A/n: Okay, so I have to chuckle because I just noticed that I have 59 reviews on a 3 page story. I’m quite impressed, truly! Thanks to all my readers for being loyal to me even when I’m not quite so loyal to you! Also, y’all should thanks FM Radio who made me realize I haven’t worked on this story in 5 years…5 YEARS! And I’ve neglected my reviewers for far too long and I hate to disappoint…especially on a story that makes me giggle and I wrote it!! So, here’s at least one more chapter. I offer no promises for future chapters, but I do hope that this will tide you over :) Oh, and I'm using bolds to show change in thoughts because it won't let me use symbols.

Jack shut the door behind him and tossed his jacket onto the chair under the window. She’d known he was a murderer and had invited him into her house anyway…and to dine with her toddler son none-the-less! He shook his head and, not for the first time, wondered what kind of woman she was. A young one, granted, but one who’s eyes had seen what most never do. He had to admit that he was interested in learning more, but he knew that it wouldn’t be beneficial to either party. He had nothing to offer and wouldn’t subject anyone to his life.

He walked through the empty house and then up the stairs. When was the last time he’d been invited to dinner? He couldn’t even recall. It had been years since his family had talked to him and the locals shunned him. Sometimes he thought it might be just as easy to walk away and start a new life somewhere else, but to what avail? He knew this town. He knew these people and whether anyone liked it or not, this was his home.

Peeling off his clothes, he stepped into the shower and let the scalding hot water rush over his body. For some reason the image of the knife slicing through his victims flesh flashed in front of his eyes. He shut off the water, reaching a hand out to grab a towel and dry himself before walking down the hall to his bedroom.

Yeah, he knew all about haunted pasts.

Margot woke up in the morning to Seans screams coming from his room.

“Shh, Mommy’s here,” she cooed as she picked him up and held him to her. Instantly his arms encircled her neck and he buried his head against her neck. She could feel snot against her skin.

Slowly, his sobs subsided. When she was sure he was done she walked with him downstairs and set him in his high chair while she got them both some cereal. He giggled as he stuffed Cheerios into his mouth. She liked hers with milk. Unfortunately when she went to the fridge she found that she didn’t have any.

Morgot closed the door and leaned her forehead against the cold metal door. She silently prayed that her whole life was not going to be this tight financially. She liked to think that someday a job would come around where they could stop choosing between medicine and groceries. Oh well, it’s not as if it was the first time she’d had dry cereal.

“Okay, sweetie, let’s go get clean and dressed so we can go job hunting,” she sang to him, watching him stare at her with those innocent big blue eyes that held such life. She prayed that she could show him that anything was possible in his life even if it wasn’t in hers. She wanted him to know only the good things in life even though she knew it wasn’t possible. She wanted him to always be as happy as he was now. She pushed back the tears that had suddenly welled in her eyes and bounced him on her hip. “I know, you just love going into town because everyone gets to see how so darned cute you are!”

He burst out into giggles and she pinched his cheek softly, walking with him upstairs.

She wondered if her mother had loved her as much as she loved him. Unfortunately she was too young when they’d died and she didn’t have any real memories to cling to before the orphanage.

After they’d bathed and dressed, she’d put him in his stroller and walked into town. Her first stop was to the library where she’d made up a resume, although even she could admit how pathetic it looked, and printed out a few copies to take with her while she visited various businesses.

She saw a sign in the front window of a general store. “Well, Sean,” she said, more to herself then him, “let’s stand tall and make a good impression, ok? Mommy really needs this.” Carefully opening the door, Margot stepped in and pushed Seans stroller to the front counter to where an older woman sat on a stool reading the newspaper.

“Hello?” Margot said softly. The older woman looked up, but didn’t say anything. Margot smiled and cleared her throat. “Hi, My name is Margot Anderson and I saw that you had a ‘Help Wanted’ sign in the win-“

“We ain’t hiring.”

Her gruff tone took Margot back. “I’m sorry? But the sign says-“

“I said we ain’t hiring, now go on and get.”

Margot took a step back and put on as best of a smile as she could. “Okay, well, thank you for your time.” But by then the woman had returned to her paper.

Margot went to two dozen stores that day and received equal treatment from all of them. She wasn’t sure why, but she knew that this was putting a severe damper on her plans. She wouldn’t be able to keep the duplex of she couldn’t find a job. Surely someone would hire her!

By the end of the day she’d exhausted her options and returned home. She was just walking up the sidewalk when her neighbor stepped out of his front door, locking it behind him.

“Hi,” she said with a cheerfulness she definitely didn’t feel.

He stopped and looked at her, for a moment reminding her of a deer caught in headlights which was quite amusing considering he was a big man. She guessed he was a few inches over six foot with broad shoulders and a wide chest. He kept his brown hair short and somewhat wild and the way he moved was of a man used to hard labor, not the prancing of a buck.

He nodded toward her. “Hello. How are you today?”

“Oh, just great thanks.” She wondered why she’d stopped, too. Why she felt captivated. Maybe because he was the first person she could remember asking that question and meaning it. Sure, she’d lied to him, but it was the thought that counted, right?

He knew it was a lie. He could see the wariness in her stance and she resignation in her voice. Part of him wanted to call her bluff, but the other part, the more sensible part told him to mind his own business and top not get involved. That had already dealt out one death, he didn’t need another on his hands.

“How are you?” Once again she thought he looked surprised. She almost laughed. Did no one ever talk to this man? Then she remembered what they said about him. No, no one probably talked to him.

“I’m good, thanks.”

“That’s good. I’m glad to hear it.”

Sean started mumbling and she reached down to pick up the toy he’d thrown into the grass. While she was squatting, she noticed some people walk by, not bothering to hide the fact that they were blatantly staring at Margot and Jack. She almost told them to take a picture, but thought better of it. Better not stir the kettle before it’s time. She stood up.

He had seen them, too. “Look, it’s probably not best for us to-“

She cut him off, staring him straight in the eyes. “Jack, listen. I honestly don’t care about what everyone says. I’ve grown up with the gossip and town lore. If you don’t want to be seen with me then-“

What the hell was she talking about? “No, I didn’t mean that-“

“- then that’s fine, it’s okay, but at least have the decency to say it instead of skirting around it.”

Once again he caught himself staring at her. She thought he was worried about his reputation by talking to her? He almost laughed before wondering what hand she’d been dealt that people turned their backs on her.

“Do you always talk this much?” he asked.

She laughed and shook her head. “I’ve never had anyone listen.”

“Well, what I was going to say was that it might not be to your advantage to talk to me. Talking to your local murderer is not going to help you in this town.”

She nodded. “Yeah, probably not.” Quickly giving Sean his toy back when she heard the beginning of a tantrum, she asked Jack, “You said you killed a man, right?”

He nodded, shifting from one foot to another. Aside from the local kids who talked to him on dares, no one had asked him that to his face.

She seemed to think about that. “Okay, I can handle that. Everyone has skeletons.” She eyed her front door before turning back to him. “Are you going to hurt me or my son?”

Jack didn’t know how to answer that. “No one ever sets out to hurt women and children. At least not good men,” he amended.

She smiled at him, for the first time looking happy since they started this conversation. “So, are you a good man, Mr. Grafton?”

He scowled and shook his head. “No, ma’am, but rest assured you and your boy have nothing to fear from my hand.”

She nodded. “Good, then if you’ll do me the honor of gracing us with your presence for dinner-“

Shaking his head, Jack took a step back. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

Margot was laughing at him now. “Oh? Afraid?”

He grinned at her and she thought, not for the first time that he really was a good looking man. “No, but I was thinking that maybe I should cook instead since you did it last night.”

She nodded and laughed again. “I think that’s fair.”

“Seven work for you?”

She looked at her watch and then ran her hand over Seans downey blonde hair. “Seven will be just fine.”

Nodding his head, he started to walk by her. “Seven it is.” He got to the edge of the grass before he turned around. “Is there anything you don’t like?”

“If there is, I haven’t found it yet.”

He chuckled and walked off down the street.

Margot shuffled herself and Sean inside and wondered what was becoming of her and what would become of her. She had no job, limited funds, a two year old son, and she was flirting shamelessly with a self confessed murderer. The nuns at the orphanage would be horrified.

She laughed and forgot all about the things that went wrong that day. Thinking instead of the future.

Jack walked down the sidewalk and ran his hands through his hair. She was his first real acquaintance since he’d been back. What was even more was that she’d brought a killer into a home with a little boy. She’d welcomed him into her home! He wanted to take this warm feeling and cherish it, but he couldn’t because this wasn’t something that could go on. He’d spent ten years behind bars and didn’t deserve to know the likes of polite society.

Growling, he crossed the street. He looked at the store in front of him and wondered what kind of person Margot Anderson was. It was really none of his business, but he had to admit he was curious. Very curious. He’d warned her about him and was sure that by now she’d been warned about him by the townsmen. But then again, she’d done it anyway. Did she have any clue what that would do to her reputation?

Timothy Grafton paced his mothers parlor, running his fingers through his hair and trying desperately to convince her how ridiculous she was acting.

“He’s a criminal! He killed someone! What makes you want to invite someone like that into your house?”

“He’s my son, just like you!” The frail older woman sat in a high back chair at the corner of the room. She’d just celebrated her sixtieth birthday and she was beginning to really feel her age.

“But I didn’t kill anyone!”

“I haven’t seen him in eleven years!”

“For good reason!” Timothy could yell anymore. He couldn’t get any louder then what he was at this very moment. “This isn’t someone you want in you home, mother,” he tried to say calmly. Why wasn’t she getting this?

“All I’m going to do is invite him to dinner for Christmas.”

He shook his head and leaned against the mantle. “You’ll regret this. You’ll see what kind of a savage he is. I just hope that you’ll be able to sleep peacefully in your bed after that.” He stormed from the room and out of the house, slamming the door behind him.

His mother just sat there quietly, her hands folded in her lap, her face creased with emotion. Timothy was such a good boy. He tended to have a stubborn streak, but he was a good boy. She wanted to have faith in her other son, but she was sure that he’d disappoint her once again. Jack could never just be civil for one moment. Well, she’d give him one last shot.