Amber woke an hour later. She looked around but Derek was gone. Crawling from her bed, she plodded to the bathroom and turned on the shower. She was going home. She expected an argument from the men, but she was determined. They could come with her or stay behind, but she had made up her mind. She was a grown woman and she would go where she pleased.
Amber climbed into the shower after that determined pep talk and let the hot water wash the dried tears from her face. She would cry no more. She had a plan of her own. She would find who was doing this to her and she would be prepared for his next attack. Amber was going to fight back.
Stepping out of the shower, Amber dried off and began to dress. She blow dried her hair, applied her makeup, and walked back into the bedroom to pack her overnight bag. She silently hoped the men had left the house so she wouldn’t have to tell them what she was doing.
“Coward,” she whispered to herself.
Amber walked slowly down the stairs with her overnight bag. Seeing both men on the couch waiting for her, she sighed. She wasted no time letting Matt and Derek know her plans.
“I’m going home,” she stated. “You two are not stopping me.”
Derek raised a brow at this statement. “We’re not,” he questioned even though he and his brother had agreed she needed to go home and spend some time with Olivia and hopefully lure out her stalker.
“No, you’re not,” Amber said determinedly and started to walk to the front door.
“Amber,” Derek growled low. Amber stopped when she heard the warning tone in Derek’s voice. “Sit down.”
Amber turned and sat in a chair facing Matt and Derek. She dropped her eyes to her knees and refused to look at either of the men.
Matt cleared his throat and stared at his brother.
“Look, honey,” Derek began. “I will take you to see Olivia.”
Amber’s eyes flew to his. “You will,” she questioned.
“I will. I know you need to see her. I also know she needs you. But we need to discuss the situation before just barreling in.”
Amber hung her head again, fully chastised by Derek’s tone and words. Matt punched his brother hard in the arm and gave him a look that said fix this. He couldn’t stand to see a female in tears and he was afraid Amber would break down any minute.
Derek got up from his seat, crossed over to Amber, and pulled her into his arms. “Matt and I have a plan. We have already discussed you going home.”
Amber sighed. She knew Derek wouldn’t let her down. She really didn’t want to face the demon by herself.
Sitting back down with Amber in his lap, Derek explained what he and Matt had concluded. The three talked for another hour before Amber and Derek left Matt’s house to drive the short distance to Amber’s hometown.
Arriving shortly before supper time, Amber and Derek stopped at a local diner to eat. It didn’t take long for residents to recognize Amber and come over to talk. Several had to ask about where she had been and get all of the details of her travels. It was clear none of them knew the real reason she had left thanks to Olivia’s quick thinking. She had told many of the town’s people that Amber needed to get away from the memories of her parents and wanted to try new things.
They all seemed genuinely glad to see her back and filled her in on the latest gossip and happenings in her hometown. It took her and Derek over two hours to finish their meal.
Derek drove them to the local motel with Amber’s directions and they booked a room. They unpacked their luggage and Amber sat down to call Olivia.
“Hello,” this time Olivia answered the phone, and the sound of her voice tore at Amber’s heart. She sounded so sad and depressed.
“Hey Livy, its Amber,” she said.
“Amber, where are you? Are you coming to town,” Olivia asked.
“I’m in town now. Can I come by,” Amber asked. She grabbed a pen and piece of paper from the bedside table and asked Olivia for her address. Olivia gave Amber directions to where she lived and she and Derek drove over to see Olivia.
Patrick answered the door at Amber’s knock and invited the couple in. He seemed genuinely glad to see Amber, hopeful she would bring Olivia out of her depression.
“I’m so glad you came. Olivia is upstairs getting dressed for the first time in three weeks,” Patrick said. He hugged Amber. Feeling uncomfortable hugging her best friend’s husband and someone she had met once briefly, Amber quickly hugged Patrick back and stepped out of his embrace.
Derek noted the unease in Amber’s eyes and decided to question her later.
Just then, Olivia came flying down the stairs.
“Amber,” she yelled, throwing herself into her best friend’s arms.
“Olivia,” Amber replied hugging her tightly.
Both girls began to cry. They had missed each other so much in the past four years. Patrick looked at Derek and nodded at the kitchen. Derek followed.
“Want a beer,” Patrick asked Derek. “Those two will probably be awhile if their phone calls are any indication.” Derek nodded and Patrick pulled a couple of beers from the refrigerator and walked out onto the back deck. Derek followed. The men sat and made small talk while the women in their lives reunited.
Amber held Olivia as she sobbed. They were still standing in the foyer of Olivia’s home and Amber’s tears had long dried. But Olivia had a deeper misery than just missing Amber. Eventually, Amber led Olivia to a couch where the two sat and Olivia hiccupped her way through the story of how she lost the baby.
“It was a girl, Amber. A beautiful baby girl. I named her Amber Jane for you and my mother,” Olivia said.
“Oh, Olivia. I am so sorry. I wish I had been here for you,” Amber replied.
“You’re here now. I want you to see her grave. Will you come with me,” asked Olivia.
“Of course I will,” Amber replied. They made plans to go to lunch together the next day and visit the graveside of Olivia’s stillborn baby girl.
“Now, tell me about the handsome man I barely acknowledged sitting on the back deck with my husband,” Olivia asked.
Taking this as a sign Olivia was feeling better; Amber told her how she and Derek had met.
“He just walked up to your table and sat down,” Olivia asked incredulously.
“He did, like he owned the restaurant or something,” Amber replied.
“You’re kidding,” Olivia slapped Amber's arm playfully.
“No, seriously. He comes strutting up like some good looking cowboy and sits down as pretty as you please, signals the waitress and places his order,” Amber told her.
“What did you do,” asked Olivia.
“There wasn’t much I could do,” Amber replied. “I gave him the cold shoulder, wouldn’t even give him my name when he asked for it, and he didn’t take the hint.”
Amber continued to tell her friend all about the evening she spent with Derek. “I figured, hey, why not have a quick, one-night stand with a total stranger and be on my way,” Amber said.
“We see where that led,” Olivia smirked.
“He is pretty wonderful,” Amber admitted.
“So tell me more. What does he do? Where does he live,” Olivia asked.
“He lives in Atlanta,” Amber lied. She hated deceiving her best friend but the men agreed she needed to be careful what she told Olivia and the others she would run into in town.
“He works in finance and has a nice house in the city. I already have a job at one of the hospitals and have started making friends.”
“Are you staying at his place,” Olivia asked.
Amber giggled like a school girl. “I am and it's wonderful.”
“Amber, I am so happy for you,” Olivia cried. The girls hugged again and continued to talk. Amber was glad to see the color and laughter come back to Olivia’s face and eyes. She had looked so miserable when they first arrived.
Eventually, running out of things to talk about, the men came back in
to the living room to find the girls giggling and laughing. Patrick smiled seeing his wife so happy.
Olivia and Amber hugged each other and said their goodbyes as the men shook hands.
“I’ll pick you up at eleven and we can go to that place we used to eat all of the time when we were working. Is it still there,” asked Amber.
“You mean Charlie’s Place? Yes, it’s still there and I still go and eat when I’m working. It’s not the same without you,” replied Olivia.
Amber smiled, hugged Olivia one more time and turned to leave.
“Amber,” Patrick called.
Amber turned around. “Thanks again,” Patrick said as he placed his arm around his wife.
Amber smiled and walked out the front door. Derek opened her car door and Amber slid inside. She was emotionally drained from seeing her friend in her condition. Now she knew how Olivia must have felt when she helped Amber through the loss of her parents. Only time could completely heal Olivia, but Amber believed she was on the road to recovery. She had seen the change in her face and eyes after talking through her pregnancy and loss. Her friend would be alright.
Derek drove Amber back to the motel in silence. He could sense emotions churning in Amber and so remained quiet as they drove. He had questions but they could wait.
He was furious. How dare she bring him back here and flaunt him. He would have to teach her not to cross him. Yes, the cowboy would have to die. And this time he hoped it would be slow and painful. She had crossed him for the last time.
The next morning Amber and Derek drove around her small hometown. Amber showed him the house where she grew up, the school she attended and pointed out all the special places from her childhood. Derek took her to the cemetery where her parents were buried and she was able to sit down by the headstones for the first time since she had left Alma.
Someone had been maintaining the graveside for her. It was nicely clipped and there were fresh flowers in one of the vases. She assumed Olivia had taken over this chore since she left.
She told Derek about her parents. She talked for an hour telling him story after story about her mom and dad. When she was through, Derek felt as if he had met them personally. He believed he would have liked them if given the chance to know them.
Derek had decided to stay at the hotel while Amber took Olivia to lunch. He didn’t want to interfere in their time together. He had decided to walk and get lunch then check in with his brother.
Amber dropped Derek at the hotel and drove to Olivia’s house. Olivia was sitting on the front porch waiting for her. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a red button up shirt, Olivia’s coloring looked so much better. She had a smile on her face that reached her eyes. Amber got out of the car and met Olivia half way down the walk. The girls hugged and climbed back into the car.
Amber drove to Charlie’s Place and the girls ordered their favorites from times past.
“Wow, this really takes me back,” Olivia said.
“Yeah, I know,” replied Amber. “This place hasn’t changed a bit.”
Word had spread like wildfire that Amber was back in town and the locals poured into the diner to talk to her. Like the night before, it took her several hours to eat for talking to all the people who had missed her and wanted to hear about her travels.
However, all the talk was good for Olivia as well. She had not been out of the house since the baby had died, except to the cemetery, and she had forgotten how kind and loving their fellow citizens could be. She vaguely knew many had brought meals and sent cards but she had been in a depressed fog. Being out and talking with those around her, Olivia could see the genuine concern for her safety and the loss of her little girl. There was no pity in the town’s people’s eyes, just a deep love for one of their own and a sorrow at her loss.
Eventually, Amber and Olivia made it to the cemetery. Amber watched as Olivia placed flowers on the grave of her child. When Olivia began to sob, Amber knelt beside her and held her.
For Olivia, this was a different kind of sobbing. This was a healing sobbing. She was finally letting go. Thanks to Amber, Olivia knew she would make it through this dark time in her life and come out on the other side. She wouldn’t be the same. She would never be the same. But she would live through this and she would try to have another baby. No one would replace the precious life in the ground under her hands, but she would move on.
Eventually, Olivia stopped crying. The girls got to their feet and walked back to the car hand in hand.
“Amber, thanks for coming,” Olivia said. “You don’t know how much I needed you.”
“I do know, Olivia. You were there for me when my parents died, and I will be there for you through this,” Amber replied.
“Thank you,” Olivia said.
Instead of climbing back into the car, the girls walked around town for a while chatting and catching up. Amber filled Olivia in on some of the details of her life she had previously left out and Olivia talked about married life. It was a healing process for both girls.
♥ Chapter 10 ♥