Chapter 6 Once everyone was settled back in the car, the three friends began their long journey to Colorado. "Try and sleep." Michael urged. "It's a long way home."

"Michael how did I end up all the way in Massachusetts?"

"Honestly Melissa I don't know."

"Seems my whole life is a mystery."

"Not all of it." Michael assured. "I know most events from the time we met until now. Only your two disappearances are a mystery to me."

"Still, that's a lot of my life that's missing."

"You'll remember soon enough. After all, look at what you know already. You remember me, the hospital, And P-day. That's a lot for only a week."

"I guess you're right." Melissa said. "But.there's still so much I don't know.will you tell me more?"

"I'll tell you everything I can."

"Help me remember you." Melissa requested.

"This is what we did on the train to Arizona." Michael remembered. "I told you anything and everything about me."

She looked so sad and alone. Sitting with only a sheet of paper and a pen to keep her company. The book she had been reading had long been abandoned. Michael knew that she was upset about something. He saw a few tears fall from her dark brown eyes. She brushed them away with the back of her hand and continued to write.

Michael came to her with a few tissues. "Thought you might need these." He said, offering them to her.

The young woman looked up. "Thank you." She said, accepting the tissue.

"Mind if I sit here?" Michael asked.

"Go ahead."

"I'm Michael Carter."

"Melissa Sullivan."

"Where you headed?"

"Scottsdale, Arizona."

"Me too. What a coincidence."

"Yes it is odd." Melissa said, returning to her letter.

"I don't mean to pry." Michael began. "But you look upset. Is there something I can do?"

"I just miss home I suppose." Melissa lied.

"Of course. It's only natural to miss family when you're away. Is that who you're writing?"

"No." Melissa answered. "I'm writing a friend."

"Oh.well sometimes friends are like family."

"Yes.This one certainly is."

"Why are you going to Arizona?" Michael wondered.

"No real reason." Melissa fibbed. "You?"

"My grandmother's funeral."

"I'm sorry."

"Thank you.she was a wonderful woman."

"It's difficult.losing those you love."

"Yes it is."

Melissa was beginning to warm up to her company. "Tell me about yourself Michael."

"There's not a whole lot to share." Michael began. "I was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. Went to school, got my degree. Went to work."

"You seem too young to be already out of college."

"I'm twenty four. I've been out of school for two years. Working everyday since graduation."

"What is it you do?"

"Well right after college, I worked with a company who did family histories. Now I work in a history museum."

"So you enjoy history?"

"Oh very much. My friends tell me I live in the past."

Melissa chuckled. "I can only assume that's accurate."

"It is very close. But I long for something more exciting. Sitting in a museum is not what I hoped for."

"What is it you want to do?"

"I want to work somewhere where I can uncover unknown facts about history. I want to learn what isn't known and bring that knowledge to the public."

"Sounds like a remarkable goal."

"There are a few sites set up across the country. People are finding new information in the land, and through people. They've found old homes with family heirlooms still there. And in some areas there are people who can trace their ancestors all the way back to the colonial days. It's things like this that help us historians to figure out how life really was in our nations past."

"It sounds exciting."

"Well I think so anyway. I just need to get a job in one of those cities. Or maybe even set up my own somewhere."

"I hope you do that someday soon."

Michael looked over and saw that Melissa was asleep. "We all thought you were a crazy man for heading out to Colorado." Greg said, flashing a look in the rear view mirror.

"There were a few times when I thought the same thing." Michael admitted. He gently brushed a strand of her hair out of her eyes. "But we are meant to be together."

"Anyone can see that. It's like you're incomplete without the other."

Hour after hour, the car speed on, hoping to reach its final destination as quickly as possible. Hours turned into days and the trip continued to drag on.

"We're going to stop in Kansas City," Matthew told Melissa. "So that you can see where I grew up."

"Do we have too?" Melissa asked. "I really just want to get home."

"You're probably right. We can come back here any time. What's important now is that you rest. And that's probably not too comfortable in this car."

"I'm alright. But I do wish I had a bed."

"How much longer?" Michael asked the driver.

"Two days."

"Can you wait that long? Or should we stop and get a hotel?"

"I'll be fine." Melissa said. "Keep driving."

Soon, they were approaching the familiar rode that led to their home.

"It's just as beautiful as I remember." Melissa said when they pulled up.

"It's so good to hear you say that."

"What?"

"I remember."

"It's good to say."

Helping Melissa out of the car, Michael had an idea. "Why don't we go exploring."

"I want to go inside." Melissa insisted.

"But you haven't seen the place in months. Don't you want to look around?"

"I can look around inside."

"I guess you're right. You should lie down soon as well."

"I do not need to lie down."

"Then take a walk with me."

"I can't walk Michael."

"You have crutches."

"On this terrain?" she knew it would be hard.

"I'll help you."

Melissa agreed. "Fine."

But when Michael tried to help her walk, she suddenly felt dizzy. "Maybe I should lie down." She reluctantly suggested.

"I'm sorry Melissa, I shouldn't have pushed you. It was silly of me to think about taking you all over like that."

"It's alright Michael." Melissa said. "I wanted to look around too. My body just feels otherwise."

"Let's get you up to bed."

Michael scooped her into his arms and carried her upstairs. The second floor of the house had obviously been expanded. Downstairs, the additions were not as noticeable. There were four original rooms, still furnished in the original wood. There had been repairs made with newer wood, but you could still see much of the original craftsmanship. Then there were the three rooms. They were done by the same hand, but at a later date. The stain on the wood was not as faded and the nails were not as rusted. Still, it was evident that all of the rooms were very old.

When they came to the master bedroom, Michael entered and gently placed Melissa on the bed. The hand carved frame was a replica of the original bed from 1869. Melissa brushed her hand along the smooth, shinning wood. "This bed is beautiful."

"I built it for you." Michael said, hoping she'd remember the rest.

"For my wedding present?"

"That's right."

"Where did you get the design?"

Michael was slightly let down that she didn't remember the original bed they had found in the house. But he concealed his displeasure and told her about it. "There was a bed just like this here when we moved in. It was as old as the house and, despite your love for it, we both decided it was best if it was preserved."

"That's why you made this one.because I loved the other so much."

"Yes."

"You let me see it before the wedding?"

"I tried to keep it hidden. But you kept coming up here and one day you caught me working on it."

"Michael when was our wedding supposed to be?"

"June 16. What other day could we have a wedding?"

"But that's next week!"

"Yes I know. But don't worry. I already took the liberty of postponing it. Up until a few weeks ago, I didn't even know if you'd be back."

"I'm sorry I put you through all this. I wish I could tell you why I keep doing this."

"You will when you can."

"I know I can't remember much." Melissa said. "But I do know that June 16 has to be the date of our wedding."

"Then we'll just have to wait until next year." Michael figured.

"I...I don't know if I want to wait."