Entering the bathroom, he sat Susan on the toilet and turned on the light, then searched under the sink for antiseptic, tweezers and triple-antibiotic ointment. Looking back at her, Justin drew in a deep breath when he saw the extent of her wounds. The soles and tops of her feet were speckled with tiny cuts, the backs of her hands had chunks of glass protruding from the flesh, and her face was covered in small slashes. She stared up at him with wide eyes, looking even younger in her fright and whispered, “Archibald caused this, didn’t he?”

Kneeling before her, he placed his hands on her knees and said, “I think so. It sounded like his laughter and it seems like something he would do.” Standing he continued, “I’m gonna clean my foot, then we’ll take care of all of your wounds.”

Susan waited while Justin cleaned the cut on his foot and dabbed ointment on it. Then she asked, “Why, Justin? Why would he do something like this?”

“I don’t know, baby. He’s a crazy, unhappy spirit, who wants the living to suffer as much as he thinks he has suffered.” Justin could tell that explanation didn’t satisfy Susan, so he added, “Don’t worry about it tonight. Let’s just get you cleaned up and go to bed. Maybe we’ll be able to figure it out in the morning.” He grimaced when she clenched her teeth and tried not to wince as he began to dig a glass fragment from the flesh of her hand.

An hour later, Justin dabbed the final cut on her foot with the last of the antibiotic ointment and standing up, glanced down at his brave wife and asked, “Better?”

Having regained her composure while he had carefully and gently attended to her wounds, she looked up at him, then gingerly placed her foot on the floor and jerked it back when pain radiated up her leg. “A little.” Susan swallowed the pain pills he was holding for her, then added, “But, I don’t think I’ll be doing much dancing tonight.”

Without another word Justin leaned over, slid his arm under her knees and wrapped one around her back. Lifting her up he said, “Don’t worry, baby, I’ll take care of you.” He carried her to their room and gently laid her in the bed. Pulling the sheet up to her chin, Justin kissed her head and told her, “Get some sleep. I’ll be right here.”

Lying down on the bed next to Susan, Justin pulled the covers up and tightly wrapped his arms around her. Pulling her even closer against his chest, he settled in for another long night. Brushing a golden lock away from her ear, he whispered, “Close your eyes and try to sleep. I won’t leave you.”

Wrapping her arms over his, Susan asked quietly, “Promise?”

With a little squeeze, Justin kissed her head again and said, “I promise.” He knew the instant his wife fell asleep, and within minutes he was sleeping as well.