CHAPTER 32

Thursday night as Cody was pulling socks out of her drawer, tossing them all over the bed, a knock at her door disturbed her.

Irritated at the interruption, she opened the door.

“Found her two miles from Roger’s Corner.” Doug had his arm linked through Jennifer’s.

She was too out of it to protest.

“Oh God!” Cody’s face fell. “Bring her inside.”

As Doug propelled Jennifer to the twin bed–sofa, he whispered, “Should you call your mother?”

“Eventually, yes. Right now, no.” She picked up the phone and dialed Dr. Tandy Zacks. After ten minutes of paging, she finally got Dr. Zacks on the phone. She told her what had happened.

“Bring her to me.”

Cody and Doug were surprised to find Walter Lungrun at the rehab clinic but they were soon glad of his presence. As Jennifer began to be more aware of her surroundings she pitched a major, hateful fit. It took the muscle power of both Walter and Doug to restrain her.

After two hours of pure hell, Cody sat down and sobbed. She was struggling for her own sobriety. She didn’t know if she had the strength to struggle for Jennifer’s.

Walter sat with her on one side; Doug was on the other. Dr. Zacks and two other doctors were in another room with Jennifer, who alternated between snarls and sobs.

“Cody, you’ve done all you can do. Let Dr. Zacks call your mother. Jennifer is a minor and we must notify your parents. My advice to you is to go home or go somewhere where people will support you. Go somewhere safe.” He put his large hand on her shoulder while looking at Douglas.

“Mom’s going to need support herself,” Cody said, crying.

“She is. We’ll do what we can.”

“Dad doesn’t get it. I should be here.”

“Cody, you’ve been through enough. You don’t need any more upset. Go on now. If we need you or your mother needs you, you’ll hear from us.”

“She’ll be with me.” Doug scribbled down his number for Walter. “Top one’s the house. Bottom is the barn.”

Still crying, Cody walked out with Doug. She looked over her shoulder and Walter made a pushing-away motion with the back of his hands.

“Oh God, Doug, I’m afraid she isn’t going to make it.”

“But you are.” He wrapped his arm around her waist. “Only Jennifer can save Jennifer. Come on. Let’s pick up your tack and I’ll help you clean it.”

“Already done.”

“Chinese food? We can take it home and be by the phone.”

“Okay.” She wiped away the tears, then reached in her coat pocket for a tissue. “Did she say why she was wandering around out there?”

“She wasn’t verbal.”

“Her car!”

“When it shows up maybe we’ll know where she was.”

It did show up, right at Bobby and Betty’s house.

Jennifer refused to tell who she met or where they went. Mostly she was still screaming obscenities at everyone, especially her mother and father.

When Betty called Cody later she told her she was all right. Cody should stay where she was.

That night Cody curled up in bed with Doug. Snuggled in his arms she finally fell into a sound sleep.