Kelsey kissed Hannah’s cheek.  “Have fun at the dance with your dad, and be a good girl for him and Victoria.”

                         “Yes, ma’am.”  Hannah smoothed out the skirt of her red, glittered dress.

                         “Here,” Kelsey said, handing a plastic baggy with Hannah’s bottles of medications to Parker.  "I forgot to pack them."

                         “Thanks.”  Parker smiled.  “See you Monday.  Happy Valentine’s Day to you and Wade.”

                         Kelsey smiled.  “Thanks.”  She glanced at Wade, who was staring into space next to her and bumped his arm, bringing him back to the present.

                         “Oh, um, yeah, have fun, Han.”

                         “I will.”

                         After saying their goodbyes, Kelsey closed the door, watching Wade flopped down on the couch.

                        Here we go again.

                        Wade had been in a morose mood all evening. He’d tried to hide it by asking Hannah and her about their day during supper. Wade listened to her daughter about how she was excited about the father-daughter dance that night.  However, Kelsey wasn't fooled because he fiddled with his college ring, a sign something was worrying him.  Then, after Kelsey helped Hannah get ready, Wade was on the couch reading a text and shaking his head.

                        Hannah had looked up at her with concern in her eyes.  Kelsey whispered he would be okay.

                        Her daughter nodded and sighed.

                        Kelsey rubbed her forehead.  Has Wade forgotten what we’d promised to do as a couple less than a month ago?  To talk about our worries with one another to help each other.

                        Squaring her shoulders, she walked to Wade and sat beside him.  “What’s wrong?”

                        Wade frowned.  “Nothing.  Come on.  Let’s watch that 1995’s version of Pride and Prejudice you love so much, and so I can see why women love Mr. Drancy.”        

                        “That’s Mr. Darcy.  And don’t change the subject.”  Kelsey leaned towards Wade so that he could see her.  “We promised each other we would talk about what’s worrying us.  Don’t shut me out again.”

                        “I’m just shocked.”  He closed his eyes and exhaled.  “It’s partly my fault.”

                        Kelsey took Wade's hand and waited for him to continue.

                        “My mom called today.  She told me she left my dad.”

                        “What?”  Kelsey's eyes widened.  “Why?  What happened?  From what you told me, your mom wouldn’t do that.  Although, Rose thought something like this would happen.”

                        He arched an eyebrow.  “When did Rose say that?”

                        “The day of your grandma’s bypass surgery.  I was worried about how down you sounded, and we talked about you and your dad’s history for the last fifteen years.”

                        “What did she say?”

                        “Rose told me your mom hated how your dad still blames you for Christina’s death and that whenever you visit, he either picks a fight with you or ignores you.”  She brushed a strand of hair out of his eyes.  “Your mom misses you living close by.  She thinks the tension between you and your dad was the reason why you jumped at John’s offer to take over his practice slowly.”

                        “That’s absurd,” Wade snapped, and then touched her arm.  “I’m sorry.  My mom knew how much I wanted to work with John.”  He stood and walked to the window and stared out at the street.  “But Rose was right.  Apparently, when my dad and I fought the last time, that was the beginning of my parents’ estrangement.  My dad’s semi-retired, and he’s either a consultant on a special case or he’s on a golf course.  And when he was at home, Mom said he stayed in his office all day, without talking to her and whenever she tried to get him to tell her what was the matter, he’d yell at her.  So my mom had enough.  She and my grandma moved out two days ago.”

                        “Where are they living now?”

                        “In McKinney with my Uncle Michael.  He lives alone, and he said they could stay as long as they needed.”  Wade sighed.

                        Kelsey rose from the couch and snaked her arm around his waist.  “It’s not your fault.  Surely, this is only temporary.  Your parents have been married for what?  Thirty-five years?”

                        “Yes.”  Wade fiddled with his ring again.

                        “So that’s a lot of history there to throw away.”  Kelsey stroked his arm.  “What did your mom say?”

                        “She said they’d move back if he sought help for his anger and his grief.   And only if he proves he’s serious.”

                        “Do you think your Dad will go to a therapist or a psychologist?”

                        Wade shrugged.  “I know he loves my mom, but he’s a very private person.”  He ran a hand down his face.  “I hate that this is happening.  I can’t believe they’re separated.  My mom’s miserable without him.”

                        “Maybe this drastic move will spur your dad to change.  People reflect on themselves and what causes things to happen, and they hopefully recognize what their actions caused.”

                        “I suppose you’re right.”  Wade hugged her closer against him and kissed the top of her head.  “Time will tell.”

                        They stood there for some time looking out the window at nothing in particular.  Kelsey rubbed Wade’s chest, hoping her words comforted him, but the scowl on his face told her he was still blaming himself.

                         Kelsey’s landline rang, but she didn’t answer, knowing it was probably a telemarketer or someone conducting a poll.  However, on the fourth ring, the answering machine came on.

                         “Kelsey, it’s me,” Aunt Diana said sadly.   “If you’re there, please pick up.”

                         “You better get it.”  Wade released her. 

                         Kelsey nodded, and dread washed over her.  Aunt Diana and Uncle Sam only called her when Nick was on the verge of drinking again or just started.  Sending up a quick prayer that they just needed a volunteer side walker and that her cousin was fine,                                 Kelsey answered and turned off the answering machine.  “Hi, Aunt Diana, how are you?”

                        “Awful,” her aunt said.

                        Kelsey could hear her cousin crying and Henry Schiff, his sponsor’s voice trying to comfort him.  “A good for nothing piece of human being,” she heard him say.  Her breath hitched her throat, but when she recovered, she asked, “What happened?”

                        Aunt Diana began to sob, and then Uncle Sam took the phone.

                      “Fontaine died from an overdose of heroin,” her uncle said.  “Nick found her.”

                      “Oh, dear Lord.”  Kelsey placed a hand over her heart, knowing how much pain her cousin was in.  She remembered when Fontaine had a car wreck while she was under the influence of drugs.  She had a few bruises and cracked ribs, but Nick blamed himself. He hadn’t been there to stop her from doing drugs again.  Kelsey told him that he couldn’t be around her twenty-four-seven and couldn’t control what Fontaine did.   Nick had told Kelsey he knew that, but he’d wished he could have stopped her.

                      Nick couldn’t stop drinking for a couple of months after that.  He stopped after he staggered to Hannah’s seventh birthday party, talking loud and knocking over the table full of gifts, making Hannah cry and making parents pull their frightened children close to them.   Nick saw their scared faces, and frowned, raking a hand through his hair, then apologized.  A day later, Kelsey and Aunt Diana went to his house, and after talking with him, he decided to go to rehab.

                      Now, it’s a hundred times worse.  We might never get him back.

                      “Everybody’s here trying to keep an eye on Nick,” Uncle Sam said, his voice faltering.  “He’s inconsolable and talking about killing himself.  I called John and asked him if he had something to sedate Nick.  John’s coming soon.”

                      “What?  Suicide?”  Kelsey sank in her recliner, shaking her head, and swallowing hard.  “No, no, Nick has better sense than to do something like that. “

                      Wade, mouth agape, came to her side.  “What happened?”

                      Kelsey crooked a finger for Wade to move closer, and she tilted the cordless phone a little so that they could both hear.

                     “Nick is angry and isn’t thinking right.  Yet, he’s not drunk, and I don’t know if that’s good or not.  If he was, then we could blame his words on the alcohol.”  Her uncle sucked in a haggard breath.  “Before Nick went there, he called Henry.  Henry told Nick to wait until he got there, but he didn’t.  Henry told me that when he got to Fontaine’s trailer, he had to pry Nick off her body.”  Uncle Sam began to cry.  “I’m scared, puddin’.  I’ve never seen my boy this broken before.  Your parents and brother took all of his guns, rifles, razor blades, and sharp knives, and they’re hiding them as we speak.”

                     “Oh, Uncle Sam.”  She massaged her forehead to stop the throbbing pain. 

                     "I just pray when he’s calmed down; we can convince him that life is worth living.  Please come.”

                     “Of course.  I don’t know how much good I’ll be, though.”

                     “You mean a lot to him.  You’re the one who gets through to him in the end.”

                     Kelsey silently questioned that statement, but didn’t argue with a desperate dad.  “Wade’s here.  Would you mind if he comes?”  She gave Wade a pleading look, knowing she would need his support.
                     Wade nodded his assent.

                     “Nope.  We’ll need all the help we can get.”

                     "We’ll be there soon.”

                     “Thanks, puddin’.  Bye.”

                     Kelsey let out a haggard breath and slumped in the recliner.  “This is awful.  Thank God the principal moved the father-daughter dance to Valentine's Day, and Parker has Hannah until Monday afternoon.  I don’t want her to see Nick like this.”

                     “What caused Nick’s behavior, honey?”  Wade sat on the arm of the recliner and caressed her hair.

                     “Remember that woman who flirted with you after Hannah’s Thanksgiving play?  Fontaine Theissen?”

                     “Nick’s on-again-off-again girlfriend whom he’s trying to help.”

                     “Was trying to help.”  She sighed.  “She’s dead.  She o.d’d on heroin.”

                     “Oh, no.”

                     Tears stung Kelsey’s eyes.  “And now Nick is devastated and angry at himself, and is threatening to commit suicide.”

                    Wade took her in his arms as she cried.  Kelsey breathed in his smell, thanking God she had someone to comfort her.  Then guilt crept in.  Nick had lost his first love, and he was devastated.  She wished Nick had found someone else to help him forget Fontaine, but her cousin always fought for the people he loved.

                    Please, God, give Nick the strength to survive this dark time.

                    Kelsey pulled away, wiping her tears with her hands.  “We need to go.  As you heard, I promised Uncle Sam I would try to help Nick.”  She kissed Wade’s knuckles.  “Thanks for agreeing to come.  It’s always hard seeing him in pain.”  Kelsey remembered Wade was hurting, too.  Closing her eyes, she shook her head.  “You need me, also.  You had a shock.  Your parents-.”

                    “Will probably get back together like you said they’ve too much history for them to throw away.”  Wade brushed a strand of hair from her forehead.  “Your cousin needs you more, and I’ll assist and support you.  Besides, helping people makes me feel better.”