when the thoughts keep racing

 "He was so confusing," Slater said and Misty kept listening as if this might be one endless night. He'd showed up at her place with baby Hope. Somehow, Jay just left.

"Well, let's don't think about the why," she'd said then, but it troubled her this morning as she still worried if Hope were cold sleeping on the floor on a blanket. She'd held her most of the night in the comfy chair in her livingroom.

"What was going on?" She needed something to put the child on her back, but that was just a dream. She called Ivy and told her what went down. "She's here."

"Good," Ivy said she'd be over shortly with Dan. She didn't want to go anywhere alone. 

Of course, when Misty got off the phone Slater looked at her as if she was worrying Ivy for nothing.

"Look at you, you are worried too." Misty festered a frown. Why were people so terroristic lately, she wondered. This was America. People weren't supposed to be living like this. "You wouldn't try to..you know, kill him or anything?"

"I can't believe you said that?" Slater's brow furrowed as he went to make coffee. "Only, if I had to."

Misty pressed her lips tight. She sighed as if this all couldn't possibly be real, yet strange things were happening all the time. Young couples documenting their romance that turned into murder and FBI searches from coast to coast. Misty winced with a shiver. She hoped they were never on DATELINE. Nothing had happened yet.

Slater went on to make breakfast and it was ready by the time Ivy and Jay got there to pick up Hope.

"Do you think you should..you know, go somewhere?" Misty asked her as Ivy took the baby.

"It's not like they'll put me in the Witness Protection Program," Ivy looked at her as if she didn't have any plans.

Misty nodded. She guessed Ivy was right. They were ordinary folks just in a small town. Even so, bad things were going on here. Even if it was just small time. So many struggles. Misty hugged herself. She was no help at all.

They ate together. Dan didn't say much. He might as well have been a stranger. Misty guessed he loved Ivy, but it was a shame Jay and Ivy couldn't get back together. Misty guessed it was a weird thought.

"Are you really OK?" Slater asked once Ivy and Dan left with Hope. Misty only frowned. She felt so tired. Babies really were a lot of work. She fell into his arms when he hugged her. All she could think, it was a nice dream.