With the war over, Damon and his friends head home back to the States. Although he's truly grateful that Dr. Weber saved his life, his shoulder is frozen and won't move the way it was designed to. Having intense pain pretty much everyday, Damon shuns pain medication because he doesn't want to depend on them. The medication the American doctors gave him helped but he felt so woozy and incoherent that it made him unable to function. Not liking how they made him feel, he depends on aspirin.
"You okay, Damon?" Brady asks when he sees the uneasy look on his friend's face.
"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to be home but I think about her everyday, Brady. We have no idea what happened to them. What if they were killed for helping us?"
"I've had that thought myself, Damon. But you can't dwell on what ifs. We'll never know I suspect," Brady says, smiling when he sees his wife after ten long months. Brady's wife is very pretty, not unlike Elena in that respect. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes. Knowing that Brady would like a little privacy, Damon turns his back to them to look around the docks hoping to see someone, anyone that he knows. While scanning the crowd, Damon's mouth drops open and his bag falls to the floor when his hand goes flaccid. Shaken out of his stupor when someone bumps into him, Damon grabs his bag from the floor, maneuvers his way around the crowd, stopping only when his parents are right in front of him. Dropping his satchel all over again, Damon throws his arms around his mother as best he can, holding her close. Never having been away from home anywhere near this long before, Damon closes his eyes and breathes her in. Once she steps aside, Damon's father pulls him into his embrace too, patting Damon's back lovingly.
"Let me look at you," his mother says, smiling through her tears. "We missed you so much."
"I missed both of you more than I can say too," Damon admits. Even though he's excited to be home, Damon feels that he left of piece of himself behind with Elena.
As the next few months morph into years, Damon helps his father around their home and spends his time working at his father's farm. Although not optimal, it keeps his mind busy so he's not constantly feeling lost and alone without her. Because of his shoulder, not many employers have been willing to take a chance on him. Having finally decided to go to school, Damon is grateful that there is one in his home town. As such he'll be able to live at home and not have to worry about room and board and other expenses.
Half way into his second year of college, Damon loses his mother to a heart attack. The doctor says there was nothing that could've been done to save her. Being an only child, Damon is close or had been close to both of his parents. His mother taught him to read and write. She used to tell him stories and tend to him when he was sick. Although Damon feels the need to be strong for his father, it proves to be an impossible task. Between losing his mother and losing Elena, Damon falls into a deep depression. Even though Damon feels like he's falling to pieces on the inside, he still manages to go to work and go to school everyday. Damon's father, Mitch, is at a loss as to help his son. Not knowing where to turn, he remembers how much Damon loved his pets when he was a boy. Without hesitation, Mitch looks in the newspaper till he finds an ad for Great Danes. Instinctively knowing that a big dog will do Damon good, he immediately goes to the location and picks one out for his son.
As soon as Damon sees the dog, his demeanor changes considerably. Having something to focus on besides his troubles has been a godsend to Damon. The dog, Brutus, becomes his constant companion. One day when his father catches him with tears in his eyes, Damon finally tells his dad all about Elena. Even though Damon is certain his father thinks it was a teenaged romance, Damon knows better. Mitch surprises him, giving him a shoulder to lean on and assuring Damon that he can confide in him at any time. Stating that he understands all too well about leaving girls behind, Mitch goes onto tell Damon about his own experience. Before Damon's mother entered his life, Mitch had a girlfriend too. As life would have it, his family moved away before anything serious could evolve. Even though Damon's mother became the love of his live, sometimes Mitch wonders what happened to the girl that he was so smitten with in his youth. Knowing that his father understands eases Damon's burden immensely. Even though Damon knows without doubt that his father loves him, somewhere deep inside there was a tingle of fear thinking that his dad would have him committed given his depression. Now knowing that he can trust his father with anything, he feels a tremendous weight lifted off of his shoulders. Grabbing a ball, Damon puts the leash on Brutus to take him for a walk.
As soon as they reach the sandy beach at the lake, Damon's favorite place, he releases Brutus from the leash to let him run. Throwing the ball into the water, Brutus repeatedly brings it back for Damon to throw again. Enjoying the afternoon enormously, Damon drops on the sand. Brutus brings the ball back before laying in heap beside his master. Smiling, Damon pets his dog and when he raises his eyes to look towards the now setting sun. When an image of Elena pops into his mind, Damon presses his palm against his heart and silently vows that somehow, someway he will find her and make his heart complete again.
1922
Feeling alone and out of sorts, Damon drops down to the sandy beach below him. The lake is calm today, not a whitecap to be seen. Brutus loves being in the water. Damon can't help but smile at his antics. The pristine beauty of this place has always helped him get perspective. His mind can't help but drift back to those few days in 1918 that he got to spend with the one and only girl who completely ruined him for any other one. Sometimes Damon thinks he's nuts because he spent such a short time with Elena. Damon knows he misses her like crazy but is he deluding himself. In actuality, he only spent three days with her. Elena herself was only fifteen, the odds of her still being hung up on him are about a zillion to one, Damon admits to himself. Raking his hand though his hair, Damon sometimes doesn't know which way to turn. Despite all the reasons why it's foolhardy to hang onto a memory, another part of him wonders if maybe she was the one person that he was meant to spend his life with. Running the sand through his fingers, he barely notices when his dad sits down on the sand beside him.
"Hi dad," Damon says, forcing a smile on his face when he faces his father.
"Are you okay, Damon? I mean, you've been more melancholy than usual lately."
Having always been close to his dad, Damon hesitates to tell him about Elena because he doesn't want his father to think that he's nuts for feeling the way he does about a girl that he knew for one second in time. "I know you think I'm daft but it's the girl, dad. Something about her touched me so deeply. I know this sounds insane but it was like I met and lost my soulmate in the same breath. I don't know what to do to move beyond this," Damon admits, dropping his eyes to sand in front of him.
"I don't think you're crazy, Damon. And I know that your mom's death has really exacerbated these feelings. In all honesty, Damon, I felt the same way about your mom once upon a time. But there wasn't a war and a continent to separate us. You're probably going to think I'm the crazy one for suggesting this but what if you and I took a trip to Europe? Maybe we can find her? Do you think you could find the home again? From what you and Brady told me about meeting the family, it might not be so easy."
"Are you being serious right now, dad? Because if you're not, please stop."
"I'm being completely serious. It won't be easy and you have to know that it's going to be a longshot at best. The odds of finding your Elena have to be almost astronomical."
"I know that, dad but if there's even the slightest chance, I have to seize it," Damon replies, the passion in his voice unmistakable.
"Alright then. We'll have to make arrangements to go overseas. We'll need to get the proper papers and tickets to go. You'll have to make arrangements for someone to take care of Brutus while we're gone too."
"I'm certain Caroline will watch him," Damon utters, his eyes staring at Brutus frolicking in the water. Caroline is Damon's childhood friend. There has never been anything romantic between the two of them but they've always been there for each other. Aside from Brutus, Caroline has been a rock for Damon too.
"What about Brady? From what you told me, you were unconscious when they found Elena. You'll need to find out where we should start looking. I'll make the travel arrangements after we have some idea of where we're going. Okay?"
"I don't know how to thank you dad," Damon says softly. When his emotions threaten to overwhelm him, he faces his father and wraps his arms around him.
"It's okay, Damon. With your mother gone, it's just you and me now. The two of us need to stick together." Nodding his understanding, Damon wipes his eyes. The two Salvatore men sit in the sand for sometime just watching the water as it laps against the sand. Once the sun starts to set in the West, Damon and his dad stand up. After brushing the sand off of himself, he follows his father. Walking side by side, Damon is grateful to have this man a dad.
It takes a couple of months to get the tickets purchased, make arrangements for someone to watch his father's business and waiting for their papers to arrive. With his father's consent, Damon asks Brady if he'd consider coming with them since Damon has no idea where to begin to look for Elena and her family. Since Brady too wants to be able to thank the Weber's himself, he agrees after being given the okay from his wife, Julie.
Caroline is more than happy to babysit Brutus while Damon and Mitch are overseas. Finally the day comes for Damon, Brady and his dad to get on the boat to go overseas. All three men are excited and anxious that this day is now here, Damon, with Brady walking alongside of him, follows his father up the ramp to step onto the boat. Once they're shown their rooms, Damon and his dad drop off their bags then walk back up to the deck to watch while the great ship pulls out of its berth and steams towards the open ocean.
After five long days of being sea sick, Damon, Mitch and Brady finally arrive in Cherbourg, France. Aside from getting home after the war, Damon has never been so happy to set foot on dry land. Tired from the trip, they decide to get a room for the night and plan their next moves. Brady said that the Weber home was near the town of Metz. Under the Treaty of Frankfurt, the city was annexed by Germany in 1871. The city was returned to France under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. If Brady's memory is correct, the Weber homestead was around ten to fifteen kilometers away from the city. Even though Damon knows that this venture will probably turn out to be one very expensive wild goose chase, he still can't help but have hope. Although his nerves are alight, Damon is so exhausted that even the butterflies swirling around in his belly don't prohibit him from falling asleep.
Waking up the next morning, Damon stretches his limbs before crawling out of bed. With his dad and Brady still sleeping, Damon quietly goes into the bathroom to do his business and get dressed. When he comes out, Mitch is sitting up at the bedside. "You're up early, Damon?"
"I think I was too tired not to sleep but I woke up about a half hour ago."
"So, I was thinking the easiest way to get to Metz is by train. Perhaps we can hire a driver or a carriage or something to take us to the Weber property?"
"I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you for this, dad. You have no idea how grateful I am."
"I hope everything works out the way you want, Damon. However, you need to be prepared if this doesn't turn out the way you want it to."
"I know, dad. More than likely, she'll be married and have kids by now. If nothing else, I can thank her and her family for saving my life."
"Will that be enough for you, Damon?"
"It'll hurt but it'll have to be enough if that's all there is," Damon tells him, his eyes locked on his father's till he hears Brady starting to arouse. When Brady opens an eye, he gives Damon a tentative smile before throwing his legs over the side of the bed to sit up. "Morning," Brady mumbles, rubbing his eyes. Once he gets his bearings, Brady gets up, grabs some clean clothes and disappears into the bathroom. As soon as he's finished, Mitch takes his turn while Damon and Brady get their things together.
"Metz is just over four hundred miles from here."
"Dad suggested that we should go by train."
"Good idea. Let's get some breakfast and then we'll head to the depot."
"I'm actually hungry this morning too." Looking up when his father rejoins the two of them, they quickly gather their bags and go downstairs to check out. After getting directions to the train depot, the three men decide to get something to eat once they get there. Finding a little place to eat across the street from the train depot, Damon and his father go to buy their tickets while Brady goes into the restaurant to get them a table. Once the tickets are in hand, Damon and Mitch walk back across the street to join Brady. Nearly an hour later, Damon, Mitch and Brady board the train to Metz. While Brady and Mitch visit, Damon is lost in thought, wondering how he'll cope if Elena is indeed with someone else or maybe she's forgotten him entirely. A big part of him believes this to be a fool's errand but still he feels drawn here. A silent yearning tugging at his heart and his mind has consumed him. The only way that Damon knows to move on either with her or alone to get some answers one way or another.
After riding the train all day and all night, the group arrives in Metz. It's late in the afternoon so the men decide to get a hotel room for the next two nights because they know that they'll be too busy tomorrow to even think about the journey back to Cherbourg. Having been cooped up on the train for so long, Damon, Mitch and Brady need to stretch their legs so they decide to go for a walk to take in a few of the sights.
The Saint-Etienne cathedral is close so they decide to visit it. At forty two meters high, it is one of the tallest Gothic buildings in Europe. It's stained glass windows date from the thirteenth to the twentieth century including some by Chagall. Because there is so much glasswork the cathedral earned the nickname, "The Good Lord's Lantern". By the time they finish viewing the cathedral, the guys head back to the hotel to get something to eat and go to bed. They have another busy day tomorrow. If they're unable to find any trace of Elena, Damon knows that he'll have to find a way to accept whatever he finds be it good or bad. When Damon gets up the next morning, a growing feeling of anxiety is swirling in his belly. Even if Elena is lost to him forever, at least he'll have some closure.
As soon as the three men are dressed, Damon holds the door open allowing Mitch and Brady to lead the way. Since the Weber family home wasn't that far from here, they ask the driver if he knows of the Weber family. Even though they didn't really expect any answers from him, Damon deflates a little bit anyway when the man denies any knowledge of the Weber family. Following Brady's instructions, the man drives them down the road.
"Good morning, Damon," Elena greets him when she steps into his room with some food for him.
"Elena, hi," Damon repeats, smiling widely. Using his good arm, Damon tries repeatedly to sit upright, finally giving in to his frustration. Weak as a kitten, Damon feels like he isn't much use to anyone right now. With Elena's help, he manages to sit up far enough, allowing her to prop some pillows behind his back. Between the two of them, Damon finally is in a position that will allow him to eat something. Setting his breakfast tray on his lap, Damon starts to eat, blushing red with embarrassment when he drops the fork.
"Let me help you," Elena offers. Damon readily agrees rather than look any more the fool. Putting the fork to his mouth, Damon swallows the bite down before remarking, "Your mother is a fabulous cook."
"Yes, she's very good," Elena agrees. "Can I ask you something, Damon?"
"Of course." After setting down his fork, Damon gives her his full attention.
"Where in America do you live?"
"I live in Wyoming. It's in the middle of the country. It's really pretty. We have mountains and the geysers at Yellowstone and there's Devil's Tower too."
"My uncle John moved to America before the war. Once in awhile mama gets a letter from him. He told her in one of his letters that the mountains are very beautiful where he lives. I would like to go to America someday too."
"I'd like to be able to take you there," Damon whispers, reaching over to place his hand on hers. Feeling all kinds of sparks when their skin touches, Damon can't stop the gasp that leaves his lips.
"Are you okay?" Elena asks, a fearful look on her face.
"Don't be concerned. I am fine," Damon reassures her. As soon as Damon finishes his breakfast, Elena picks up her book to read to him again. With his belly full and his arm aching, Damon lays down, his eyes soon drop closed, lulled to sleep by the sound of her angelic voice.
When Damon hears a loud voice, he snaps out of the beautiful memory of the girl who stars in all of his dreams.
"That's it," Brady screams excitedly.
"Stop the car," Damon adds, his gut now churning uncontrollably. As soon as the guy stops the vehicle, Damon steps out of the car. Not much of the place looks familiar from the outside. Damon has no memory of arriving at the home, the only thing he remembers is being in that little bedroom. Brady, Enzo and Damon had to leave in a rush when the soldiers showed up that day. Once Brady and Mitch are out of the car, Mitch tells the driver to wait for them. Nodding the guy parks the car.
"Relax, Damon," Brady tells him, giving him a tight smile. Damon returns the smile but Brady can see that his friend is on pins and needles. Taking the lead, Brady takes it upon himself to rap on the front door. Damon comes to stand beside him, Mitch takes his place just behind Damon. When an unknown man answers the door, the guys step back slightly.
"Can I help you?" the man asks, looking curiously at the group.
"I'm sorry to bother you sir but we were looking for the Weber family that used to live here?"
"I'm very, very sorry. Dr. Weber and his family died some time ago," the man says, looking curiously at the three men. "You knew the Weber family?"
"Yeah, the doctor helped my friend," Brady starts to say, "when he was wounded in the war. Can you tell me when they died?"
"I did not know the Weber family personally. I bought this house in 1920 but I was told by one of the neighbors that the family died in October of 1918," the man says, looking at him sympathetically.
Damon hears nothing after the word died. Suddenly his knees can't support his weight, Damon starts to sway but manages to right himself without falling. Mitch gives Brady a nod then attempts to help Damon back to the car, stopping only when his son tells him that he'd like to walk around the property a little bit. After securing the owners permission, Mitch and Brady let Damon go by himself, both inherently knowing that he needs to come to grips with this.
Feeling like his heart has literally been ripped from his chest, Damon walks around the yard aimlessly. Even though Elena is gone, Damon still feels the need to be where she was for even a moment in time. Taking a breath, Damon walks into the apple orchard. Maybe it's his imagination but Damon doesn't care. For some reason, he senses her presence here. Walking up to one of the trees, Damon presses his hand against the bark, closes his eyes and imagines Elena picking the fruit from the trees. As if waiting for a sign, Damon stands still and closes his eyes and tries to conjure up her image. Feeling tears beginning to prick at them, Damon sucks in a deep breath and regains his composure. After taking one more moment to glance around the orchard, Damon turns around to go back to his father and Brady. As soon as he notices that Brady is still talking with the owner and seeing no reason to join them, Damon crawls in the backseat of the car. Numb and empty feeling, Damon only has his memories to tide him over now.
"I'm okay, " Damon whispers, his eyes staring out of the window rather than at his dad. Even though Mitch knows Damon is anything but okay, he honors his wish and keeps his distance for the time being.
In his peripheral vision, Brady happens to notice Damon when he walks back towards the car. Mitch then excuses himself to join his son. "Thank you for your help, sir. I'm sorry that we bothered you," Brady tells him. After shaking his hand, Brady walks back to the car and crawls inside. Brady can't help but notice that Damon is quiet, almost too quiet. Staring straight ahead, Damon doesn't even blink his eyes. Brady shares a look with the driver indicating that they are ready to leave now. The man gives Brady a nod then starts the car to take them back to Metz. When Brady turns in his seat to look over his shoulder to say something to his friend, Damon shakes his head back and forth before raising his eyes.
"It's my fault, Brady, don't you see that? They sheltered us and paid the ultimate price for doing so. How am I supposed to live with myself knowing that they died for me? You should've let me die," Damon says, his voice barely a whisper.
"Damon!? I'm so, so sorry for your loss son. But these people made a decision to help you. They could've turned you away, slammed the door in your face but they didn't. I know you're hurting right now but you can't carry this weight on your shoulders, it'll drag you down and kill you. I can't lose you too, son," Mitch adds, his voice full of emotion because he doesn't know if Damon can come back from this. Unable to control his emotions, Damon's tears start to fall freely down his cheeks. All Mitch can do is be there for his son whatever that may mean.
With all of his hopes and dreams about a future with Elena gone, Damon, Mitch and Brady will be boarding the ship to go back to America later today. The sky is overcast and gray. With rain threatening, Damon puts on his coat and hat then grabs an umbrella to take a short walk. Needing time alone in his grief, Damon walks along the cliff's edge staring at the ocean below as the waves crash onto the shore. Even though Damon can feel a few drops of moisture begin to prick at his face, he doesn't raise the umbrella. Damon stares outward at the Atlantic ocean in front of him. Even though Damon feels empty and alone inside, he would never jump. He couldn't do that to his father, not after everything the man has done for him. When Damon hears is father's voice, he takes a breath and turns around. Knowing that it's time to board, Damon looks back at the rough seas one more time before joining Mitch. Once they're in their stateroom, Damon lays down on the bed, closes his eyes and tries to imagine what his life will be like now that he knows with certainty that Elena won't be in it.
It takes another grueling five days on the ocean to get back to the States. Almost immediately after setting foot on dry land, the guys have to hurry to catch their train to begin the thousand plus train ride back to Wyoming. Since Brady calls Denver home, he gets off at the scheduled stop in the city. As soon as Brady steps off of the train, his wife flies into his arms. Since the train doesn't leave again for a half an hour, Brady introduces Julie to Damon and his dad. Trying to be courteous, Damon joins in the conversation. When train whistle blows, Brady secures a promise from Mitch and Damon to come to visit him and Julie in Denver, the two of them wave goodbye as the train pulls away. Smiling at his wife, Brady takes her hand and the two of them leave the depot to begin the drive home.
Damon and Mitch have been home for a little over six weeks. And although Damon tries to keep up appearances, Mitch knows his son all too well. Damon is well and truly broken on the inside. If only his boy could move behind this tragedy, maybe he'd find another girl to spend some time with. Deep in thought, he doesn't know that Damon is awake till he hears Brutus lumber down the stairs.
"I'm going to take him down to the lake for awhile. I need to think about what I'm going to do with the rest of my life, dad. It hurts so much to know she's gone but I can't spend the remainder of my days moping around," Damon admits, taking a seat at the kitchen table beside Mitch.
"I know that you hurt, Damon. I know, I feel that same thing every day since your mother died. But we have to live, Damon. I never met your Elena but from what you've told me about her, I don't believe for a moment that she'd want you to wallow in guilt. Her family made a choice to help you, Brady and Enzo. And yes, it's tragic if they died for helping the three of you but Damon, you can't live with this kind of burden on your shoulders. You have to forgive yourself to be able to move forward."
"Realistically, I know that. But my heart doesn't want to cooperate... at least not yet."
"It's only been a few weeks, Damon. Everyone heals at their own pace."
"Thanks, dad. I'm going to go now. I'll be home in a couple of hours," Damon says. Standing up, he grabs the leash off of the door hook. After securing it to Brutus's collar, Damon goes outside. With his best buddy in tow, Damon takes off on a run, stopping only when they get to the lake. Brutus lays down on the sand, dropping his head on Damon's lap. Damon can't help but smile. Deep in thought about his future, Damon is oblivious till Caroline plops down in the sand beside him.
"Caroline?! What are you doing here?"
"I can't spend time with my best friend?"
"Of course, I just wasn't expecting you. Plus Brutus didn't even bark, some watchdog he is," Damon chuckles.
"Now that's a sound I like to hear. It's been a long time coming, Damon."
"I know and I'm sorry, Caroline. I know you must think I'm crazy for getting so hung up on a girl I spent a couple of days with.. I can't put into words the pull I felt towards her. Does that make any sense?"
"Of course it does. Damon, you know that old saying, it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all?"
"I may have heard it a time or two." Dropping his eyes, Damon fingers the leash, his mind a buzz with so many contradictory thoughts and emotions. Caroline softly palms his chin so Damon has no choice but to look at her.
"Damon, you lost your mom and this girl. I totally understand why you're struggling right now but I need you in my life. Please find something to focus your time and energy on. You need to keep yourself busy."
"Those are nice words, Caroline but with my shoulder the way it is, there's so much that I can't do."
"Well then we'll just have to find you something that you can do. Now come on, let's take a walk around the lake. I'm sure Brutus will enjoy it."
"He'll enjoy going in the water and then shaking his fur out all over us," Damon adds, a hint of smile forming on his face. When Caroline raises an eyebrow at him, Damon drops his chin to chest for a moment before standing up. "If we're doing this, let's go."
Since neither Damon nor Caroline have ever been much for propriety, Damon gets up then offers Caroline his hand. As soon as she's standing, the two of them walk side by side around the lake.
"Hello Mitch. How are you?"
"Not too bad, Elijah. How can I help you today?"
"I have some mail for you. It looks like it's from your sister in Indiana."
"I haven't written to her in a month of Sundays," Mitch muses, taking the letter from Elijah.
"Tell Damon hello for me," Elijah adds, turning around and walking back to the vehicle. Setting it on the counter, Mitch starts to get his boots on to go outside to pull some weeds in his vegetable garden. Just as he's about to walk outside, Damon, Caroline and Brutus walk into the house.
"You found him?" Mitch remarks to Caroline.
"I did. We had both a long talk and a long walk, didn't we, Damon?" Caroline laughs, giving Mitch a wink. Caroline is like a daughter to him. Damon and she have been friends since they were toddlers. Since the ice truck delivered today, Damon opens the ice box, pulling out a jug of lemonade to pour himself and Caroline a glassful.
"Do you want some, dad?"
"Sure, I'll have a glass. Oh and Damon, I got a letter from your Aunt Elsie," Mitch mentions.
"What did she have to say?" Damon asks, handing both Caroline and his dad each a glass of lemonade before sitting down himself to hand out the lemonade.
"She said that you could spend the summer on her farm if you want. You could help out your uncle with the cattle and the pigs."
"I don't think so, dad," Damon says, making a face. Mitch laughs as does Caroline. When Damon hears his friend's infectious laugh, he looks at her. It's like he's never seen her before, not truly anyway. His best friend is very pretty and down to earth. With this newfound appreciation, a revelation knocks him right in the chest. Elena and her parents likely died because they chose to save him. The best way to honor them is for Damon to stop wallowing in grief and self pity but to really live his life. With his attention on Caroline, Damon smiles in spite of himself.
"What's that face?" Caroline asks, a wide smile forming on her own face.
"Caroline, would you consider going to the ice cream social with me?"
"Damon, that's the best idea you've had in ages," Mitch agrees, his eyes dancing with joy knowing that this is a big moment for Damon.
"I would love to," Caroline agrees, giving Mitch as wink.
Feeling the first pang of joy that he's felt in quite sometime, Damon picks up his own glass of lemonade, taking a big swallow. While Mitch and Caroline are visiting, Damon's attention is focused on the future and how he can honor Elena's memory. Although he knows that he'll never forget her, Damon also knows that it's time to move on.
Elena will return in part 3. It's a monstrous chapter, the word count being in the five figure range.
Huge thank you to Eva. This story really has been a stemwinder to write. So much back and forth between us while I was writing it. This story and most especially part 3 was a rough slog. I wrote it a little at a time, sent it to Eva, she'd mail it back with her suggestions and so it went. Much went into this story both with research and the emotions involved.
Thanks so much to all of you. I can't tell you how much your reviews and follows and favorites mean to both me and to Eva.
Chapter title: 'Let Her Go' by Passenger.
'Nothing Left to Fear' and 'Turn the Page' are still in progress too. Next on the drafting board is the sequel to 'The Dating Game'. The title is 'The Game of Life'... And we also have plans on the drawing board for a Revolutionary War era story. I can't give you any time frame because I don't know when it'll be ready to post. We're only in the planning stage right now. No title for it yet.
Please click on the review button. They really do put a smile on my face and on Eva's. I tried to bring the cover image to life in the one scene. Let me know what you think.
Be safe, have a wonderful day and we'll see you for part three.