Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

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Erica waited outside her bathroom door. "Hurry up, April! We're going to be late!" She heard the water turn off and the shower curtain open. Waiting a minute, she saw the door open as April exited, wrapped in a towel and smiling gaily as she pulled off the shower cap.

"There!" she said. "Bathroom's all yours!"

"Oh, thank you so very much, dear!" Erica quipped. "We have about five minutes to get downstairs and you still need to get dressed!" Entering the bathroom while April dressed, she brushed her teeth, rinsed, and ran out to the vanity to finish her makeup. "Hurry! They'll be here any minute!"

Hearing a knock at the front door made the two pause and look at one another. Racing furiously, April dashed into the rest of her clothes, giggling crazily, while Erica finished her face and touched up her hair.

Standing and heading for the bedroom door, Erica watched April drop her dress over her slender body. Giving her dark hair a flip, it settled into place perfectly, a quality Erica loved, and envied, about her. "Ready?" she asked as April slipped her shoes on.

"Ready!" she cried as she ran over to join Erica at the door.

Exiting into the upstairs hall, they linked hands and smiled at one another. Approaching the top of the stairs, Erica could feel April's arm tense.

"Nervous?" She asked as they started down the stairs.

"Just a lot!" April nodded vigorously.

Descending, Erica saw Brooke and Jenny just taking off their coats and handing them to Fredrick.

Brooke looked up at the two coming down the stairs together. "Erica!" she cried. Meeting the two at the bottom of the steps, she couldn't believe her eyes. She looks... happy! Brook smiled. Opening her arms, she took Erica into a quick hug. "Oh, girl! I missed you!"

Her honorary niece returned the sentiment. "I missed you, too!" Repeating the process with Jenny, she stood back a little. "Aunt Brooke? Aunt Jenny? I'd like you to meet April!"

The teen was hugged by them both before she had a chance to speak. Finally, she turned to Brooke. "I understand you knew Erica's father, Jack."

She nodded solemnly. "I did. He was a good man. My best friend."

Looking at Erica, April smiled. "He must have been. His daughter is amazing!"

Just then, Heather walked in from the living room. "Brooke! Jenny! I'm so glad you two could make it!" she greeted them.

Erica was happy to see the bright shine of the woman she'd known as a child once more. Gone were the sweatpants and simple top. Her aunt had dressed for dinner as she used to.

While Fredrick escorted the five ladies to the dining room, they were joined by Faith, who'd managed to find a simple but elegant black dress in her tangled mess of a room.

"Sorry I'm late, Mamma!" she apologized. "I... I had trouble finding something to wear!"

Taking her seat, Heather shook her head. "We'll have to fix that." she commented.

Hugging Faith, they kissed each other on the cheek. "You look great, Faith!" Erica complimented her.

"Please!" Faith rolled her eyes. "I look like I dragged this dress out of the bottom of my wardrobe... because I did! You two look lovely, though!"

She blushed and said, "Thanks!" while April just smiled.

After they were all seated, Cook came out twice, serving April, Erica, and Faith after Heather and their guests were served. When everyone but Faith looked up toward Heather to say grace, she just looked at Faith with sadness in her eyes.

Shyly, Faith lowered her head with the rest of the table. Then, just as Heather was about to speak, Faith shocked them all as she spoke. "Dear Lord, thank you for the blessings you have seen fit to bestow upon us, and make us truly thankful for them. In the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, Amen."

Stunned silence followed until Heather smiled and repeated, "Amen!"

Slowly the others followed suit before Erica looked over at her cousin. "Faith! I'm... well... OK, that was a thing!"

Laughter erupted before Heather bade everyone enjoy their meal.

Making small talk through their shared meal, Brooke looked across the table at April sitting next to Erica, with Faith between Erica and her mother; the girls' usual places switched. She watched them for some time, eating and talking, obviously at ease with each other, and envied them their comfort. Finally, after being unable to tell just by looking, Brooke had to say something.

"Erica, I was wondering something. Are you and April..."

Looking at her father's best friend with a puzzled expression, Erica couldn't resist the temptation. "Are we... happy? ...healthy? ...boinking?"

Stunned as Erica cracked a half grin and everyone else laughed, it was then that Brooke finally saw so much of Jack in Erica, even though she looked nearly the same as the girl's mother did the day they'd met. "No, you clown! Are you a couple!?"

The two teens looked at one another smiling before they nodded together.

Dropping her fork, Heather had expected their typical long-winded explanation. "When did this happen? Last night you two wouldn't even admit you were dating!"

"This morning, Mamma." Erica said, turning to face her. "Try and keep up!" Seeing her aunt was not pleased with her flippant answer, Erica elaborated seriously. "Sorry, Mamma. This morning, April and I sat down together and talked about our future together... what we wanted... what we needed... and eventually we decided it was time to take the next step."

Heather dabbed her mouth with her napkin. "Well, what changed?"

"Coming here." Erica answered. "Seeing you all." She looked at Faith sitting next to her. "Settling some issues. It's one of the main reasons why April talked me into coming home. To find out where I stood, if I even still had a family, and what I really wanted out of life."

"Well, I guess I owe a debt of thanks to April then." her aunt remarked. "Didn't you want to come home, sweetie?"

"Frankly, I... I thought you didn't want me to come home." Erica answered nervously honest. "I thought that maybe you only wanted... um... Eric... to come home. I... uh... I thought he was the only one you would accept in your home."

"Are you happy?" Brooke interrupted bluntly.

Turning to her, Erica smiled. "So happy that I'm glad of every part of my life! I wouldn't change a thing that got me here!" She reached across the table with her hand to her father's best friend. "I... I wanted to thank you for all that you did for me while I was growing up here, Aunt Brooke. It meant more than you'll ever know... and I know it was really hard for you to do."

The girl's answer brought a chill to her spine, having come so very close to something Jack had told her often over the years that she'd known him.

Reaching under the table, Jenny took her wife's hand, squeezing it to get her attention. When Brooke turned to look at her, she said very simply, "Told you so!"

When at last the six finished dinner, they retired to the living room as usual. Faith took a seat next to her mother, while Erica and April took the couch. Brooke sat in the other loveseat with Jenny nearly sitting in her lap, smiling like a Cheshire cat.

Turning to Erica, Heather asked, "So, what are your plans you two? Will you be staying long?"

Looking at April, Erica then looked back to her aunt. "Well, we only have two weeks before we need to get back. I want to show April all the things around here that I remember so fondly. The town, the woods..." She perked up. "Do the Dempseys still have their annual Halloween party? That's only four days away!"

Faith and her mother looked at one another before Heather answered her. "Well sweetie, we haven't gone to any of them in the last four years. It... it just wasn't the same... without you. I honestly don't know if they still have them or not. I asked them to stop inviting us so we wouldn't have to keep declining."

"That's too bad." Erica sighed. "I really would have liked to see them and introduce them to April. They were all a pretty big part of my life here... almost a second family."

"I see Mike Dempsey every once in a while." Brooke offered. "Now that he's eighteen, he's running a lot of the ranch for his parents. They've been hard pressed to keep things going these last years, the economy hit everyone pretty hard around here, but I know they still have their yearly Halloween party." Seeing Erica's curious look, she explained. "I work at the market. Not enough customers to keep my salon running full time."

"Oh!" Erica exclaimed. "So he comes in to pick things up. How is he?"

"Getting along. Sad, but... keeping busy. Did you hear about he and the Wilks girl?"

"I told her." Faith noted.

Thinking a moment, Heather opined, "Erica dear, I'm sure that if you showed up at the party with April, the Dempseys would be happy to have you, costume or no!"

"Especially your boyfriend!" Faith smiled mischievously.

"Ugh!" Erica rolled her eyes. "Are you ever going to let that go, Faith?"

"No!" she replied exuberantly.

"Well, if we do go, we should get costumes." Erica noted. "Otherwise we'll look awfully out of place. Does Miss Fuller still have her shop?"

"Janet died last winter, dear." Heather answered, looking away. "She had a heart attack when she was alone in her shop. No one even knew for a few days. It was her son that found her, poor boy."

The mood threatening to turn somber, Faith got an idea. "Erica? Would you be willing to try something a little... unorthodox?"

"Probably not." April replied for her.

"Oh, come on!" Faith pressed the point. "You want to take April to the Halloween party, don't you?"

Her cousin nodded tentatively. "Yes... but you have a funny look in your eye... like that time you told me you saw an eagle's nest up in that tree and talked me into climbing it when you knew I wouldn't be able to get down!"

April turned to Faith. "Why on Earth would you do that?" she asked.

"She wouldn't tell me where she put my copy of 'Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm'!" Faith justified herself.

"Well you wouldn't stop calling me Rebecca!" Erica countered with a smile.

"Girls!" Heather interrupted. "That's enough! Faith? If you have an idea, then please share it so we can see if it's workable... and appropriate!"

Faith laid out her idea. After some disagreement and discussion, the four finally agreed how to proceed while Brooke and Jenny just listened.

Four days later, they rode together in Heather's limo and talked about events in Erica's life after she came to stay with her aunt. Some of it was reminiscing, the rest was telling April just how precocious young Erica could be.

"You hit him in the nuts?" April said shocked.

Hiding behind her hand, Erica answered embarrassedly. "For the hundredth time, I didn't mean to! He was like two feet taller than me!"

April stared at Erica, her mouth hanging open. "You stood up to a bully for him? So is that why this Mike guy was crushing on you?"

Shaking her head, Faith grinned. "No, he was doing that almost from the start! I still say she did it because Chet insulted her date!"

Wanting to crawl under the floorboard to hide, Erica blushed heavily. "I was never anything but polite to him!"

"Well, you must have done something to push his buttons, E!" April joked.

"She stood up to Chet for him, then wouldn't dance with anyone else... the tease!" Faith ribbed her cousin. "I warned her! He followed her around for the next year like a lovesick Irish Setter!"

The car pulled off the highway and onto the Dempsey's driveway, lurching and making Faith bump her head on the top of the car.

"Shit! My hat!" Faith exclaimed.

"Language, dear!" her mother warned.

"Sorry, Mamma!" she said as she tried to get it back on, not being helped by the car's jarring movements.

Finally, the vehicle came to rest behind others parked around the Dempsey's yard. Faith reached out her hand and waited for Erica to give over her cell phone. Dialing the number she got from Brooke, Faith waited while it rang.

"Michael? Oh, Mike! Hi! This is Faith... Faith Hargrave." A long pause went by, Faith mouthing the words, "I can't understand anything he's saying!" Finally, she interrupted. "Yes... Yes... Mike... hold on a sec." Handing the phone to Erica she whispered, "Talk!"

"No!" Erica mouthed back at her, eyes wide in surprise.

"Erica! You're the only one that can understand what the heck he's saying!"

Taking a deep breath as she heard him saying "Hello?" over and over, she closed her eyes. "Mike? No, this isn't Faith. It's... um... it's Erica."

The entire car heard him shouting over the phone.

"Yes!... It's... Yes?... Well I... huh? Mike! Take it doon, man! Let a bhean óg get ah word in!" Finally getting him to quiet down, Erica lowered her voice. "Yes, it's great to hear your voice too, Mike. I was wondering, are you having your Halloween Party tonight? Uh-huh... well... Mike! Will ye' let me talk? I was wondering... Mike! Mike, let me finish! I was wondering if I could drop by with Aunt Heather, Faith, and a guest. Yes... alright. We'll see you soon! Bye!" Closing the call, Erica glared at Faith. "This was your plan all along, wasn't it? You knew he couldn't say no to me!"

Faith pressed her fingers to her breast as her voice turned smooth as butter. "Who? Me? Really, Erica... you do have a suspicious mind!"

Letting Fredrick know they were ready, they waited for him to open the door. Erica got out first, looking around the ranch and smiling as she took in a breath. Hay, horses, pumpkin pie, wood smoke, and frost! Some things never change! As the rest followed her out, they made their way to the Dempsey's front door, knocking on it just after hanging up with Mike.

Mike Dempsey was frantic. "Mamaí! Do Ah look a'right?"

Emma looked at her son like he'd lost his mind. "Are ya daft now? Ya look th' same as ye' did when ye' got dressed! How good kin ah pirate look? Will you go help yer daid oot in th' barn now? Before he gets so steamin' that he kinna walk straight?"

"But ye' dun understand Mamaí..." he replied as he heard knocking.

She held up her hand, forestalling further debate. "Git th' door an' then ya kin explain!"

He grumbled while heading toward the door, figuring that someone had slipped on the ice near the pumpkin patch again and needed to come in and sit for a while by the fire. "Oi, mate! Quit yer bangin'!" he shouted as the person knocked a second time. Flinging the door open, he started in on the intruder immediately. "Go on then..." His voice stopped cold as he saw who'd been knocking. "Jaysus!"

His eyes looked her up and down. He would have known her no matter what costume she wore, but the blue gingham dress and her hair in braids made her look not much different than the day they'd met when she'd worn a similar costume.

"Dia duit, Mike. Would ya be mindin' some company?" Erica smiled through her acquired brogue as she pushed past him.

Standing clear of the door in shock, he watched Erica enter, only vaguely aware that she was followed closely by a woman he didn't know in a princess gown, Faith in a nurse's uniform, and Heather in a Glinda costume only slightly different from the one she'd worn six years earlier. Closing it after them, he was still stunned speechless when his mother came storming out.

"Who will it be now?" she asked as she came from the kitchen. When Emma looked up and saw her guests, she drew in a sharp breath. "Heather, Faith! Erica! How in th' name o' Jaysus air ya!?" She ran forward and hugged Erica briefly and then turned to Heather. "Kin ya' be stayin' a bit fir a céilí a'fore ye' be headin' fer th' party?"

Heather smiled warmly. "Certainly, Emma! A visit would be nice!"

While the five ladies headed for the living room to chat in front of the fire, Mike caught Erica's arm. "Sure it's grand ta' be seein' ya', girseach!"

"Aye! But Ah'm nay a girseach na more, Mike! Come set wi' us! Ah want ya ta' be meetin' someone!"

"Who's that now?" he asked, following Erica with a curious smile.

Heather, Faith, Emma, and April took their seats as Erica walked up to stand in front of April. "Mike? Mamaí? Ah'd like ya' ta' be meetin' April!"

A perplexed expression ran over his face as he looked from Erica to April and back. After a moment, he started to remember the girl Erica had always talked about and his eyes grew wide. "Ya mean yer April? Th' girseach ya' lost back in Cali?"

"The same!" Erica beamed. "We reconnected a few months back and Ah wanted ta show her where Ah call home! Ah couldn't very well do that wi'out showin' her yer place! Ah must'a spent more time here than anywhere else but mah own gaff!"

"It's good ta' be finally puttin' a face ta' th' name!" Mike extended a hand.

Tentatively, April took his hand and shook it gently. Looking to Erica she asked, "Girseach?"

Sitting beside her, Erica took her free hand. "It means 'young girl'." Turning back to Mike, she could see him eyeing their joined hands. "Mike? Why don't you set? April? Kin ya' scootch doon?" Making room, Mike sat next to her.

"Where ya' bin, cailín?" Emma stared at Erica. "Ah haven't seen ya since ya' ware a chiseler!"

"Away ta' scoil, Mamaí." she answered. Mike's mother had always been so sweet to her that she'd started calling her the Irish word for mother shortly before she left. "Ah went ta' study writin'. Aintín Heather made sure'n Ah had th' best oideachas Ah could be gettin'. It ware grand!"

The Irish woman looked next to her at Heather ashamedly. "Ah feel Ah be needin' ta' apologize ta' ye, Heather. Ah'm scarlet ta' say Ah was belivin' th' things that people ware sayin' aboot ya'."

Heather took Emma's hand. "Pay it no mind, Emma. I'm just glad Erica got the chance to do what she wanted with her life!"

Nervously, Mike tried to change the subject. "So... how ware scoil then?"

"Ah ware aduantas, but after a time it ware class! Ah learned sah much!"

Tapping her on the shoulder gently, April looked confused. "I feel like I'm missing most of the story here and getting more than a bit lost! What's 'oideachas' and 'aduantas', honey?"

"Oideachas is an education." she answered easily, but struggled to define the other term. "Aduantas is hard to explain. It doesn't really have a word in English. It's the nervous feeling you get when you're someplace new, like when I came here, or when you moved to Concord with me?"

"So will ye' be stayin' on, A stór?" Emma asked hesitantly.

Erica bit her lip and looked at April. "Ah be wishin' Ah could, Mamaí... but we kin only be stayin' a week. Ah have ta' be gettin' back."

"Ah see." Emma pursed her lips.

"Ah'll be comin' back more, though!" the girl smiled. "Ah been missin' me gaff somethin' fierce! Ah'll be back fir Nollaig, an mebe Thanksgivin'! Will ye' be here then?"

Smiling back weakly, she nodded. "Aye, we will, bhean óg, but Ah think Mike had been hopin'..." she looked to her son.

"Ach, Mamaí!" Mike blushed. "Ah always knew Ah had nay chance wi' her! I told ye tha' she ware aerach!" he looked at Erica. "An' it looks like she already found her A rúnsearc!"

Looking back and forth between Mike and April, Erica noticed April's confused look and blushed. "Beloved."

"Oi!" Mike exclaimed. "How did ya be knowin' that one, bhean? Ah never taught ye' that! Ah thought Ah had ye!"

"Ah ware at scoil, ya plank ya, nay kippin' down! Ah studied Gaelic!"

"Dun be cheesed off!" Mike was visibly impressed. "Ah ware jus' askin'!"

Smiling at the exchange, Faith glanced at her watch. "Shouldn't we be joining the party, though?"

Emma stood up quickly. "Ach! Ah nearly firgot! Mike? Will ya be takin' 'em over then?"

Nodding, Mike stood up. "Aye, Mamaí. That I'll do."

When the four ladies made their way to the door, Emma hugged each of them. When she got to April, she stopped and eyed her carefully. "Air ya good ta' mah Erica?" she asked.

April smiled shyly. "I... I'd like to think so, Mrs. Dempsey."

Taking her into a tight hug, Emma sighed. "Then Ah give mah blessings ta ya! An call me Mamaí!" Pulling back, she admired April's good looks. "Ya' certainly air a catch! Ach! I was wantin' ta ask ya... what air ya dressed as?"

Looking over at Erica, April smiled. "We got our costumes last minute. I'm supposed to be Princess Ozma, but I don't think anyone will get it!"

Erica smiled as she turned to follow Mike out the door. "That's OK, A rúnsearc! We get it!"

The five of them entered the barn, Erica looking around to see that nothing had changed much other than there not being as many people present as the last time she'd been here. That last Halloween had been bittersweet for Erica. She'd decided that if it were to be her last Halloween as a girl, she would go full out and dressed as a fairy princess. It had also been the last time Faith had worn a costume, choosing to go as pirate wench, while her mother had been a twenties flapper.

Mike at last spotted his father, drinking a glass of Guinness. "Daid!" he called out, waving his arm.

The older Michael turned and his face fell ashen. "Jaysus!" he whispered. Putting down his beer, he crossed the room, his face masking fury. "Mike!" he barked quietly as he stopped in front of his son. "What'r they doin' here!"

"Daid! Look again!" he retorted.

Michael looked once more at Faith and Heather standing with a strange girl, then noticed that someone else was standing behind them. Craning his neck, his eyes grew wide as Erica came out from between them.

"Dia duit, Dadaí!" Erica greeted him. "'Tis good ta be seein' ya!"

"Erica!?" Looking from her to his son, he could see that Mike was happy they were here. Gathering his wits, he swept the girl into his arms. "'Tis good ta see ye too, me girseach!" Standing back after putting her down, he regarded her. "But ye nay be me girseach na more, air ya? Ya've grown inta a fine and darlin' bhean óg, ya have! Deadly ta be sure! Ach! Ah bet ye broke aboot a million hearts ba noo! Not th' least o' which is me own Mack!"

"Daid!" Mike whined. "Didn't Ah tell ye..."

"Hush now!" his father chided. Straightening up, he regarded the four ladies. "Ah... Ach! Ah ware fiery cheesed at yer aintín Heather fir sendin' ye away!" He looked at Heather who looked away ashamedly, still embarrassed at the pain she'd caused.

The girl he'd known for a year touched his arm. "Don't be, Dadaí! She ware good ta me and got me th' best oideachas Ah could get!" Looking back at her aunt, she smiled. "Ah owe her everythin'!"

Michael ran his hand along the back of his neck. "Ah... Ah guess Ah be owe'n ya an apology, Heather. Seems... Ah... seems ye done a'right by th' bhean óg." He stuck his hand out toward her.

Smiling, Heather took his hand gently. "Forget it, Michael! All water under the bridge! I'm just glad to see my baby home again!"

Clearing a table for the four ladies, Michael returned to his guests, leaving them to re-connect with many of the people they'd once been fast friends with. As Erica sat next to April, her smile melted when she saw someone approaching she didn't expect to see. "Oh, good Lord." she said frostily.

Chet kept his distance and just nodded. "I... um... I just came to pay my respects, Mrs. Hargrave... Faith... Erica." His eyes drifted to April and he grinned. "I don't believe I know this young lady though." Stepping up to her, he extended his hand. "Chet Mansfield!"

Smiling, April regarded him cautiously as she shook his hand. When he tried to kiss it, she pulled it back sharply and smiled mischievously. "Careful, Chet! Erica might slug you again!"

Fuming at his attempt to pick up April, Erica glared. "Goodbye, Chet!"

His hands dropping down in front of him, he bowed slightly and wordlessly made his way back to his mother.

Heather looked at her niece. "Sweetie, you really should apologize to him."

Shaking her head as she took the cup of punch that Mike brought her, Erica refused. "No way, Mamma! Now I'm thinking I didn't hit him hard enough!"

"Since when did ye start callin' her Mamma?" Mike looked at her curiously.

"Since th' day Ah left fir scoil." she replied, April taking the cup of punch from Erica's hand. "She may not be ma mother, but she ware as good ta me as Mamaí is ta you." When the next song began, Erica smiled at him. "Shall we? Fir old time's sake?"

Mike smiled as he stood and offered to help her stand. "Surely!"

The two making their way to the dance floor, Faith wistfully watched Erica happily dancing with much greater skill than she'd shown the last time she was in the Dempsey's barn. Turning, she saw April doing the same until April looked back at her, making her blush and turn away. Feeling a tap on her hand, she looked over to see April smiling at her.

"I wanted to thank you." April said before taking a drink.

Faith blinked. "Me? For what?"

"For coming up with this idea, so Erica could show me this part of her life that I missed." She paused and took another drink. "And for everything else. You know? Not making her have to choose?"

Looking back toward Erica, who seemed to be truly enjoying her time with Mike, Faith sighed. "You'd better love her!" she warned. "Hurt her, and you'll regret it!"

"Always have... and always will." April replied simply.

As the evening wore on, Erica sat between April and Mike while his father told ghost stories, smiling, laughing, and basking in the glow one gets sharing time with those you love. When they left that night, Erica kissed both father and son on the cheek, with April and then Faith behind her.

Mike stopped Erica just as she was about to leave. "Um... Ah want ye' ta know, if'n ye' ever be needin' anythin'... well... Ah'll always be a friend ta' ye'." Looking over at April, he nodded. "An' tha' goes fir ye', too!"

"Ya be like mah deartháir, Mike!" Erica hugged Mike warmly. "Th' same goes ta' ya!"

Walking to the car together, April turned to Erica. Before she could even ask, Erica simply said, "Brother." and kept walking with a smile as April stopped and stood in stunned silence.

Turning as she continued walking backwards toward their car, Erica's smile showed more than a hint of a seductive grin.

April started walking toward her, tilting her head. "Oh! Somehow I think that this trip is going to be one to remember!"