Page 125 of Johnathan

“Baby. What the hell? Are you okay?” He ran towards her, turning her arm over in his hand. “You’re bleeding.”

“What happened?” Hank asked as he walked over to the window with Jake and Sam right behind him.

“This rock. It just came flying through the window.” Grace’s voice shook as Jackson wrapped her in a hug.

“We need to get your arm cleaned up, sweetheart.”

“I’m okay.”

“Here.” John swept Abby up into his arms and rushed her down the hall and into the bathroom. “Jesus. We’re so lucky that it didn't hit you in the head.”

“Yeah, the shoulder doesn’t feel great. Can’t imagine it would have been pleasant to take it to the head.”

“How the fuck did a rock get through the window?”

“Neighborhood kids? Probably someone just messing around.”

“Everything okay here?” Jake knocked on the door frame. “I am a trained medical professional if you are in need of assistance.”

Abby smiled, but John just shook his head. “Come look. I think we can just pull it with some butterfly bandages, but what do you think?”

“I don’t want to go in for stitches. I’m sure a bandage will be fine.”

“Abby, this gash is pretty deep. Let’s get it cleaned up properly and then I’ll see. Hank went out to my car to grab my bag, but I think we can just start with some water to make sure there isn’t any debris in there.”

Abby sucked in a sharp breath as Jake pressed on her shoulder. John laced his fingers through hers and gave a quick squeeze of encouragement.

Another knock on the door frame revealed Sam holding the medical bag.

“You okay, dove?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sam, bring that bag in here. She’s going to need stitches on one of these cuts, but the rest can just get bandaged.”

After some light swearing and a whole bunch of numbing medication from Jake, Abby was bandaged and ready to get back to their dinner.

“Where did Jackson and Seb go?”

“They drove over to Jackson’s house to get some plywood to cover the window.” Hank answered. “Daisy and I pulled the food off the grill and put it all in the kitchen.”

“Oh, thank you! I forgot we even had food out there. It would have been charcoal.” Abby laughed nervously. Hank sighed, holding the rock that had careened through the window in his hand.

“Hank?”

“Abby. Is there anyone giving you a hard time right now? I mean, has anything weird happened since the night of the fire at Sal’s?”

Her car. The phone call. Now the rock.

“What Hank? What aren’t you saying?” John asked.

“It wasn’t a random rock that got thrown through the window. And it doesn’t seem like you were the target, John.”

“Why? How do you know?”

“There’s a message on the rock. It’s…abrasive.”

Hank held the rock out and John turned it over.

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