Raven drags herself through the front door. She was soaked to the bone from the rain. The day had started off nice and sunny. It was just a little chilly when she left to go to work early this morning.

She hadn’t noticed the storm clouds, till after lunch. The garage was doing good, so Jordan cooked food for everyone. He cooked on a homemade grill he kept behind the garage. It was a simple lunch of hot dogs, bratwurst and hamburgers. There was a chef salad that Jerry made, there was potato salad and macaroni salad as well. Of course, there was beer and soda.

“Mmph,” I moan as I wake up in my bed, my soft sheets huddled around my body- and only my body. I let out a sigh as I swing my soft, hairless legs out of bed and pad through to the bathroom for a long, hot shower, before drying myself and heading to the kitchen to make myself a much-needed cup of hot coffee- and take my much-needed oestrogen tablets. I try to force a smile on my face as I switch on the television, but it quickly disappears when I’m greeted by a trailer for this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing, which starts tonight- and which features my Kayla.

I knew it was going to be bad. They never call us into the living room this late. It’s their television time together they call it. This time the television was off though. Definitely something bad, and were part of it. I don't think we did anything. Were we too loud? I was just reading I don't know how that was bad…

“I’m sorry kids.” Mr. Lopez said. “There's really no easy way to say this. I haven't been working for a few weeks now. I was hoping I could find something. It’s just not happening as soon as we wanted.”

Join Avery and follow along as the hard life starts to show a silver lining. Things may not be great at first but there is still hope. Dangerous hope. To have hope and lose it may perhaps be one of the worst things of all. Walls of protection firmly in place around Avery’s heart and despite the past hardships and a lot of personal issues. Avery finds people who care and finally starts to feel good about the future. Tainted future. Past experience and unplanned secrets threaten to unravel. Will hope shine or will dispare wall Avery away from the world for ever?

“Ugh, feels SO good, knowing I’m not going to be back at work until Tuesday!” Meredith sighed happily as she removed her name badge and tossed it into her locker. “I mean, yes, it’s only a three day weekend, but it’s a good one, you know.”

“Oh- no arguments here!” Janet giggled, removing her own name badge and pulling on her warm winter coat. “Shannon? You looking forward to the big day?”

“Definitely,” the shy blonde girl replied, giggling as she pulled on the woolen reindeer-themed sweater, much to the delight of her friends.

"So would you like to explain what happened"? Detective Woods asked as he sat across from me.

He offered me a cigarette but even though I had been through hell for the past two years I wasn't a smoker before and I wasn't one now.

"Look you need to tell me something, anything that can be used to help you" he said looking at me almost pleading.

"Where should I start"? I asked.
"The beginning I guess" he said lighting his cigarette.

	Weeping Willow Part 8 Back Comes Bill by **Sigh** Copyright© 2019 plaintivesigh All Rights Reserved.

“Bernard, I’m barely holding it together,” she quavered. “I … I need to get calmed down. I need something to take the edge off. I … I need … oh god ..”

“A couple of Lortabs would really help,” Willow whispered.