Chapter 22

After their ordeal at Hank's house with Wolf, the family had had quite enough for one day. Janie, Joel, Sara and Dan collected a few things from Hank's house, the locked box among the most important, and they all headed back for Sara's house. Each of the four had varying degrees of headaches and the only thing on their minds was to get some rest.

Sara and Dan arrived first in Dan's pickup, with Janie and Joel right behind them in Joel's truck. Sara unlocked the door and once inside everyone just collapsed onto sofas and chairs.

Janie was the first to speak.

"I can't believe what just happened to us all. I'm sore and pissed and feel so dirty now."

Sara took her daughter's statement a notch further.

"I know none of you saw what that creep did to me but it was awful. He tried to make me suck that filthy thing of his. I'm going to take a long hot bath now."

As Sara started to get up she felt faint and sat back down. Dan rushed to her side and sat next to her, taking her hand in his and putting his arm around her.

"Come on honey, I'll help you. You're going to be all right. We are ALL going to be all right."

Dan led Sara to the bathroom.

Janie turned to Joel who was seated beside her, put her head on his shoulder and began to weep.

"God, who was that awful man Joey? What did he want from us?"

"I heard that kid... what's his name... ?"

"Kenny, Kenny Packard."

"Yeah, Kenny. I heard Kenny tell that cop that the guy had been watching the house. The cop told me they think he might have been owed money by Hank."

"What are the cops going to do to that guy now? I hope they don't just let him go."

"I hope not either. Officer what's-his-name... Bradley... said the guy has a long record and that he thinks that they may have what they need to put him away for a long time now."

"Well I hope so. I don't think I've ever been so afraid in my life."

Joel hugged Janie tight.

"Janie, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe. What happened today will never happen to you again, I promise you."

Janie put her arms around her brother and kissed him passionately.

Ya know what we need now Joey?" she asked.

"No, what do we need?"

"We need to decide where we are sleeping tonight. Are we staying here with mom and Dan, or are we going back to your place tonight?"

"Well, what would you like to do?"

"Joey, I'd really like to stay with you tonight, at home, your home. Just the two of us. We could have Cat and Tim over for awhile, but make it clear that for tonight we'd like to be alone. I know that Tim is going to want to see me and I want to see him too, so he knows that I'm ok. And I think that you need to talk to Cat too."

Joel looked at her with a wry grin on his face.

"Now that's scary," he said.

"What's scary Joey? What do you mean?"

"Well, ya get one little bump on that pretty head and you become so rational!"

He gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Janie tickled his ribs and chuckled, "Oh I do, do I? Look who's talking. I see a cute goose-egg forming on that handsome noggin of yours too!"

"Oh ya wanna tickle huh?" said Joel as he reached under hers arms and gently tickled Janie.

"Yikes! No fair!"

Their tickling became a loving embrace and soon they were kissing, like lovers. As one, they lay back on the couch and with their lips still touching they dozed off in each others arms.

In the bathroom Sara had stripped down as Dan had adjusted the bathwater to her liking. For this bath she wanted it as hot as she could tolerate. Her only goal was to scrub away the feeling left behind by their filthy attacker. As Dan fiddled with the water Sara took her toothbrush and a large dollop of toothpaste and brushed until her gums bled. Her only thought was to brush away the memory of Wolf's filthy cock where it had touched her lips.

When Sara was finished brushing she turned to face Dan. He looked at her with the same loving eyes she'd come to rely on since they were teenagers. Sara began to cry again.

Dan took his naked sister in his arms and held her.

"C'mon Sara, please don't cry anymore. We're all ok, you're ok. And I love you so very much."

"Oh Dan, I'm still so scared. Not just of that creep who did this awful thing to us all, but I'm so afraid that you'll never want to kiss me again after what he did."

Sara's sobs came uncontrollably now.

"Sara, look at me." He raised her chin with a gentle hand. Sara looked into his eyes, still trembling.

"Sara, I will always love you and always want to kiss you. You are the light of my life."

He bent and kissed her lips softly. Sara's lips didn't part. Dan parted his own lips and licked at hers. She parted them and sucked his tongue into her mouth. After a long kiss Dan helped Sara into the tub and began to wash her lovingly.

When finished with her bath Sara stood up in the tub while Dan took a fluffy towel and dried her lovingly. As Sara stepped from the tub Dan held her robe for her as she slipped it on over her naked body.

When Dan and Sara came out of the bathroom Janie was awakened from her nap. Joel was still sleeping; his arms wrapped around his little sister. As quietly as she could, Janie slipped from Joel's arms, got up and walked over to Sara.

"Feel better mom?" Janie asked as she hugged Sara tight.

"I do feel a bit better honey. Dan gave me a nice bath. I highly recommend taking a hot bath with a lover to help. It was wonderful. But how about you, how do you feel honey?"

"I'm kind of numb mom, and my head still hurts, but I'll be ok. I think we're both lucky to have wonderful men who love us."

Sara hugged Dan as Janie spoke.

"Mom, while you were in the bathroom Joel and I decided that we'd like to be alone together tonight. We're going to sleep at Joel's. We don't have a change of clothes here anyway. Do you mind?"

Sara took Janie in her arms and hugged her close. "I think that may be the best thing baby. Dan and I feel the same way. Shall we meet at the funeral home in the morning?"

Janie thought for a moment. She had not thought of Hank and his funeral since the attack at Hank's house.

"Yes, let's just meet there. The funeral is at 11 AM. I think I'll get there by 10, just to make sure that everything's set. I'm sure Mr. Allore took care of everything. Joel and I talked also about calling Tim and Joel's girlfriend Cat, and inviting them to Joel's for awhile, just to fill them in on all that's happened today."

Sara raised an eyebrow at that. Janie had noticed her questioning look.

"No mom, it's not what you are thinking. Cat loves Joel and Tim loves me. But tonight the only two people who'll be in bed at Joel's are Joel and me. We just need to see them for awhile before they hear what happened today from someone else."

Sara looked at the clock on the wall and said, "Well, it's still only 2 PM. It seems with all that's happened it should be much later. Why don't you wake Joel and you two can get going. Dan and I need to just relax too."

She hugged Janie tighter and kissed her, a motherly kiss. Janie hugged in return.

"I love you mom, you too Uncle Dan. More than you both could know."

Tears were forming in their eyes as Janie turned and knelt by the couch to awaken the slumbering Joel.

With Joel awake, Janie went into the guest bedroom and began packing hers and Joel's belongings. Joel chatted for a few minutes with his mother and uncle and soon Janie reappeared from the bedroom carrying the overnight bag.

"I'm all ready Joey," she said.

Joel took the bag from her, hugged his mom and they were off and on their way back to Joel's.