The next day...

5th of July, 1966

The day before was wonderful not only for Jude and the children themselves, besides for Timothy. As they had the opportunity to celebrate the 4th of July with their creativity that prevailed their stress, dark thoughts. They were rather positively tuned yesterday. But what would happen today especially to Mrs.Howard when she bumps into her friend's house to have a discussion with the both female adults face-to-face. Without holding back any detail. Better the directness and cook its person's goose rather than the arcane, purposeful hush looms relucantly.

Whilst Jude was home alone with her precious little angels, Ellie and Tristan, as her husband Timothy was working in the kindergarden, she was reading an interesting book, taken from one of the bookshelves in the library on the 2nd floor. Her body utterly relaxed on the goth leather sofa as she wore her mint polka dot dress as apart of her cleavage was exposed. Her long, slender, creamy legs slightly spreaded as her bare feet rested on the couch's arm. Holding in one hand the book as her eyes glued to the yellowish pages of the book, her hazel eyes enthusiasted by every phrase that was being scanned, readen, assimilated, moving on forward. Head resting behind her arm as it poised her head position.

In the interim, Ellie and Tristan were playing with their toys on the carpeted floor, babbling and syllabling unfinished words and names which were heart pleasing for their mother, of course. Every time she heard their amorous, adorable infant voices, floating in the room with life, her lips curling into a sunny, merry smile as her heart raced, bring it back to life after abiding lifeless of the numbing silence, losing herself in the world of the literature. Likewise, she kept an eye on them in case if something goes out of the predictable.

The book she was currently reading was actually a criminal one as she was curious, to discover much different world. In the criminal literature as she hadn't readen such a book genre for decades. Perhaps since her late teens. By the way, the book grabbed her since its commencement for her surprise. She had been reading it for a handful of hours, almost revoking her eyes off every page that was in front of her with exception to look after the twins. Luckily, the book wasn't as addictive as her family and her affection towards the most important things in her life.

As she paged through per a page of the book in a few minutes, all of a sudden the retro phone rang as it taunted her to sigh frustratedly when she established herself in the most intriguing part of the book, leaving the book away especially upon the coffee table, getting from the couch whilst her children totally ignored the phone's ringing noises which were pretty common either daily or a couple of times a week. She walked up to the phone's location as her bare feet contacted the lukewarm floor until she gripped the handset, holding it behind either of her ears as she tucked her golden hair behind her tiny ear, answering directly the phone.

"Hello?" She echoed through the handset, awaiting for response, whilst glimpsing at Ellie and Tristan, smiling to them.

"Hello, rare bird." A similar masculine voice replied back as her smile grew rapidly, instantly formed on her shining face.

"Oh hi, sweetheart." She was beyond gleeful to hear her husband's sweet voice though he is supposed to be recently busy. "Aren't you supposed to be busy?" She played it like a silly as she enquired.

"No. I am in short break, thus I decided to call you since I missed you so much." Timothy responded blissfully with his soft voice as his British accent rather aroused, excited her, transmitting her on much higher level in the happiness. She can feel her folds already moistened every time she hears him talking to her.

" By the way, how are you, honey?" He continued as he asked concerned.

"Just a little nervous but I am well, thank you. How about you too?"

"Oh, don't worry, sweetie! It's okay. Back to the question, I am well too. Thank you!"

"I know. As an addition, the children are well too."

"Glad to hear it. How about Valerie? Is she alright too?"

"Not exactly! She had got a terrible headache and that's why she left earlier today. Further, she was upset, evading to tell me what's going on."

"That's not good to hear it." Mr. Howard answered rather upset, composed. "What are you doing now?"

"I am reading a book whilst supervising Ellie and Tristan. How about you too?" She peeped at the beautiful children as Ellie was pulling in her wee arms Tristan's toy truck as the little boy was quiet but didn't seem chuffed at all. Unlike his older sister who whimpered, wanting to play with the toy.

"I am taking a break as I speak to you." He said. "What kind of a book are you reading?"

"A criminal one." She answered with a smug smile and tone.

"That's nice."

"Ma-ma." The little girl stuttered as she carried on to whimper out loud, pulling as strong as she can the toy towards her, despite she was weaker than her slightly younger brother.

"Hang on for a second!" Jude apologized as she withdrawn the handset. "Tristan let your sister to play with your toy truck." She told with stern voice at her baby son.

Tristan ignored his mother's warning as he didn't give up. His stubbornness prevailed his generosity.

"What happened? Anything wrong with the kids?"

"They are fine. Just Tristan doesn't gives his toy truck to Ellie."

"He is such a bad boy." He emitted a titter as his wife joined him too, having a good time.

"Particularly now." She teased ironically.

"I am sorry, rare bird. But I need to get back to work so that Ms.Lynch to not yell at me."

"No problem, everything is okay. Bye and see you tonight, babe. I love you!"

"See you tonight. Loving you much more, rare bird!"

Then Jude placed the handset to the phone back, running up to the still struggling children as she crouched down, plucked from Tristan's small hands his toy truck as she gave it to Ellie as she smiled broadly, as she felt so prominent, whilst her younger brother pouted, his magnificent chocolate brown eyes's temperature diminished abruptly as it lost its own warmness, besides the blankness was pretty evident, unfortunately.

"Yaa!" The little girl bellowed jubilantly, pulling towards her the toy truck as she played.

She stroked her children's heads softly as her fingers caressed every inch of their creamy, vanilla skin. She smiled to them as she looked up at her son's frustrated face.

She took him into her protective arms as she hekd him from the back, hugging him as he clasped his petite arms around his mother's nape, in the meantime she soothed him not only with a hug and love, moreover with words.

"Ma-ma!" He exclaimed with his sweet infant voice, demonstrating his dissatisfaction of his older sister, whilst feeling much better in his mother's arms.

"Tristan, honey!" Running her fingers through his brittle face as she looked up straightly into his warmer chocolate eyes. She smiled broadly to him. "It looks like Ellie likes your toy so much. Why don't you allow her to study them and play with them, while you can have hers too?"

The silence was indisputably evident what his response is. However, all he can do is to shake a head, nod and say minority of basic vocabulary unfinished words. Hence, his response was a simpel nod as she stated. "Good."

Sometime later...

After Jude had spoken with Grace on the telephone to take care of Ellie and Tristan, the middle aged woman changed her garments from casual into a fabulous floral summer white dress, strapless, a knee length, followed by wooden platform white sandals, silver earrings and her ruby-sapphire bracelet.

She was desperate for seperating herself from the children if it's for an hour. Nonetheless, she was relieved by the fact that there's someone who she can rely on when she isn't at home, hardly having the opportunity to look after them. 

As she walked up to Valerie and Velika's house in the sunny, heating streets of the Boston countryside as the sun rays shone every inch of hers especially her astounding silky golden wavy hair, bouncing per a step that she stepped as she walked. Her heart was pounding with uneasiness in her chest, realizing what's expecting her. She was wearing a jaunty smile, persuading herself inwardly that everything will be alright. All she needs to do is to chill and relax, regardless the circumstances.

When she stood in front of the front door, her fist tapped lightly on the door a handful of times, pending for response. She heard approaching footsteps as she was completely sure it was either her friend Valerie or Dr.Azarova. Meanwhile she rolled her eyes until she heard the click of unlocking door, subsequently another click of opened door as her eyes looked up at the person who opened the door. 

"Hi." Velika greeted her rather dully as hazel eyes met chocolate eyes. Nevertheless there was something in those chocolate eyes. They gazed blankly, aloofly at her visitor's eyes. Grimaced, grim face. Layered by the shadows of its untold secrets yet. What a cheerless welcome!

"Hi Velika." Mrs.Howard attempted to be positive though she noted instantly what her interluctor's mood was. 

"What do you want?"

"Would you like to let me to see Valerie?"

"Sure." Dr. Azarova answered hastily as she let her guest to step in their house as she thanked.

When Velika shutted the door, in the meantime Jude asked if she should take off her sandals, throughout she wasn't obligated at all, as the house dwelled in a benumbing silence, her anxiety escalated as high as a rocketed up rocket in the sky. She walked up to Shona's bedroom door, tapping faintly as she awaited for response as soon as possible.

To be continued...