The Reunion--Chapter 3 Date: 1/2/02 2:05:41 PM Central Standard Time From: Peggy Boone When Amy got back from the Old House, David asked her where she had been and she told him she had gone to the Old House. Adam was worried about Barnabas. He had been at his house for a couple days since he found him laying outside in the rain. He had taken a cold. He had woken Adam up that morning coughing and sneezing. Adam put his hand against Barnabas' face and the hot flesh made him pull his hand away. He remembered when he had been at the Old House, Willie had gotten sick, but he didn't remember what Julia had done to make him feel better. He knew that if he didn't do something, Barnabas would die. He picked up the car keys from where he had tossed them, got in the car and drove away. He wondered if he could remember how to get to the Old House. He knew that he couldn't be gone too long because he didn't want to leave Barnabas by himself. Adam drove until he arrived at the Old House. When he parked, he saw two more cars parked in front of the Old House. He had never seen either Willie's or Julia's cars so he didn't know who was there. He opened the door and got out. Inside the Old House, Julia's and Willie's conversation was interrupted by a blaring car horn. Julia opened the door and peered out. She saw a car, but she didn't recognize it. When Adam looked up, he saw Julia and Willie. He saw the rifle, being held tightly in Willie's hands, was pointed at him. Finally, Julia spoke. "How have you been, Adam?" "Fine." "Is there something wrong?" "He needs your help. He's sick." "Who, Adam?" "Barnabas." "Do you know where he is?" "At Nicholas' house by the sea." "Has he been hurt?" "I don't know. I found him laying outside in the rain." Willie stood off to the side watching Julia as she scurried here and there as she gathered things to take with her. When Adam and Julia began walking towatd the door, Willie picked up his jacket and began putting it on. "Are you going somewhere?" "I'm going with you because I am not letting you go anywhere with him alone." (at the house by the sea) Barnabas rested fitfully. He had never felt as badly as he felt at that moment. He wondered where Adam had gone. He had fallen asleep and when he had woken up, Adam was gone. He began to sit up, but he weakly fell back on the bed. He heard a car pull up outside. As he laid in bed, he heard the door open and he heard peoples' voices. He heard someone racing up the stairs. When he turned to face the door, he saw Willie in the doorway. Downstairs, Julia heard Willie shouting. She went to the bottom of the stairs and called up to him. "Willie, what's wrong?" She saw him appear on the landing. She saw he was smiling. "I found him, Julia. He's alive." Julia seized her bag and hurried up the stairs to where Willie waited for her. When she went into the bedroom, seeing Barnabas the way he was, brought tears to her eyes. She went over to the bed and brushed her hand over Barnabas' forehead. She was alarmed at how hot he was. She took a thermometer out of her bag, shook it down and placed it under his tongue. When she took it out and read it, she saw it was 102 degrees. She turned to face Adam. "Can you bring me a pan of water and some rags?" She watched him leave the room, before she turned to Willie. "Barnabas is too ill to be moved. I am staying here with him and I want you to go back to the Old House." Willie opened his mouth to object, but Julia continued. "Adam won't hurt me. I will be all right here." Willie knew that it was useless to argue with Julia, so he got in his car and drove back to the Old House. Julia heard a noise behind her. When she turned, she saw Adam had returned with the pan of water and the rags. Julia dipped one of the rags in the water, wrung it out and laid it across Barnabas' forehead. She didn't hear Adam. When she looked she saw he was gone. Soon, she heard footsteps and felt a hand on her shoulder. When she turned, Adam was standing behind her, holding a cup of coffee out to her. She took a sip and set the cup down.
