The sun had returned, the mountains flowered. The path was open.

By the end of the week, the divorce would be final. He would be free.

Free to marry Elsie. They would begin their life together, and then welcome the new life that had already claimed their hearts.

He was nervous, then overjoyed, when Adam arrived at John's house. Later, he and Elsie went to Kate's house to see her-their nieces and nephews. He was surprised when Liza hugged him, the little scamp. He liked her immediately. Brandon and Jason were more hesitant, but perked up when he offered to take them hunting in the fall.

The sight of Emily beaming, her hand on Elsie's belly, nearly made him cry. He was only saved by a friendly nudge from Becky.

We have a family now. All of us together.

He woke the following morning at the cabin, relishing the sights and sounds of the woods in summer. Driving into work, he shook off the sadness of losing the treasured place.

He had barely started working, doing the morning rounds, when Tom Branson came running around the corner, calling for him.

"Mrs. Patmore's called the front desk. She's at home, says you need to come over," the young man said. "She said it's urgent."

Worried, Charles switched directions in the hallway. He went to the front desk. Tom picked up the phone and took it off hold, handing it to Charles.

"Beryl? What's the matter?"

"I-I can't tell you over the phone, Charlie. Just get over here as soon as you can." She sounded mostly herself, just tense.

"Do I need to do anything? Tell Elsie?"

"No, don't tell Elsie anything. Yet. Oh," she said, having a muffled conversation with someone, "you'd better call Mr. Napier. I've got something that will change things."

00000000000

To his surprise, Thomas Barrow opened the door.

"Good morning. I thought you'd have left already."

"I switched my flight to tomorrow," Thomas said, ushering him into a back bedroom. Beryl sat on the floor, surrounded by a colossal mess of boxes, odds and ends, and papers.

"Since you needed to store some of your possessions here, I found I needed to organize my things. To make room," she explained at his expression. "I haven't gone through a lot of stuff since before Dad passed away, and none of it since Mother. Thomas has been helping me while he's here."

"That's kind of you," Charles nodded at the young man. He turned back to his friend. "Now what's this all about?" Thomas left the room.

Beryl reached into an open box. Pulling out an old commencement program, she handed it to him. "I found this and some other things, buried. I'd forgotten I had them."

He fingered the yellowed material. "You came to our graduation from the university. I remember that."

"Alice wrote to me before your graduation. But the letter didn't arrive until after I'd gone with your parents." She handed it to him, the folded paper still in the envelope. It had been opened. "When we all returned home, Alice told me that the letter wasn't important, that I could throw it away." She sighed. "She made it sound like she had written to tell me of your engagement and about the baby, but I already knew about both, so there was no point in reading it. So I didn't. I meant to," she said, standing up, "but I just plain forgot about it. Until this morning, when I found it under your graduation program at the bottom of the box."

"Funny how much cheaper stamps were three decades ago," he said, running his finger over the postal stamp, the date from the past. Beryl looked down, wringing her hands.

"If I hadn't been so bloody absent-minded…it feels like my fault. Well, I can't change what happened. You go ahead and read that," she tapped the letter. "Did you call Mr. Napier?"

"Yes," he frowned. "But he said to see what you had for me. He said he'd be glad to deal with any potential changes, but not while I was being vague."

"I'll leave you to it then," Beryl headed for the door. She looked back at him before shutting it. "If I were you, I'd sit down before I read it." She closed the door before leaving him alone.

He sat down and pulled the letter out of the envelope.

00000000000

Dear B,

I'm sure you've heard the news by now. About our engagement. And about the baby.

You're scandalized, I'm sure. I was surprised by Mother and Daddy's reaction. After the initial shock, they were delighted. Mother's already hoping we have a daughter. Daddy wants us to have a quick wedding, of course, but he's excited to have a grandchild.

Their reaction would have been easier to take if they were angry with me.

I know you and I haven't always been close friends, but I know I can be honest with you.

B, I've done something terrible. Charlie asked me to marry him because I told him I was pregnant. But I'm not. I lied.

I didn't know what to do. He wanted to go to Chicago to audition. I can't do it. I'm not good enough, and I know I'd miss my parents, you, our old friends. Charlie said we could be on our own, live a little. But I couldn't bear being away. I just wouldn't feel comfortable living anywhere but home.

Now I've got a real problem. I guess I could always tell him I'd lost the baby. But I'm worried about after we get married. If I get pregnant for real too soon, he'll know I lied.

I'm sure you'll say I should tell him the truth. But I can't. I'd lose him. I've never lost anything I really wanted before.

After graduation, when we get home, we'll have to talk. I know you won't tell anyone.

Sincerely,

Alice