The next several weeks dragged by slow, and painfully for Jules. She started getting up earlier in the mornings to work out and make a healthy breakfast. All of the lifting, pushing, and caring for Duncan that she did was wearing out her mind more than anything else. She tried to set aside time each day to take a walk while Duncan was sleeping in the afternoons. She always looked forward to this time to let her mind wind down and relax, but it wasn't always enough.

Jules and Greta climbed on furniture and reached up to pull the streamers and balloons down. They laughed at each other while teasing about needing longer arms.
"Take that," Greta wrapped a long, pink streamer around Jules' face.
"Hey now!" Jules laughed and floundered from her perch on the back of the couch. She tried to free her eye-sight.
"Hey, Jules?" Miles called out from Duncan's bedroom.
"Yeah?"
"Do you have your grandpa's meds in there?"
"Oh, yeah. They're in the kitchen. I'll grab them real quick."

It all started out as a joke.
My best friend and her sister had just returned from a month-long excursion to the British Isles, and Amanda was telling me all about it. She mentioned a place in Northern Ireland where they could spend multiple nights in the same place, but explore a host of fascinating sights within walking distance in any direction.
“It’s amazing,” she said. “I want to take you there someday!”

The next two days passed by in a blur for Jules. Her dad flew out Saturday afternoon, and Miles took his place at the hospital with Duncan. Duncan was speaking more, and was able to begin physical therapy.
Sunday morning rolled around bright and sunny. Jules got up and dressed herself in a blue skirt and gray sweater with boots and leggings underneath. She pulled the sleeves down over her arms consciously, and pulled the collar up around her neck. Her skin was still crossed with bright red scars, and tender to the touch. She didn't want anybody asking questions.

The thunder rumbled on, and still Jules cried uncontrollably. It was all too much.
"Jules!"
She lifted her head, panting. It was a man's voice calling out to her above the sound of the rain. She listened intently, praying that it wasn't Martin. Maybe it was her dad? She couldn't be sure. She heard her name again, a little closer this time. It definitely wasn't her dad.
"Jules, where are you?"

It was 5:30 in the evening by the time Greta left the hospital with Kevin. Jules took off her sweater and settled into her seat next to the cold, stiff hospital bed. She let her mind wander freely. She was deeply pursuing an idea for her next painting when she blinked, alert and present. "Did somebody say my name?" She looked up and caught Duncan's gaze. "Grandad? Was that you?"
"Jules..." his voice was labored, but it was clearly her name. He managed a weak smile.

Jules dragged herself into bed sometime after 10pm. She grinned in the dark while her mind ran back over her evening with Angus and Miles. Angus had obviously had something mischievous up his sleeve, and kept trying to covertly give Miles a certain humorous look. Jules laughed out loud when she remembered how many times Miles looked distressed. At one point he actually ran out of the room while she tried not to laugh. Angus was such a tease.

As the glowing sun set behind Knight Manor. Isabella Knight a beautiful 21-year-old girl was finishing the last few touches on a surprise birthday party for her mom and uncle her mom’s twin brother. Bella scribbled on a piece of paper the last couple of items she needed to grab from the store.
‘Cake, candles, and balloons.’ thought Bella as she ran out the door to her black truck and rushed to the store. As Bella picked up the last few things on her list her phone rang.
“Hello” “Bella honey, it’s dad is everything ready for your mom and uncle?”

As the goat upon the mountain,
As the long-ship on the wave-road,
As the sword in battle swinging
So the poet’s swift in speaking.

~

Then he came, the great hall owner.
From his covert Thorstein saw him,
Tall and warlike, long hair falling,
Gold around his giant shoulders.

Like a king he led his horse in,
Striding through the massive doorway,
Took to stall his mountain racer,
Turned at last to his own table.

"Hey Dad!" Jules put her phone in her back pocket and reached up to give Kevin a hug. "Grandad is sleeping now. He fell asleep maybe ten minutes ago. Do you want us to bring you dinner or anything before we leave?"
"No, thank you, I grabbed something right before I left. I'll see you later, Sweetheart."
Miles took Jules' yellow flowered backpack out of her hands and put it over his shoulder with a quiet smile. "You ready?"
"Yep. See you later, Dad."