Prologue:

 

            "Bye Linds, we’ll be back in a few months," Bob said out the car window to his best friend Lindsay Grahm.

            "Have fun, good luck," Lindsay said, leaning on the door.  Bob smiled, and heard his dad coming out of the house.

            "Hey Lindsay, we’re ready to go.  Do you want a ride?  We're going that way," Frank said.

            "You guys look crowded enough without me," she declined standing up.

            "Nonsense, you can sit on Bob's lab," he directed.

            "Um,"

            "Get in," he said opening the door.  Lindsay go in, and sat on Bob's lap.  Bob shut the door and his dad got in the car.  "Everyone comfy?"

            "Bob is," Dave said on the passenger side, in the back.  Frank Moffatt started the engine and pulled out of the driveway.

            "Turn on the radio," Clint said between Dave and Bob.  Scott in the front turned on the radio and sat back.  Lindsay watched out the window, her eyes continuing to watch Scott.      

            "So how are you Lindsay?" Dave asked suddenly.  Lindsay's attention was torn from gazing at Scott.  "Are you comfortable?"

            "I'm fine," she said blushing furiously.

            "Here we are," Frank announced pulling into the Grahm driveway.

            "Thank you," Lindsay said, quickly getting out of the car.

            "Tell you dad I said hi," Frank said.

            "And tell Debbie I said hi," Dave said with a wishful sigh.

            "All right, bye," she said ignoring Dave. They left and Lindsay went into her family’s three-bedroom ranch house.

            "Hey honey," Debbie greeted Lindsay.  Lindsay waved and went to her room.  Lindsay was in her room when Tina and her little brother Tommy knocked on her window.

            "Hey come on, let’s go to the mall," Tina said after Lindsay opened the window.  Lindsay shrugged and hopped out the window.  At the mall Lindsay and Tommy were testing out super sized bouncy balls when Tina came running out of another store.

            Tina grabbed Tommy and Lindsay's hands and pulled them out of the toy store they were in.  Lindsay let go of the ball she was holding four stores down and heard security guards chasing them.  Out in the parking lot Tina lost the guards and the three of them ran to an abandoned shack a few blocks from Lindsay’s house.  Ducking inside Lindsay collapsed against a wall panting, trying to get her breath.

            "Look what I got," Tina said her eyes sparkling wildly as she let a pile of trinkets fall to the floor.  Lindsay looked at the pile of necklaces, earrings, rings, bracelets, hair clips, nail polishes and lip-glosses.  

"You stole this stuff?" Lindsay asked in shock.  "Was it worth it?"

            "Yeah," Tina said with pride.  "Isn’t it cool?"

"I guess, I'd better get home," Lindsay said getting up and leaving.  Climbing in her window she found her father and Debbie waiting for her.

 

 

Part 1

 

 

Chapter 1: a new beginning

           

            "Where have you been young lady?" Brad Grahm asked pulling Lindsay the rest of the way in her window.

            "i was out with some friends," she said sitting on her bed in anticipation of a long lecture.

            "You were with that Tina girl weren't you?" brad asked, ready to put his hands around Lindsay’s throat and strangle her.  "You snuck out of the house, didn't tell Debbie where you were, and on top of that your parole officer came over looking for you!"

            "And let me guess, you told him I ran away, right?"

            "What was i supposed to say?" Debbie pleaded, close to tears.  "That’s what it looked like."

            "Well for the record, running away means you take things with you because you're never coming back!"

            "Don’t yell at Debbie!  She’s not the one who screwed up!" brad yelled.

            "And I did, I’m just some screw-up you have to look after, right?  Well excuse me, I didn't ask to be born or have my mom leave when I was five!  I didn't ask to live with you!"

            "Alright out!" Sgt. William T. Baker yelled above the shouting.  Brad and Debbie obeyed immediately pulling the door shut behind them.  "Where were you?" Sgt. Baker asked in a friendlier voice.

            "I was out with some friends."

            "Who?"

            "Just friends."

            "Where?"

            "We went to the mall," Lindsay said waiting for him to challenge what she said.

            "Strange, not too long ago I heard there was a robbery at the mall.  You wouldn't happen to know anything about that would you?" Sgt. baker asked, his sharp blue-gray eyes seemed to see right through Lindsay.

            "The mall is a big place you know," Lindsay said, her sapphire blue eyes staring defiantly back at him.

            "Quite true, but it's not that big," Sgt. baker said tapping his index finger on his cell phone.  "We both know you were there, and chances are you saw what happened.  Save us both time and tell me who did steal the stuff from sears."

            "Claire’s," Lindsay said before she realized what she was saying.

            "So you were there.  Who was it?" he pressed.

            "You can save your breath," Lindsay said and that's all the response he could pry from her over his two-hour interrogation.

            "It’s not going to help you to protect whoever you're trying to protect," Sgt. baker said in a warning tone.  Lindsay waved as he left and picked up her stuffed Furskins bear.  Hugging 'Bee keeper Jones' she listened to the rain pouring down onto the roof.  The sudden rain that sprang up mirrored her mood, gray and mournful.  Around 8:30 p.m. Lindsay woke up in darkness and heard her dad, Debbie, and someone else in the kitchen talking.  Standing too quickly the blood rushed to her head and Lindsay sat down again.  Shaking her head to clear the fuzz she stood again, slower, and went out into the living room.  Sitting on the couch she stared blankly at the TV. Listening to the people in the kitchen, the third voice, Sgt. baker's.

            "...If she insists on protecting her friend there is nothing I can do.  The store manager described someone who looks exactly like Lindsay.  I know, and you know that she didn't do it, but they want her at the station tomorrow morning.  If the store manager id's her she could go to the correction facility.  I suggest you talk to her, try to find some way to make her understand," Sgt. baker told brad and Debbie.

            "We’ll try, but she doesn't listen to us.  Lindsay’s a good kid bill; I know she is.  She’s honest and caring, but since her mom left she's been distant.  It’s been nearly ten years and she still won't talk to Deb or me.  I just don't know what to do anymore," Brad said sadly.

            "What happened to her mom?"

            "We got a divorce.  Amy was 19, when she left.  I convinced her to sign Lindsay over to me, and she has no rights to see or speak to her.  I regret what I did, but that's what I did.  Amy made a name for herself in the writing world under the name, lady serenity, and owns a little bookshop.  Every year at holidays and Lindsay’s birthday, Amy sends a card or a small package, but Lindsay has never seen any.  They’re all hidden away....” Lindsay stopped listening and went back into her room so she couldn't hear any more of what was said.  Pacing in the small walk space of her room Lindsay went over what she heard.  no matter how hard she tried she could not get what her dad said out of her head.  His voice grew louder and louder, taunting her to no end, repeating 'I kept them hidden away.  You thought your mom abandoned you, but I made her leave!'  Tears made rivers down her cheeks and Lindsay’s head was pounding as images of her father pointing at her, laughing, floated around in her imagination.

            In desperation Lindsay flung open her window and ran out into the downpour.  The pounding rain drowned out the pounding in her head and as she walked the deserted streets things started to sort out.  For the first time in almost ten years Lindsay was able to think of her mother and cry.  Walking into the local park she sat on a bench with her knees to her chin and let out her anger, frustration, pain, and other mixed emotions in the form of tears.  Ten years worth of emotions flowed onto the saturated ground and washed away.  Early in the morning the rain let up and a chill wind started.  Shivering Lindsay stood up and began walking home, but ended up going to Tina’s house.  Throwing a pebble at the window she woke up Tina.

            "What’s going on?  Are you okay?" Tina asked seeing Lindsay standing under her window, shivering, and in sodden clothes.

            "I need to talk," Lindsay said quietly, the howling wind carrying it to Tina’s window, then away.

            "I’ll be right down," Tina promised, vanishing into the room, and reappearing at the kitchen door.  "Come inside, quick," Tina said holding the screen door open.

            "Sorry for bothering you.  I just didn't know who to go to.  Why did bob have to leave?" Lindsay said, more to herself than to Tina.

            "What’s going on?" Tina asked, concerned as Lindsay paced across the kitchen floor.

            "No one's ever around when you need them.  Why is life so unfair?"

            "Lindsay....  Yo earth to Lindsay," Tina said trying to get Lindsay’s attention.

            "Everything changes.  I just don't have to like it," Lindsay said as the dining room clock struck four.  Lindsay looked up, snapping out of her trance like state, "I’d better go," she said.  "Thanks for everything," she said and went to the door.  Tina shrugged and locked the door after Lindsay left.  In the early twilight Lindsay slowly walked home.  A car pulled up next to her and the driver rolled the window down.  Lindsay stopped and looked in the window.

            "Get in," Debbie said pushing open the door.  Lindsay got in and shut the door.  Debbie pulled away from the curb and drove the speed limit down the road.  Picking up her cell phone she dialed a few numbers then hung up.  "You know we have been looking for you.  Your father and bill are still looking for you.  Where have you been?"

            "If you're just going to lecture me, let me out now.  I don't feel like listening to this," Lindsay said shifting in the bucket seat.  Debbie kept quiet and concentrated on her driving.  The rancher was lit up brightly when they pulled in the driveway.

            "Lindsay Amanda Grahm, where in the name of the lord almighty have you been?" Brad asked basically pulling Lindsay from the car.  "Do you know how much trouble you have put yourself into?  How much trouble you have caused?" he asked guiding her into the house where Bill was waiting.  Nearly dry, Lindsay was forced to sit at the kitchen table with Debbie, Brad, and Bill.

            "Where have you been?" Bill asked starting the endless barrage of questions.  Lindsay sat quietly not answering any of their questions.  For hours they tried to get answers out of Lindsay but she didn't hear any of the questions, too absorbed in thought she couldn't listen.

            "Brad she's tired, wet, cold, and has to go to the courthouse in four hours.  Let her go," Debbie said gently laying her hand on his arm.  Bill nodded and dismissed Lindsay.  For three hours Lindsay slept, then was woken up by Debbie.  In the bathroom Lindsay splashed cold water on her face and ran steamy water for a shower.  After peeling off her, now dry, clothes, she stepped into the shower.  In the hot, steamy water she soaked the warmth into her cold bones and muscles.  After awhile she got out and dressed.

            "Hurry up," brad called from the kitchen.  Lindsay opened the bathroom door and went into her own room, sneezing.  Pulling on jeans, a gray fleece sweatshirt, a pair of rainbow colored toe socks, and a pair of blue sketchers.  Blow-drying her long blonde hair Lindsay put it up in a looped ponytail, with some strands of hair falling out.  With a dab of watermelon lip gloss, some blue eyeliner, black mascara, and glitter on her eyelids she was ready to go.  At the last minute she remembered her rings and took her three rings from a drawer.  On her right hand she had two, a skinny silver banded ring with a small moon on top holding a star with an emerald chip inside it on her index finger, and on her pinky was a simple silver ring that looked like a silver rope twisted into a circle.  On her left hand was a silver mood ring from the 60's on her index finger.  Lindsay also took two necklaces out, a silver butterfly pendent suspended by a skinny silver chain, and a choker made of hemp with green beads and a charm made of wood with a moon, star, and sun painted on it.  "We’re leaving," brad called just as Lindsay stepped out of her room.  Lindsay took her coat from the hall tree and followed Debbie to the blue escort her father drove.  Getting in the back Lindsay looked out the side window as she waited for her father to come out.  "Let’s hit the road," brad said starting the engine.  In half an hour the reached the courthouse and Lindsay met Sgt. Baker outside.

            Alone in a small room with Sgt. Baker and the DA, Alexandria Jones, Lindsay sat nervously.  Bill and Alex talked back and forth about Lindsay without her input.  The two stopped talking when someone knocked on the door.  Alex opened the door and took some papers in a folder from her secretary.  Coming back she sat down and shuffled through the papers.  A small smile spread on her face, and she closed the folder.

            "Lindsay I’m going to get straight to the point, were you at the mall yesterday?" Alex asked looking at Lindsay.

            "Yes," Lindsay said simply, not offering any information not specifically asked for.

            "Were you near the store, Claire’s when it was robbed?" Lindsay nodded.  "Did you see it being robbed?"

            "No," Lindsay said looking at Alex.

            "Do you know who did?" Lindsay nodded.  "Was it you?"  Lindsay shook her head 'no.'  "Who was it?"

            "Someone," Lindsay said playing with her mood ring, black, or anxious.  Alex looked at Bill and he turned to Lindsay.

            "The store manager has agreed not to press charges.  But running away is going to add time to your probation.  The DA, ms. Jones, has agreed that if you tell who you're protecting she'll go easier on you...Lindsay you could spend time in the correction facility if you don't."  Lindsay looked at bill, his eyes piercing and full of anticipation.  "Lindsay if you think you are protecting your friend, you're right, but there will be a time when she or he's in more than they can handle.  How will you feel if the next time your friend tries to steal something the store manager pulls a knife or a gun?  How will you feel knowing you could have saved your friend?  You can turn their life around."

            "Tina, Tina Smalls.  71 creek Ave." Lindsay said finally.

            `"Thank you," Alex said and handed Lindsay the folder she was holding.  Lindsay looked through the papers and looked at Alex curiously.

            "What’s this for?" Lindsay asked holding the folder up.

            "Your father, Debbie, Bill, and I have talked.  We think you would be better off in a different environment.  I got in touch with your mom, and she would love to have you come live with her.  You’re still going to be on probation for anther three months," Alex told Lindsay.  Lindsay looked through the folder at the papers, papers to leave the country, transfer parole officers, and so on.  Bill stood up and Alex did too.  Lindsay looked up at them and decided to stand also.  "Let’s go see your dad," Alex said opening the door and leaving the room.

            "Lindsay are you ready to go?" brad asked after talking to Alex and Bill for a while.  Lindsay nodded and walked out to the car.  "Lindsay are you alright?  We sprung thins on you suddenly, I know, but we all thought you'd be better off with your mom."

            "That’s fine, I want to know her anyway.  When do I leave?" Lindsay asked in anticipation.

            "Two days.  Debbie and I will drive you to the airport and your mom will pick you up in Vancouver."  Lindsay nodded and leaned back in the seat watching the road as they drove along it.  For the two days leading to her departure Lindsay could hardly eat or sleep.  On the day she left Lindsay fell asleep almost as soon as she sat down on the plane, but when the plane took off she woke up sweating.  The plane landed and everyone got off.  Lindsay found a group of people holding a sign with her name painted on it in large pink letters.  With lead feet she walked over to them and introduced herself.

 

 

Chapter 2: What to buy!

 

            "Hey Bob could you be more obvious?" Dave asked pulling Bob’s attention from looking out the window

            "What?" he asked looking at Dave.  "Obvious about what?” Dave smiled, a cruel smile, and rubbed his hands together.  Clint wished himself out of the middle, while Scott did a dance of joy in his head because he wasn’t in the middle.

            "Bob it's so obvious that you like Lindsay.  Why don’t you just admit to it, and tell her?" Dave asked.

            "You don’t know what you’re talking about," Bob told him defensively.  "I can’t tell her, she's my best friend."

            "And she has a thing for Scott,” Clint said out of nowhere.  Bob looked at Clint in disbelief, he told him that in confidence.  Dave smiled as if he had expected something similar to the news, and Scott sat in the front seat smiling, not daring to turn around.

            "We're here guys," Frank said breaking the silence and pulling into the airport parking lot.  Bob jumped out of the car as soon as it stopped and shut the door before Clint could get out.  Clint got out on Dave's side and everyone met at the trunk.  Frank opened the trunk and everyone took their suitcases, one each.

            "Bob, I didn't mean to say that.  I'm sorry," Clint said trying to keep up with the speed walking Bob.  "Come on Bob, you can't ignore me forever.  I said I was sorry."

            "That's not good enough, I trusted you with something I didn’t want told, and you told everyone.  How can I trust you anymore?" Bob asked.  Clint let Bob outdistance him and Dave put his arm around him pulling him along.

            "Don't worry about it, he just feels insecure.  Wouldn’t you if you were hopelessly in love with your best friend and she saw you only as a friend?  Especially if she liked your brother?  He’s gotta be afraid Scott will take her away from him,” Dave said trying to help Clint see it Bob’s way.  Clint Nodded realizing what he had done.

            "Now I feel really bad," Clint said with a sigh.

            "Don't, not until Scott moves in on Lindsay.  Then you had better move because Bob will kill you," Dave said comfortingly.

            "Thanks," Clint said miserably.  "You're such a friend."  Dave shrugged and they continued to follow their brother and father.  After customs they boarded the plane, Bob, Scott, and Clint in one section, Dave and Frank in the seats across the aisle.  "Hey what are you reading?" Clint asked Bob hoping to start a conversation.  Bob held up the magazine and Clint's face took on a sad look.

            "Bob you know I would never do anything to hurt you.  I know what Lindsay means to you.  I'm not going to take her away."  Scott said taking the magazine from Bob so he had to look up.  Bob looked at he seat and mumbled something.  "What?"

            "It doesn't matter, she doesn't like me like that."

            "Have you told her how you feel?"  Bob shook his head 'no.'  "Well there you go. Maybe Lindsay feels the same about you and is too afraid to tell you," Scott suggested.  Bob nodded considering the possibility of that being true.

            "Are you still mad at me?" Clint asked quietly.  Bob looked at Clint, sincerity on his face.

            "I guess not.  Besides you come up with the best presents to get Lindsay."  Clint smiled and settled back in his seat, content.  Bob took his magazine from Scott and settled into reading.  Scott settled into his own seat and fell asleep.  The taxi pulled into the Moffatt home in Vancouver and Sheila came out to greet them.  Scott, Clint, Dave, and Bob went into the house to ransack their rooms and went to the video store that afternoon.

            "What movie?" Dave asked holding up 'Amityville Horror' and 'Psycho,' the original.  Clint shrugged.  "All right, both," Dave said and a woman walked in the video store.  A long legged blonde in a black miniskirt and tight blue crushed velvet V-necked long sleeved sweater.  She stood about 5'5" with her platforms.  She had short blonde hair, permed, and big blue eyes.  Dave stared at her.  The woman smiled causing her face to light up and make her look even more beautiful.

            "Hi," she said in a melodious voice that sent shivers down Dave's spine.  Dave moved his lips but nothing came out and the woman’s smile widened, revealing pure white teeth.

            "Dave come on," Scott called from the counter where he, Clint, and Bob were waiting for Dave.  Dave waved to the woman and walked to the counter backwards.  Scott paid for the movies and the four of them left, Clint pulling Dave along behind.  Walking to their house, about 10 minutes away, they found their dad and Sheila gone.

            "Did you see her?" Dave asked sitting in a blue recliner.  "She was gorgeous.  She was probably a model," he said dreamily.

            "She reminded me of Lindsay," Bob said laying on the floor.

            "You've got Lindsay on the brain, you'll be seeing her hear next," Clint said shaking his head sadly.

            "Well she did have the same color hair and eyes, but I've never seen Lindsay in anything like that.  Does she even have a body?  She's always wearing big, baggy clothes," Scot said putting a movie in the VCR.

            "Obviously she does," Bob snapped.  Scott held his hands up for protection from Bob.  Bob got up and went to his room.

            "He's not gettin' any," Dave said rocking back and forth in the recliner.  "He needs some sex, then he'll be a whole lot happier."

            "Shut up Dave!" Clint said, throwing a pillow at him.  Dave picked up the pillow and leaned on it as Scott started the movie.  Bob stayed in his room until his dad came in and told him to get ready to go to dinner.  Bob changed and brushed his hair as Scott came in and checked himself in the mirror.

            "I look good," Scott told Bob and they went into the living room to wait for the others.  Dave was in there wearing the same clothes and sitting in the same position as before.  "Aren't you gonna get ready?" Scott asked flopping onto the couch.

            "I am," Dave said looking at Scott then back at the TV.

            "Oh," Scott said quietly as Clint came in.  "Where are we going?  Does anyone know?"

            "Let's go," Frank said picking up his keys and helped Sheila put her coat on.  Bob, Dave, Scott, and Clint went into the kitchen where they put their own coats on.  Piling into the family’s minivan they went to a fancy restaurant, Chae LouFou.

            "Look Dave, there's your fantasy woman from the video store," Clint said nodding toward the blonde they saw at the rental place earlier in the day.

            "She's all alone.  Maybe I should go over and say hello," Dave said standing up.  Frank pulled him back down into his seat.  Dave smiled as a man in his mid to late 30's strolled towards the woman’s table with a curly haired blonde girl with a sweet pudgy round face, dimples, green eyes, with freckles and a pink dress, a boy with light brown hair to his ears and feathered back with a part in the middle, blue eyes, a narrow face, JNCO jeans, a black shirt, and another boy, younger with dark blond hair to his chin, brown eyes, a long face, wearing black slacks and a blue button down shirt.

            "Mommy!" the little girl yelled and the woman picked her up, hugging her.  Two boys sat at the table and when the woman and girl sat they ordered their food. 

            "She has kids," Dave said in disbelief.  "How old can she be?  She looks about 20, or 21," Dave said as a waiter brought their food.

            "Get over it," Clint said digging into his pasta.  Dave ate his food, every so often looking up at the woman.

            "Tomorrow afternoon you boys have a sound check, then a show, then Wednesday (the next day), you have a photo shoot," Frank told the boys during dessert.

            "Then how long do we have till we leave?" Bob asked.

            "Two weeks," Sheila said.  Dave rubbed his hands together in anticipation.  Clint, Scott, and Bob smiled knowing it would be two weeks of searching for Dave's fantasy woman.  The concert went well and the photo shoot ended early leaving the boys to have more time than they had expected.  Bob, Scott, Dave, and Clint woke up Thursday morning around 9:30, well rested. 

            "Let's go to the mall," Bob suggested.

            "Sure," Scott said, around a mouthful of Cocoa Puffs.  Dave and Clint agreed and Bob okayed it with their dad.  An hour and a half later Sheila dropped them off at the mall, set to return in two hours.

            "Can you help me find a gift for Lindsay?" Bob asked Clint.  Clint nodded.  The four split up, Scott going one way, Dave going in a nearby store, and Clint and Bob going another way.

            "So what are we looking for?" Clint asked Bob as they walked into Claire's.  "Do you want jewelry, a book, clothes?" Clint asked looking through the necklaces that lined the walls.

            "I don't know, something she'll like.  No, this stuff just won't work," Bob said throwing his hands in the air and walked out of the store.  Clint walked with Bob into Spencer's.  Going through four more stores Bob didn’t find anything he liked.  In despair he walked into the bookstore.  Clint flipped through the magazines as Bob wandered through the shelves of books.  "Clint, what do you think?"

            "She'll like it," Clint said walking over to Bob.  He flipped through the dream journal with stars and the moon on the cover. "Get it," He held up the boxed set of the dream journal, dream dictionary, and tarot cards.  Bob took it and went to the register.  Paying for it Clint and Bob walked out with the bag.  Smiling Bob walked with the flow of people and saw the curly blonde girl running through the people.  She came up to him and bumped into Clint.

            "Stop her, please," someone called to Clint.  Clint put his arms around her, stopping her.  "Thank you," the voice said coming to them.  "Bobbie you're not..." He stopped seeing Bob and Clint.  "You're those Moffatt people," the brown haired boy asked.

            "Yeah," Bob said as the boy took the girl's hand.  "Do you listen to our music?"  he asked surprised.

            "No," the brown haired boy said with a laugh.  "But my girlfriend loves your music.  Could you sign something for her?"    

            "Sure, do you have paper?  Or something to sign?" Clint asked.

            "Bobbie do you?" he asked the little girl.  She shook her head 'no.'  "But I saw some in your bag."

            "Do you see my bag?" the little girl asked him.

            "Wait, I'll get some from somewhere," he said running into the bookstore.  A few minutes later he came back with a piece of paper.  "Do you have a pen?"

            "Here," the blond boy said coming out of another store.  Bob and Clint signed the paper and were about to leave when Dave and Scott came over.  Dave was wearing a huge smile.

            "I saw her, the blonde.  She's here, in the mall!" Dave said out of breath.  Looking around he saw the woman's three kids. 

            "Bob.  Bob do you see what I see?" Clint asked making Bob turn around.  Bob's eyes bulged and a smile came to his face.

            "Can you sign this for me?"  The brown haired boy asked Scott and Dave.  Scott and Dave signed the paper and turned to talk to Bob and Clint once the other kids were gone.

            "Guys we've gotta go," Scott said looking at his watch.  Bob was watching a small group of people.

 

 

Chapter 3: mom

 

                "I’m Lindsay," she said shyly.  Everyone smiled warmly making her feel even more uncomfortable.

            "Lindsay, it's me, mom," Amy said stepping forward to hug Lindsay.  Lindsay stepped back out of hugging range.  Amy a little hurt, nodded her head in understanding.  "Lindsay I’d like you to meet everyone.  This is your little sister Bobbie," Amy said pointing to the little curly haired blonde 6 year old attached to her leg.  Lindsay smiled slightly and Amy moved to the next person, a 5-year-old blond boy.  "This is your brother Tyler, and your brother Jonathan," she said pointing to the 9-year-old brown haired boy.  Lindsay smiled at them, and her attention drifted to the two unnamed members of the group.  "And last, but not least, this is my boyfriend Joe," she said to the tall black haired man with green eyes.  They kissed quickly and Amy introduced his 15-year-old son, Brent.  Brent had black hair, like his dad, was about 6' with a wide nose and big lips, in all not very attractive, but Lindsay was shocked to see he had purple eyes.

            "Are they really purple or are they colored contacts?"

            "My eyes?....they're really purple.  Everyone asks that," Brent said sounding perplexed at why everyone would ask.

            "Well we've gotta get going," Joe told Amy.  "It was nice meeting you Lindsay," he said waving to everyone as he and Brent left to catch their flight to New York.

            "We’d better go too," Amy said gathering all her children.  With all Lindsay’s luggage in the back of Amy’s white van they left the airport and Amy drove to her, their house.  It was an old house with gray siding, a wrap around porch; a love seat/porch swing was set up on it.  By the front door was a black mat with 'blessed be' printed in the middle of it in white.  Over the front door was a plate of green glass.  Straight up from the front door was a staircase with a hand carved railing, at the top of the stairs was a large stained glass window with a picture of a many-colored daisy in it.  To the left of the door was a spacious sitting room/rec room.  To the right a parlor/TV room.  Through the small hall next to the stairs was the kitchen and dining room.  Amy took Lindsay to the upstairs, while Tyler and Bobbie watched 'blue's clues' and Jonathan took the opportunity to call his girlfriend.  To the right of the stairs Lindsay found Tyler’s room, blue with a racing stripe around it at three feet.  Through that was Jonathan’s room, surprisingly clean.  His room was blue, like Tyler’s, but without any other decoration.  Straight up from the stairs was a large bathroom with a tub on clawed feet.  Next to the bathroom, Amy’s room, a peach color and in some disorder.  The smallest room was Bobbie’s, next to Amy’s, in pink with Barbie all around it.  Amy opened the door between her room and Bobbie’s.  "I hope you don't mind.  You get my old miscellaneous room."

            "The attic?" Lindsay asked, not upset at all, it had to be huge just from the size of the house.

            "No that's something else.  You get the tower," Amy said leading the way up a windowless spiral staircase.  Lindsay’s smile widened.  Throwing open the door Amy stepped out of the way so Lindsay could see.  "What do you think?" she asked looking around the small circular room with four windows/window seats, a heavy canopied bed, and a matching wardrobe.

            "It’s beautiful...except...never mind," Lindsay said becoming shy suddenly.  Amy looked at Lindsay then around the room.

            "What?" she asked wondering what Lindsay saw that she didn't.

            "The color," Lindsay said looking at the pale pink walls.  "I hate pink that's all.  That’s not a big deal though, just forget I even mentioned it," she said quickly.

            "Pick out a color and we'll change it.  This pink is flaking anyway," Amy said pulling off a large piece of paint.

            "Thanks," Lindsay said with a smile and inspected the view from her windows.  Amy smiled and left Lindsay to continue her inspection.  Lindsay opened the wardrobe and started putting some of her clothes away.  Footsteps drew her attention, but she kept unpacking.  A small blonde head popped in and then another.  "Do you want to come in?" Lindsay asked Tyler and Bobbie.  They nodded their heads and waited for Lindsay to say 'come in' before they came in and sat on the canopied bed.

            "Are you my big sister?" Bobbie asked looking at Lindsay.

            "Yeah, shocking isn't it?" Lindsay said with a nod.  Bobbie just continued to stare at Lindsay.  "Okay," Lindsay said to herself and went back to her unpacking.  Without warning Bobbie jumped off the bed and ran to Lindsay squeezing her neck tightly in a hug.  Tyler ran over and hugged her too, just as Amy walked in the room.  She smiled at the sight and waited for someone to notice her.

            "Supper," she said, still smiling when Lindsay looked up.  Tyler and Bobbie rushed past Amy and down to the kitchen.  Amy waited for Lindsay and they walked down together.

            "Aren’t we going out?" Jonathan asked still on the phone, now in the deserted TV room.

            "No!" Bobbie yelled.  "Those people stared at us!"

            "Whatever," Jonathan said, his attention back to his phone call. 

            "Have you ever had people stare at you while you're eating?" Bobbie asked, sitting down next to Lindsay in the dining room, her attention on Lindsay.

            "Only Bob," Lindsay said shaking her head.  "And he only does it because he knows it bothers me."

            "Oh, well these people were staring at us during dinner the other night," Bobbie said.  Tyler sat next to Bobbie listening, but not saying anything.  Amy brought pizza into the dining room and Jonathan followed with drinks.  Bobbie chattered on through supper, making up for everyone else's quiet.  Tyler, Bobbie, and Lindsay slowly ate, and together they consumed about one piece of pizza.  The phone pulled Jonathan away from the table and when everyone else was finished Amy excused them all.  Tyler and Bobbie ran to the rec room and Jonathan headed to his friend, Alan’s house.  Lindsay took a break from her room and watched y-TV.

            "What are you watching?" Amy asked around 9:30.

MoRe To CoMe!