Making sure he had enough chips, soda and other assorted junk food on hand, Joe settled in for the opening kickoff of the first game when the phone rang. Groaning at the lousy timing, he briefly considered letting the machine pick it up when his conscience got the better of him. Reaching over to the table, he grabbed the receiver.

"Hello." He growled, making sure the caller knew he was not happy about being disturbed.

"Joe. It’s Biff"

"Hey, what’s up? I thought you were working today?"

"That’s where I’m calling from." Biff replied, referring to the fitness center he managed where both Joe and Vanessa had memberships, along with most of their friends. "Listen, don’t get all worked up because it’s not really that bad, but Vanessa got hurt in Kickboxing class."

"What?!" Joe was instantly on his feet, all thoughts of football gone. "How? How bad is it?" He cried out, already worried about his girlfriend.

"Take it easy, buddy. It’s just a sprained ankle. But it’s her left ankle so she can’t drive a stick shift. Can you come down and pick her up? I’ll get the Jeep back to her later this afternoon."

"I’m on my way." Joe said hanging up the phone, abruptly ending the conversation.

Grabbing his keys he flew out the door of the apartment he had shared with Vanessa ever since they graduated from college. Slamming it shut behind him, the sounds of the football game floated out of the T.V. into the now empty living room.

Less than ten minutes later, Joe was running through the doors of the fitness center, his worried blue eyes scanning the lobby. Seeing Vanessa seated on a small couch in the lounge area, Biff sitting next to her, he hurried over.

"What happened, Babe?" Joe sat down on the other side of her taking her hand and looking at her with concern. Glancing at her left foot, which was now resting on a small cushion on a stool, wrapped in an ace bandage and sporting an ice pack, he winced.

"I tripped and fell." She said, embarrassed.

"But you’ve been taking that class forever. You could probably do it in your sleep!"

"I know. I guess I got a little overzealous and bobbed when I should have weaved." Vanessa shrugged. "Either that or the curse is working really well." She winked at him.

Joe looked at her for a moment, and then broke into a sheepish grin.

"At least I know I’m safe, since it only covers you and those you love." Biff teased Joe. "I’ll make sure you get your Jeep back this afternoon." He continued turning back to Vanessa. "Now remember to take it easy today. Go home and let Joe wait on you all day."

"Hmmm. Maybe a sprained ankle isn’t so bad after all." Vanessa said with a sidelong glance at Joe.

"Your wish is my command." Joe leaned in to kiss her, relieved her injury wasn’t serious.

"Don’t forget to keep your foot elevated and ice it but no more than twenty minutes at a time. It’ll keep the swelling down."

"Yes, sir, Dr. Hooper." Vanessa replied seriously.

*****

Later that evening, Vanessa sat on the couch, her ankle propped up on the coffee table atop a soft pillow. Callie sat to her left on the loveseat, looking at the various ‘supplies’ surrounding Vanessa, all within easy reach.

"I see Joe’s been taking good care of you. He’s got everything out here but the kitchen sink." She laughed.

Vanessa leaned forward slightly and smiled. "He hasn’t left my side all day, constantly asking me if I’m comfortable, if there’s anything I need. Almost makes the sprained ankle worthwhile." She joked. "Really, though. He’s been so sweet. He even asked if I wanted to watch something on TV."

"What?!" Callie exclaimed. "But it’s Saturday! College football!"

"I know." Vanessa said, surprised. "But he kept insisting we could watch whatever I wanted."

"I hope you took him up on it."

"Nah." Vanessa replied. "It was actually kinda nice just to sit with him all afternoon, just the two of us. Even if I was reading books and magazines and he was yelling at the TV." She giggled.

Callie glanced back over her shoulder at Frank and Joe who were filling plates with the food she and Frank had picked up at Prito’s Italian Restaurant on the way over.

"Sooooo… has Joe said anything at all about…you know…marriage? Or at least getting engaged?" Callie asked hopefully.

The smile disappeared from Vanessa’s face instantly as she shook her head. "I don’t get it, Callie. I mean take today for instance. He was so worried about me. Even after he saw it wasn’t really serious, he still wouldn’t leave me alone for a second. He acts like I’m "the one", but he seems perfectly happy with the way things are. I’m starting to think he never wants to get married." She finished dejectedly.

Callie now felt bad for bringing up the subject. It was obvious Joe was madly in love with Vanessa; they had been together for six years now and it was apparent to everyone who knew them that they were perfect for each other. Callie wondered if Joe would come to this realization before Vanessa got tired of waiting for a proposal and left him.

"You want me to ask Frank to knock some sense into him?" Callie joked.

"No." Vanessa gave her a wan smile. "Besides, it’s not that big a deal. I mean it’s just a ring and a piece of paper, right? We’ve been together forever. He treats me like a princess. I know he loves me. That’s enough…isn’t it?"

"He does love you, Van. Very much." Callie leaned forward, patting Vanessa on the leg. "And your birthday is next month. And Christmas the following month. Who knows, maybe you’ll get a big surprise." Callie said, trying to cheer her up.

"Maybe." Vanessa agreed, although her heart wasn’t quite sure. "Anyway, I already have Joe. I don’t need anything else." She forced a smile. Callie noticed it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

In the kitchen, Frank and Joe were doling out food and drinks to take back into the living room so Vanessa wouldn’t have to get up.

"Do you remember Harold Kruziak?" Frank asked, reaching for the container of pasta.

"Yeah. He’s still in prison. Has another few years to go, right?" Joe replied, recalling the man they had sent to prison several years earlier for kidnapping and domestic abuse.

"Wrong. He’s been out for a month."

"That can’t be right!" Joe exclaimed quickly doing the math in his head. "He’s still got almost two years left on his sentence."

"He got out on parole with time off for good behavior."

"What?! But…he…they…" Joe sputtered, incredulous.

"Dad just got the letter this morning letting him know Kruziak had been paroled."

"And he was released a month ago?!" Joe couldn’t believe it.

"Budget cuts." Frank shrugged, licking some tomato sauce off his finger. "They just sent the notification this week."

"We could’ve been killed by the time they decided to let us know the guy was out." Joe snorted. "He did threaten to murder us as soon as he got out, in case they forgot."

"Yeah, but apparently he turned over a new leaf in prison." Frank told him.

"Don’t they all." Joe rolled his eyes.

"Dad checked him out right away. Seems he’s been working as a mechanic in Southport at a cousin’s auto repair shop. He hasn’t so much as gotten a ticket for jaywalking."

"Still, they could have told us sooner. I bet it’s the curse."

"Joe!" Frank looked at his brother in disbelief. "He got out a month ago. We were just cursed yesterday." Frank reminded him, amused.

"Yeah, but we just found out today that he got out last month. I’m telling you it’s the curse." Joe said confident he knew what he was talking about.

Frank simply stared at his brother in utter confusion.

"It’s like this…" Joe started to explain.

"Stop!" Frank commanded, holding up a hand. "I don’t even want to know."

"Why not?" Joe asked, hurt.

"I’m afraid you might actually make sense. Then I’ll know the curse is working." Frank replied. He picked up two plates and headed for the living room.

Joe wrinkled his nose at his brother’s retreating back. "It would make sense." He said to himself, pouting. "And it is the curse." Joe picked up the other two plates and started towards the living room. "You better start taking it seriously, Frank, or you’ll be next."

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