused to talk about him. Grandma had only met him once, so she didn't have anything she could really tell me about him either. I don't want that to happen to us," Krista said, placing her hand over her stomach. "I don't want that to happen to her."

Sam pulled himself up to a sitting position and rested his back against the couch. He reached his arms out for her and she snuggled herself against his chest. "I don't need you to sign a document to prove your commitment to me. I want to be with you, you want to be with me; that's enough. I didn't have a father around, you didn't have a father around, let's make sure that this one grows up knowing her daddy. We'll just make Webber her middle name. We can do that, right?"

"We can most definitely do that," Krista said with a sigh. "I don't want to leave Cedar Creek, Sam. But there are quite a few people that know about me, and my mother, and this whole Deathtaker thing. Are we going to be safe here?"

"I wasn't really paying attention – being pulled from a horrible wreck and all – how many people know?"

"Let's see," Krista sat back up and started naming people, holding up a finger with each name. "Obviously, Abe and Doc. Then there's Adeline, and Opal. Jim wasn't in the motel room when it was talked about, but he saw exactly how messed up you were when he helped Doc carry you in and put you on the bed, so I'm sure Opal will tell him. I have a feeling Adeline will cave and tell her brother. That makes four people for sure, with a fifth pretty likely, and a sixth that I predict will know before the year is over. Oh, and I feel like Pete will know soon, so that makes seven... plus you and me."

"I think we should invite them all over very soon and do some damage control, but maybe not Sheriff Tucker just yet, because that would mean we would also have to involve Pauline."

"Heck, invite them too. Might as well involve them now, rather than worry about it later. Addy can't keep secrets from her brother, he'll know soon enough," Krista told him. "Merry Christmas, town residents, you have a Deathtaker in your midst."

"Two of them," Sam pointed out.

"Not for long, she'll have to leave when she wakes up. I'm sure she'll want to find some new dying rich person to charge for her services."

"This town is fiercely protective of its people, and you have managed to become one in just a few months. They'll protect your secret." Sam kissed her forehead. "They'll protect you." He kissed her cheek. "We'll raise our daughter here." He kissed her lips. "And we will protect her."

"I love you, Samuel George Webber."

"I love you, Kristanta Jessmina Vita."

THE END...

for now.

*****

Download The Deathtaker's Daughter today!

https://www.amazon.com/S.L.-Baum/e/B00419BHVW

Novels by S.L. Baum

THE IMMORTAL ONES SERIES – YA paranormal romance

A Chance for Charity (The Immortal Ones – book one)

My Link in Time (The Immortal Ones – book two)

Of Fire and Brimstone (The Immortal Ones – Elizabeth's Novella)

Our Summer of Discontent (The Immortal Ones – book three)

The Eve of Destruction (The Immortal Ones – book four)

The Arrival of Dawn (The Immortal Ones – book five) *coming soon

The LUSH novels – YA Dystopian

LUSH (a LUSH novel – book one)

HUSH (a LUSH novel – book two)

CRUSH (a LUSH novel – book three)

The Deathtaker Series – Paranormal Romance

The Deathtaker (Deathtaker – book one)

The Deathtaker's Daughter (Deathtaker – book two)

The New Deathtaker (Deathtaker – book three) *coming soon

You can catch up with all the random stuff that I do (not that it's really all that interesting to anyone else but me)... at any one of these places...

Website - http://slbaum.com

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/slbaumnovel/

Blog - http://mywriteroad.blogspot.com

Twitter - @slbaum

Instagram - @dirty.keto.girl

Snapchat - @slbaum71

Thank you so much for downloading The Deathtaker.

*A special thank you to my Beta Readers (Al, Vickie, and Lala) – those wonderful sets of extra eyes, and all with massive brain power. You've helped so much in getting this book ready to be put out there for all to see. As always, you are invaluable to me!

*I would also like to thank my editor for this novel: Andrea Harding at Express Editing Solutions.

Other Novels by S.L. Baum

THE IMMORTAL ONES SERIES – YA paranormal romance

A Chance for Charity (The Immortal Ones – book one)

My Link in Time (The Immortal Ones – book two)

Of Fire and Brimstone (The Immortal Ones – Elizabeth's Novella)

Our Summer of Discontent (The Immortal Ones – book three)

The Eve of Destruction (The Immortal Ones – book four)

THE LUSH SERIES – YA Dystopian

LUSH

HUSH

CRUSH
