Author: Elizabeth
Rating: PG-13 or higher
Category: J/A, L/G
Summary: One way or another someone�s always late. The outcome could either be serious or lucky
Disclaimer: I own no one.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
After a week of school, Joan was tired both physically and emotionally. Not just because she was stressed about school but God was showing up more than usual and she was feeling nervous about her upcoming appointment. After telling her parents what her decision was, Joan, Helen and Will agreed with her that it was the right decision. So that Saturday, Joan was resting in her room before she got up and went to stand in front of the mirror.
She put her hands on her stomach and flinched. �I�m sorry.� She said softly. She got dressed and went downstairs before she could dwell on what she just said. She got downstairs and Helen smiled.
�Hi sweetheart. Hungry?�
�Not really.�
�You sure?�
Joan nodded.
Helen turned to her daughter and looked at her for a moment. �What you�re doing�I think is very brave of you.�
�Thanks mom. Do you think I�m doing the right thing?� Joan asked.
Helen thought about her words carefully. �Whatever is best for you. You know I�m here for you whenever you need me.�
Joan gave her a small smile and hugged her. �Thank you.�
�Okay. I�ll be here if you want me to come get you. Kevin is here and so is Luke.�
Joan nodded. �I just need to be by myself for a while.�
Helen squeezed her hand. �I wish I could take your pain away.�
�Me too.�
The doorbell rang and Joan gave Helen a smile before she went to get it. She opened the door to see Grace standing there. �Grace! Hey.�
�Hey. I�m here to see Luke.�
�Right. You�re here for moral support, aren�t you?� Joan snickered.
�Shut up. But�sure.� Grace smiled slightly.
�Thanks. Come on in. Where�s Adam?�
�He�s at home. He said he�d come over before you got home.�
�Okay.�
Grace went inside and Joan closed the door after her. Luke walked downstairs and his eyes lit up when he saw Grace. �Hey.�
�Hey.�
Luke turned to Joan. �Hey. You ready?�
�As I�ll ever be.� Joan felt nervous.
Luke nodded. He looked at the clock. 12:30. �You have an hour.�
�Yeah. I�m gonna go for a walk.�
�Okay. Call if you want us to come get you.�
�I will. Mom, I�m going!�
�Okay honey.� Helen walked over. �It�ll work out. I know you�ll make it through this�
�I know. Thanks guys.� Joan looked at them before heading off.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Joan was sitting on a bench in the park thinking about everything she had been through. Talking to God, Lyme disease, Judith, the rape, and now this. She wasn�t exactly sure how much more she could handle.
She looked up when a ball hit her legs and a little girl in mismatched clothes ran over.
�You need to go to the store, Joan.�
�Why?� Joan wasn�t in the mood to go out.
�Your out of beans. Your mom�s making tacos tonight.�
Joan shook her head. �If I do that I�ll be late for my appointment.�
God shrugged.
�I can go after.�
�I think you should go now.�
Joan raised an eyebrow. �Why? Is something going to go wrong?�
�I didn�t say that.�
Joan got up and started to walk away. She didn�t want to deal with this.
�I�d go to the store. It�s for your own good.�
Joan turned but didn�t see anyone. Joan looked around utterly confused.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Luke and Grace were upstairs in his room making out. He began to run his hand up to her back and was playing with the clasp of her bra. Grace pulled away.
�Dude, we�re in your house.�
�So?�
Grace scoffed. �We can�t.�
�Come on. We did it in the Biology closet and you didn�t seem to care. Besides, It�ll take our minds off Joan.�
�Oh so that�s your angle?� Grace smirked.
�Pretty much.�
�Oh shut up.� Grace kissed him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Kevin sat at the kitchen table writing while Helen cleaned the kitchen.
�Should we be concerned?�
�About?� Helen turned to him.
�Grace and Luke. Upstairs. Alone.�
Helen looked towards the stairs. �Yes. I�m waiting till your father gets home to talk to him.�
Kevin nodded slowly. �I hope they�re safe.�
Helen turned to look at him slowly.
The doorbell rang and Kevin went to get it escaping his mother�s piercing stare. �Hey Adam.�
�Hey. Could I come in and wait for Jane?�
�Of course. Come in.�
Adam walked in. �When did she leave?�
�About an hour ago.� Kevin replied checking his watch.
�She�s probably at her appointment then.�
Kevin nodded and Adam went to the kitchen to see Helen.
�Hi Mrs. Girardi.�
�Hi Adam. Would you like something to drink?�
�No thanks. I�m just gonna sit and wait for Jane.�
�You go on ahead.�
Adam nodded and went to sit on the couch.
They heard a loud crash upstairs and turned their heads.
�I�M OKAY!� they heard Grace yell.
Kevin shuddered and Adam rolled his eyes. Helen closed her eyes and shook her head.
Everything was going fine until Adam turned on the TV. He was flipping stations when he noticed something. He stopped at that station and his eyes widened.
�Oh my God.�
�What?� Kevin wheeled over. He saw what Adam was looking at and his heart dropped. �Oh no!�
�What?� Helen walked in and her eyes widened. �Oh!� she cried out.
Upstairs, Luke and Grace were about to make love when they heard Helen scream.
�What the�mom!� Luke got up and pulled up his pants and grabbed a shirt. Grace got up and put her shirt on before they both ran downstairs.
�Mom, what is it?�
�What�s going on?�
Helen looked at them, her face as white as a ghost. Grace and Luke looked at the television where black clouds and fire was soaring from a building. Beneath the picture was a caption �Arcadia Abortion Clinic Bombed�
�Oh my God.� Luke was in shock and he was scared. Grace shook her head side to side not believing what she was seeing.
�Joan�Joan�� Helen said weakly.
Luke went over and took her hand. �Maybe she�s late. Maybe she ran to the store or something.�
�She had her heart set on this.� Helen said.
�I�ll call her cell phone.� Grace went into the kitchen followed by Adam.
�Grace, you don�t think�� Adam�s face was as white as a ghost.
�Rove, don�t make me think about it.� She dialed Joan�s number but she got voicemail. �She�s not answering.�
Adam bit his lip and went into the living room. Kevin was on his phone trying to reach Will.
�He must be down there. He won�t answer.�
Helen closed her eyes and Luke squeezed her hand. Grace and Adam rejoined them, their expressions showing exactly what they were thinking and hoping that what they were seeing wasn�t real.