The common definition of hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
Jen Decker and Claire Jacobs had declared their love for each other and were currently within the living room of the Decker household, making plans for a joint future together, while Tad Decker was with his girlfriend Amy Howler doing homework and wondering what lied in his future.
Within the maternity ward of Moon Lake General Hospital, Jade Drake was nursing her newborn daughter Hope, thinking about their future as well.
"Eat well little one," mother gently whispered to child. "Tonight we rest, and tomorrow..."
In all honesty, Jade Drake had absolutely no idea what would happen tomorrow, when a male voice announced: "Tomorrow I take you home."
Startled, Jade turned to see who had intruded upon this private moment, and despite still being tired and weak from giving birth, was fully prepared to assume her were-komodo dragon form and defend her child until her dying breath if need be, when she saw who was standing in the doorway of her hospital room.
"Mister Drake!" she said, surprised to see Dymixious' father. "I thought—"
"When word reached me of what happened*, I came as soon as I could safely do so," said the older man, as he quietly approached the bed where the remainder of his family in Moon Lake rested. "Is that..."
"Yes. Mister Drake, may I have the honor of presenting Hope Frances Drake?" asked Jade, not bothering to excuse the child's natural need to feed.
"Frances?" he repeated, not recognizing the middle name. "Is that with an I or an E? Either way, I recall no one..."
"With an E, in honor of the lady that stepped in and helped me through the emotional trauma of giving birth after..."
The elder Drake pulled up a guest chair and sat next to the bed. "I want to know everything you can tell me about recent events. Do not leave out even the smallest detail or anything in the belief that you think you will be sparing my feelings over my son's death."
Jade Drake simply nodded her head in acknowledgement, and then proceeded to honor the request.
She talked at length about their recent days in Moon Lake. How they had moved here on his instructions so Dymixious could "lay low until the heat was off" for killing a rogue were in Seattle that had almost exposed were society to the world** until the surprise visit from the local authorities.
"They said they just wanted to question Dymixious and asked him to accompany them down to the Moon Lake Police Department, but he resisted and***..." said Jade, as tears began to form in her eyes.
"I see," was all the elder man would say, thinking over her account of events.
Then he stared at her and asked, "Who fired the first shot?"
Jade Drake thought long and hard about that. She wasn't sure how her father-in-law would react, but in the end, decided to be straight forward and hope (no pun intended) for the best.
"All were armed. Dymixious had me stay back for safety. I know he drew first, and I... while I believe he fired the first shot, I cannot say with 100% complete certainty who actually fired first," she admitted. "From my perspective, the first shots were almost simultaneous and still ring loudly in my memory when I think of them. I did have to provide some venom afterward so the doctors here could make some anti-venom to save a couple of police officers that Dymixious wounded during the battle."***
"I see. Anything else?"
"To remind you that he was unwilling to cooperate with the police, who were only requesting his presence for questioning. Now I am a widow and our child will grow up never truly knowing her father. The kind and gentle man he was around me when we were alone," added Jade, before holder her daughter a little closer to her. "Not whoever he had to be when he was away taking care of... business."
"I see," was all Mister Drake said, while thinking things over. Then he stared at her and asked, "What happened to the diagnosis that you were having twin boys?"****
"Sadly, a technical glitch of the equipment. But your granddaughter is alive and well," said Jade, as Hope pulled herself away from her mother's breast to see what was going on.
The little girl managed to turn her head slightly to stare at her mother.
Jade gently repositioned her daughter to be cradled in the crook of her arm so Hope could stare at their visitor.
Grandfather Drake stared at the new arrival to the world.
Then Hope blinked once and smiled at him, before settling down to rest in her mother's arm.
Jade Drake turned to face her father-in-law and asked, "What happens now?"
"As I said, tomorrow when you are released from here, you and Hope shall come back home with me. I already have men packing your things at the rental house you occupied. So unless the authorities still have any reason to detain or arrest you..."
"Not that I am aware of. But what I meant was in regards to Dymixious."
"When his body is released, I shall make the necessary funeral arrangements at the family plot," replied the man coldly, for it was always a heavy burden for a parent to outlive a child.
"Whether by accident or design, you still misunderstand me. I would like to know what happens between you and the authorities now over Dymixious' death?" asked Jade, as her father-in-law stood up from the chair he occupied.
"My son, your husband, had his faults. At times being stubborn and headstrong among them. If, as you suspect, Dymixious fired first, then the dishonor is ours and I shall discreetly make arrangements through Tachibana no Akane to set things right. But if the police fired first..."
And then the man simply shrugged his shoulders.
"Either way, I shall see both of you tomorrow to take you home."
Then he bowed before Jade and Hope before leaving their hospital room.
Jade Drake sat alone in the hospital bed with her sleeping daughter, thinking things over.
If I could, I would love to stay in Moon Lake. I have at least one friend here... thinking of Frances Twist. But what would I do for a job, let alone funds to cover even our basic living expenses?
Then, resolving to at least call Frances in the morning to say goodbye before leaving, Jade Drake pulled the cover up more on both her and her daughter, and then finally fell asleep with the child still resting in her arm, the side guardrail up to prevent anything from happening to either of them while they rested.
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*It is currently Monday, November 2, 2015 to our cast of Moon Lake, Tad; while the rest of the Earth 1 stories are still on Sunday, November 1 at the moment.
**The wererat Lionel Ulysses.
***Which covers a lot of recent episodes of this thread.
****A continuity mistake of the past I caught when trying to find out if Dymixious' father had already been given a first name.—tmw.