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Judy stared out the apartment window. She’d always enjoyed watching storms, but it had been different recently. Every crack of thunder was a reminder of storms back home in Crystal Cove. The storms that were most likely scaring her child while she wasn’t there to help. A cough from behind her startled her.
“When’s the last time you slept?” Brad asked.
“Monday. Or maybe Tuesday. Or last Thursday… What day is it?”
Brad shrugged. “Who cares?”
“We should, I guess.”
“I don’t know what I was thinking, bringing the baby with me… I should’ve known that thing would take him.”
“At least The Freak picked someone else to raise him. Last I heard, our son was with Mr. Jones.”
“That’s right, Judy… and he’s such a nice man. Our baby could’ve been handed off to some psycho.”
“Or The Freak could’ve kept him. That would’ve been worse, Brad.” Judy took a shaky breath. They sat in silence for a moment. “What did he call him, again?”
“Fred. He named our baby after himself,” Brad said.
“Freddie isn’t half bad. We did consider it ourselves.”
“That we did, Judy.”
“But who names a stolen child after themself?!”
“I’m sure he doesn’t know where the baby came from.”
“He probably thinks we died in the caves.”
“Right. Everyone probably does… I heard that my parents moved across the country. They couldn’t stand to stay.”
“My family moved, too. And I heard Ricky’s and Cassidy’s families both did. ”
“Have you talked to either of them lately?”
“Not since that night in the cave.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Judy stared out the window. She sighed. “Do you think he’s okay?”
“Who, Ricky?”
“No, Brad. I mean Fred.”
“Right, of course, Judy,” Brad said. He thought for a moment. “I’m sure he’s okay. I bet he’s better than okay. I bet he’s happy, and he’s being taken care of.”
“I bet he still has that bear you sent with him.”
Brad smiled. “Mr. Trapples? I bet he does. And I bet he’s going to grow up and make lots of friends.”
“And he’ll build lots of traps, Brad.”
“Right, of course. Thank you, Judy.”
“And he’ll play soccer.”
“I bet he will,” Brad said, “and you know what else?”
“What?”
“I bet he’ll sit and watch storms, just like his mother.”