3 Thank God it's Monday Read Free

“Your mom’s crying? What
happened?”
    Jake looked at Macy, her eyes bright and concerned.
    “Mom? Are you alright?” She came over and Clarissa moved
toward her mother. Macy hugged Hallie’s leg.
    “Yeah, honey, Mommy’s alright,” he managed.
    She looked up at Jake, her mouth set in a frown of concern.
    “She didn’t shoot someone else, did she?” she asked.
    Children can say some of the most hurtful remarks with such
innocence. The truth can be devastating and children, for the most part, deal
in truth. Things are so simple when seen through the eyes of a child and an innocent
question like Macy’s could illicit a smile or a tear. Or both.
    Jake sighed with relief as Hallie pulled Macy closer and
smiled down at her.
    “No, sport. Mommy has not shot anyone yet. Mommy would only
ever shoot someone to protect you or your daddy.”
    Macy blinked hard and looked confused.
    “Why would anyone want to hurt Daddy? He’s cool.”
    Jake smiled and ruffled Macy’s hair. With his other hand he
stroked Hallie’s back. He was proud of her.
    Hallie looked up at him with amusement.
    “You’d be surprised. Lots of people want daddy.”
    Macy’s eyes widened with disbelief.
    “Really?” She looked to him for confirmation. He shrugged.
    “Nah. Your Mom just wants me to feel loved too,” he
explained.
    She shrugged too.
    “Well, I love you, Daddy.”
    “I love you, too, kiddo.” He could not help smiling.
    “Mommy, can we go get ice cream?” Clarissa begged her
mother, tugging at her shorts.
    Sarah looked at Hallie with a knowing grin.
    “Your Aunt Hallie loves ice cream, do you mind if they come,
too?”
    Clarissa jumped up and down, her arms extended.
    “Yes!  I can show Macy the playgrounds!  Can I Mommy?”
    “Sure,” she said. “You girls go get in the van. Aunt Hallie
and I will be along in a minute.”
    Macy extracted herself from them and took Clarissa’s hand
and they rushed outside like a twister.
    Hallie gathered herself, wiping the tears and the snot from
her face.
    “Thanks, hon,” she said to Jake.
    Sarah was standing with her hands on her hips.
    “Are we set, then? Macy stays with me until you two can get
your lives straight?”
    Hallie looked at him. Then, she looked back to her sister
with pleading eyes.
    “We don’t want to leave her, but we need to think about her
safety. I cannot keep my promise to myself if she is in harm’s way.”
    Jake understood her reluctance to take another life. It was
something that took its toll on your soul.
    “I want to do this, sis. I love Macy, too. How could
someone not love her?” Sarah pleaded.
    Hallie smiled.
    “Yeah. She has that effect on people.”
    They hugged for a minute and it was settled. Jake could not
help but feel grateful that a weight was taken from his shoulders. In its place
was a dull pain that foretold that he would miss Macy in her absence. He
preferred that feeling to the fear that he could lose her.
    Now if only there was something he could do to protect
Hallie.

Chapter 3

Tender is the Night
    G iselle opened her eyes. She was in a bright room with dark
windows. She looked down at herself. A white sheet hung loosely over her naked
body. She fought a panic that rose in her chest at her unusual surroundings. A
low groan began to escape from her chest. She realized she was going to scream.
    “Help!” she cried.
    Her arms were strapped into the chair she was in. She could
feel a strap around her breasts, and ones around her ankles and wrists. She was
immobilized except for her neck.
    She turned her head to see the room more clearly. A table,
more chairs. Several bottles that looked like medicine. Several of these
bottles had labels, but she could not read them. The windows were dark because
it was night outside. She could see the lights from other buildings nearby.
    Where am I? She wondered.
    Her head throbbed and she had a metallic taste in her mouth.
She was thirsty and the taste almost drove her mad. The thought of