3.

A big day has come for the Smith family or for two of them at least, a wedding day has arrived for she who is both a daughter and a sibling. No, not for Majella but for her sister Lisa. Such a day comes with as much worry as it does with potential joy. Yeah, joy is not guaranteed such is the level of worry. It is the twenty second day of the merry yet not so merry month of May 2019.

Lisa is not and never really has been a focus point of Darkness, he never really had any plans that may set a focus upon her, but such the way things are, Tom Smith cannot help but expect Darkness to interfere in some way or other. Would Darkness allow the blood sibling of one of his daughters to have her day within the Light of whom he so wants to defeat? No, Tom Smith definitely expects this day to go all kinds of ways except for straight forwards.

First things first, Majella is not around all so often, has not been around so often especially since the night a Ball of sorts took place and when she is around, she is rarely not in the company of Nancy Ellis. Nancy Ellis clings to Majella Smith as if they both are attached to another via a rubber band. If one strays any distance from the other, then they are soon snapped right back to each other's side. Majella doesn't mind this all so much, Tom and Lisa ... well they do not so much like it at all.

Nancy is not a sister at all, Lisa is and on a big day such as this one there should be no Nancy at all and as the morning moves on there is no Majella let alone a Nancy. Majella knows about this day and of its importance though the main problem aside from whatever is going on in her life is that she cannot be on Hallowed ground no matter how much she wants to be, and weddings, of course, usually take place on Hallowed ground. Thing is ... how badly does Majella want to be there for her sister?

The death of an eldest sister hurt and the prior knowledge of a death along with an inability to do anything about it enhanced that pain to an unbearable level so to miss out on a day like this surely would bring a lot more pain with it for Majella as it would seriously pain Tom and Lisa too. Missing out completely must bring about pain. Surely there must be a want within Majella to be there for Lisa. There can be ways too for Majella to see herself around and beyond that problem of hers.

Painful it is too not to have her who is a mother and a wife as well as she who is a daughter and sibling, two members of this family have moved to the great beyond, it is ever so important for those who can be in the here and now to be in that here and now. Majella indeed will not miss out on this day but before she makes an appearance, Darkness will make a request of Tom Smith.

The night before the day that is to be, Lisa Smith spends the evening and night in the family home with her father. Over an evening meal they discuss their worries, worries for the future, worries for Majella and of what bad times may come and with tears being shed and all being said is said, a night is called and both father and daughter retreat to their rooms.

Once Tom had his own company to himself, he would find out that he hadn't got it at all for as soon as Lisa called it a night, Darkness would show himself. Out of the darkest corner of the living room he would step forwards.

'Good evening Mister Smith ...'

Tom almost fell to the ground having jumped up out of his seat. Believing he had the room to himself only to hear a voice speak to him from within his own living room then realizing just who or what it is speaking to him ... well that would be enough to knock even the toughest of men to the floor.

'What do you want?' Tom says as he gets up onto his feet. No point telling his guest to leave, there wouldn't be anything that Tom Smith could do to rid his home of said guest so he may as well hear him out.

'To make you an offer ... to come to a deal ... to sort some kind of an arrangement ...'

'There is nothing you could offer me ... nothing I would actually want from you ...'

'Oh, but that is not true, now is it, Thomas?'

'I ... I ...'

'Ah now hush a moment and listen to what I say', Darkness imposes himself and does to Tom smith what he had done to him once before. Frozen to the spot within which he stands, unable to move or speak, Tom has no choice but to hear Darkness out. 'You can have Majella for a period of no more than twenty-four hours, she will be free of her dark sisters, free to spend time within one of those horrid buildings you call a church, and your day will be free from influence.'

To Tom this sounds good, real good, but there is to be a but and whatever that but is, it can't be good.

'All I want in return' continues Darkness. '... is for you to encourage Majella to do what she has to do when the time comes. She does not know yet what that will be, in time she will. Do we have a deal ...?' Tom, still frozen and unable to move, can neither agree nor refuse this offer though Darkness takes it as if he is responding positively. 'Good ... enjoy the good times while you can get them ...'

Tom does not know what to make of this. What will it be that Darkness will want Majella to do? Obviously, something she will not be willing to do. Whatever that is, however, it will be some time off in the future, how far into the future could be anyone's guess. Can't he have his youngest daughter free to be herself completely even if that is just for a short time? Still, no matter what had occurred, Tom Smith had not actually agreed to anything.

When Lisa wakes in the morning she is completely unaware that Darkness paid her father a visit. All she knows is that this day is to be her wedding day and from what she can smell, it is clear that dear auld dad is up already and preparing a breakfast to beat all breakfasts ... as if Lisa could even think about eating breakfast on a day like this one.

As the morning moves on, there is no sign of Majella. Yeah, there are worries for this day, worries that grow by the minute.