After they left, the family had to take an hour with the police reporting the incident. ​Then they had to decide whether to continue with their evening or not. The restaurant would be no problem. The owners knew both Abby and her family and would be sympathetic to their situation. The same was true of the theater. The management knew Gramps and his family as well. Their decision revolved around the shock of what they'd just experienced. They weren't sure that they were any longer in the right frame of mind to eat and go to the theater. In the end, they decided to go ahead with their evening. 

​     As the family went to sit down to their meal, Gramps said, "Oh, wait a minute. I believe I've lost something." 

     Abby shot him a skeptical look. "And what exactly did you lose?" 

     "My...My cigarettes. They must've..."

     "You don't smoke, remember?" 

​     "My eyeglass case. Yes, that's what I lost. I've had it for so...It'd be horrible if..."

     "Daddy, please." Tears appeared in Abby's eyes. "Can't you just sit down and have dinner with us?" 

​     Abby'd already sat down at the table. Gramps had not. He stood over his daughter and looked down at her as he said, softly, lovingly, "But it's my favorite eyeglass case, my darling. I cannot live without it. I'll be back in twenty minutes. No more. I promise."

     Abby turned her head from him. "You always promise," she said. 

CONTINUE