As soon as he closed the door to the hallway Alex rose out of her chair. She pressed her ear lightly against the wall trying to hear what was being said. Realizing that it was impossible, she sat back down at the table where both her sisters had resumed eating and watching TV.

She put her feet up on the chair hugging her knees to her chest. Reggie got up and stood by her nudging her with his nose.

~~~~~

Sometimes withdrawn and sullen, Alex was also intelligent and possessed strong intuitive abilities which separated her from other people--even her family. She often picked up feelings and emotions from unknown sources much as an antenna picks up radio waves. Unable to control or explain what was happening to her, she often felt moody and isolated. Reggie was the only one who picked up these signals, although he processed them in a less complicated way.

Alex, her given name Alexandra, was a beautiful child. She wore her silky blond hair long, about halfway down her back. Her features were soft. Her straight nose turned up slightly at the end and her full lips curved into a mischievous smile at the edges whether she was really smiling or not; but it was her eyes that reflected a power beyond her years. Large and evenly spaced, the warm chocolate color and oval shape were reminiscent of a Margaret Keene painting with a depth that could make some people uncomfortable.

~~~~~

Alex heard the muffled sound of the front door closing. Tensing up, she held her breath as she waited for Michael to return to the kitchen. After a few minutes she knew he wasn't coming. This only inflamed the fear that was growing inside her. Sliding off her chair she went over to the door and listened. She could hear him talking. Since only his voice was coming at her from the entry hall, she realized he was talking to someone on the telephone.

Glancing over at the kitchen extension on the other side of the refrigerator, Alex hesitated for a moment before going over and reaching up for it. Reggie followed her from the door to the phone. He too sensed her fear. She could hear his voice clearly now. Putting the receiver to her ear and taking a deep breath, she began to listen. Something bad had happened and something even worse was about to.

~~~~~

Michael shut the front door after saying goodnight to the two men. He leaned back against it and closed his eyes trying to summon up an answer to what he should do next. He felt numb and exhausted. He was going to have to tell the girls about their parents very soon--he couldn't wait much longer as they were already getting upset. He decided to call his mother hoping that under the circumstances she would be able to come back.

"Hey Mom,"

"Michael, what's wrong? You sound upset!"

"Mom, I'm still at the Graham's house. Something terrible has happened."

"What are you telling me?"

"Dr. and Mrs. Graham were in a bad car accident." He tried to keep his voice low.

"What!" Rosa gasped.

"Mom, they were both killed."

There was a pause and then he heard the thud of the receiver hitting the floor.

Michael yelled, "Mom, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here."

He heard Reggie begin to bark and immediately realized what had happened. Hanging up the phone he ran towards the kitchen. After opening the door it only took him a moment to study the scene.

The receiver dangled from its long spiral cord. Jessie and Charlie still seated at the table stared into the family room. They weren't looking at the television but rather at the open sliding glass door. The beige curtains blown by the angry wind billowed into the room.

"What's wrong?" Jessie screamed as Michael bolted for the door.

"Stay here!" he yelled back at them.

Alex was already on the lower tier where he had been planting iris bulbs earlier. Reggie ran at her side barking in alarm. She ran to the back gate jerking it open as he yelled for her to stop. She ran down the worn dirt path which was lined on both sides by blackberry brambles. The dirt quickly turned to sand as the path opened onto the beach.

"Alex, stop! Wait!" he implored as he ran straight out towards the shoreline following her.

Alex ran as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. She didn't want to hear anything he had to say. If she ran far enough away from him maybe her parents would be okay.

Reggie stayed with her trying to herd her back towards the beach.

Michael reached and grabbed her up in his arms just as a wave washed over her feet. He carried her back to dry sand before kneeling down. She sobbed loudly as she struggled to get away.

"Listen to me," he said as he turned her to face him.

"Let me go," she yelled as she tried to push him away.

"Alex I need you to listen to me."

"You're lying! My parents aren't dead. They'll be home any minute!" she screamed at him while struggling to get away.

He held her shoulders firmly and looked her squarely in the eyes. "They're dead Alex. Their car crashed and they're gone."

She stopped struggling and looked at his expression and his eyes and realized that it was true. She put her hands over her face and cried into them. He pulled her to him in an attempt to comfort her but she pushed away refusing any solace.

Reggie nosed them trying to understand what was happening. He finally sat down and began making grumbling noises to show his discontent.

"I need you to help me with Jessie and Charlie. We have to tell them what's happened." He paused for a moment to let his words sink in, "Please, can you help me with them?"

He waited for a response. After a few seconds she raised her head and nodded.

He stood up and reached down to take her hand. This time she didn't pull away. Together they walked up the path that led to the house.

The moist wind tugged at their clothes making them shiver.

They were frozen to the bone when they got back to the house. Charlie was still sitting at the kitchen table with Jessie standing next to her patting her shoulder. Charlie's head was down and she was crying. Jessie turned towards the door as it slid shut with a fearful look in her eyes.

"What happened?" she asked looking from one to the other for an explanation.

Michael approached them reaching down to pick up Charlie and comfort her. Reggie, panting heavily sided up to him.

"Come sit over here on the sofa," he said as he sat Charlie on the overstuffed cushions. He took a seat on the coffee table facing them while Alex stood off to the side holding her distance. He reached out and patted Reggie to reassure him.

"Something very sad has happened," he began. "Your mom and dad were in a bad car accident tonight." He paused looking at both girls to see if they were absorbing what he was telling them. He continued before they could start asking questions; he had to get this said no matter how hard it was--they needed to know. "Your parents were hurt so bad that the doctors couldn't make them better. They died and went to heaven. I'm so sorry..." his voice quivered slightly as another dose of reality hit him.

Both girls began to cry. Jessie more to herself while Charlie cried openly yelling, "I want my Mommy!"

Alex sat down on the side of the coffee table with her back to them. The sound of the front door opening and closing came in from the hallway.

"Hello? Michael?"

It was Rosa. A wave of relief washed over him.

"We're in here Mom."

She rushed in, throwing her coat over one of the kitchen chairs. "How are my girls?" she asked as she sat down and pulled Charlie onto her lap.

"My mommy and daddy..."

"I know," she soothed, "I know Mija."

Jessie leaned against her as Rosa wrapped her arm around her shoulders pulling her close. She began to cry harder. Alex didn't move, but several tears leaked from her eyes and streaked down her face when she blinked. Reggie had walked over to her in an attempt to protect her from her pain.

Rosa studied the three little girls she knew almost as well as their own mother. She had a pretty good idea how each one would handle this tragedy. She knew Jessie would hold some of her sadness inside while trying to be a surrogate mother to Charlie. She also knew that she would look to her older sister for guidance and that Alex would rise to the occasion when she had to.

~~~~~

Jessie, her given name Jessika, was an intelligent child like her sisters. She had the same soft features as Alex, but her long straight blond hair was several shades darker. Her wide eyes tipped up slightly at the outer edges and they were more green than brown, although a less observant person might call them hazel. She could be secretive and distant but by her nature was open and gregarious. While Alex was a leader, Jessie was a nurturer.

~~~~~

Charlie, her given name Charlotte, was still developing a personality. Her traits were much less defined. At five, she could read almost anything and spoke Spanish as fluently as any Hispanic child her age. Her features were still babyish from her little pug nose to her large almond shaped brown eyes. Her hair was the same golden color as Jessie's and it hung past her shoulders and there was a natural wave in it. She was inquisitive and loving and as her sisters put it, just plain irritating.

~~~~~

"Alex," Rosa coaxed, "come over here."

She didn't move.

"Alex," Michael started to say but Rosa held up her hand to stop him.

"Please Mija, come sit with us."

She still refused to budge. She reached out her hand and buried it in Reggie's coat. "Why did someone hurt my parents?"

For a second no one spoke and then Michael said, "It was an accident. It wasn't any one's fault."

This time she turned to face him. The intensity in her eyes held his. "I heard my mom tell my dad that someone sent her a note. She was almost crying. She told him she was scared."

Remembering the mention of blue paint and the possibility of another car, Michael once again felt a chill run through him.