The Conjuring (The Warren daughter)

Chapter 14 (Woman at the Window)

"You know, for a man who doesn't believe, you looked a little freaked out when that door slammed shut," Drew teased, a little huff escaping his lips when he tried to stop a laugh bubbling from his throat. Brad was beside him, staring straight ahead, a mug of coffee in his hand. He took a long sip before putting it down and making a face at Drew's tease.

"Must've been a draft," Brad tried to rationalise. "Oh, that's funny. A draft never put that look on my face before," Drew continued, continuing the teasing. Drew had been with the Warrens for so long, nothing really surprised him anymore. Not when it came to doors slamming shut on its own anyway. "I believe the clock," Brad turned to look at Drew. "It's 3:08."

In the dining room, Ed looked at the clock before him while Lorraine sat beside him, leaning on another chair, trying to get comfortable for some sleep. 3:08am and the clock was still ticking away. Diana had fallen asleep, her head resting on her folded arms on the dining table, a peaceful look on her face. Lasting through the night had worn her out. More than usual. She was usually able to last through the night as she has done countless times before but tonight seemed more tiring than usual even though no major activities occurred.

The next morning, everyone had woken up and the once gloomy household was now filled with joy and laughter. The five girls had smiles on their faces as they sat at one side of the table, happily eating a delicious pile of pancakes and sizzling filled the air as Roger flipped a pancake over at the stove.

Brad took up another side of the table, his brooding mood not dampening the joy at the table. Drew was seated at one end of the table, eating his pancakes and occasionally laughing at the girl's antics. Diana stood in the corner with a smile on her face before Andrea took notice of the 19-year-old and dragged her to sit at the table. With a small laugh, Diana allowed herself to be dragged and she sat down with the 5 chattering girls. Ed and Lorraine watched as their daughter played around with the other girls.

Out of nowhere, April popped up in front of Ed, holding a small stack of pancakes with a large smile on her face. "For you," she said, holding the plate out to Ed. Lorraine turned and saw April with her husband and a motherly smile made its way onto Lorraine's face.

"I think I might take some girls for ice cream later on. What do you say about that?" Roger called out over the chattering. Before Roger even finished his sentence, gasps were already in the air as the girls cheered at the thought of ice cream. Roger extended the offer to his wife who declined, saying she was exhausted from the late nights she'd been having and that she needed to take a nap. Lorraine sat down at the table beside Diana, coffee in hand.

"That's probably a good idea. Why don't you get some rest? Lorraine, Diana and I'll watch over things for a bit," Ed offered. Carolyn was surprised at the gesture. They'd only known the family for a few days and already they were offering to help around the house.

"I'm going to take off. I have a shift starting in an hour," Brad announced, clearing from the table and cleaning his mouth with some tissue before heading out of the house to work. Carolyn sighed in happiness. "The house hasn't felt like this in a long time. I think the kids feel a lot safer with you around," she chuckled.

Ed gave a small smile, and Lorraine kept thinking over. This family was so happy. She had to help them. After the rowdy breakfast, Carolyn headed to bed and Roger took the girls to get ice cream in which Drew followed to keep an eye on them. Lorraine on the other hand, went outside to hang up the laundry she had done earlier and Diana was quick to help.

Halfway through hanging the laundry, Ed came through grabbing his daughter from behind and nearly giving her a scare. "Dad!" Diana shrieked. Lorraine just laughed at her husband's antics and continued to flap out a bedsheet before hanging it on a line, pegging each end.