The early morning following the party at her in-laws, Patricia sat on her front porch watching the sun come up as she sipped from her mug.  Coffee was probably the last thing she needed this morning awaiting her doctor’s appointment.  Chance was still upstairs in the shower.  Neither of them had slept, though nervousness was not the cause of that.  It had been a perfect evening and a very enjoyable overnight but now the worry was beginning to set in.  The theoretical had become reality and as she tapped her foot anxiously, she focused hard to settle herself.

Henry and Edra were happy to take Keiran for a couple of days before shore leave ended and he always enjoyed his time with the cous….actually his aunts and uncles.  The age range always made that hard to remember.  The tree in the front yard seemed to bristle, its branches subtly shaking though there was no wind.  Patricia eyed the tree, knowing what it was doing but today it would not work.  Today she was going to be positive and look forward instead of always looking over her shoulder.  As she stood to go inside and get dressed, the branches bristled again.

“Not today, old woman, not today,” she murmured as she walked inside, closing the door behind her.