Estelle used the shower on the first floor. 

     Brock used the one in the hot tub room while still sitting in his wheelchair. He wanted at least a majority of the gunk off his chair. He'd give it a super cleaning once he got to his new place, take a whole day at it, do it right, scrub every speck of Mother Naturia out of his life for good and all. In the meantime...

     They'd just finished when they heard a knock-knock on the door. 

​     Brock answered it.

     Oh. 

     It was Ensign, Shawnacy's boyfriend, and Anthony, Estelle's fella.

     Estelle hugged Anthony and gave him a smooch.

     "I missed you buddy," she said. 

     "It's only been a day. Where have you been?"

     "The last thing you want to know is where we've been." 

     "You were a part of that whole mess up in the Arctic, weren't you?" 

     "It was a mess, all right." 

     "Where's Shawnacy?" Ensign asked.  

     "She's cleaning up. She needs to rest."

     "And I need to see her."

     "Not right now."

     Ensign was not crazy about that answer. Athletically muscled, abnormally handsome, with blonde curls and an air that went way past self confidence, he was a young man who rarely heard the word "no".

     "I'll wait in the living room," he said. 

     "That's not a good idea right now." 

     "She's hurt, isn't she? She was up there in the Arctic with all of you and..." 

     "Ensign!" 

     This from Brock. 

     He'd planted his wheelchair in the entrance so that no one could pass him to get into the house. "Calm down. No, Shawnacy has not been hurt, she's fine, she'll contact you as soon as she can, but..." 

​     "But you guys are moving tomorrow!"

     Jeez, that's right. Brock had completely forgotten about the move.

     "You were going to help us tomorrow, right?" Estelle asked Ensign. "Isn't that what you told Shawnacy?"

     "Yep." 

     "That's when you'll see her, then. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, but it's been a crazy day like you wouldn't believe, so we need to be just with each other for the rest of the night, okay? No visitors until tomorrow." One more kiss for Anthony. "That goes for you too, sweetie." 

     Ensign said, "If I could just..." 

     "We're done. See ya' tomorrow."

     And, with that, Estelle closed the door.

     She looked at the stairway. She thought of Noel and Shawnacy still up in the bathroom. 

     I hope everything will be all right by tomorrow, she thought. 

     That's what I hope, but I have my doubts.

                                              CONTINUE