Typing silently on her computer Becca waited anxiously for her husband’s return. She was normally okay when left to her own devices but today she just wanted to be with Jc. There just wasn’t much to do in the house. Yes there were chores that needed doing and she had to study for college exams but that could easily be taken care of. And when you’re taking classes online it’s not like you can really have that social life that comes with school. Jordyn was always going on about how she needed to get a job and at this point Becca was starting to think that she was right. After all a job was really just a hobby in a way where you got paid and you had to stick to it. Only trouble was where exactly could she find a job where she could be around people but not have to talk with them too much?
Finishing her assignment and turning off her laptop Becca went downstairs to the living room where the rabbit cages were. They were in the middle of a heat wave and not wanting her precious bunnies to be harmed she had insisted that they be kept inside. Jc had given in without much trouble. Probably because he was too tired to really go into to much discussion about it. That and also the hutches in the back yard weren’t quite finished yet so until that got done the rabbits would be living inside. Currently there were two does and one buck. All the babies had been sold to new families. Becca was currently in the process of getting some nametags for the hutches so that each rabbit would have its own personal space. Putting in some carrots and checking their water Becca went back to just walking around the house with no real motive.
She and Jc had moved here from Jordyn’s old farmhouse less than four months ago. There was still a lot of remodeling and unpacking to do but that was nothing that couldn’t be fixed within the next couple of years. Becca and Jc had been married about seven months and they loved it. While people were often skeptical of the age difference between them and Becca’s young age they were hardly ever thinking about it. Becca’s mind wandered from that though to her friends.
Becca had major social anxiety problems. She had dealt with insomnia and self-isolation for years. Her parents embarrassed by not having the perfect daughter they had always wanted had decided to throw her into an asylum at sixteen. While they were acting like concerned parents and occasionally tried to call Becca wasn’t quite ready to forgive them just yet. But she had to give them credit for one thing. If it hadn’t been for them locking her up like that she would never have met her friends. She had met Jordyn, Jc, Howie, Nick, AJ, Justin, Joey, and the late Levi.
Levi had died her first day there and everyone was deeply hurt by that. His doctor Brian had been one of the people most crushed by his death, but not as much as Levi’s sister Jordyn. She had come a few weeks later. She and Nick were currently living together. Jordyn was in fact pregnant with Nick’s child currently, and she didn’t like that. She was one of those people who wanted to get her career taken care of before marrying and starting a family. “I think God is trying to prove something to me. I think I hate him now.”
As for Brian he had eventually hooked up with another doctor, Lance. Becca occasionally received emails and phone calls from Kevin, Brian, Lance, and Chris but they had their own lives to attend to and so their calls didn’t come as often as they used to. Deciding to find a way to kill time Becca went over and dialed some numbers on the phone. She knew that Jordyn and Nick wouldn’t be home till later that afternoon but it wouldn’t hurt to leave a message. Jordyn was seven months pregnant so she was likely out walking or at the doctors getting a checkup on the baby.
Sure enough there was the answering machine.
“You’ve reached Nick Carter and Jordyn Wood. We can’t take your call right now but leave a message and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. Thanks.” Followed by a beeping sound. Becca left a quick message and hung up. She was about to go upstairs and take a nap when she heard the sound of a car pulling up in the driveway. Looking out the window she saw it was Jc only he had Justin and AJ with him. Justin was going through college so he could get into law school and AJ was trying to get into police work. While Becca was happy to see her friends she just wasn’t in the mood to set two extra places at the table or cook more food. If they were staying for dinner Jc would have to do the cooking.
“Becca I’m home!” Jc called out as he entered the door in an ‘I Love Lucy’ fashion.
“Yes Ricky Ricardo I know.” Becca said going over to him kissing him on the cheek. “How was work today?”
“Boring but the paycheck makes it worth it.” Jc replied. “Justin and AJ are here. They’re just going to be here for a couple hours. We’re going to be helping Howie get his new cows that he’s been eager to get. Might take up some time tomorrow too.” Becca nodded.
“Do you need me to set up the guest room?” She asked. Jc shook his head.
“Nah. Those two can crash on the floor if they need to.”
“Hey we heard that!” Justin yelled from the porch. AJ just grinned.
“We’re gonna crash at the farm house. Don’t worry Becca we won’t trash your place just yet.” He grinned.
“Well I never got around to starting dinner so do you want me to start cooking now or have you already eaten?” She asked.
“I ate over at their place.” Jc said. “Mostly I just came here to check up on you to see how you were doing.” He said kissing her cheek. “With the rise in crime in the area I don’t know how I feel about leaving you alone.”
“Jc I’m fine.” Becca said. “Anyways go make yourselves comfortable. I’ll go make some coffee.”
“Becca’s been doing a lot better since you two got married.” Justin commented as they sat down in the living room. AJ sat in the recliner chair and when he tried to lean back he nearly crushed one of the rabbit cages. Thankfully the squeaking from behind him alerted AJ that maybe that wasn’t such a good idea.
“Sorry Anya.” He said to the little grey and white Dutch bunny. Anya just wiggled her nose and went to her carrot. She was clearly not amused.
“Becca’s only this social around us though.” Jc said. “She still has difficulty adjusting to strangers.”
“Like a rabbit does.” AJ said still watching the rabbits hopping around doing their little rabbit things.
“Yeah.” Jc murmured. Just then the phone rang. Jc let Becca answer it. They could hear her talking in the next room. Just then Becca let out a cry of fear and ran into the living room and clung onto Jc the phone still in her hand. Jc took the phone from her and doing his best to comfort her started talking.
“Hello?” He asked.
“Is that you Jc?” He heard Nick’s voice say. “Is everything okay at your place? Have you heard from Justin and AJ at all today? I called the others and they’re okay.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Nick slow down one thing at a time please.” Jc said petting Becca’s hair. “AJ and Justin are right here. What exactly is going on?”
“You know about that string of murders in the area these past few weeks?” Nick said. “Yeah.” Jc replied. “Why?”
“The killer has struck again.” Nick said. “This time it was some people who lived near us.”
*
They all drove over to their ranch. It was a large piece of land that had some horses who grazed out in a fenced field and some who were trained and kept in the barn. They saw Nick and Jordyn sitting on the porch. At first it looks like Jordyn is holding onto Nick but it was the other way around. They got closer and they could tell Jordyn was annoyed.
“Nick holding onto me like that will not save anyone.” Nick didn’t let her go though. He’s become very protective of her and the baby, not wanting to lose Jordyn again or his kids. He wouldn’t even let her go on a walk any more without him and she hated that she couldn’t have time to herself.
“Are you guys okay?” Becca runs from Jc’s truck and sits down next to Jordyn who nodded.
“Nick is just having a stroke at the moment.” Nick pats her hand.
“I don’t want to risk anything.”
“Yeah Nick, right when you let go of me someone will pop out of nowhere and shoot me to death. Nick let go.” Jordyn pulls Nick’s arms off of her and she rests her head on his shoulder. “I don’t want to loose you either but you don’t see me having a stroke.”
“So who was it that got hit?” Justin, AJ, and Jc sit down on the large porch with them.
“Well it was our closest neighbors at the bottom of the hill.” Nick and Jordyn’s ranch was up on a hill and people had to drive about a mile down a dirt road to hit their place. Apple trees lined it and Jordyn thought it was a haven. Once you cleared the trees you saw the house and the barn off to the right behind the house. If you took an aerial view of their place it was a piece of land in the middle of a forest. It was secluded and Nick liked that part.
“It happened while we were gone.” Nick grabs Jordyn again. “I don’t know what would have happened if we weren’t at the doctors!”
“Breath Nick!” Jordyn looks him in the face. He was sitting behind her. “Cut it out!” Jordyn sighs and scoots forward out of Nick’s grasp. “The person got into their house while they were in the bedroom doin’ the wild thing and he murdered them. He ran off.”
“How do you know all this?” Becca was now holding onto Jc and Jc was holding onto her. Justin reaches for AJ but AJ slaps his hands.
“We talked with the police when we were driving back from the docs.” Nick rubs Jordyn’s back.
“Rephrase what Nick just said – I talked to the police and Nick was trying to get me back to the house.”
“I do not want to see what Jc is going to do when Becca gets prego.” Justin says getting a look from Jc.
“Yes Nick you are being weird.” AJ says. “More weird then normal.”
“I lost Jordyn once, she nearly got killed, and now she is carrying my twins. I have to be protective.” Jordyn rubs her face.
“What are you going to do when they start walking?” Nick goes pale and AJ cracks up laughing. Even Becca grins.
“Alright now shut up.” Nick stands up. “Since you guys are here want to come in?” They nod and stand up. Justin laughs at Jordyn’s attempt to stand up.
“Shut up!” Jc helps her to her feet and Jordyn slaps the back of Justin’s head. “This weight will go once these kids get out of me.” She walks inside and Justin snickers getting a glare from Becca.
Later on that day Joey and Howie drive over to the ranch. They act just like Nick – they make sure Jordyn is fine and she wants to throw knives at them.
“Sorry okay but its scary to hear about this.” Joey still lived with Howie as his farm hand. He liked working there and hoped he could get paid someday for it. He just works in town at a restaurant instead as head chef.
“I know it scared me too but I think I’m the only sane one at this point.” Jordyn sits down in her nice recliner chair. “Uhg too long of a day.”
“Here you guys just stay for dinner. I’ll make it Jordyn you just rest.” The one thing she liked about being pregnant was Nick waiting at her hand and feet. She still did a lot of her own stuff but Nick insisted to help.
“Have fun babe.” She nods and shuts her eyes. All the guys head into the kitchen and begin making dinner. Becca sits down on the couch watching TV with Jordyn.
