You Are On My Mind

You'll Stay Here

"Where are we going to stay, Mom?" Jack asked as he and his family gathered their things.
"Oh, uh," she looked to her husband but almost immediately looked away. "I guess we can stay in a hotel tonight-"
"You will do no such thing," Frank said from behind the family. They turned to look at him. "You'll stay here."
"Frank, we really could-"
"You're staying here. Jack can have Joe's room, and Sean can take Jamie's. Or vice versa. You two can stay in Danny's room."
"There's some old clothes in the attic," Henry stated, walking into the kitchen. "Jack and Sean, go look up there for something that'll suit you for tomorrow. Linda, I'm sorry, but we may not have anything in your size."
Linda wasn't fat or chunky or anything like that. She was a 5'6 woman with a nice bust, where as Erin was tall and skinny, and Mary was shorter than the blonde by a good three inches.
"But I know you've fashioned Danny's clothes to your liking before, so I trust you can do that once again. All of you will also find pajamas up there; in the morning, I'll make a big breakfast for us. I've called your school, the station, and the hospital. The school is giving you a week, and both the station and the hospital are giving you three days to get essentials. Tomorrow, we will all go clothes shopping after I take you to a nice lunch. Now, good night, sleep well, I'll see you in the morning." Henry hugged each of them and went up to his room.
"You boys better find something to wear for tomorrow and tonight. You too," Frank nodded at Danny and Linda. He noticed the pale face on Linda, as if she wanted to faint or throw up or cry. He figured Danny sensed that, as he put a supportive arm around her shoulders. "Now, if you excuse me, I have a date with Agatha Christie. Good night."
"Good night, Grabdpa," Jack and Sean echoed.
"Mom, can we find the clothes now?" Sean wanted to know.
"Yes." It was all she could say.
*************
Fifteen minutes later, everyone was in pajamas, teeth brushed, and ready for the morning. Two hours later, everyone was sleeping as peacefully as they could given the circumstances.
Danny sighed as he shifted once again. His brain kept coming up with the worst scenarios. What if his family had been seriously injured? What if Linda had been trapped in the house? What if Jack and Sean got smoke inhalation? Whenever his brain came up with those crazy scenarios, he always held his wife. Feeling her breath, felling her heartbeat always calmed him down. He rolled over, wanting to bring her close. When his hand met cold sheets, he sat up; if we were home, where would she be? He slipped out of bed before he even answered that question. Quietly, he exited the room and padded down the hall. He slipped into the bathroom, where he heard a heartbreaking sob.
Linda curled more into herself, hiding her head away from the world. Sobs racked her body as she cried in the corner of the bathroom. "Oh...." she slightly moaned through the tears. When she felt a hand on her shoulder, she nearly jumped to the ceiling.
"It's okay, it's okay. It's me."
Without hesitation, she flung herself at her husband, clinging to and crying into his neck. Through the tears, she wailed, "why did they have to burn down our house?"
"I don't know," Danny answered truthfully. He held her tightly in the small bathroom, letting her, and himself, cry out some of their emotions. When Linda has calmed down to just sniffling, Danny helped her up and grabbed some toilet paper. He knew her face always got itchy after crying, so he wiped the wet and dry tears away. He kissed her forehead, grabbing her hand. "C'mon. Let's try to get some sleep."
She nodded and followed him into his bedroom. Once beneath the covers, she immediately snuggled next to him, her ear over his heart.
Danny smiled and hugged her, kissing her head. "We'll make it through this: together. Just like we always have."
"Like we always will?" Linda didn't mean for it to be a question.
"Right. Just like we always will."