~ The Long Way Home ~
by Katia N. Ruiz


Disclaimers

Violence.
Only a teeny bit, this is a romance.

Angst. LOTS AND LOTS OF IT, SO BE AWARE! I think there's a lot of crying in the story, mainly because I was crying a LOT when I wrote it, so… beware!

Love/Sex. Yes, between two women, and a man and a woman.

Age. If you're underage, and it is illegal where you are to read this type of story, then close this page. J. Thank you.


The Long Way Home
(Billie and Jewl)
{Part X}
By Katia N. Ruiz
Copyright 2002-present


PART ONE:

Jewl

Chapter Eleven

Jewl couldn't stop laughing. Joseph's attempt at growing a goatee was adorable, and simultaneously very funny. He was cursing in a low voice, trailing off as he heard her laughing. He emerged from the bathroom with the shaver clutched in his hand, attempting to look irate. The laugh in his eyes only made Jewl laugh more. His attempt at looking manlier, less sweet, was only making him look even younger. The hair on his chin was nothing more than just peach fuzz.

"What's so funny?" Joseph demanded, still trying not to laugh. He crossed his arms, trying to scowl.

Jewl was on the bed, her hands holding her stomach. She hadn't laughed so hard in a long time. She calmed down after a few minutes, with the risk of beginning to hysterically laugh again. "Well, you've been trying to grow that goatee for days," she giggled. "And it hasn't been working."

Joseph straightened his back, pressing one fist onto his waist, and sweeping the other theatrically. "Working!" He boomed. "She says it's not working!" He leaped on her, tickling her. "I'll show you not working!" The joy he felt at making her laugh egged him to keep trying.



"I want to try to get my job back at the school." Jewl said as they ate breakfast a few days later.

Joseph looked up from his bowl of captain crunch, beaming a smile at her. "That's great!" He said, happy that her eagerness to move on included going back to work. Not that he minded if she didn't. "But you know you don't have to work if you don't want to. Don't feel like you have to." He assured her.

She smiled softly at him, grateful for his understanding. "I know, but I want to. Keeps me out of the house, you know?" She said, taking a sip of her tea. She looked around the house.

They were in their new home near the center of Illuminations. They'd been living there for almost three months, and had already begun to put their presence into it. She and Joseph had bought it two weeks after their return from their honeymoon, after she had quickly sold the house to Silas Downey, Bobby Downey's much sweeter brother, and his wife. This house had been old and dilapidated, but Jewl had fallen in love with it, and Joseph wanted to make her happy. He had to admit the house had grown on him too. Its rustic charm and warmth added to the happiness he already felt at having Jewl at his side.

They hadn't invited anyone over to the house yet, except for Lorna, but they would as soon as they were finished with fixing up the house. Joseph was in the process of hiring the local contractor, Tony Mantis, for the job. They were throwing prices back and forth and basically being males. Jewl tried to stay out of it, so that she wouldn't get aggravated at both of them.



Days later, when it seemed that they would go on like this forever, though, Jewl finally had to put her foot down. "Joseph, Tony," She cut them off one day as they revved up for more price throwing. She had been feeling cranky for no reason; she wasn't even close to getting her period. She had been getting headaches and an occasional bout of nausea. And the hunger; oh God, the hunger. She was hungry now, as a matter of fact. "Agree on it or I'll find somebody myself! Even if I have to go out of town to do it." She was banging around the living room, where the two men were seated, obsessively wiping at the surfaces of the tabletops and furniture.

Joseph and Tony looked up at her in surprise. Joseph smiled tentatively up at her. "Jewl, are you alright, honey?" He asked, looking at Tony, who shrugged, as baffled as he was.

"I just want the work to get started on the house, Jo." She said, tense. "I'm tired of worrying if a step is going to cave in the next time we step on it. Have you heard their god awful creaking every time we step on them?" She turned to Joseph, a pleading look in her eyes.

He couldn't resist; he loved her so much, and he didn't want her mad at him for any reason. Tony watched as Jewl left the room, and noticed how Joseph seemed to melt when he looked at his wife. This guy is hooked, line and sinker! He thought with a shake of his head. When Joseph turned back to him, he saw that he was willing to accept whatever price he gave him. With a weary sigh, he decided he wouldn't charge too much. Joseph was too good of a guy to mess with him. "Alright, this is my final offer." He scribbled it down on his notebook and handed it to Joseph, pointing a finger at him. "Mind you, this is a big job."

Joseph looked down and smiled. "I like it. I'll give you a little extra." He said, grinning. "When can you start?"

"In two weeks. Is that alright?" Tony asked, taking his notebook back.

Joseph leaned forward, extending his hand. "Perfect."

They shook on it.



Jewl was sitting at the kitchen table, her knees pressed to her chest, her arms wrapped around them. She was staring out the window, but looked up when Joseph walked in. "Tony left." He said quietly, walking tentatively towards the table. "We agreed on a price, and signed on it."

Jewl nodded, and smiled apologetically. "Sorry I snapped at you before." She said, and reached for his hand.

Joseph sighed with relief and squeezed her hand gently, smiling at her forgivingly. He studied her for a long moment. "What's going on?" He asked, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"I don't know." She said in a low voice. "I've been feeling nauseous and cranky." She continued, honestly.

Joseph frowned worriedly. "Maybe we should go see Terrence tomorrow." He said.

"Okay." She agreed.

Chapter Twelve



Terrence came in after having left them alone for a long while. He had a file in his grasp, and he looked like he was in shock. His eyes were wide and he wouldn't look at them. He sat down behind his desk, and finally brought his eyes up to gaze at them in wonder. He opened the file and read the first page again, now and then lifting his eyes to Jewl.

"What's wrong?" Joseph asked for both of them, his heart beating up into his throat. "Is her liver still acting up?" Jewl's liver had taken a hit when she had overdosed on the pills. Over the months since then, she had been taking pills to regulate her liver's performance. They had thought they were beyond that, but now the possibility that it wasn't so daunted them.

Terrence shook his head and still stared at them, alternating between Joseph, Jewl and the file. They breathed a sigh of relief, but Joseph finally lost his patience, exclaiming: "Then what is it, brother?"

"I don't know what to think of this, but," he finally said, looking at Jewl with wide eyes. "You're pregnant." The last came out in a whisper, and he stared at her in wonder. "Eight weeks to be exact."

Joseph's jaw dropped, his back straightened. He heard Jewl gasp beside him, looked at her to find her staring at Terrence with shocked eyes. The joy that came over him was almost immediate, and he could see the smile slowly come to Jewl's face, reaching her eyes. She turned to him and opened her arms, a laugh escaping her. Her laugh was the most joyful sound he had ever heard in his life.

He got down on his knees and went into her arms, wrapping his own around her waist and pulling her to him. He pressed his face against her chest, feeling the tears gathering and spilling down his cheeks and wetting her shirt. He could feel her shaking too, and heard her sobbing softly. Far away, he heard the door close, and he held her for a long time. Neither said a word, as they each mentally assimilated the information their emotions had so readily accepted.

Finally, Jewl spoke. "Pregnant," she whispered. "I'm pregnant. We're having a baby." She stayed silent for a long time, stroking Joseph's hair. "But, how? We've been using protection." She didn't know much about sex with men. The only sexual experience she had before Joseph, had been with Billie and Billie had not been that experienced, or a man, either.

"I guess we're that one percent, honey." Joseph said, sitting back on his haunches. He took Jewl's hands in his and rested his hands on her lap. He gazed up at her with a smile on his face. "I'm so happy." He whispered, tears filling his eyes again.



Margo returned to the agency after lunch with a confused look on her face. She dropped her purse on her desk and moved to the little room at the back of the establishment, shopping bag in one hand. "Hi, Billie." She said distractedly, walking past Billie's desk.

Billie frowned, wondering what had Margo so quiet. "Hey, Margo." She said, shrugging and returning her attention to the computer.

Margo breezed back into the office. "You would not guess what I just heard around town." She said, settling down at her desk.

"What?" Billie murmured distractedly.

"Mind you, I'd be surprised if it's true. That woman is as gay as they come, but…" Margo trailed off, looking off into space.

"What is it?" Billie was loosing patience.

"Jewl Roths- Marquee is pregnant." Margo said.

"That's a lie." Billie said immediately, disbelief in her eyes. She couldn't believe that Jewl would actually sleep with Joseph.

Margo finally looked at Billie. "Word is that Joseph is running around town handing out cigars, practically dancing down the streets." She replied. She logged into her computer and pulled out files from her desk drawers.

"It's not true." Billie's voice lowered.

"Whatever makes you feel better." Margo shrugged, not saying anything more.

Billie stared at nothing in a confusion of emotions until the phone snapped her out of it. She reached for it. It was Johanna. "Hi, baby." Billie greeted.

"Hi, honey." Johanna replied, noticing that Billie sounded disturbed. It only meant that Billie knew about Joseph and Jewl too. "How are you?"

Billie hesitated, but then opted for honesty. "I don't know," She Whispered. "Upset, confused…"

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Johanna asked, her voice thick.

"I think so." Billie said. She knew that Johanna had wanted a baby for a longtime. Sometimes, Johanna brought home magazines on motherhood and she would stare at the pictures of babies for a long time. The sadness in her eyes always upset Billie, because she knew that she couldn't help Johanna become pregnant. When a co-worker at the real estate had gotten pregnant, Johanna had been depressed for a full two months.

"I wanted to see if you knew already." Johanna finally said.

Billie tried to lighten the mood. "Well, you know that if you poop in this town, everyone will know what color it is hours later." She watched Margo wrinkle her nose and suppress a laugh.

"You're so nasty!" Johanna laughed. "Can you get away? I don't have any more appointments today."

The suggestive tone of Johanna's voice perked Billie's ears and she smiled mischievously. She stole a look over at Margo, who was now on the phone. "I can get away." She said.



Long after they'd finished making love, Johanna could still feel her heart beating erratically. Billie, lying on her side, rested her head on Johanna's stomach, listening to her heartbeat. Sensing something wrong, Billie lifted her head and gazed up at Johanna, who was gazing blankly towards the ceiling. "Jo," she whispered, and Johanna looked down at Billie. "What's wrong, baby?"

Johanna swallowed hard. "Nothing," She finally said, her voice thick.

Billie lifted herself up onto her elbow, half lying on top of Johanna. She caressed Johanna's cheek gently, looking at her for a long time. Johanna's eyes were closed, and Billie could tell that she was trying not to cry. "Is this about the baby?" She whispered, aching for her lover's obvious pain.

Johanna nodded, finally opening tear filled eyes and meeting Billie's. "My internal clock is ticking. I want a baby so badly," She whispered brokenly. "Somebody to call ours."

Billie felt tears filling her eyes too. "I wish I could give you that," She whispered.

Johanna wound her hands into the back of Billie's hair, twining her fingers through the silky strands. She pulled Billie down for a deep kiss, begging Billie with her lips to love her. Billie responded, and each woman gave of herself in a desperate bid to forget what they both wanted most.



Joseph went to see Johanna the next day at her office, all smiles and gushes of happiness. He gave everyone at the real estate a cigar. Johanna looked at the cigar in her hand, smiling. "You're not supposed to give cigars until the baby is born, Joseph." She advised.

"Oh," he frowned slightly, looking down at the box of cigars in his hands. He then met her eyes, and she could see he was full of joy. "I just couldn't contain myself. I've never been a father."

"I know, honey." She leaned forward and patted his hand. "You'll just have to give more cigars out when the baby gets here."

He laughed delightedly and really looked at her. He could see that something was bothering her, and that she was trying hard not to show it. "You don't look so happy." He said, leaning towards her.

"I've just been thinking that," she began, sighing. Pausing, she opted for honesty. "My clock is ticking."

Joseph's eyes widened. "You want a baby, don't you?" He whispered. She didn't have to answer him; the realization hit him full in the face. "Oh, god, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have-"

She cut him off. "Don't be silly, Joseph. You have every right to dance around town like this is some sort of Julie Andrews movie." She joked, smiling at him reassuringly.

Relieved, he laughed softly and leaned towards her, his big arms inviting. She slipped into his big arms, returning a tight hug of her own. "I love you, Jo." He said gently into her ear.

"And I love you, Jo." She returned, meaning it. "Congratulations."

Chapter Thirteen



On a Wednesday morning a month later, Jewl sat in front of her old boss.

Principal Mary Ann Tweed had been principal when Jewl was a student at Illuminations High School. She hadn't changed much in the eleven years since Jewl graduated, nor had she aged much either. Her hair was maybe a little grayer, but it was coiffed in that eternal bun at the back of her head. When Jewl had left the job three years before, she had tried to convince her not to go. She had even left the position open for many months, hoping that Jewl would rethink her decision and return.

She studied her old student intently. Jewl hadn't said a thing, but Mary Ann could tell that the young woman was pregnant. Adding to that the fact that the news had traveled around town faster than a speeding bullet. She also knew that Jewl was married to the richest man in possibly the whole country. When Joseph Marquee's father, John, passed, he had left his wife and son many thriving businesses and enough money to buy fifty islands. Jewl really didn't need the job, but Mary Ann knew she'd give it to her anyway. The position had been open for a few months since the last man to hold Jewl's old position left to care for his mother. There had been no applicants, and Mary Ann was glad Jewl had applied, because she had missed seeing her outside her office.

"Jewl," Principal Tweed said, looking down at her desk and then back up at the young woman across from her. Jewl had been great at her job, and she was glad to have her back. "I'm glad to see you're ok. The last time you were here you weren't in the best condition and I'm so glad to see you're fine now. How is that sweet husband of yours?"

Jewl smiled at Mary Ann. Joseph had always been a favorite of hers when they had been students at the high school. "He's doing great," She said. "Very happy."

"I can imagine." Mary Ann said, gesturing with her chin at Jewl's increasingly protruding stomach; its pointy shape gave away Jewl's status. "This being his first son and all. Congratulations." It was folklore amongst the older women of Illuminations that when the stomach was shaped rounder, that the baby was a girl. Being that Jewl Marquee's stomach was more on the pointy side, it was a bet amongst many friends that this baby would be a boy. They were more often right than not.

The young woman blushed. "We don't know if it's a boy or a girl yet, and thank you." She clarified shyly.

"Yes, but I can tell." She said, and smiled enigmatically at the confused young woman. "Now, about the business at hand." She straightened. "Why do you want to work? I mean, you're more than well off now, you don't need to work."

Jewl nodded, knowing the truth of her words. "Yes, I know, but I want to work." She explained. "I don't want to stay home and do nothing all the time. I liked this job."

"So why did u leave?" She asked, genuinely curious. She knew there had been a depression, and that almost a year before, Jewl had tried to commit suicide.

Jewl looked down at her lap. "It was a personal matter, it won't affect me again, I promise." Jewl assured her quickly, leaning forward a little. "So how about it? Do I get my job back?"



That night, Joseph returned home with a distracted look on his face. He found Jewl in the kitchen, sitting at the table filling out a crossword puzzle. He smiled softly at the peaceful sight; her small hand was resting on her bared swelling stomach, the short nails raking the skin rhythmically. He went to her and kissed her on the side of her head, moving off towards the refrigerator, leaving her to her puzzle.

But she looked up at him, sensing his distraction. "Hi," She said, putting her pen down and closing the crossword puzzle book.

He looked at her and smiled. "Hi." He said, pulling out the carton of milk and bringing the box of Corn Pops over to the table. He pulled out a bowl and a spoon, sitting down at the table with Jewl.

"Don't you want something else?" She asked, moving to stand. "I can make something."

"Don't move." He said good-naturedly, pointing his spoon at her in a bossy gesture. "You know I like my cereal for dinner sometimes. Plus, I don't want you to work more than you have to." He poured the cereal on the bowl and added the milk, beginning to eat. "How did it go with Principal Tweed?"

Jewl settled back down on her chair, lifting her legs and tucking them under her. She grinned. "I start Monday." She said, reaching for the cereal box and eating from the box.

Joseph beamed, reaching over with his free hand and squeezing hers. "Congratulations!" He exclaimed. "Hadn't she filled out the spot?"

Jewl nodded, squeezing his hand back. "Yes, but the man who took over after I left had to leave Illuminations to go back home because his mother became ill. So the position's been open for the past couple of months." She explained. "She said it's about time that I returned."

"That's great, honey." He said, returning to his cereal.

Jewl watched for a while and saw the distracted look return to his face. "Now, why don't you tell me what's wrong?" She said gently.

He smiled at her. "Nothing. I've just been thinking about business." He lied. For weeks, since he'd gone to Johanna's real estate to give her a cigar, he'd been thinking of the palpable sadness she'd been feeling. He could see she wanted a baby. They'd met and had lunch a couple of times over the weeks, and by what she'd said, Billie wanted a baby just as badly. Of course Billie, in her usual Billie way, didn't show it. She talked about it with Johanna, but the emotions were not showing much any more. As if she'd shut down after her initial tears and sadness.

When Joseph last saw her, only a few days before, Johanna seemed resigned. Billie and Johanna don't know their options. The thought hit him right between the eyes, and his eyes widened. I can help them. He stared down at his bowl, unaware that Jewl had been staring at him all the time. Suddenly, he made a decision.



Billie held Johanna gently, kissing the back of her head tenderly. Johanna leaned back against Billie, her arms pressed over Billie's. It was a cool night, but they'd been standing on the front porch for a long time, simply holding each other and looking up at the stars. The night was quiet and beautiful, and even Mrs. Picket was sitting outside on her own porch with an afghan wrapped around her stooped shoulders. After their initial greetings, she had left them to their own musings, and sat on her rocker staring wistfully at the perfect night sky.

Johanna felt Billie press her face against her neck and breathe deeply. Looking up with tear-blurred eyes, she caught sight of a shooting star. Without hesitating, she made a wish, already knowing what she wanted. She spun in Billie's arms and placed a gentle kiss on her lips, her hands brushing through her hair. Their eyes met in the dim light and each woman saw the pain they shared reflected.



Chapter Fourteen



Joseph went to see Johanna at the real estate again. This time, he was in a more somber and anxious mood, hoping that his idea would be accepted well. He invited her to lunch and she accepted. They went to Rosenbloom's, where Joseph asked Mike for a private table. Mike noticed his clients' somber mood and gladly complied to Joseph's request, leaving two menus with them. It wasn't lost on Johanna the anxiousness Joseph was showing; he wouldn't meet her eyes. "What is it, Joseph?" She asked, reaching across the table and taking his hand in hers. "Everything alright with Jewl?"

Joseph finally looked up and nodded, looking into her eyes. "I have an offer to make you." He said, deciding not to hesitate.

Johanna smiled slowly and teased: "Are you propositioning me, Joseph Marquee?"

Joseph laughed, feeling himself relax. He squeezed his friend's hand and held it. "Not that kind of offer."

The expression on Johanna's face transformed from laughter to curiosity. "Oh? Then what kind of offer." She inquired.

"Let's order first, shall we?" Joseph said nervously and they reached for their menus. Mike took their orders and promptly left them to bring their drinks.



Johanna picked from her favorite Rosenbloom recipe, Veal Parmesan. The truth was that the curiosity was killing her and Joseph was holding out. They talked about their respective spouses and Joseph expressed his happiness over his upcoming first child. "Which brings me to what I wanted to talk to you about," He started.

She cocked her head to the side and looked at him questioningly.

Taking a deep breath, Joseph reached for her hand. She accepted it and waited for him to continue. She could see he was nervous and wondered what he was trying to say and was unable to. Finally, he blurted out: "I want to help you and Billie have a baby." He seemed as surprised as she was at his outburst.

Speechless, she sat back and stared at him open-mouthed. Finally, after a long moment, she managed: "What?"

"I know how bad you want a baby, Jo." He explained. "You've told me yourself that Billie feels the same way. You both have me and I'm willing to help you." He held up his hand to keep her from talking and smiled gently at her. "Billie and I are so fair, you know that. I know you'd want your baby to look just like her…" Joseph didn't even need to finish before he knew that Johanna was a willing participant. The look in her eyes was full of hope. "We don't even have to say a word to Billie." He shrugged. "Just sort of… surprise her."

Johanna blinked. "How-" She croaked, disgusted with the thought of having to sleep with a man, even if he were the very handsome Joseph. Her upper lip curled.

Reading Johanna's expression, Joseph had to laugh. "We don't have to have sex, Jo." He explained as if to a child. "All I have to do is deposit some in a cup for you and you squirt it into yourself."

Johanna felt her gagging reflexes take over her throat muscles, and she fought the nausea threatening to make her literally spill her guts. "How could I squirt it into me?" The sacrifice one has to make just have what one wants. She thought with an inward sigh.

Joseph shrugged. "My guess is a turkey baster or a syringe."

Johanna thought about the turkey baster they had in the kitchen. "So why don't you want to tell Billie?" She asked, thinking of how handsome he really was. A square dimpled jaw adorned a sweet face with love for everyone. Reddish wavy hair was unruly like Billie's and his eyes were a bright blue color. He was tall and muscled, his upper body covered with a soft wool sweater. Dark blue slacks fit him perfectly, tailor-made to accommodate his height as well as considerable leg muscles. He would make a beautiful baby and Johanna knew it.

He answered her question with a gentle smile. "I want to surprise her. If it doesn't work, then at least she won't know."

"Do you eventually want her to know it was you?" Johanna returned his smile.

He nodded, sitting back in his chair and crossing a leg over his knee. "Of course I do." He said, and sensed something else bothering her. "What is it?" He inquired gently.

"What about rights?" She voiced her worry.

"Nothing more than an uncle, Johanna. You can trust me on that." He said sincerely, and she could hear the truth in his words.

"Will you tell Jewl?"

Joseph nodded. "When the time comes." He said gently.

Swallowing hard, she nodded. "When?"

He grinned. "Now, if you like."

She grinned back, and after a long moment, nodded. "My house or your house?" She asked teasingly.

With a laugh, he reached into his pants pockets and withdrew a large bill, placing it on the table and standing. "Why does that sound like a proposition?"

????

Jewl sat on their porch waiting for Lorna, who was going to pick her up to take her to the shopping center. She enjoyed the crisp sunny weather, her hand caressing her increasingly taut stomach. She was entering her fifth month and clothes were tight. She and Lorna had agreed to go shopping for maternity clothes for her return to work on Monday and stuff for the baby. Since Joseph and Jewl had decided to never find out what the gender of their child would be, she would choose neutral colors for some of the baby's clothing.

Joseph had hired Tony Mantis to fix and paint the room next to theirs, turning it into an ocean colored nursery. Joseph was so happy that almost every day he brought something home for the baby. By the time this baby came, Jewl was sure he or she would outgrow three quarters of what both parents had bought it.

Lorna had taken her upcoming grand-motherhood with ease and happiness. She first found out about the pregnancy when Joseph had run into her house, with Jewl in tow, screaming at the top of his lungs that he was going to be a daddy. After that, he had left Jewl there and proceeded to run about town handing out cigars and ecstatically spreading the news.



Lorna sat Jewl down and hugged her with all the strength she had in her. Then she leaned back and just stared at Jewl. "How?" She had asked simply, and Jewl's eyes seemed permanently attached to her lap. "I mean, I know how, but I thought…" She proceeded to stare at her just as Terrence had stared at her almost an hour before.

"I… Joseph's such a good man. I… I couldn't give him half a marriage, could I?" Jewl whispered honestly, finally looking up at her. "I- He was so sweet, so gentle with me; he didn't pressure me. He didn't want anything from me," She met her mother-in-law's eyes. "But he had so much to offer."

Lorna searched Jewl's eyes for a long moment and nodded. "You don't have to say anything more, child," She said gently, reaching over and squeezing Jewl's hand.



Jewl came back to the present as a gray Mercedes pulled up. She stood up from the chair and made her way down the steps to join her mother-in-law in her car. After a greeting kiss on the cheek, Lorna pulled away and drove down the quiet street. "Where's my son?" Lorna asked.

"He left to go to the office." Jewl replied, opening the window and taking a deep breath of fresh air. The smell of the air freshener in the car was making her nauseous. She breathed deeply of the clean air.

Glancing over at Jewl, Lorna noticed her gag slightly before opening the window. "Are you alright?" She asked, concerned.

Jewl nodded, looking a little green. "Just a little nauseous." She whispered, taking another deep breath, hoping to settle her stomach. "I hope it passes soon."

Lorna smiled sympathetically. "It's normal, though not everyone experiences the same things while they're pregnant." She assured. "For instance, when I was pregnant, I couldn't stand my dear departed husband's cologne. He was sympathetic to the cause, but his body already naturally smelled of it. So I could hardly stand his presence for almost nine months." She chuckled softly. "John was so patient, though, that I can hardly believe he never went with any of his many admirers; and he had many a chance. The ladies loved him; I was the envy of Illuminations' women."

Jewl chuckled at the memory of the sweet man who had died when she had been fifteen. He was the man she wished her father had been, and she was hardly surprised Joseph had turned out to be just like him; he raised his son well. "Joseph's cologne doesn't bother me at all, but I have these crazy cravings." Jewl said. "Like the other day, I ate a pickle sundae," She grimaced at the thought of it and then laughed heartily. "But it tasted so damn good!"

Despite how disgusting a pickle sundae sounded, Lorna had to laugh. "I remember one time I had the unbelievably disgusting craving of an onion and banana salad." Jewl gagged in between her laughter at the image of onions and bananas mixed together. "So, pickles and ice cream are not too bad, dear. It's only temporary."

Jewl laughed again. "I really hope so." She replied.



Continued in part XI

Part 1: Johanna and Joseph will come in part 11.


Katia N. Ruiz



The Athenaeum's Scroll Archive