Jayne learns more about life as a girl, and starts a new career.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

--

Faith heard a faint knock on the door. "Come in, April." she said dismissively, thinking that she had decided to keep an eye on her through the night after all. Walking back into her bathroom, she called back over her shoulder. "I'll be out in a few, alright?"

Jack’s House:
Haylee turns her alarm clock off, so she doesn’t wake her little sister. She and Catori had slept in Gina’s old bedroom. She puts on a pair of coveralls and her work boots. She walks across the hallway and knocks on her mother’s old bedroom door, before entering.

“Chayton, are you up?” Peeks into the room to see if her big brother was awake.

“I’m up, Haylee.” Chayton was putting his belt on. He notices Roxy and Waffle as they stick their heads into the room.

To Return Home

Thanks to Malady for his help editing and for ideas.

Cover image from Unsplash

Chapter 3.6

We weren’t quite certain what the effect of Marc being present would have, so both he and Paula were asked to remain out of sight.

We started our trip down the wall of the pit. On our way down, my husband, ever the engineer, examined the walls. “These were molten once. It's like they were super-heated, then cooled into an alloy.”

“Do you think Kari did it?” Daddy asked.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

--

Following her cousin down the stairs, Erica reached the bottom and looked out into the living room to see her aunt talking with April; Cook and Franchesca listening from the couch while Fredrick stood by the dining room entryway impassively. She smiled at the sight of April and her aunt, the two talking freely and seeming to enjoy each other's company.

Old acquaintances get renewed.

Things in the UQ deteriorate badly and Charlie is asked to intervene. Reluctantly he goes to check things out.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

--

Reaching the stairs and ascending, Erica recalled the first time she'd done so, scared and alone. Now as she went up them, she felt only the fear, this time that Faith was beyond reach. That of all the people she'd helped over the years, the one who needed it the most would be the one who she could help the least. Slowly walking down the all too familiar hallway, she reached the door to their once shared room. Knocking gently, she waited.

Australia starts to build upon the gift of anti-gravity and now a fleet of space ships starts to spawn.

Montana General Hospital Parking Lot:
Jack walks out to the rental car he got when he flew in. He spots Cecil leaning against the car. She was still dressed as a nurse.
“What do you want, Cecil?” He stops a few feet from her.

“I left you a present in the trunk. It seems whoever wants your daughter dead, sent a person to try to kill her again. I spotted them sneaking around at one of the nurse's stations.” Cecil has memorized every nurse, doctor, and janitorial staff member in the hospital.

[Hayley and Maxine had been talking about who would take over from Maxine should she get run over by the proverbial bus]

"Yes, I am serious. You asked me what would happen if I was run over by a bus… Well with some training, the answer could be you."

“You make it sound like an old advert for the National Lottery?”

Tammy flips and does another lap. She thinks about how her mother reacted when she told her about what happened to her. Her father had been confused about how she went from being a normal human to a legendary creature of legend. Once they got used to the fact that she had been changed.

She sprung the next surprise on them with her being pregnant. She made sure Leland was there when she sprung that on her parents. She had given him a look that said she wasn’t ready to be a mother.

Chapter 8

For the first few minutes of the drive Ashley remained relatively quiet as she stared out of the window, pretty nervous about being seen and recognised despite how good she looked. After Jessy’s pep talk she realised it was all just in her head and that she should be proud of who she was. That she shouldn’t fear people getting to know the real her, but it was a task that was easier said than done.

Charlie finally declares war.

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

Waiting for her name to be called, Erica was nervous. Even though it was a simple outpatient procedure, she knew there was no going back. The money her aunt Heather had sent her every month had been squirreled away, invested, and turned into a tidy sum that was paying for her new life.

We made our way down to the lobby on our way to the dining room where Helen looked up, saw us and smiled. “Looking good tonight girls, it’s a pity that it will all be wasted on a group of other women, you’d be fighting the boys off if you were out on the town.”

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - cousin incest (non-sexual)
CAUTION - severe emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

Christmas came with all the happiness, love, and family it's supposed to have. Faith had called off the move, but that was to be short lived. As the long winter wore on, Heather decided that, for Erica's own good, she needed to move into the guest room and make it her own. She offered to let the girl chose her own decor, but Erica sadly accepted the room as it was.

CHAPTER 18
What could I do but hold her? Eventually, she slipped off, well before I did, which was probably because I was so worried. I managed some sleep, Alys warm beside me, and it wasn’t until I saw and felt the warmth of sunlight through the tent that I realised I had actually slept for more than a few minutes. It was indeed sunny, the rain having ceased in the night, and it was surprisingly warm; when I struggled out for an urgent toilet run, some of the tents around us were actually steaming as they dried.

Chapter 9

Monday, May 10^th, 2023

5:30AM

Marcia quietly opened the door to Allie’s room and checked in on her niece. It had become a routine that she went through every morning. She would check on Allie, then Sammy, and then go out and help Bruce with the animals.

Allie was in deep sleep, so Marcia reversed course and quietly closed the door. She moved to her nephew’s room and quietly opened the other door. Inside, Sammy was sleeping soundly as well. On his wall was a fresh drawing. Curious, Marcia tiptoed over to look at the picture of the riverbank. The moose with her calf and the diving eagle were both spectacular to see in their own ways.

Hayley and Maxine returned to the reception after repairing their makeup. They walked in holding hands. This was noticed by Maxine's grandmother, who made a bee-line towards them.

“About time too,” she said smiling.
Then she added,
"Don't either of you mess this up, or you will have me to answer too. Got it?"

Link: Lost Faith Title Page and Description

CAUTION - emotional pain/open emotional wounds

--

Sitting in the library, Erica stared out the window as the snow fell all around the house. She knew she needed to get back to her studies, but her mind just wouldn't settle. Her thoughts drifted as freely as the snowflakes that fell past the large window, taking her from one memory of the last few months to the next. Finally shaking her head to make herself focus, she re-read her essay on early New Hampshire history. Reviewing her notes, she finished the closing and set the papers aside, glad that her work was done before Christmas break.