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"Is he all right?" she whispered to her daughter, for she knew that Abby had just come from Jake's room.

"He's all right," smiled Abby.

Before long, Jake appeared in the kitchen doorway, the subtle fragrant smell of hand soap still clinging to him.

"Jake," warmly greeted Izumi, "I wanted to thank you for sharing your home with me while John and Terry are away."

"That reminds me, Jake," remembered Abby, "I need your help switching mattresses with you, after dinner. Mom is going to double with me, and I only have a single. You don't mind, do you?"

"No," he shrugged.

"I didn't think you would," said Abby. "That old mattress of Mom and Dad's is pretty big. When Mom leaves, we can move it back, if you want."

"No, keep it," said Jake, sitting down at the table. "I don't need it."

Since Izumi had already eaten, the two ate their dinner while she sat in the living room and watched the evening news on television. After the meal was over, Abby prepared to do the dishes, when her mother shooed her from the kitchen.

"Come on, Jake," said the young woman, "let's go switch the beds."

The two dismantled both beds and carried the single to Jake's room and the king size to Abby's room. Then Abby gave him some sheets and bedding to fit his smaller mattress.

"Thanks for going along with this," said Abby, as Jake made his bed. "Could I ask you something? Why didn't you tell Dr. Jacoby that I had moved in with you?"

"You talked about me, today?" he asked in surprise.

"Among other things," smiled Abby. "You're not the only problem in my life."

"I was afraid he'd be against it," answered Jake, tucking the edge of the sheet under his mattress.

"He almost was," she informed him. "He said that if you didn't stop hiding in your room, then I'd have to move out."

Jake stared at her seriously.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I needed to know what your honest, unpressured opinion was," she explained.

"I want you here," he affirmed.

"I'm glad," smiled Abby. "I think we'll make a good team-- you and I. Tomorrow, I'd like to start working on some sketches and see what I can learn from you."

"Whatever you say," he replied, finishing the bed.

Late that night, Abby was fast asleep when she heard a low moan coming from Jake's room. Through the haze of sleep, it took her a little while to realize that this was the beginning of a flashback. Once she understood, however, Abby quickly went to Jake's bedside.

"Jake," she said, trying to get him to wake up, "you're having a bad dream."

The young man tossed in bed, the flashback gaining momentum with every passing second.

"Jake," she continued, endeavoring not to alarm him with an overly concerned voice, "wake up. Come on, wake up. It's Abby. Come on, Jake, open your eyes."

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