Fort Lupton by Claudia Hall Christian Page A

symphony that only I can unravel!
Rachel isn’t even sleeping through the night yet! God, Nash and
Noelle, they . . .”
    “ I want you to answer me
honestly,” Seth said.
    “ When have I lied to you?”
Sandy’s voice rose with frustration.
    “ Fair enough,” Seth said.
“What does Sandy need right now?”
    “ I need to take care of
everything,” Sandy said.
    “ Okay,” Seth said. “After
that? What does Sandy need?”
    Sandy scowled at him. Out of nowhere, she
remembered having a similar conversation with Seth when he was
high. Sandy and Mitch had gone to try to talk Seth into getting
help. She remembered saying over and over again, “What does Seth
need?” He would answer “Drugs.” She’d ask again.
    As if he remembered the same night, Seth
nodded.
    “ What does Sandy need?”
Seth asked.
    “ I . . .”
Sandy drew a blank.
    Seth waited for a moment.
    “ Charlie is out of crisis,
and Honey is the person he needs for the next step,” Seth said.
“Sissy’s received her placement, and Ivan will carry her through
the transition. Rachel is happy to spend time with that fairy
girl.”
    “ Edie,” Sandy said. “Yes,
she came back just in time.”
    “ Nash is thirteen,” Seth
said. “He’s not thinking about you. Noelle is caught up in her
friends and her painting. They are all right for now — not forever,
but for now they are all right.”
    “ And Aden?” Sandy asked.
“He needs me . . .”
    “ Aden’s a big boy,” Seth
said. “He can call his sponsor or go to a meeting. He can wait
until you’ve rested.”
    Sandy looked away from Seth.
    “ You know I’m right,” Seth
said.
    Sandy glanced at him and looked away
again.
    “ I booked a suite at the
JW Marriot,” Seth said.
    Sandy didn’t look at him. She bit her
lip.
    “ Your girlfriends are
already there,” Seth said. “Tanesha’s son is asleep and Blane can’t
have visitors tonight. The fairy girl has Jill’s twins for the
night. They are all there exhausted and in need of a break. I think they
scheduled massages in a half hour.”
    Sandy looked at him.
    “ But . . .”
Sandy started.
    “ Aden already knows,” Seth
said. “You can just go and say goodbye. Take a night. Take ten.
When you’re rested, you can reengage.”
    “ Are you sure?” Sandy
asked.
    “ Go ask him,” Seth
said.
    Seth put his arm around her and led her to
the dining room, where her family was waiting. Looking into the
room, she knew that Seth was right. The crisis was slowing down.
She could take a night off, get some real sleep, eat good food, and
hang out with her friends. Her family was just waiting for her to
do it. Noelle and Sissy gave her a big hug. Nash managed to stop
talking about himself long enough to wave. Aden held her tight and
then released her to care for herself.
    “ See you tomorrow,” Sandy
said.
    “ Tomorrow?” Aden raised
his eyebrows.
    Sandy blushed and nodded. He gave her a
light kiss and went back to dinner. Seth walked her to her car.
    “ Get some rest,” Seth
ordered.
    Sandy sat down in the driver’s seat and
could barely keep her eyes open. Seth helped her into Aden’s Saab
and drove her to the hotel. He helped her upstairs, and the
girlfriends helped Sandy into bed. She slept through the night.
    ~~~~~~~~
    Thursday morning — 6:05 a.m.
     
    “ Good morning,” Yvonne
said.
    She opened the blinds in Jabari’s room. The
morning was still dark, but she thought it would be nice for him to
look out. When she looked at the bed, Jabari was watching her.
    “ Good morning,” Yvonne
repeated. She gave him a “what do you say” look.
    “ Good morning,” Jabari
said.
    He sat up in bed. Yvonne sat down on the bed
next to him. He was acting so strangely that she felt his forehead
to make sure he hadn’t relapsed. He didn’t move. Usually such a
bright child, this made Yvonne scowl.
    “ Are you feeling okay?”
Yvonne asked.
    “ I’m being a good boy.”
Jabari nodded.
    “ By whose standards?”
Yvonne