I kissed my wife and Kelsie goodbye and set out for the four-hour drive to Costa Mesa, California. I was confident everything at home would be fine until I returned late tonight.

“Why aren’t you flying?” Kelsie asked me before I left.

“The drive will be good for me sweetheart.”

My head was so full that it could explode. I needed to be back tonight for sure because I was on breakfast detail tomorrow morning with Colin, Sydney and Anthony.

It’d only been a few weeks, and everything was still very fresh. I realize life is precious and I almost lost the person who I considered my son; Anthony. Nearly losing him on top of his recent revelation to me of how he spent his childhood made it more important that I make sure he knew what he meant to me.

Nightmares have shaken me ever since that night in the woods. The visual reminders of that night, I may never get over. I lost a friend that night and nearly lost Anthony. Truth be told though, I had lost Paul’s friendship many years ago. He changed over the years and became someone that I didn’t recognize.

I pulled up to a modest home in sunny Costa Mesa and checked the address again before I got out of the car. The home was painted a slate blue and had white trim and shutters. It was very nautical and appropriate for the area.

I rang the doorbell and waited.

The door opened and Amy stood before me. She looked healthy and smiled when she saw me.

“Blake, it’s so nice to see you!”

Amy stepped out on the porch and wrapped her arms around me. As I held her close, I wondered if it was a good idea for me to have come. She seemed to be in such good spirits and was most likely trying to move on.

“Come in, please,” she invited me inside.

Amy led me through her home to the patio, and we settled there to talk. When I told her what happened, she sat still and looked down. Moments later, she covered her mouth with her hand and her shoulders began to quiver. I moved to her and embraced her as she cried.

“Loving J.P. was never hard.” Amy sniffled and smiled. “He came with that carefree smile and those handsome eyes. He was clever and as quick as a whip.” Amy’s face shifted to a frown. “I loved him, but it was so lonely loving him. He was with me one moment and then next he was intensely obsessed with Anthony Graves.”

I looked away and squinted in the sunlight and took a deep breath.

“It was an obsession that love couldn’t even overcome. Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think that the obsession with Anthony was as deep and dark as it was.”

I spent the afternoon talking to Amy about everything and her hands caught my eyes again. I reached out and held them open. The scars were still there from when Paul canned her in anger.

“Are your hands doing any better?”

She frowned and looked at them.

“Oh, yeah, they’re doing better. I have lost some feeling in my left palm. Sometimes my hands cramp up, and I can only write for a couple hours at the most before I have to take a break and get some ibuprofen.”

“You’re writing again? That’s fantastic, Amy.”

“Thank you and yes. It’s great to get writing again.”

We spoke about her upcoming book plans and then she asked me if I knew anything about Paul’s brother.

“I know he had been very ill and he was waiting for a special surgery,” Amy said.

I nodded and looked down.

“Paul’s brother died shortly after the operation. He had complications during the brain surgery and was declared brain dead. He was on life support for about a day.”

Amy was deeply saddened by that news as well.

“I know you may not have a lot of faith in the lifestyle right now, Amy, but you’re always welcome in Irons,” I said to her as she walked me to my car.

“Thank you, Blake. Maybe one day I will return to Irons and go at a slower pace.”

I smiled at her and told her she’d have my full support.

I felt relieved that I had decided to make the trek to Costa Mesa to speak with Amy in person. She deserved that.

As I drove home, I knew there was an unknown amount of recovery to take place. I was comforted by the fact that Anthony was still alive, and I had a feeling that I hadn’t seen the last of Amy Andrews.