Book I: The Others - Chapter 8 - An Ending (Part 3)

After five weeks of pretty constant physical therapy, Catherine was finally beginning to recover from her injuries. She could stand with only a little dizziness. Walking was still a problem, but she was steadily improving. Her emotional health, however, was a different story.

At first her emotions ran wild. Seemingly without warning she would jump from deep depression to blinding rage to whole-body sobs and back again all in the span of minutes. But as time progressed, she began to level out to a general sadness as she mourned the loss of her husband for the second time with fewer and fewer “fits”, as she had come to call them.

Mac was sitting with her and Jesse as he had come to do almost every afternoon since the incident. They were gathered around Catherine’s bed, deep into a game of Monopoly.

“Okay, Mac it’s your turn.” Jesse was very happy with the way things were going with the game ... and with Mac and her mother. Mac was about to land on Boardwalk that also happened to be covered by her hotel. She would only give one of the dice a little mental nudge to make sure it hit on the right number. Some might have looked at this as cheating, but since the ‘pull my finger’ incident with Mac, she felt she owed him one. Of course her mother had no idea what was going on.

Mac rolled, she nudged, and the dice landed ... but to her surprise, instead of putting him on Boardwalk the total allowed him a free ride through to land on one of the purple properties. She looked at him and saw a sly grin on his face and his usual mischievous sparkle in his eyes. And to top if off, as the banker, she had to give him his $200 for passing GO.

He whispered just loud enough for Jesse to hear. “Always remember ... there are two dice ...”
“What was that, Mac?” Catherine picked up the dice to take her turn.

“Oh nothing,” replied Mac. “I’m just glad I didn’t land inside Jesse’s little empire.” He tousled the girl’s hair.

While Catherine rolled the dice and moved her piece, Mac spoke without taking his gaze from the game board.

“Hello, Bob. Welcome to our little example of cut-throat capitalism.”

Startled, both Catherine and Jesse looked behind were Mac sat to see Bob Danann enter the bedroom. He was dressed more casually then normal in a short-sleeved polo shirt and slacks.

“I hope I’m not interrupting. I just wanted to come down and talk with Catherine for a little while.” Bob gave Mac a meaningful look.

Mac spoke up, “Hey Jesse, why don’t we put this game aside for a while, go up to the garden, and let Bob and your mom talk.”

Jesse looked at her mother, who although puzzled, nodded her ascent.

Jesse held her hand out and they both left the room hand-in-hand.

Bob very carefully moved the rolling table that held the game board aside and pulled up a chair.

More than a little impatient, Catherine spoke first. “So what brings you down here to interrupt a fine afternoon with my daughter ... and Mac.”

“Well, Catherine, I know you prefer straightforward conversation, so I’ll come right to the point ... I’m here to discuss your options.”

Chapt. 9 - Stirrings