“She’s heartbroken and won’t leave Sadie in her pen alone. What am I going to do, Chase?”

“You’re going to let her be heartbroken just like you are. The only thing that will make the situation any better is time.”

I stare out the back window at her. My eyesight is almost perfect now. Chase flew home with me two days ago because he didn’t want me to make the flight by myself. Who could blame him? All I could do the entire week was cry. Why should I expect Tennyson to be okay when I’m not even okay? I feel so bad for her. She was so excited for me to see her for the first time and then she asked about Sam. She’s such a beautiful little girl and she reminds me so much of my mother. I didn’t realize how much she looked like her. I was startled this first time I looked in the mirror. I didn’t recognize the woman staring back at me. My face has slimmed down and my body is curvier than I remember. The body of a woman, not a young girl.

“She will be okay. You need to go back to work and get on with your life.”

I know Chase is very angry at Sam. Part of me is too, but another part can’t help but wonder what happened to him. “I need to ask you something.” I sit down at the small table, but stay where I can keep an eye on Tennyson. “Was Sam acting weird?”

“We’ve been through this. I didn’t notice anything going on with him other than that he would limp every now and then.”

“Do you have your laptop with you?”

“You know I do.” He gets up and takes it out of his bag, setting it up on the table in front of me.

“You’re better at this than me.” He scoots his chair next to mine.

“What is it you want to look for?”

“Well, when my parents were killed and I went blind, it was all over the internet. I want to look up the accident Sam was in when he was little.”

He places his fingers on the keyboard. “Didn’t he say he was from Utah?” he types in something really fast. “I typed in a time frame and Googled accidents during that time in Utah. I don’t see anything that mentions Sam’s name.”

“He said he’s from Utah, but that doesn’t mean he was born there. Where was his friend August from?”

“Do you remember his last name?”

“No, but he designed the car that I drove.”

“That should be easy enough.” His fingers click away on the letters. “Washington. August Rylan was from the State of Washington.”

“Now look up the same time frame and include the last name Rylan. His father was the one that hit Sam’s car.”

“I’m way ahead of you. This article says the infant boy was paralyzed from the waist down. His mom tried to sue Thomas Rylan, but never with any success. There is no mention of him after the court hearing.”

“Go back to Utah and type in Sam’s name.”

“This could take a few minutes, you’re asking me to look through years of information.”

“I’m going to go check on Tennyson while you’re looking.” I go out back and find Tennyson with Sunny and Sadie curled up in her lap. “Hey, sweetie.”

“Hi,” she says with a long face.

“Can I join you?” I sit down beside her in the grass.

“I guess so.”

“You know, Sam must have really loved you to give you Sadie.”

“I know, but I miss him. He made you so happy.”

“He did make me happy, but you make me happier. I love this sweet little face of yours. I know I’ve been sad, but I promise I’ll be happy again.”

“I promise too,” she says and hugs me.

“Emma, I found it,” Chase yells out the back door.

“Why don’t you feed Sunny and Sadie, then come inside and get cleaned up for dinner. Nana is making your favorite potpie.” I get up and meet Chase back at the table.

“This article says that Sam had surgery when he was in his late teens. He learned to walk again.”

I get up and start pacing. “When did you first notice Sam limping?”

“It was right after he rescued Tenny.”

“You know, there were a couple times I could have sworn I heard pain in his voice, but he blew me off each time.”

“If he was having an issue, why didn’t he go to the doctor?”

I stop pacing. “He did. He was at the hospital the day Nana was admitted.”

“So you think something was wrong all along?”

“I do, and I don’t think he wanted to burden me with it.”

“I don’t know, baby girl, I think you’re grasping at straws.”

“Sam was a good man, we both know it. He was trying to protect me from something. That would be the only way he would leave me.”

“You don’t know that for sure.”

“Well, I’m damn sure going to find out.” I take the computer from him and start typing.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m looking up August Rylan. Huh, that’s funny. I know Sam told me he lived in Tennessee.” I type some more. “There is a Nashville Rylan that owns a home in the town Sam said August lives in. How many woman do you know named Nashville?”

“None.”

“That settles it then.”

“Settles what?”

“I have a few things to get settled here and then I’m flying to Tennessee to get some answers from him.”

“Do you need me to go with you?”

“I love you for asking, but no. You need to get back to New York. Tenny will be fine here with Nana for a few days.”

“Are you sure you really want to do this? Do you really want to be with a man that left you at the hospital?”

“I’m sure I want to be with the man I fell in love with, the man that paid for me to have surgery. I know he loves me. I’ve read his letter a million times over. Get your keys, we’re going to his house to see if he left anything behind.”

I grab his hand and drag him out the door. “He did leave something behind. You and Tennyson,” he says as he starts up the car.

“Please, just drive.”

* * *

The familiar dirt road comes into sight, but when we make it to the entrance there is a man outside working on a fence that blocks our way onto the property.

“Excuse me,” I say to get his attention. He walks over to the car.

“I’m sorry, but this is private property. You’ll have to turn your car around.”

“I don’t understand. A friend of mine owns this house.”

“I bought this place two weeks ago from a young man. He did a nice job on the house.”

“Did he say where he was moving to, by chance?”

“Nowhere specific, only that he wouldn’t be coming back.”

“Let’s go,” Chase says.

“Thank you,” I tell the man.

“Are you happy now? He had been planning on leaving you.” Chase’s tone is angry.

I’m quiet for the rest of the ride home and through dinner. I bathe Tenny and read her a book until she falls asleep. Chase has already gone to bed, he has to catch an early flight out tomorrow. Nana is sitting in the kitchen drinking decaf coffee.

“Come join me, sweetheart,” she pats the seat of the chair next to her.

I pour myself a cup and join her. “Thanks for dinner.”

“Are you going to go after the boy?” she asks.

“Were you eavesdropping on mine and Chase’s conversation?” I frown at her.

“This house has thin walls, dear.”

“I don’t know, Nana. Maybe Chase is right and I should move on.”

“What does he know? The boy has never been in love before. I like Sam and I know what he did for you. If it wasn’t for him, you wouldn’t have your eyesight back. Do you want to know what an old lady thinks?”

“You’re not old, Nana.”

“Oh pish, I’ve been around a long time. I think Sam sold his house to pay for your surgery. That boy was smitten with you and he would have done anything for you.”

“Then why did he leave me?”

“Whatever his reason, he thinks he did it for you. Now, if I were you, I’d buy that plane ticket to Tennessee. Better sooner than later, my dear.”

“I love you, Nana.”

* * *

I see Chase off at the airport the next morning and then head to my shop. There are several things I need to check up on before I feel comfortable leaving again after already being gone for so long.

I call the airline to book my flight for Saturday, not forgetting to ask how much it would cost to take Sadie with me. I know Tennyson won’t be happy, but if he is really going to leave me, I don’t want her to have Sadie as a reminder. I’ll buy her a goat of her very own if I have to.