Page 54 (1/2)

"How’s Rachel?"

She hadn’tinto space "She’s not hurt How are you?" asked Grant

"I’m fine Just scared," said Isabelle "I’d really like to be out of these handcuffs, though Think you can find a key?"

"Anything for you, honey" Grant went to Keith and found his keys in his pants pocket A handcuff key dangled there next to his car keys

Grant unlocked them, but one of her arms didn’t move

She sucked in a sharp breath "I think I dislocated "

That hurt like hell, he knew for a fact "Just sit tight and the ambulance will be here in a minute"

"I’m really sick of ambulances," she said

"This is the very last one Pro" She sounded so tired That wasn’t good

"I’ around, Isabelle"

"I admit I could probably use the help for a few days Besides, you broke that fish tank The least you can do is clean it up" She gave hi careful not to hurt her "I s work between us I love you too much to walk away"

She looked up at hireen he’d ever seen He’d never get tired of looking at her "You love me?"

"I do"

"I love you, too," she said

Grant’s soul sang out the Hallelujah Chorus A sappy s back He felt invincible "Enough to take a risk I s up?"

"At least that ht Give you what you want Be a good husband A good father I don’t know if I’ll be good enough, but I want to try"

Isabelle gave hiain You were nearly killed today Twice We have a catatonic child and ateen to deal with, not to mention an unconscious wo,us You’re sitting in a room full of dead fish and vomit and you haven’t run away yet I’d say you pass"

"But I did leave," he reminded her

"Only because I asked you to I shouldn’t have done that I’lad you did It helped s get tough"

Isabelle looked around the destroyed room "No You don’t Hopefully in the future, on’t ever have to deal with anything so exciting"

"Boring would be nice, wouldn’t it?"

"Heaven," sighed Isabelle

EPILOGUE

Grant shoveled the last of the snow from the sidewalk and stretched his back The last ten ood

The only shadow that had passed over their lives was Keith’s suicide shortly after his arrest Grant hadn’t realized just how insane he’d beco