Author's Notes: Thank you everyone for your kind reviews, they were excellent encouragement and I love to hear from my readers. I know there are lots of questions that haven't been answered in the story yet, have had quite a few emails. All the issues of the baby and why she was allowed to keep her wedding ring and the other questions will be answered by the story, you'll just have to hang on. But I promise all will be revealed. As always reviews are appreciated and inspire me to type faster.

Part 23

Age 18 Years 4 Months

Jack regarded his parents somberly as they stood waiting for him by the limousine as he walked out of the airport. They were watching him anxiously and almost fearfully, which made Jack smile slightly. When he turned 17, his treatments had ended and he was largely recovered, but his parents had placed him in school in Russia to complete his education. The doctors had indicated in their reports on their Son that he had learned the language and the Newquays were in no hurry to have their Son come back to the US

The young man who approached them was nothing like they expected. Instead of the shy boy, the young man who walked towards them had a confident stride and an arrogant expression. He said nothing to them as he got inside the limousine and the Newquay's looked at each other uncertainly before climbing inside. Although they had thought the Russian experience would break their Son and make him malleable, he appeared to be more stubborn than ever.

"Albert" the Senator hesitated.

"Jack" he corrected.

"Now we're not going to hear anything about that incident with that girl, are we" Miriam demanded in annoyance.

Ignoring his parents Jack opened the door to the mini bar and sing-songed"Eenie meenie miney moe."

"Son, you can't drink" the Senator quipped automatically.

Continuing to ignore his Father, Jack poured a glass of Jack Daniels and sat back opposite his parents. Pulling a cigarette case and a lighter out of his coat pocket, Jack lit up and exhaled in their direction and informed them"From now on, you will address me as Jack. There will be no discussion about my wife or I'll cut you off financially."

Changing topics Miriam tried"Jack there's a reception being hosted to welcome you home and there are some lovely girls from good families that will be there."

"Frankly Mother, I could care less about your party or your parade of debutantes. I'm planning to go to college far away from Maryland and have no urge to rejoin the social elite. However, if you insist on this farce tonight, I'll put in an appearance."

The Senator and Miriam began to argue and Jack ignored his parents and focused on his drink. Finally Miriam told her husband she wasn't' speaking to him. The limousine was very quiet for the remainder of the journey to the Newquay mansion. When they arrived, Miriam presented a tailor who was waiting to fit Jack in proper formal wear for the evenings entertainment. Once Jack was fitted and dressed for the evening's affair, he presented himself to his parents.

"So, uh- Jack" the Senator started awkwardly. "Where exactly are you planning on going to college"

"Tomorrow I'm going to leave for Savannah and I plan to make a week's stop in Memphis first."

"And how do you expect to pay for college? You expect me to pay for an education at a place we haven't even discussed"

Bored Jack drawled"I have a scholarship and if you cause much trouble Senator, I'd hate to have to air your embezzling from my money to the public."

"You wouldn't" Miriam exclaimed in horror.

Smirking at his parents, Jack responded"Try me."

The Newquays watched as their Son walked to the bar and got a drink. Forcing their social smiles on they greeted their guests and introduced their Son as Jack. After Jack did his polite duty and dance with the third debutante his mother forced on him, he took Miriam aside and told her to stop that he'd reached his patience limit and that he would make her regret it if she forced so much as one more society princess on him. Unwisely Miriam ignored his warning and lead him to a large group of debutantes.

"This is my Son, Jack. Perhaps you girls could introduce him around, he's been studying abroad."

As his mother walked off Jack smiled wickedly as one of the girls said"Tell us all about yourself."

Knowing that they wanted to hear something polite that implied his net worth, Jack had no intentions of playing their little game. Only one woman ever mattered to him and he would accept no substitutes. Smirking, Jack responded"The human body has 206 bones and I know how to break every one of them."

As the outraged girls ran off to their parents, Jack strode outside and pulled a worn piece of paper from his jacket. Looking at the letter, he not only knew every word by heart, every curve and dip to her writing was emblazoned on his mind. Yet still he couldn't resist looking at the note which sealed his damnation. Bringing the paper to his lips, Jack sighed Samantha's name and fought against the tears that still came far too easily.

Are you looking up at the night sky? Jack wondered. Do you think of me still? Has time softened your heart or do you despise me still? You're not a young girl anymore, is there another that you give yourself to now? Am I little more than a distant and unpleasant memory? Where are you my Samantha? What has become of us?

As Jack pondered his lost love, word of his conduct raced around the room and by the end of the night, the social elite decided they'd trust their daughter with a Kennedy before they would with the Newquay heir...

Looking up at the night sky, Samantha sighed longingly. What was wrong with her? On prom night, the strange dreams of a dark eyed boy got a name, but still she remembered little. When she'd been at the orphanage there had been a soulful eyed boy named Jack and they had been in love. Vague memories of sweet kisses now were in her consciousness, but at night she dreamed of passion. Why did she remember a wedding? They were far too young to get married, had they maybe been in a play? Make believe? What was missing? Why couldn't she love Tom?

"Sam" Tom called out as he came up behind her. "I've been looking all over for you."

"Have you" she asked and forced a smile.

"Sam I want to talk to you about the future, about us"

"No" she cut him off. Gently she continued"Wait until I have my degree and then we can talk about our future. I'm just not ready."

Meekly Tom acquiesced and started kissing Sam. Although she tried to force herself to respond to his kisses, she felt the usual empty and wrong sensation...

The Newquays were relieved when Jack left after the fiasco at the reception the night before. Jack was amused at their distress and anxious to head off to college, not that he intended to finish it. He was attending to acquire knowledge to further his plans for revenge and beyond that, Jack cared nothing about college. Knowledge was a means to an end and nothing more. Before losing Samantha, reading and learning were a comfort and pleasure; but with Samantha gone life was hollow.

Jack drove his rental car towards Memphis. Driving up to the For Seasons motel, he stopped his car. For several moments, Jack sat frozen. Part of him wanted to get out and see Konstantine and Sofia, to rent the bridal suite and be close to where he once held his Samantha. However as tears and rage welled up inside him, Jack started his car back up and pulled out of the parking lot. Tires screeching Jack drove out of the city and drove towards the clearing with the roses.

Pulling up near the clearing, Jack got out and walked into the clearing. Looking around it was as if time had stood still. Jack felt almost as though he could turn around and there would be his bride. The time they spent here had been paradise, Samantha had loved him then. When did things fall apart? Lying down by the large rose bush where they had made love many times, Jack looked up at the cascade of rose petals that fell from above.

Something was wrong. At first he'd simply accepted that Samantha hadn't loved him, but now he wondered if that was entirely true. Her eyes had shined with love and hope when they were here, yet after the accident she had abandoned him. In the last few years Jack had observed and learned a great deal. When he picked up Russian he concealed his knowledge for over a year and witnessed many conversations between staff members. As a prisoner of his own body, he spent hours witnessing love, envy, hate, and deceit, the full spectrum of emotion. Samantha had been so honest and sincere.

Thinking of Samantha, Jack pondered. Had she really abandoned him? Even if she had stopped loving him, she was the sort that would have honored their commitment at least long enough to see him well. Yet the letter was unquestionably her handwriting. Before changing planes in London, Jack consulted with a handwriting expert on the off chance the letter had been forged or doctored. The writing was smooth and without hesitation, the expert declared it had been unchanged.

Lying on the ground, Jack drifted into a tormented sleep. Nightmares plagued his rest and over time had rendered Jack incapable of sleeping for more than two hours at a time. Even with sedatives, he was incapable of sleep as visions of Samantha taunted him and kept the past alive in his heart. As he fell asleep, Jack was unconcerned about falling asleep outside because he knew it wouldn't last long.

Jack roused a bit later at the sound of voices, rather than from a nightmare. Standing up he looked at the old couple that approached him. For several moments that looked at him and at each other. Uncertainly, Jack moved forward. Suddenly the woman smiled and threw her arms around him.

"It is honeymooners" Sofia cried.

"Sofia" Jack asked uncertainly.

"Konstantine it is our Jack! But where is my adopting daughter"

Sadly, Jack responded"She left me."

"It cans not be" Konstantine declared.

"You will join Momma and Poppa and tell us all about" Sofia insisted.

Uncertainly, Jack joined them in their picnic and told them the entire story from the time they left Memphis up until Jack's return to Memphis alone...