A/N: It had just occurred to me that I did not ever load the last chapter for this title. While it was nothing more than a final chapter about having returned to Bayport, I thought I would add it here. I was being a bit absentminded last year and I had completely forgot to loaded it.

I will be continuing with this set of characters and their dynamic in a new volume to come, so please keep an eye out for it. I have not determined if it will be a continuation to the story I started last year. The whole 2020 thing threw us all for a loop and it essentially caused me to step back from writing. So I am not certain if the forthcoming work will be added on to the "Beyond Here lies nothing" work that has been floating here for several months without an update. But new writing will be forthcoming in the days ahead. If anyone is interested, feel free to let me know. I have not been in touch with my regulars who had either left reviews or PMs back when I was active. Don't hesitate to say hello if you would like to talk again, or have suggestions on what you may like to see with the characters in my stories. I know not everyone is into these characters, but a lot of folks used to weigh in with me back when I was last actively writing. Hope everyone is well. Like a lot of people, I am staying pretty close to home these days. I had the virus back in November, and while I never had to go to the hospital, I did become what they refer to as a Long Hauler. 12 weeks later I still have impaired sense of smell and get random fatigue hitting me more than half the time. Definitely sucks! But it could have been worse. Am hoping to spend some of my more productive feeling days by turning out some future chapters of the next volume. Again, hope everyone is well and don't be a stranger!

-Chapter 39-

The residence of Joe and Iola Hardy. Bayview Ave, Bayport.

Callie reclined back into the oversized leather chair looking out the window towards the bay. She shifted about, attempting to find a comfortable spot that put the least amount of pressure on her back. She sighed.

"Can I get you anything?" Iola asked with concern, leaning forward from her seated position on the nearby sofa. She noted her friend's apparent discomfort. Callie gave a half smile as she shifted again and shook her head.

"Afraid not, just goes with the territory of recovery they tell me."

The group had arrived back in Bayport just three days ago. Their return from Pennsylvania had now afforded Callie some much needed time to fully recover from her injuries. As much as she wanted to stay at a local hotel, Iola would not have this. She invited Callie, Maddie and Aimee to stay at their home. Joe had supported his wife's offer, even if he may not have deemed it an ideal living scenario. He could hardly offer a valid argument in light of the fact that both Callie and Aimee had been through so much and a proper recovery was a priority. No doubt Joe would have also considered it inhospitable to offer argument to allow the very person who had purchased their home to stay in it.

Callie looked out the window and smiled to herself.

"You know, I really missed this place." She turned to Iola. "We had so much fun here. And I know Maddie is getting a kick out of staying at the home she lived at when she was born." Iola took a sip of tea and looked over.

"Yeah, she is still giving Aimee the grand tour. I should be so fortunate to have remembered my home so well from when I was 3 years old." Callie giggled and nodded.

"Well, I am just so glad they are getting along so well. It could have just as easily been very different in the way she viewed Aimee." Iola nodded.

"Oh, for sure. But they seem to really click. Aimee gives her a lot of attention and it is very genuine." Callie gave a faint nod and offered a half smile.

"Well, it doesn't hurt than Aimee is closer in age to Maddie than she is to me." Iola shot a sideways glance to her friend and rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please. Just barely. You make it sound like you robbed the cradle."

"Well, nothing like that. Just that I think Aimee being 23 probably works in favor of how she and Maddie get along." Iola inhaled deeply and sat back.

"I'm sure that helps. But I suspect they just click well for a lot of reasons. When you were still in a coma, they were very much there for each other. Even to an extent that perhaps neither were aware. I mean they both love you and found a common ground. I think for Maddie, the fact that Aimee was there, and well…" She fell silent and looked down. Callie sighed and looked back out the window.

"It's ok, you can say it. And Chet wasn't…"

"Well, I didn't want to state the obvious. But I knew that it was a pretty influential factor. Granted, Chet didn't argue too much about being elsewhere during your recovery. I guess at the time I just wanted things to stay as low stress as possible. After the first altercation between Chet and Aimee I thought it would be best to maybe help him rationalize it wouldn't be a terrible idea if he went back home and stay busy."

"No judgment from me. I suspect if I had awaken to Chet berating Aimee in my hospital room, I very well may have went back into a coma. I doubt I'd have had the strength to get up and kick his ass." Callie sighed and looked down. "But I guess that's not entirely fair to him. I have gone through all this and not really thought about how it must have been an overload on him."

"Cal, you didn't set out to make it that way. I mean no one could have guessed that a weekend getaway would have grown into what it did. I mean it's not as if you went and got yourself shot to spite your husband." Callie winced in pain.

"Ah, no. There were a lot of other pain free ways to spite him if that's what I wanted to do. Still, I have not exactly made it easy on him." Iola shook her head and sighed deeply.

"Girl, you are a better person than I. And I am speaking about my brother here. But he didn't exactly make the right choices at key times during all of this. As much as it pains me, I feel its way more important to ensure that you heal both physically and mentally than to worry about Chet's feelings. I don't say that lightly. I know he will deal with whatever comes from all this. I just want to make sure that you and Aimee recover. Both of you have been through so much. I want you to both feel safe and secure and keep the stress level to a minimum." Callie smiled to her best friend.

"Well, girl, I want you to know how much I appreciate that. But I also don't want to cause you any distress."

"How on earth would you do that?" Iola asked, somewhat surprised by the statement. Callie sighed softly and gave a shrug.

"Well, I just don't want to cause issues with you and Joe. I mean with Aimee and I being here. It may not be his ideal vision of how or where we make any recovery. I mean seriously, it would not be a big thing for me to rent a temporary place and be out of your hair." Iola shook her head.

"No, we aren't going to go there again. Seriously, Joe is fine with this. And if he wasn't, he knows better than to say anything. If he did I would just send him out to the Hamptons to bunk with Chet." Callie giggled in spite of the seriousness.

"Oh, that would be rich. I could just see that play out." Callie leaned back and closed her eyes. "But seriously, I just don't want to cause any issues." Iola waved off the idea.

"Don't give it another thought, Cal. You, Maddie and Aimee are welcome to stay as long as you want." Callie smiled.

"Well, for now I will be content with this. But when I am more upwardly mobile, we will get out of your hair."

A moment later they hear approaching footsteps from the hall. Maddie walked in, holding Harley the cat. Iola smiled at her niece.

"Hey there. He really must like you to let you hold him that way. I tried to hold him across three states in the back of a car and he was just not going to have it." Maddie looked up with a smile.

"Yeah, he and I are getting along good. Aimee says I must be pretty special because he only usually lets her hold him for long periods." She looked over to Callie. "Say, mom…." Cal opened her eyes and lowered her head back down and smiled to her daughter.

"Yes, baby?"

"Do you think that when we end up wherever we are going to live that maybe we can have a cat?"

"Well, I think it is certainly a possibility. Just maybe not one that will grow so huge." Maddie gave her mom a sideways glance and grinned.

"Thanks, mom." Callie smiled back at her daughter. These small words meant the world to her. Not so long ago everything in their relationship seemed strained and communication was often combative. While Callie was enjoying living in the moment of this renewed closeness she was sharing with her daughter, she was still concerned. Near death experience not withstanding, she knew things could easily revert back to the way they were if Callie didn't give proper attention to their relationship.

Aimee sat in the breezeway next to the multi car garage enjoying the late afternoon sun. She nursed her iced coffee observing the state of her GTO. The car had just received a well needed wash. She heard some noise from the garage. A moment later Joe Hardy emerged with a bucket full of rags and small bottles. Joe glanced briefly at Aimee, who appeared somewhat surprised.

"Everything ok?" Joe managed to ask. Aimee cleared her throat and took on a sympathetic expression.

"Uhm, yeah. I appreciate you volunteering to wash my car. But you really don't need to wax it. I don't really want to trouble you. It's a big job." Joe scoffed.

"You women…" He began and started taking out bottles from the bucket. "You are lucky enough to have a fine classic machine like this and you don't realize what it takes."

"What what takes?" Aimee asked with a confused look. Joe shook his head to himself.

"You can't just wash a car like this and not give it a proper wax and buff afterwards."

"Oh, well, sorry. I just meant that you didn't need to put yourself out to do that for me." Joe did his best to stat on the task at hand. He was not totally comfortable with having Aimee as a house guest. But he also knew all that she had been through and understood. He also knew how much it meant to his wife that they be hospitable to Aimee and Callie during their time there. He glanced back over at Aimee as he rubbed a towel against the fender.

"Don't worry about it. The car is just in need."

"Well, still, I just don't want to trouble you since it's not your car. I know a wax and buff job take a fair amount of energy." Joe gave a light chuckle as he continued to rub the car dry.

"I think I can manage it. You are still recovering and I would feel bad if I saw you out here buffing the wax out of the car." Aimee looked down. She didn't really care for most everyone treating her like she was some delicate thing that would fall over if she exerted the slightest energy on any task.

"Well, I have buffed that car plenty of times before." She spoke up. Joe grinned to himself and he continued to briskly rub the car down.

"Is that so? Well, I will tell you what… As long as you didn't buff my wife in this car, I am more than happy to do it." The words had barely escaped his lips when he sighed deeply and turned to Aimee. Her lower lip was quivering as she attempted to maintain some degree of composure. Joe dropped his rag and took a step forward and held out his hand. "I am so sorry I just said that. I should have…"

"Just thought it?" Aimee managed to utter. She took a breath and managed to stand up. Her body was still in a state of recovery. Her mind most certainly was. She paused for a moment, perhaps to briefly ponder if she should engage the exchange further. She shook her head and turned and walked back towards the house. Joe heaved another heavy sigh. He knew he had said something completely insensitive. He wasn't even sure how words escaped his lips so easily.

He thought about going into the house and admitting to his wife that he stuck his big insensitive foot in his mouth. Again. It's not that he was against extending their home to guests. Especially those who had essentially been responsible for purchasing the home in the first place. But there was still a feeling that seemed to kick in every time he thought about how his wife had had the need to find fulfillment with others.

As Joe was not certain Aimee was going to go to Iola with this latest lapse in judgment he had expressed, he chose to not go in and perhaps add to something which had not even been introduced. No doubt if it had, he knew he would soon encounter his wife. And he surely would not have to go find her if that encounter was to come. But he knew that if it happened, he deserved everything he had coming. Joe thought how irrational he likely seemed about it all. He chastised himself and swore to be more understanding about it. After all, no one was perfect. He knew he certainly wasn't. Later he would tell Iola and would express his feelings and hope that she could help him get a better grasp on the situation without going off on their guests.

The late afternoon gave way to a beautiful sunset over the bay. Callie and Aimee sat on a bench near the end of the property enjoying the vantage point. Enjoying the privacy. Aimee leaned against Callie as they sat there in silence.

"You alright?" Callie asked. She studied the expression on Aimee's face. Something had been on her mind she was sure. Something beyond the overall wear and stress of everything they had overcome while in Clymer. Aimee closed her eyes and nodded slightly. Just feeling close to Callie had made her feel better.

"I'm ok. I suppose." Callie smiled knowingly. That 'I suppose' meant anything but. She looked down at Aimee and offered a kind smile.

"I'd like to think we have reached a point where we can hopefully tell each other most anything." Aimee took a deep breath and nodded.

"I think we have. It's not you…it's just…" She paused. She was not wanting to really make waves or cause any discord with Callie and Iola.

"Just what, baby?"

"Well, I was just wondering how long we might be here." Callie took a breath. She could almost guess.

"Does your inquiry have anything to do with someone of the male persuasion who also happens to live here?" Aimee's eyes shifted. She looked down.

"I don't want to make trouble or seem too sensitive…." Callie glanced sideways to her.

"Did he say something?" She asked.

"It's not important."

"That would be a yes." Callie muttered. She knew the situation wasn't ideal, but had hoped Joe could reserve his personal feelings on the subject of his wife's perceived infidelities at least while they were there.

"Don't worry about it. He's just a guy and, well, guys say stupid things sometimes." Callie smiled slightly.

"Yes, well, that may be so. But they shouldn't say such things to recovering victims of beatings and rape. I want you to feel safe and happy. I mean as safe and happy as you can reasonably be at this point. This is still so fresh. I know you have a lot of road to cover and I just don't want anyone making you feel bad for, well, dumb reasons." Aimee looked back to Cal and smiled as best she could.

"I appreciate that. And, well, honestly it's not really just him. Or anything specifically. Just that I have been going through so much at once. But I also don't want to feel like or be treated like I am some flower than will blow over with the slightest breeze. But, I just don't want to be trouble to anyone here."

"Well, I know where you are coming from. And truth be told I am not wanting to cramp the marriage situation here. Iola has a good heart, but she also tends to assume that none of this will take a toll on her relationship with Joe. Or she doesn't really care in some ways. I know she wants to make us feel comfortable and supported. But even though the house is huge, I kind have gotten a light flashback to the times when I lived here before with them. It was all wonderful and great. Then, well, Joe discovered certain things that were going on and all Hell broke loose. Luckily, we mostly recovered from that fallout. But part of that recovery involved Chet and I moving out of the place." Aimee nodded, but then shrugged a bit with a look of aggravation.

"You know, I get that. I really do. But, it's not like three days after getting back and just a short time after getting out of the hospital, I seriously doubt that he would have to worry about any orgies going on." Callie gave a snort of laughter.

"Yeah, gotta admit that's the truth. I don't think Joe would have to worry about walking in on a daisy chain the way my body feels." She then looked seriously at Aimee. "But I hear what you are saying and agree. I think Iola expects we will be staying here for months to recover. I don't see that happening. Much as I love this place. But I do think within a couple weeks I might be able to line up a place. And you are of course welcome to stay. I know we said we don't want rush things and we agreed to take things slow and not do anything rash like immediately moving in together. But given our physical limitations, not to mention mental state, I don't have any issues with us living together for a while. I think Maddie would be ok with it." Aimee held up a hand and smiled kindly.

"But, I still want us to ask her and make sure its ok. I feel I have been pretty lucky to have a good relationship with her so far. But I don't want to take any liberties or do something that will make her uncomfortable." Callie smiled back.

"Agreed. It should be fine, but yes, let's check with her. I will break the news to Iola and let her dote on us for another couple weeks while I look for a place online. She will also keep Joe on a leash. So, try to avoid him if he has been saying stuff or just makes you uncomfortable in general. And I know you don't really know him. But aside from his issues with Iola seeking occasional physical distraction with her best friend, and well, now you, he has never been anything but a nice guy and supportive husband." Aimee took a deep breath, feeling much better. She leaned over and kissed Cal, who returned the gesture.

"I love you… Is it ok for me to say that?" Aimee asked with a slight look of uneasiness. It was the first time she had said it without really thinking about it first.

Callie nodded with contentment.

"Not only ok, but I really liked hearing it… I love you, too."