A few days later...

16th of October, 1968

A handful of days passed since Frank was rescued from Briarcliff's prodigous madness. He was healing and healing slowly. Physically and mentally from the wounds he got. Despite initial Timothy's disapproval to accept Frank and perceiving the fact that the former security guard and Jude are just friends, he mustered with the circumstance for looking after one more person just after Ellie, Tristan and Agnes. 

Furthermore, the autumn days commenced to become colder and colder. Even more rainy. The crispy colorful leaves continued to fall from the trees, leaving no trace of their youthful, seasonal grace they used to have when they blossomed after the winter passed. 

Not only Jude's friendship with Frank developed more with the passing days as they got closer to one another, moreover Timothy, the Howards' future heirs and Valerie enjoyed his company as well. It was particularly obvious that Valerie and the children liked him so much. It was peculiarly odd how Valerie gets along with Timothy and Frank as they were the only men who haven't a hostile nature, in her opinion. Additionally, if Valerie wasn't friend of Jude, otherwise she would be hostile towards the both men, expressing her undeniable disdain towards them.

Frank started to love Jude and Timothy's children as his affection towards them grew with the approaching days. He loved them as their uncle and they loved him back. He can perfectly recognize something sinisterly similar between the twins and his son and daughter as well. 

Dorothea was brunette like Ellie, inheriting her father's hair color though his contemporary is actually gray. Matt was actually blonde just like Tristan, deriving Frank's deceased wife Louise glimmering like the sun blonde hair.

Likewise Jude's old friend wore Timothy's clothes, helping the Howards with what they need, playing with the children, teaching them when their parents and nana are absent. At last but not least, he promised Jude and Timothy to acquaint them with his children one day. The former security guard would like to stay at his old friend's home until he lastly recovers. He mustered as he got more comfortable with the domestic atmosphere though he didn't want to cross the borderline.

Just a couple of minutes before Timothy to get back at home, Jude and Frank were watching TV as they were sitting on the couch beside one another. In the meantime, Ellie and Tristan were seating on two seperate armchairs with their stuffed animals as Agnes's tiny body laid on her mother's lap, encircled by her mother's smooth, secure hand that shielded her youngest infant. 

Valerie returned back at home earlier, as a result of catching cold as she didn't want to spread it all over the Howards' mansion.

It hasn't stopped to rain since the beginning of the day as the crystal drops cascaded, moistening the ground. It resembled the heaven was weeping.

Currently on the TV was broadcasting the evening news. For Jude and Frank's surprise, they saw somebody who they can discern, in fact it was nobody else than Lana. They glued their eyes to the glowing TV screen as they didn't halt to gape dumbfounded  once they saw their old friend on the news.

She was recently on the news as a couple of TV teams were at the place where Lana presented her new book that became one of the best sellers in a matter of weeks Maniac. 

"Ms. Lana Winters was today at one of the libraries in New York, that have been crowded by hundreds of people who were not only her fans and enthusiasts, but also they were inspired by reading her book just in one breath." A juvenile-looking, appealing young reporter with bob chestnut hair declared as she held, squeezing the microphone in her hand. She wore a sympathetic smile across her naturally rosy lips. 

The young woman was in the same library where it took place the book's presentation as Lana was distinctly visible in the background, chatting with her fans. She was encompassed by plenty of admirers and people who liked the book itself.

"As you can see for yourself, Miss Winters is being surrounded by people who spent hours not only listening to her presentation, furthermore discussing together her book even asking her elaborating questions behind some writings in her book." The reporter who reported was visually looking younger than Lana with a couple of years behind her. Her speech was rather eloquent, heartwarming, captivating the viewers' ears, jingling pleasant, tunable noises. 

Then the younger reporter wandered up to Lana and some of her fans as she wanted to question them about the famous book. 

"I am home, darling and Frank." Timothy clarified out loud as he shut the front door as soon as he didn't hear his wife and their friend's responses, rendering him to feel strange. Then he kicked off his shoes as he hanged the coat, hearing his wife yelling from the living room.

"Timothy, come here!" She yelled casually as she peeped back behind the goth sofa.

"Just a second." He sped up as he hopped up in comfy slippers, walking up to the living room as he placed a hand on the couch as his another one managed to move up to his wife's soft honey hair, stroking her softness beneath his long, fine fingers. "Lana?" He questioned as he beholded the almost midlife journalist on the TV as he fixed his eyes on the TV picture. 

"Lana Banana." Judy rather teased as a response to her husband's enquiry with an acerbic grin on her glistening of joy face. 

"Oh." Frank just inhaled serenely as he began cackling gutturaly as the other two adults joined him. 

"Miss Winters, what would you say about your achievement by writing a book, therefore being sold as it gains a lot of fame behind your back? How do you feel as the hero, according to certain fans?" The young reporter posed a question to Lana.

"Well, my commentary concerning my achievement is actually rendering me proud, not because of the fame that I gained within weeks. It's mainly because my readers read a phenomenal book where they are met with the reality of a madhouse where I was institutionalized and stripped. They are descending in another world. In a sinister one as well." The young journalist said proudly as she wore a smug smile across her bloody red lips. "I just cannot describe this feeling being a hero, according to my fans. However, I am glad I helped plenty of people who were lost and scared. Or even can imagine what is feeling to be hospitalized as an inmate, encircled by hundreds of them as you get tormented daily with getting your medication for example." Lana continued.

"That's fantastic what are you telling me, Ms. Winters. Would you mind to add a commentary about your captivator and savior in the same time?"

"I don't mind at all. What I can say about this person is actually that she isn't a bad person though her strictness peaks, besides her ways of punishing plenty of inmates daily. Sister Jude was probably one nice woman, despite she wasn't the best at all. After she lost her position, unfortunately, then she put herself in my shoes as she experienced almost the same like me every day."

"Oh. Ms. Winters one more question about the woman you mentioned. Is she still an inmate of the institution, besides let's not forget she is part of the book?" The brunette reporter inquired the older journalist enthusiastically.

"I don't know but I assume she is, unfortunately." Lana emitted a tired inhale from the top of her lungs. "I will return back for her one day." She declared.

Then the reporter thanked to the ambitious journalist for her commentary, hence, asking a few questions random strangers about the book. 

"Mrs.Williams, what's your personal perception on Ms.Winters' best seller Maniac: One woman's story of survival?" 

"To be honest, this book was actually breathtaking. I mean, I read it just in one breath, crucially because of her brutal survival story in a madhouse, where she was locked and tortured. She's a strong woman who told us hundreds of stories about this place and her survival as well." A random stranger named Mrs.Williams commented the book that she read as she was overwhelmed by her reading experience. 

"That's wonderful. Thank you for your commentary, ma'am." The twenty-five year old reporter expressed her gratitude with a sincere smile curling up in the corner of her lips, thus moving on with the imminent stranger. "Mr.Johnson, what can you say about the hottest book in the recent weeks?"

"If I need to be frank, this woman inspired me a lot not because she's a journalist. It's primitively because of her peculiar stamina, surviving a long path by passing plenty and diversity of dangerous hurdles that didn't let her to live her life normally. There should be more powerful women just like Ms.Winters." Another stranger called Mr.Johnson declared his opinion.

***

When Frank was in the library, reading a book, Jude and Timothy had already discussed about Lana's reborn as they saw her for first time after fleeing away from Briarcliff, besides they put already Ellie, Tristan and Agnes to sleep as it was late for them. Before bed, they ate, were bathed, dressed in different, sheer clothes, and listened to bedtime fairy tales. Despite everything else, Timothy has determined himself to leave his work place tomorrow as he drives up to New York to buy Lana's book as the couple have the ginormous wish to read the book. Initially, Judy wasn't pleasantly surprised for Timothy's idea to be jobless from tomorrow. Afterwards she was persuaded by him for spending more time with their amorous children and the family on the whole. After he explained his cardinal motive over his work, she was beyond euphoric for his wise explaination that relieved the former nun. 

To be continued...