I'm currently in physical therapy because of my lower back pain. I've been dealing with it since April of this year. I really shouldn't have ignored it for so long.

Also did you hear what happened to the shooter in Maine who killed 18 people? Instead of facing up to everything that he's done, he decides to take the coward's way out. By shooting himself. May he burn in hell for all eternity. And today we lost a brilliant actor named Matthew Perry, who was only 54 years old. Apparently he drowned in a hot tub. May he rest in peace.

Barb and Father Frank walked into the house and looked around. As they were walking, Barb stepped onto the blood stain from last night. When she saw it she took a step back looking disturbed at the sight of it. Father Frank looked down and saw it too.

When Barb and Father Frank turned around they saw Nica distressingly throwing their mother's paintbrushes in a black bag. Barbara immediately went over to her sister.

"Nica," Barb said gently rubs her sister's shoulder.

Nica turned to look at Barb. "I'm sorry," she sobs. The two sisters hugged as Nica continued crying. "She was fine. She was taking her meds. She was painting again."

"No, no," Barb murmurs with a slight tremble. Her eyes were noticeably wet.

"She was fine. How could she do that, Barbie? How could she do that to herself?" Nica asked sadly.

Father Frank stepped closer to them. Barb looked at him and spoke, "You, uh... You remember Father Frank."

"Uh... Yes. Hello, Father," Nica greeted the man.

"I'm so very sorry for your loss, Nica," Father Frank said sympathetically.

"Thank you," Nica replies

"Your sister just thought it might be a good idea for me to come," Father Frank explains.

"I appreciate it. But you know my mother and I both left the church a long time ago," Nica reminds him.

"But not in the eyes of God," Father Frank responds.

"I just thought it might be nice for us to have someone to talk to," Barb told Nica.

"We have each other," Nica said looking at Barb.

"Nica, we have to pray for her. To be forgiven," Barn states.

"She was sick. You can't judge her," Nica said with a frown. Barb shook her head as to tell her sister that's not what she was trying to do.

"No one is judging her," Father Frank assures, "In fact, the church's official response to a situation like this is not to judge, but to pity."

Nica sighs and replies, "My mother and I have had quite enough pity, thank you."

Father Frank just said, "I understand."

"It was my fault. I should have seen it coming," Nica said sadly with a sigh.

"Nica, you cannot blame yourself," Barb told her sister, "She was supposed to be taking care of you."

Father Frank walks away to sit down. Nica then saw Ian, Alice, James and Jill walk into the house. James was holding his stuffed dog plush named Sandy. Nica gave Sandy to James as a Christmas gift when he was four, because James wanted to have a dog, however Barb wouldn't allow it, because she doesn't like dogs, so James pretends that his stuffed dog, Sandy, is a real dog.

Ian walks over to Nica. "Hey," Ian greets.

"Hey, Ian," Nica greets back.

"Come here," he said and hugged Nica. Then Ian gestured to the wheelchair Nica was in and asked, "Is that a new chair?"

"Uh, yeah," Nica responds.

"It's cool," Ian replies.

"Thank you," Nica said sniffling.

"Uh, this... This is Jill, my new au pair," Barb introduces the other woman.

"No, I'm...I'm just the nanny," Jill said shaking Nica's hand, "I'm so sorry, Nica."

Nica replies, "Thank you. I'm, uh, I'm glad you're here."

Nica then turns her attention to her eight-year old niece and six-year old nephew. Alice and James smiled and went up to their aunt.

"Come here you two," Nica said smiling with her arms out.

The two kids ran into her arms and hugged Nica. Nica smiled and held them close as they were on her lap.

"I'm so happy to see you both," Nica said lovingly.

Alice said, "Me too."

"We missed you so much Auntie Nica," James said.

"So did I," Nica said softly.

"Did Grandma go to heaven?" Alice asked.

"Is Grandma with Grandpa?" James asks.

After looking at Barb, Nica answers, "Yes and yes, sweeties, she did and she is. I have a surprise for you, a gift, but you two are going to have to share it, can you do that?"

Alice nods, "I can, I don't know about Jay."

James pouts cutely, "Hey I'm good at sharing too."

Nica smiled and looked over by the chair and Chucky was not there. "That's funny," Nica said, wondering where Chucky was. She turned back and smiled at Alice and James.

"Oh, Mommy, I have to go to the bathroom," Alice said with a slight whimper.

"Okay. Jill will take you," Barb gently told her, "You show her the way. Mommy needs to talk to Auntie Nica." Barb kissed her daughter.

"Jill, let's go," Alice told her grabbing her arm and walking away with her.

"Um... I think I'm going to go with them," said Ian, "Okay?" Ian then followed after Alice and Jill.

"Mommy can I stay with you and Auntie Nica, please?" James asked sweetly.

"Actually sweetie I need to talk to Auntie Nica with Father Frank about grown-up things," Barb told her son.

"What kind of things?" Nica inquires.

"Can we just talk alone, please?" Barb asked, then said to James, "Baby, how about you take your backpack and Sandy upstairs, okay?"

James nods, "Okay. I saved some of my birthday cake for you, Auntie Nica. Can I bring it down to you after you and mommy are done talking?"

"Sure Champ," Nica said smiling. James then went upstairs.

Looking at Barbara Nica asked, "So what was it that you wanted to talk with me about that you didn't want James to hear?"

In one of the rooms James was sitting on his bed with Sandy on a pillow and he took out a container that had two big pieces of vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles. James's 6th birthday was only a few days ago and since Nica and Sarah weren't able to make it that day James wanted to save some of his birthday cake for his grandma and aunt.

James sighed sadly. "Well Sandy I guess this just means Auntie Nica gets an extra piece of birthday cake," James said to his dog plush.

James then heard his sister screaming. He then ran downstairs to see his dad and Jill looking over at Alice.

"What's wrong?" James asked.

"Nothing son, everything is fine," Ian replies.

"But I heard Alice screaming," James said.

"Your sister just found a doll here in the bathroom," Jill explains, "It scared her."

Looking at his sister he saw her carrying a doll with red hair and blue eyes. It was wearing a red, blue and green striped sweater and blue overalls that had the words "Good Guys" written on them and he had red and white sneakers.

"Well she should scream. I mean what would that doll be doing in the bathroom?" James asked, "He's not a Betsy Wetsy."

Ian and Jill laughed at what James said. He then went over to his sister and the doll.

"Do you think he's the surprise Auntie Nica had for us?" James asked looking at the doll.

"Maybe," Alice said, "And maybe now I can get you to play with dolls."

"I like dolls," James states, "Just not the ones that go potty or the baby dolls that cry, they're so loud, and who wants to see a doll going potty? I don't. Not me."

Back in the living room, Barbara handed her sister a brochure for Dawning Day Assistant Living for the Disabled. "What is this?" Nica asked.

"Well, um, Mom left the house to both us," Barb started explaining.

"So?" Nica replied, wondering where her sister was going with this.

"So, I think we should consider selling," Barb answers.

"What are you talking about?" Nica asked frowning.

"Nica, this place is fabulous," Barb said with a smile, "It's so much closer to us, we'd get to see you way more often And with your half of what we could get for the house, you'd be set for the rest of your life."

"This isn't about me. This is about money," Nica realizes.

Barb then lost her smile, "Well, you know we've been struggling," Barb said defensively. "Print media is dead. Ian's working at Starbucks. We're going to have to send Alice and James to public school."

"And Alice so had her heart set on St. Bridget's," Father Frank comments, "And James was excited to go himself."

Barb puts a hand on her chest and said, "And I don't want to deprive my children."

"You have a live-in nanny," Nica points out.

"Well, actually, that's not really working out," Barb responded.

But Nica was still reluctant about it, "Barb, this is my home."

"Nica, I know this is hard. But do you really think you can manage here all by yourself? Mom would have wanted you to be taken care of," Barb states, "That's all she ever wanted."

Ian and Jill walked in with James and Alice who was holding Chucky. "We're back," Jill announces.

"You found him," Nica said when she saw her niece carrying the doll.

"He was in the bathroom," Alice told Nica.

Nica was surprised to hear that, "Really?"

"Yeah, I know I thought it was really weird too," James said, "I mean what was he doing in the bathroom, he isn't a potty doll."

Nica smiled and laughed a little. She then said, "You know, I think Grandma would have wanted you two to take care of him."

"Do you want to hold him, Jay?" Alice asked her little brother.

"Yeah," James answered. He then took Chucky from Alice.

Barbara then spoke, "It was obviously sent here by mistake. It must belong to someone else. And Alice, you already have too many dolls as it is," Barb reminded her daughter, using a cookie as a pointer, and said to her son, "Same goes for you James, you also have too many toys."

"Yeah, but Chucky's our friend till the end!" Alice told their mom.

James nods, "Yeah and Sandy doesn't count as a toy, because she's a pet."

"I actually think it's a really nice gesture," their father replied. Ian looked at Nica and said, "Thank you, Auntie Nica." But Barb didn't look too happy as she looked at Ian.

Ian looked at Barb, "It's a doll," he told his wife, "What's the worst that can happen, huh?"

"I like to be hugged," Chucky said.

"I like hugging too Chucky," James smiled. The little boy hugged the doll.

"I want to hug too," Alice said and she hugged her brother and Chucky, making them all smile. Then Alice heard Chucky say something, "What's that, Chucky? Oh! Chucky wants to know what's for dinner."

They all laughed. "Well. I guess I better get started in the kitchen," Barb said putting down her teacup.

"Oh, don't be silly," Nica told her sister, "Uh, you guys are my guests and you must be exhausted from your flight, please just make yourselves at home. Father Frank, you will stay for dinner, won't you?"

Father Frank thought for a moment before responding, "Well, I, uh... I'd love to, Nica. Thanks."

But Barbara was skeptical about her sister cooking, "Uh, you're going to make dinner? For seven?"

"Eight," James and Alice say in unison.

"Well, I will need a couple of chef's assistants," Nica said looking at Alice and James.

James raises his hand in excitement, "Oh me, me, me."

"Me too. And Chucky can be our assistant," Alice replies.

Nica smiled, "Great. Let's get cooking."

"We're right behind you," James said, as he and Alice followed Nica into the kitchen with Chucky still in his arms.

Sandy

James's birthday cake pieces

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