Return to Paradise

The Re-START program really brought home the fact that accidents affect so many people ... they're like avalanches, affecting everyone and everything in their wake.



I look over at Lou. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset her."



"I know. I think it'll take a while to sink in. Give her some time and she'll come around." Lou turns to Caleb. "You were brave to come back here."



"I don't feel brave right now. My home life is kind of a mess, and I have two guys staying at my parents' with me 'cause they're dealing with the same kind of fallout I'm dealing with."



Lou pauses for a moment, then smiles. "I have a proposition for you," he says to Caleb. "My mother's house is vacant. If you and your friends want to stay there for a while, and pay enough rent to cover the utilities and taxes on the property, it's yours."



"Are you serious, sir?" Caleb asks, totally shocked.



Lou nods. "I know my mother thought you were a good kid and wanted to help you. I figure this is fate; it's the way my mom would want it. What do you say?"



Caleb shakes Lou's hand vigorously. "I'd say you've got yourself a deal."



When I'm walking with Caleb back to his house so we can spend time with Leah and give the good news to Lenny and Julio, Caleb says, "Lou's a good guy."



"I know. I hope my mom gets over her fear of loving someone other than my dad."



"What are your fears?" he asks. "About us, I mean."



"After today I have none, because"-I give him the honest answer, which I've held in for way too long-"because I love you."



THIRTY-SEVEN



Caleb



t felt incredible hearing Maggie tell me she loved me yesterday. But now I feel as helpless as the day judge Farkus handed down his sentence to me. I'm sitting at the police station in a remote lobby with my sister, my dad, my mom, Maggie, Julio, and even Lenny, who said he wanted to come because he already feels like part of our family. (Of course that was before he met my mom, who told him to sit straight and cut his hair or he wouldn't be invited to Thanksgiving dinner, which is over three months away.)



My cousin Heath is a lawyer, and he's here too. He'll be in the room with Leah when she confesses to hitting Maggie.



"You ready, Leah?" Damon asks as he kneels in front of my sister. He came to our house this morning and very calmly explained that the easiest way would be to make a sworn statement at the police station. Then Leah will be processed into the system. Damon stressed that it's all up to the state prosecutor to decide whether or not to go ahead and formally charge Leah, since the accident is still within the three-year statute of limitations. My record will be wiped clean, regardless.



My knee is shaking.



I look over at Maggie, who looks equally nervous. She didn't have to come, but she did. Hell, if I were her I'd probably be demanding that Leah be locked up for at least as long as I was, if not more.



But Maggie's not me. She's got a good, forgiving spirit. Just being around her makes me strive to be a better person.



Damon told my parents and me to write letters in support of Leah, vouching for her character. He said he'll attach it to the confession, so the state prosecutor or the judge assigned to the case will take it into consideration when deciding her sentence.



"I'm ready," Leah says with a weak smile. This can't be easy for her, that's for sure. But she's stronger than I ever gave her credit for. This morning when she walked down the stairs, she didn't have anything black on. She's wearing white pants and a yellow shirt. She looks so different, so ... bright.



"Good morning, sunshine," my dad had said after taking one look at her.



I thought we'd all be somber and crying, but we've held it together so far. When my mom called last night and said she wanted to leave rehab and come with us to the police station, I felt like the Beckers were starting to heal.



We just have to get over this one last hurdle.



Heath and Damon gesture to my sister to follow them.



"Wait," Damon says, stopping. "Do you have those letters I can attach to her statement?"



After we hand them over, Maggie pulls a piece of paper out of her purse and hands it to him. "Leah, I know you're not doing this for me, but ... thanks."



It's a hugfest now, all of us hoping to transfer our strength to Leah before her confession. Even Lenny gets up to hug my sister, then turns and hugs me.



"I owed you one," he says to me. "I owe you more than one, actually. You gave me a family, something I haven't had in a long time."



I nod. Believe it or not, Lenny's grown on me.



Leah is still hugging Maggie. "I never meant to hurt you, you know that, right?"



"You've apologized about a million times," Maggie says, with tears in her eyes. "You never have to say it again, okay? I forgive you. It happened, it was a mistake."



They hug again, and then my sister heads for the heavy metal door. On the other side of that door she'll confess. Then she'll be booked, complete with fingerprints and a mug shot.



"Hey, Leah," Julio barks out.



Leah turns around.



"Remember what I said," he says, then winks at her.



She holds her head up high and smiles at him. Then she nods to Heath and Damon. "Let's do this."



When she's gone, it's eerily quiet. Until Lenny turns to my dad and says, "Pull my finger."



THIRTY-EIGHT



Maggie



ive exhausting hours later we're back at home. They released Leah on a five thousand dollar bond, so we're all together. I was so worried about Leah today, but she seemed okay about everything. She actually said finally telling the truth made her feel free, which is weird because she might have to serve jail time. Damon said he was going to talk to the prosecutor, and try to convince him not to charge Leah.



Caleb's mom decided to come back home, so everyone is happy but definitely on edge.



Caleb, Lenny, and Julio are moving into Mrs. Reynolds' house at the end of the week. Caleb and the guys are going to work for Caleb's uncle, who owns a construction company. He said he'll get his GED and get his life back on track.



The night before I leave for Spain, Caleb and I walk to the park and stand under the big oak tree. Our time together is ticking down by the minute, and I'm nervous.



"I wish you could come with me."



He gives a short laugh. "Me too."



"Before you leave, I gotta get something off my chest." He steps back, brushes a hand through his hair, and starts pacing. "Listen, I'm really fucking scared about you leaving. I'm sorry for cussing, but it's true. While I know I can go on without you, dammit, I don't want to. I've gotten used to having you in my life, and it just won't be the same without you."



My heart is beating fast and I reach out to hold his hand. "What are you saying?"



"I'm saying that I love you, Maggie." He looks at me through crystal clear eyes. "I was holding back and didn't want to say it, because I didn't want you to think I said it as some ploy to make you not date other guys while you're in Spain."



"I don't want to date other guys."



"That's what they all say, until some good-looking Spanish dude comes up to you and whispers some romantic Spanish shit in your ear and asks you out."



I laugh. "I don't see that happening."



"What if it does? What if you meet some guy and decide to stay in Spain forever?"



"I can say the same thing, Caleb. Not the staying in Spain thing, but what if you meet some girl while I'm gone?"



"Not gonna happen," he says, repeating my words.



I know he doesn't want to force me to make a commitment to him. The truth is, I want him to be free this next year. If we can make it through this, I know we'll be strong enough to last forever if we want. "I propose this," I say. "We promise not to go looking for someone else, but if it happens it happens and we have to be honest with each other about it."



"Deal. Now let's stop talking about it before I decide to convince you to stay in Paradise."



"What do you want to do?" I ask. "Kiss?"



"Oh, yeah. I want to kiss."



He pulls me toward him and I feel his warm body against mine. Caleb makes me feel happy and protected and loved all at the same time. He kisses me, his full soft lips making my body shudder with excitement. I can't imagine anything feeling this good. "This is perfect," I tell him.



He gently swipes his lips across mine. "It's pretty damn close."



Nine Months Later



elcome to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport. Please wait until the aircraft has come to a complete stop before deplaning."



My heart is beating so furiously in my chest I'm surprised the other passengers can't hear it. I gather my backpack when the plane stops and quickly limp toward the baggage claim, ignoring the pain in my stiff leg.



Caleb's not here. My mom is, though. She rushes up to me and hugs me tight. Lou is with her, so I hope that's a good sign. She's not wearing his ring, but the last time I talked to her she asked me what I thought of winter weddings. My dad visited me in Spain for New Year's, and we hashed out a lot of issues. I think we're on the mend, and even though he'll never be a doting father, I'm glad we've started to work things out.



"Did you have a nice flight?" Lou asks. "I bet you're hungry for some good of American food."



"I'm definitely hungry for one of Irina's pies from the diner," I tell him, and get a smile in response. Everyone loves Irina's pies, and I've been her taste tester ever since my mom started working there.



When we have my luggage and are driving back to Paradise, my mom drills me on how my leg is holding up. I answer her, but the entire time all I can think is, where is Caleb?



The last email I got from him said he'd meet me right when I got home. That was almost three weeks ago, though. A lot could have changed in three weeks.



I tell myself I'm over-thinking things. Ugh, I can't take the suspense.



"Have you heard from Caleb?" I ask, trying not to sound like I'm desperate to hear the answer.



"He came by this afternoon and left you a note in your room, my mom says.



A note. Notes are bad. Notes can't be good.



"Did he say anything when he left the note?"



My mom shakes her head. "No. He just asked if he could leave a note and I said it was okay. He was in the house less than two minutes."



I wish the ride home didn't take over an hour. The entire plane ride, I'd imagined hundreds of different scenarios of our reunion. None of them included a note.



At my house, I get out of the car and head inside after Lou insists on bringing my luggage up.



Upstairs, my bedroom is the same as I left it. My bed is made and on top of my big comforter is an envelope. On the front, one word is written in Caleb's handwriting: Maggie.



I pick up the envelope with trembling fingers and rip open the seal. I unfold the note slowly. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, then I open them and read what it says:



Do you remember the old oak tree? Go there, and wait for me.



Huh? The old oak at Paradise Park?



I tell my mom I'll be back later. She doesn't argue, probably because I'm practically out the door before I even finish my sentence.



It's dusk now, but the park isn't far away. I head for the oak tree. Nobody is here, except for a little squirrel running across the grass.