ODDS OF LOVE SEASON TWELVE

Episode 111

Zipp stood outside of the Takoma Park  house that was once his and his family's once upon a time ago. During happier times.

He knew that Flower didn't want to see him but he was worried about her. No matter what had happened he still cared for her and considered her to be a friend. She was after all mother of their child. Although, he mused , after losing a child to death could they still claim to be parents? Can you be still a parent with no children?

He didn't care that her family had told him to stay away from her. The Lawtons had never really ever been there for Flower. They thought she was strange. They called her unstable.

He took out his housekey reluctantly from his pants pocket and wondered if it still worked. Had Flower changed the locks? Maybe. Maybe not. Only one way to know.

He opened the door easily and stepped into the hallway. The house felt off to him. Almost eerie. Maybe because it was so quiet. Their house was never this quiet. And it smelled musty like the windows had not been opened. Flower hated closed windows. She preferred fresh air.

Suddenly he saw the woman he had once considered his life mate and friend coming quickly towards him from the back of the house, holding a knife in her hand. Her hair looked disheveled and her eyes..... her eyes were big and filled with what could only be called madness.

" What are you doing here, Zennis ! ," she yelled at him. She stopped just inches from him with the knife. " I told you to not come back. I don't want anyone to be here. Just me and Diamond. That's how it should have been from the beginning. Go away. "

Zipp felt scared. He had never seen her like this before. Flower had always been the strong one. Stronger than him anyway.

" Flower ........ I......."

Then he heard what sounded like a baby crying loudly from upstairs. His brow furrowed greatly.

" Flower, whose baby is that? What....." Then it hit him. He remembered the Amber Alert. The missing baby girl taken from a park in Hyattsville. Richard Norland's niece....... Oh dear...... Oh , Flower, he cried out silently, why ? Why ? " Flower , is that Miracle Norland - Lane? Did you.... Did you steal her? "

" No ! It's Diamond! It's my baby ! Nobody is taking her from me. Nobody ! "

Then she launched at him with the knife that was covered with what looked like peanut butter and stuck it in his stomach.

He gasped in much shock and grief as she stabbed him and pulled it back out. He stumbled back through the open door and onto the porch. The last he saw of Flower was her slamming the door loudly.

Holding his stomach, feeling his own blood trickling from his body, Zipp coughed and fought to make his way back to the car.

Back to the car where Ethan waited for him.

Back to Ethan.......

He collapsed on the front walkway just as he saw Ethan Stone stepping from the driver's side with a look of confused worry on his face.