"Oh, uh, I'm sorry to--uh--interrupt but... Carolyn? May I see you in the hall real quick, please?" The mortician turned and left the room as quickly as he had come in.

Carolyn turned to Andy and grimaced. She had a feeling what was coming. Her father would start to get angry about her having a boy in her room by herself and then she would get in trouble, just like any normal teenager.

She rose from the bed and followed the path her father had taken out of the room. When she arrived in the hallway, her father didn't look mad or upset. He just looked a little worried. Which to Carolyn was completely understandable. Any parent would be worried if they found their daughter alone in a room with an attractive boy.

"Carolyn, I--" He began but then cut himself off.

"Are you mad, Daddy?" She asked, shrinking away from him slightly. "I'm sorry about Andy... I--"

"No, I'm not mad." The mortician said sincerely. "I'm glad that you and this boy have become good friends. What I'm worried about is the news I have just received..."

Carolyn looked confused. At least her father wasn't mad but what news could he mean? Had the police finally discovered something else about her mother's murder?

When Carolyn didn't speak, the mortician continued on. "I have to leave for a few days. Another town has requested me to fill in for their mortician. He's very ill and they can't just leave these bodies lying around. The families of the deceased are getting very antsy about their loved ones not being prepared in time for the funerals. I have to go. It's a little extra money to help get us by. You understand, right?"

Carolyn tried to process all of the information that was just thrown at her. Her father was leaving her alone with Andy. She couldn't decide whether this was a good thing or a bad thing. It would mean that the two would have time alone but her father wouldn't be there to save her if Andy tried something that she didn't like.

"Yes, I... I understand. I'll miss you." She wrapped her arms around her father in a hug and waited as she felt his arms tighten around her.

"I'll only be gone a few days." He assured her. "And you have Andy now to keep you company. If I didn't think Andy was a good boy, I wouldn't leave you two alone."

Her father had a point. He always knew how to make Carolyn feel better. Her nerves melted away at his reassuring words. Of course Andy was a good boy. She should have known better than to get flustered with worry over Andy.

"When are you leaving?" She pulled away to look at her father.

He looked down at the wood floor. "I leave tonight, dear." He sighed. " I better go pack up my things. I leave in a few hours."

Carolyn nodded. "Okay..." She gave her father one last hug before letting him go back down the stairs to pack up his belongings.

She wasn't entirely sure what the next few days would entail. Her mind was reeling with all sorts of thoughts. She still had worry sitting in the back of her mind. There was always that ten percent chance that something bad could actually happen.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Andy's voice sailed through her ears.

She looked up and saw him still sitting in the place she had left him. She hadn't even realized she walked into her room. Her thoughts were so controlling.

"We're not in trouble or anything, are we?" He continued.

Carolyn shook her head. "No, no... We're not in trouble. We're in the exact opposite of trouble, actually." She said.

"What do you mean by that?" Andy asked.

"My father is leaving tonight to go to another town for a few days. He even said he doesn't mind leaving us alone." She informed him.

"Well. That's quite a shocker. I've never heard any parent say that before." Andy stood up in front of her.

"Yeah, well... My whole family is pretty different as you're beginning to learn." She said.

Without thinking, Andy wrapped his arms around her. To his surprise, she hugged him back. "Everything will be okay." He assured her.

You're by yourself with me tonight