The doctor gave Lorraine some ointment for her head and a pill that was supposed to calm her, easing the pain of her concussion. They were told to keep her down as much as possible within the next day or two.

   Lorraine had rarely been sick as a child. Her mother's medicine cabinets remained untouched for the most part by the entire family, unless a serious accident had occurred. Therefore, she was completely unprepared for the effects the pill might have on her.

   "You have the prettiest eyes I've ever seen," she said, staring up at Ed lovingly.

   "I'm sure I do," he replied, blushing.

   Clarice seemed worried. "Do you think we should call the doctor back for her?"

   "I'm no doctor," Ed began, "but I know it's not unusual for some to have adverse effects to certain medications. The doctor gave my mother a pill once that made her rather loopy. It can be somewhat embarrassing, but she should be fine if we make sure she doesn't hurt herself."

   Clare sighed. "Well, perhaps you should come on, then. Lorraine wouldn't want you to see her like this if she knew what she was doing."

   The young woman didn't seem to realize that they were speaking about her until Clarice suggested that Ed leave. "Oh, no," she said, pulling on the hem of Ed's shirt. "I need you here," she begged, putting great emphasis on the word "need."

   Ed couldn't refuse. "If you don't mind, I think I'll stay with her."

   Clare looked on but would not object.

   The longer they were alone, the more awkward the conversation seemed to get. "You know, you seem like a nice guy, but I'm not sure I'm ready for marriage yet," she told him after Clarice had left.

   He blushed, but didn't respond, and Lorraine was slient for a moment. This silence gave way to a bit of comfort. Ed started to think that the girl had fallen asleep, yet he was not so lucky.

   "Do you like children, Ed?"

   "I- I guess. They're really honest, I know that much."

   "I think that's part of why I love them. They're not like you and me, they're rather...honest," she said, twirling a lock of chocolate hair between her fingers. "When I grow up, I want to have lots of babies," she smiled sweetly.

   "That's nice," he said, resisting the urge to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

   "I really like the name Judy," she told him. "I think it'd be quite pretty for a little girl, don't you?"

   "Yeah, it's beautiful," he agreed.

   She paused. "Ed?"

   "Yes, dear?"

   "I'm tired," the muttered, trying to surpress a yawn.

   "How about I go check on Clare while you take a little nap, okay?"

   Her blue eyes were like those of a whining pup. "I don't want you to leave," she moped, reaching for his hand. "I want you to stay here. Sit with me, Ed," she pleaded.

   He smiled. "Okay."

   Lorraine settled down a bit. Eventually, her eyes fluttered, her lips pursed, and she gave into the calm of sleep. Ed sat on the edge of the bed until he saw her chest rise and fall gently, and yet he still couldn't bring himself to leave her side.

   When Clare found them, Ed had fallen asleep and was leaning up against the rear bed post. He looked miserably uncomfortable, but hardly stirred.

   She crept into the room as quietly as she could, hoping to wake the boy.

   "Ed, sweetheart, you should come on to bed," she told him, shaking him carefully.

   "Hm?" he muttered, opening his eye groggily.

   "She's asleep. You should go to the couch," she advised. He nodded, realizing that he was still sitting on the bed where Lorraine fell asleep. He moved to the couch, and dozed off again soon thereafter.

   The house was peacefully quiet for the first time in a long time, if only for a couple of hours.

   Ed felt something crawling over his face.

   He jumped, howling like a madman. There had been a large spider crawling across his head, eyeing him like a lion watches it's prey.

   "Ed, Hon, are you alright?" Clarice had asked, waddling into the living room.

   "There's a spider-- there was a spider crawling over my face," he studdered shakily.

   Clare swore that she had never seen a boy so afraid of spiders. She promised Ed that they would find the tricky arachnid; they never found it, and Ed thought he might be going insane.

   "What's going on in here?" Lorraine questioned, stepping into the living room. Her face flushed red upon seeing Ed, whom she'd babbled to only hours before.

   "Ed swears he found the biggest spider in the world in my living room, but we can't seem to find the nasty rascal."

   Lorraine froze.

   Ed noticed her change in demeanor; it was so similar to change he had seen the day he met her. Although he did not presently understand this change, his expression was filled with concern for her.

   "Lorraine?"

   "It's here."

   "What--"

   "It's there...on the wall...behind you."

   "What are you talking about?" Clarice questioned, her voice rising with fright.

   "The spider is on the wall, behind your head."

   Ed saw nothing.

   "Maybe you should go lay down..."

   "I don't want to lay down!" she cried, pushing away from them. "I want you to see what I see. I want you to understand what it feels like to be scared every moment of your life, from the time you were twelve, when you saw something and nobody believed you. I need you to believe." Lorriane sobbed. She picked at her fingernails.

   Clare yearned to comfort her younger cousin, yet she was scared out of her wits for her.

   Ed edged closer to her, brushing her arm. "C'mon," he said, guiding her to the guest bedroom. "Let's all sit down, then maybe you can explain what's going on."

   Lorraine insisted on talking to Ed first, alone.

   "I have something to tell you--"