

The Greatest Gift

Published by Marie Tayse at Smashwords

Copyright © 2016 Marie Tayse

No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author. For information regarding permission, email seekinganswerstn@mail.com.

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, places, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

It was still fairly the same as it had been then, visually-wise anyway. The feelings were very much different tonight though. He was proud of Candace and Daniel and he was excited for them. But being back here brought back so many memories of her.

He'd first laid eyes on her as she was walking home from school with friends. Normally he would have been at work, but his friend's dad had asked him to drop by that afternoon to take a look at his car. Even back then, he'd been pretty handy with his hands. The year was 1945. He was seventeen years old and working to try to get his own car so he could get out of that dead end town.

He'd heard the giggling first, and then when he looked around the side of the car he saw her. She was pretty as a picture. Her sandy blonde hair was cut short and blew in the breeze. Her hazel eyes made him feel as though he would melt at any moment. She held her school books tucked in her arms and she shyly watched as he strolled over to her. He wiped his greasy hand off on his shirt and extended it.
Chapter 1

He had been fifteen the first time they met. He and his mother had just moved to the area and they soon became regulars in the grocery store where she worked. He was small for his age and slow in his thinking. While most fifteen year olds were infatuated with girls, he was delighted at getting a gumball from the candy machine right outside the door.

His mother was a heavy-set woman with shoulder-length brown hair. She seemed friendly, but she was noticeably exasperated with her son. At some point in her life she probably had been an attractive woman. On this day, however, she had dark circles under her eyes, beads of sweat on her forehead, and an annoyed look on her face. She was quickly trying to find a few items written on a napkin with a permanent marker, while she barked for her son to follow her. He, like most kids, wasn't paying any attention to her whatsoever. After a few minutes, she parked the cart and took him by the arm. Saying a few hushed words, they returned to the cart. Seconds later, though, the boy again left his mother's side to gaze intently at the gumballs inside the machine.

Candace, who was witnessing it all from behind the cash register, asked another employee to cover for her and went outside with the boy. He was surprised at first that she really wanted to talk to him. "Hey, what's your name?" She inquired.

"Daniel," he whispered and then a little louder asked, "What's yours?"

"I'm Candace. Do you want a gumball?"

Immediately his face lit up. "Yeah!" But then his smile faded when he thought a minute. "But Mom don't have money for junk," he told her disappointed.

"It's okay; I'll buy you one." She told him, placing a quarter into his hand.

"Are . . . Are . . . Are you sure?" He stuttered.

"Sure. What color do you hope you get?" She asked, watching him turn the knob.

"Green! Green's my favorite color and they taste awesome!" He announced.

Lifting the flap letting the gumball fall into his hand, he gasped. Holding it up so she could see he whispered, "Look you're magic. I said I wanted a green one and you made it happen."

"You're just lucky," Candace told him.

Suddenly he got quiet and the smile fell from his face. Making a low humming sound, he looked down at the pavement and took a deep breath. "Do you want to be my friend?" He asked.

Smiling, she answered, "I'd love to be your friend."

"Really?" He shouted, bounding up and down.

She noticed he had stopped humming, but now he was mumbling something unrecognizable. "I can't hear you. Are you okay?" She asked.

Grinning from ear to ear, he responded, "You can call me Zane. Only my friends do that."

A moment later, his mother was ushering him to their car. "Bye Candace!" He shouted.

"Bye Zane," she replied, waving.

After loading the groceries into the trunk, his mother walked over to her. "I'm sorry for the way he acts; he's autistic. He's a handful and a half, but they'll put him in a home if I don't deal with him. Anyway . . . I'm sorry if he disturbed you."

"Oh no, he's fine. He's a nice kid. He didn't bother me at all. I enjoyed our little conversation . . . I haven't saw you two before. Are you new to the area?"

"Yeah, we only moved here yesterday. We are from Florida, but I couldn't let them put him in a state group home. I mean . . . he's a pain in the ass sometimes, but he's still my young'un. His father ran off before he was born and his two sisters live with my mother in Arkansas. I'm all he's got, so we make the best of it. I start work at Frankie's tomorrow, so he will have to make some friends to keep from being alone all the time. Do you have kids?" His mother probed.

"No. Just me and the cat."

"Oh, Daniel loves cats." She responded, clearly implying that he stay with her.

Not really wanting to be a babysitter, but feeling sorry for him, Candace offered to let him spend the next day with her since she was off work. "Where do you live at, so I can pick him up?" She asked.

"At the Saddle Palm motel," his mother answered quickly.

"All right, I'll pick him up in the morning."

"Okay, thank you so much!" The woman yelled from the car.

"You're welcome," Candace answered back, before returning to work.

******

Later that evening she heard from her boss' teenage son that Daniel Zane Raye was fifteen years old. Daniel had supposedly told an old classmate from the area that he had dropped out of school in the ninth grade because he had been bullied and tormented. He had attended his first year of school here in San Diego, and then one day he was gone; but now he was back and according to rumors was 'dumber' than when he left. His mother was twenty-nine-year-old Sara Jo Bailey Raye. His father had by all accounts been a drug dealer known as Kenny Morton, who had left before he even met his son. Daniel also had a younger sister, but they had different fathers. Daniel's mother had ultimately married a man named Campbell Raye and had another daughter before relocating to Florida. After that no one knew anything else, until they drove back into town yesterday.

Candace couldn't believe they were living at a motel. She began to worry very much for the boy's welfare. Deciding to take him under her wing, she rushed home from work and tidied up her apartment; then she drove to the Saddle Palm motel and knocked on the door by where their car was parked. Daniel opened it wearing a filthy T-shirt and boxer shorts. Glancing behind him, she saw his mother asleep on the bed.

"Candace!" Daniel blurted, enthusiastically.

"I told your mom you could hang out with me tomorrow, but I thought you might want to come tonight."

"Like a sleepover? Oh boy, let me get my toothbrush!" He shouted, sprinting back into the room.

"But we have to ask your mom."

"Mom! Mom! Wake up! Candace wants me to go to her motel for a sleepover!" He shouted.

Groggily, she sat up and kissed him goodbye before going back to sleep. Snatching a trash bag of clothes and his toothbrush, Daniel followed her to the car. "So where's your motel?" He asked.

"I live in an apartment with my cat," she told him.

"I like cats. Does it have a name?"

"His name is Miller, because when he was a kitten he caught millers and ate them," she answered with a grin.

"I had a cat named Buddy in Florida, but we had to leave him there," he murmured barely above a whisper.

"Do you like to watch movies? I thought we would rent a movie and have a pizza delivered if you want to," she said, changing the subject.

"I like movies and pizza, but can I get dressed first?" He asked, humming low to himself.

"Oh . . . yeah. You should." She giggled, and then added, "It is okay, honey, you don't have to be nervous around me."

Daniel glanced at her and smiled before noticing something outside the car. "Wow, look at that park!" He cried, pointing out the window.

"Do you like to play at the park?"

"I like to skate. Do you skate?" He asked.

"I don't know how," she confessed.

"I can teach you . . . then we can skate together," he replied.

"We'll see," she responded, doubtful he and his mother would be in the area long enough for that.

After stopping by the apartment so Daniel could change, they went to rent a couple of movies. He quickly picked out Titanic, because of the big boat on the front and Son-in-Law. Soon after, they were back at the apartment. While Candace went into the kitchen to call in the pizza, she could hear Daniel talking to Miller. Smiling to herself, she collected plates and glasses and took them to the living room.

She noticed that night that Daniel understood movies more than he comprehended certain aspects of his life. The entire time both movies were on, he sat staring at the screen as though in a trance. Afterwards he said, "Jack really loved Rose because he froze to death instead of letting it happen to her."

"Yeah . . . That's what real love is supposed to be like. One person is willing to die to save the other, if it becomes necessary," she told him, wishing she had someone in her life like that. Almost instantly, he was back to humming again and rocking back and forth. "Hey Daniel, what's wrong?" She inquired alarmed. After a moment, he seemed to snap out of it and was smiling again.

"Can we watch the other movie now?" He asked.

******

After that first night, Candace and Daniel got together to watch movies and hang out at least once a week. He would walk to the store where she worked just to sit outside until she got a break. She spent every quarter she had on his gumballs. She didn't mind it though; they were friends and like his mother had said, they were all he had.

For his sixteenth birthday, Candace bought him and herself a pair a rollerblades. "Is now a good time for that first lesson?" She asked him after he opened them.

"Wow, yeah; let's go! It's not hard or else I couldn't do it," he told her excitedly.

She had more fun that day than she'd had in years, even though she almost broke her ankle from falling so much. Daniel was right; he was really good. She, on the other hand, was awful; but he was certain she would get the hang of it.

"When you learn to be good at it, we can skate together like Crawl and Becca." He kept telling her, referring to the movie Son-in-Law.

By the end of summer, she had learned to rollerblade. They spent countless days rollerblading through the park and down the dock along the beach. The more time they spent together, the less autistic Daniel seemed to be. He still had his moments, but they were a lot less frequent than before.

Chapter 2

Candace was a pretty woman, in his opinion. She wasn't gorgeous on the outside but her gentle, compassionate personality made her very attractive. She had long dark brown hair that draped across her shoulders and down the upper part of her chest. She was a bit overweight and wore small black-framed glasses. She had a slightly crooked smile; but none of that made a difference to Daniel because Candace was the greatest thing to ever happen to him. He had never known a person as respectable and generous as she was. She believed in herself as well as in him. No one had ever believed in him, but she did. He didn't always understand what she was explaining to him and his feelings were jumbled, but he cared about her. She was twenty-two years old and he was only sixteen. Most days he reasoned like a ten year old, but when he saw her he felt as different as chalk and cheese. He felt an ache in his chest to be beside her, to make her laugh. She had a cute smile, he thought. He didn't understand what he was feeling, but he knew it was okay to feel this way because he had seen it in the movies they watched together. He looked forward to visiting her, and some days when she was at work he would pick a flower out of someone's garden and take it to her. She always smiled and found something to put it in, so she could water it. He cared about her, but it was different than the way he loved his mom. He didn't know what, if anything, to do about the way he felt. He hoped as time went on he would figure it out.

******

One afternoon in late March, and three days away from Daniel's seventeenth birthday, Candace was at work when he appeared, shrieking that something was wrong with his mom. He had tears streaming down his face and was shaking violently. He was barefoot and wearing only underwear. Candace was frightened for him, but she tried to keep her own emotions in check as she wrapped a blanket around his shoulders and tried to calm him down. Holding his hand and stroking his hair, she finally got him settled down enough to ask him a few questions. "Where is your mom, Daniel?" She asked.

Holding his breath and staring at her blankly, he seemed to not comprehend what she said or even who she was. Thinking quickly, she touched his cheek and spoke softly, "Zane . . . It's me Candace, your friend. Where is your mom?"

"Candace," he said, taking a breath and collapsing into her arms. He was breathing heavily, but he wasn't sobbing. After a moment, he looked at her and said, "What did you say?"

"Where is your mom?" She said again.

Immediately, he returned to humming loudly and rocking back and forth. Abruptly he stopped and let out a blood-curling cry. He had his eyes closed and his hands over his ears, as if hearing or seeing something horrific replay in his head. Trying a different approach, she patted his back and pleaded with him to return to her. "Zane, it's me Candace. I need your help, honey. Can you come back to me?" She asked.

Little by little, he began to act like the Daniel she knew.

Taking a deep breath, she probed, "What did you hear, Zane? Did you see something that scared you?"

"I was asleep on the couch," he murmured, rocking again.

"What woke you up?" She whispered.

He clutched her hand suddenly and begged her not to take him back. "Please, please, please don't take me back there! She'll do it to me too! She said she would!" He screamed.

"What did she do, Zane?" Candace pleaded. "I won't take you back, I promise; but I have to know what happened. Is your mom hurt, Zane?"

Nodding his head, he reached into her smock pocket for the cordless company phone she always carried while at work. Seconds later, he dialed 911 and handed her the phone. When the dispatcher answered, she wasn't sure what she should tell them but she quickly rattled off the address to the Saddle Palm motel. She told them to send an ambulance and the police to the address, because she knew the woman there was hurt but didn't know any other details. As an afterthought, she added that the woman's son was with her and gave her address.

A few hours later, she and Daniel were at her apartment. He was to a certain extent back to himself. He had gotten dressed in some extra clothes he had at her place, and he was watching cartoons when there was a knock at the door. Looking through the peephole, she saw two police officers staring back at her. Walking outside, she shut the door behind her so Daniel wouldn't hear.

"Ma'am, we understand Ms. Raye's son Daniel is here. The thing is, if her ex-husband is his father, then he is going to live with him in Florida. However, if he's not . . . he's going to be placed in a group home for troubled youth." The older of the two officers informed her.

"Why? What happened to his mother?" She demanded.

"She shot herself in the head while her son was sleeping on the couch nearby. Tragic, yes, but the boy has never been right anyway." The younger officer blurted.

"First of all, Campbell Raye isn't his father. Second of all, he is three days away from his seventeenth birthday and old enough to choose where he lives. He can stay here with me. I will take care of him," she fumed.

"That's the thing, Ma'am." The younger officer continued, "You can't take him unless you get a lawyer and establish a caregiver status. Let's face it . . . that's going to cost a lot of money and in the long run for nothing. Hell, lady, the kid is never going to amount to anything. He's retarded, always has been always will be. I mean, he showed up at a grocery store in his underwear!"

"He had just witnessed his mother shoot herself! She was the only person who ever gave a damn about him until I came along! He is traumatized! I'll get a lawyer today; don't you worry! Daniel is staying with me!" She shouted before slamming the door in their faces.
Chapter 3

The next few weeks were hectic. Candace and Daniel flew to Florida for his mother's wake. She met his aunt and grandmother for the first time. His whole family gave the impression they thought she was crazy for putting her own life on hold for this kid when none of them would.

"He drove my daughter to kill herself," his grandmother told everyone at the burial. After the graveside service, Candace and Daniel stood holding hands as his mother was lowered into the ground. The rest of the family had already left. He hadn't cried at all since arriving in Florida until now. As the reality of the situation set in, he squeezed her hand and let go. When he sat down on the ground and wept, she held him. She promised him it would be alright, that she would take care of him. When he suddenly started humming and swaying back and forth again, she touched his cheek and sighed, "Zane, let's be strong for each other okay?"

As if on cue, he turned to her and grinned. "Can we go skating before we leave?" He asked.

"Sure, honey." She answered, helping him to his feet.

Still wearing their clothes from the funeral, they went rollerblading through the boardwalk where all the tourists were shopping and gazing out across the water's ripples. Feeling the ocean's breeze blow through their hair, they both felt free from the adversities and struggles in their lives. Squeezing her hand as they weaved in and out of the crowd, Daniel felt as though he could do anything as long as she was beside him. For the first time in his life, he felt capable of accomplishing something. She believed in him and he cared for her; together they could conquer the world, he thought as they began the trip back home to California.

When they got back, they went to talk to the lawyer. He informed them Candace could become Daniel's caregiver, but it would not be cheap. He suggested they go home and think it over before making a final decision. She didn't need to think it over; she knew exactly what she was going to do, but she took his advice.

That night she called an old friend and her parents in Tennessee, to get their opinions. All three of them tried to talk her out of it, saying the same things she had heard over and over from other people she knew. They didn't influence her decision though. They don't know Daniel like I do, she thought to herself. He wasn't just some retarded kid; he was unique and more intelligent than anyone gave him credit for. She was sure one day he would prove it to everyone, and she intended to be there to see it.

Chapter 4

By that summer, Candace had been granted caregiver status of Daniel, even though she had had to sell her car and take on an extra part-time job to pay the lawyer, but at lEast it was settled. She was glad it was over so they could move on with their lives, but he seemed troubled.

"I want to get that thing so I can get a job," he announced one day while assisting her with dinner.

"What thing? Your GED?"

"Yeah." He answered with a smile and then added, "Will you help me?"

"Sure . . . But you don't have to get a job. We're doing fine with my income," she told him.

"I know but I want to help," he said softly.

"All right, we'll go tomorrow and get you signed up. We'll line up a tutor to help you too," she stated.

He trusted he could do it. It wasn't reasonable for her to work two jobs to pay the bills while he did nothing. He felt a determination like he had never experienced before. He had someone in his life that had stood to lose everything, yet jeopardized it all for him. She had told him when he was fifteen that was what love was and now he knew she loved him; and the feeling he hadn't understood until now was that he was in love with her too. But whether or not she would ever perceive him as anything other than a kid remained to be seen.

With the recognition that he loved her, came a new awkwardness. He felt self-conscious if she saw him in his underwear, and he found out he had no idea how to behave near her. While she was at work, he kept himself occupied with his classes and watching movies so he could discover all there was to know about love.

He watched Dirty Dancing, The Notebook, and some film without a description over and over. He was extremely uncomfortable by the one without a label. He could never imagine himself doing those things to Candace. She was worthy of more respect than that, but at lEast he would know a little of what to do if the situation ever presented itself.

From the other two flicks he learned he needed to know how to dance and he had to be different from other men, so she would see how much he adored her. He was already out of the ordinary, but he had to make her feel special. So each night for a week, he had dinner ready when she got home from the store. It was frozen pizza every single night except Friday, because they didn't have anymore. Friday night was hot dogs and chips. They ate and chatted and then washed and dried the dishes together. Then all his plans went to hell with a simple knock at the door.

******

Candace hadn't had time to consider dating anyone since Daniel had come into her life and although she was fond of him, he was just a kid. She needed someone to hold her at night and make love to her and somebody to give her something to look forward to. So when Mark wanted to take her out, she agreed.

They had worked together at the store throughout the whole thing with Daniel and he accepted him. She believed the two of them were friends, until Mark dropped by the apartment that Friday evening. As soon as he came in, he strolled over to her and planted a kiss on her lips. Daniel cringed. He could visualize Mark doing those revolting things to her and it made him furious. Grabbing a jacket, he stormed from the apartment.

When he came back, Mark had already left. Candace pleaded with him to tell her what was wrong but he refused. He wanted to ask what had transpired while he was gone, but he couldn't stomach the thought of Mark being with her the way he so desperately wanted to be. Before he went to bed that night he wrote her a letter:

Dearest Candace,

I care about you. I'm going to make you happy. No matter what you want I will give to you. Please don't leave Noah for Lon. You know Noah is the right one for you. Just give him a chance, please.

Love, Daniel Zane

He hoped it got the point across; he wasn't good at writing letters, but worse at getting others to understand his feelings. He could do everything Mark could do for her, after he got his GED. He could make her happy; she wouldn't be lonely with him if she would only give him a chance. After mulling over the letter for nearly an hour, he came to the decision not to give it to her and tossed it in the trash can.

******

Daniel was the furthermost thing from Mark. He was nearly a foot shorter with shoulder-length dark brown curly hair. He'd never been interested in sports, even though he really enjoyed rollerblading and skateboarding. He was friendly, caring, and considerate of other's feelings. Whereas Mark gave the impression he could take on a raging bull, Daniel would barely weigh a hundred pounds soaking wet.

Mark was the definition of a jock. He was attractive and stout. He made a habit of informing others how many pounds he could bench press. He'd played football in high school and had dreams of playing college until a knee injury the summer before. At the store, he was a hard worker and always obliging when a customer or another employee needed him. He really didn't look like her type though. He had a nice physique but he was bald and sported a full beard. He was also eight years her senior.

Chapter 5

Two years to the day after his mother died, Daniel got his GED. The local newspaper ran an article about him. The paper told how it was extraordinary for an autistic teenager to have enough resolve and determination to achieve such an accomplishment. Even people who had always looked down on him were now applauding his successes. Candace was thrilled. She was so proud of him. She and Mark went to the graduation ceremony and cheered for Daniel when his name was called. She took pictures and stood for photos with him. It was a day no one thought he would ever be capable of making happen, but he proved them all wrong. Over the next six months, he would surprise even himself.

Immediately after his graduation, he went out looking for a job. One thing he hadn't prepared for, however, was having to fill out an application. Some of the questions: 'like can you operate a forklift', left him dumbfounded. He lifted a fork to eat, but he didn't think that was what it indicated. Feeling like a fool, he remembered what Candace had always told him 'just be honest'. So he told the managers at each and every one of the companies he went to that he had autism, and asked would they allow him to take the applications home to fill them out and bring them back the next day. Amazingly, they all agreed. So that night Mark aided him in filling out twenty-six applications while Candace was at work.

Over the course of the next two weeks, all twenty-six businesses called him to come in for an interview. In the end, however, only one of them offered him a job. It was a factory position where they would train him to work on an assembly line.

To everyone's astonishment, he was a hard worker and very attentive. After sixty days with the company, he was offered a full-time position. He gladly accepted and began paying his share of the bills at the apartment, as well as saving for his ultimate objective.

******

Candace and Mark had been getting closer. She seemed happy enough, Daniel supposed, but she still didn't smile with Mark as much as she had with him. He fantasized about her at night; then would wake up and hear her and Mark in her bedroom. It made him sick to his stomach. He wanted to be the only one holding her at night and exploring forbidden parts of her body like he had seen in a movie. Mark couldn't love her like he could, he was sure of that; if she would just give him a chance. He prayed every night that she would see him as the man he was instead of the kid he used to be.

******

One day after working his full eight-hour shift, Daniel's supervisor stopped to tell him about a Christmas party the company was having the following week. He asked him how many of his family would be attending. After contemplating the question, he blurted out, "Three". Daniel was excited now; he wanted the woman he was in love with to know this part of his life.

The Christmas party was the Friday before the factory closed a week for the holidays. Daniel purchased a new shirt for the occasion; and for the first time in his life, went to the barber shop by himself. When he left, he looked nice. He still had his curly hair, but his sideburns were cut back to the way they should have been. He looked like a man a good woman like Candace would be honored to call her own. He tossed his checked snapback hat on his bed; today he wouldn't need it. Now when he looked at himself in the mirror, he saw a handsome man looking back at him. Please let Candace think the same thing, he thought to himself as he walked out of his room.

She was finishing putting makeup on when he marched into the room. She had her back to him, but he could see she was stunning. The knee-length black skirt and white long-sleeved blouse fit her body perfectly. Her legs were crossed beneath the desk she sat in front of. Looking at her, Daniel felt the ache in his chest again. He adored her; he really loved her and even if it took the rest of his life, he was going to prove it.

"Wow, the hat's gone and you've had a haircut! Dang, Daniel, you're handsome all fancied up!" She exclaimed when she saw him behind her.

He blushed and looked away, suddenly feeling warmth rising from somewhere south and not really understanding why. Glancing back at her, he surprised himself when he blurted, "You're beautiful."

"What?" She asked, taken aback.

Humming low, he stared at the floor as he said, "You're beautiful without the makeup."

This time she blushed. "Really? You think so?" She asked.

Meeting her eyes, he took a deep breath and answered, "Yeah, I do. Just for today . . . will you go without it? Please, for me?"

Feeling a little awkward, but strangely interested about what exactly was occurring between them, she nodded yes and went to the bathroom to wash it off. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, Candace felt a curiosity about what just happened. Daniel told me I am beautiful, but does he just want me to know or was there more to it than that, she wondered. She had always seen him as a child that she had to look out for, but suddenly she was overcome by the fact that he was no longer a kid. He was nineteen years old, legally an adult. The realization brought with it that maybe what she had been searching for in her life had been there all along . . . that is if he felt that way about her. Pushing the thought out of her mind, she decided to wait and see how things went between them.

Daniel couldn't believe she had agreed to go without makeup. Does she care about me like I care for her, he pondered. What was this new feeling I felt when I saw her? Did she feel it? It didn't make a difference; today she would be with him . . . Only him, because Mark had to work. They didn't have a car any longer, so they took a cab to the party. All the employees and their families were there. It was overwhelming for both of them. There were entirely more people than they were accustomed to being around. Glancing at each other, Daniel took ahold of Candace's hand as they walked inside.

The party was being held at a new hotel called The Crescent. The meal and festivities were on the ground floor, but the guests were encouraged to explore the rest of the hotel since it was not yet open to the public. The resort itself was eleven floors tall. The top level was all honeymoon suites with balcony views of the Pacific Ocean. These rooms each had a queen-size bed, big screen TV, kitchen, bathroom, and a heart-shaped Jacuzzi tub with a fireplace built into the wall behind it.

Candace and Daniel, touring the accommodations with a few other people, accidentally got separated from the group when they got off the elevator on the top floor. They noticed two of the honeymoon suite doors had a crescent-shaped moon on them. Curious as to what the difference was between the suites and the other rooms, they decided to check them out.

As they walked into Room 11-03, they both gasped. The room itself was charming. There was a painting hanging over the bed of a couple strolling hand-in-hand across the beach under a beautiful sunset while the waves rolled in around their bare feet. The bed had a white bedspread on it with red and pink rose petals strewn across it. The balcony doors were open and seagulls could be heard, as well as, the waves rolling in along the beach. It was a picturesque setting for what happened next.

"Wow, we would never be able to afford to stay here!" Candace announced suddenly.

Daniel put his hands in his pockets, turned to face her, and smiled. She smiled back and then quickly looked away. Taking a deep breath, he recalled a scene from a movie they had watched together. In the movie the guy had really wanted to kiss the girl, but wasn't sure how to go about it. When Candace walked over to the balcony doors and gazed out he thought, it's now or never. Gathering every ounce of courage he had, he moved in behind her and tapped her shoulder. As she turned around they stared at each other for a few seconds, until Daniel touched her cheek and leaned in to kiss her. For a moment she kissed him back, but then she thought of Mark.

Mark cared about her and she couldn't hurt him like that. Drawing away from him, she grinned as she suggested they go back to the party. He agreed and opened the door for her.

Neither of them mentioned the kiss, but it was on their minds. Daniel couldn't stop thinking about it. She had kissed him back. That has to mean something, he assumed.

He had kissed her. Now it was clear how he feels about me, she thought to herself on the ride home. Now she felt uneasy around him. He, on the other hand, felt more relaxed with her. She had to love him the way he loved her. You don't kiss someone that way unless you really love them, he believed. When Mark telephoned that night and Candace insinuated he not come over, Daniel was even more convinced she loved him as well.

The fact of the matter was she did love Daniel but she loved Mark too. She had no intentions of hurting Mark, but she didn't know if she could be in the room with both of them at the same time and not think about being with Daniel. She loved Mark and she was happy with him, but she was another person when she was with Daniel. She felt like a kid when she was with him. She felt like she could be herself more around him than with Mark. She and Daniel shared the same interests. They loved to rollerblade together and watch movies. They had been there for each other when no one else was. But unlike Daniel, Mark would be able to help create healthy children and she had always imagined herself with a family.

A few days later Mark invited Candace and Daniel to accompany him to his family's house for Christmas. Reluctantly, they agreed. They took their gifts for each other as well. Candace had bought Daniel and Mark a new shirt; she bought Daniel a new snapback hat and the watch he had been wanting for over a year. He had bought her a heart-shaped locket to wear on the gold chain her parents sent her the previous year. It had only been thirty dollars, but it was all he had left after paying half the bills and saving toward the goal Candace knew absolutely nothing about. Mark had bought Candace a set of dishes, because she only had enough for her and Daniel at the apartment; he had gotten Daniel a pocket knife.

They all liked their presents and had a good time, but by nine o'clock Candace and Daniel were ready to leave. Mark wasn't, and he was annoyed because they were. Candace quickly grew upset at him for raising his voice and making a scene; she was also confused. He had never acted like that before. "What is wrong with you?" She demanded, as quietly as possible.

"I don't know why you are in such a big hurry to leave! So you can go home and watch some damn movie you've seen a hundred times! Why not stay here and have fun?" He roared.

"Arguing with you in front of your entire family is not my idea of fun," she told him.

"Okay fine!" He boomed, storming from the room.

On the ride home she began to rethink her relationship with Mark. He had never acted like that before and they had known each over five years. Why is he acting like this now, she wondered. Daniel had never seen him put-on that way either, and he didn't like the way he had talked to Candace.

His stepfather had shouted at his mom and sisters like that all the time, but he had been too young and incapable of stopping it. He would hide in a closet and hum loud enough to drown out the yelling and screaming. Even at the party when Mark had been bellowing at the top of his lungs at Candace, he hadn't thought of hiding. He only wanted to protect her from what always followed his stepfather's angry outbursts.

******

He would never forget that day when he was ten years old. His stepfather came home from work and found Mr. Charlie, the man who owned the house, in the bed with his mom. That was the night his sisters, Stephanie and Adrianna, went to live with his grandmother and he was took away to a place for delayed kids until his mom got out of the hospital and came and got him. He never saw his stepfather or Mr. Charlie again after that night. At the time he hadn't known what had happened, but now he knew.

He and Candace had discovered a newspaper clipping about it tucked in an old cigar box in a dresser drawer at the motel after his mom died. His mom had kept the story and Mr. Charlie's obituary. The article said that Campbell Raye (his stepfather) had come home from work that day and found his wife (Daniel's mom) having an affair with the landlord (Mr. Charlie). He then beat the landlord to death with a metal baseball bat and critically wounded his wife. When his four-year-old step-daughter (Daniel's sister, Stephanie) tried to stop him, he attacked her as well, breaking her arm and two ribs. The wife's mother took custody of the two daughters, but refused to take the autistic son, so he was temporarily placed in a state group home.

It disturbed him to read that his own grandmother refused to take him, but he quickly got over it. If she had, he would have never met Candace; and at the moment, his top priority was shielding her from what he had endured in his life. Mark, nor any other man, was going to lay a hand on her as long as he was alive.

Chapter 6

By the weekend after Christmas, Mark had seemingly returned to the guy they knew. He apologized for his behavior and assured her he wouldn't let it happen again. He even bought her a dozen roses to make amends. She accepted his apology, and they all decided to go down to a local dance hall to eat and enjoy themselves.

Daniel was excited. He had been watching a movie about dancing he had borrowed from the library, and he hoped to have a chance to try out what he had picked up from it. Candace hadn't been dancing since before she met Daniel, so she too was eager to hit the dance floor after they ate.

From the moment they walked in, Mark's demeanor changed. He appeared tense and kept looking intently around the room. At last, he excused himself and rushed away. Candace and Daniel went ahead and ordered their food, and were waiting for it to arrive when she caught sight of something across the room that infuriated her.

Leaving Daniel at the table she dashed toward Mark, who had just emerged from the women's restroom with a skinny blonde. When she got nearly right in front of him, she saw that his pants were unzipped and the woman's shirt was on backwards, as though they had dressed rapidly. Mark also had lipstick on his neck and around his mouth. Just as he noticed her, she saw that his hand was down the front of the woman's jeans and they were scurrying toward the back door.

"What the hell is going on Mark? Who the hell is she?" Candace shouted, louder than she meant to.

"Who the hell are you?" The woman challenged. "I'm Mark's soon-to-be-wife."

"Is that true? While you were with me you were engaged to her? How could you, Mark? I cared about you, and worse yet I trusted you! I can't believe this!" She yelled, getting louder all the while.

"Candace, are you okay?" Daniel asked, now standing beside her. "You're a real ass, you know that Mark! You don't deserve her!" He shouted above the music.

"Oh and you do? You little retarded bitch!" Mark screeched. "I see the way you look at her! Think I'm stupid, boy?"

Daniel moved directly in front of Mark. "Get out of here, you and this . . . trash." He told him, indicating the blonde standing next to him.

"And what are you going to do if I don't?" Mark posed, taking a step closer to him.

"Come on, Daniel. Let's go. He's not worth it. You're right . . . they're both just trash," Candace stated, trying to defuse the situation.

Mark grabbed her by the arm and burst out, "Wait. I need to tell you what's going on. We need to talk."

"I can see what's going on! Get your hand off of me! We are over!" Candace shouted.

"Oh, come on . . . She's having my baby; I have to be with her." Mark yelled back, tightening his grip on her arm.

"You make me sick!" She spit in his face and tried to jerk loose.

"Let her go!" Daniel screamed, shoving Mark against the wall.

"You're hurting my arm!" She cried, trying to pull free.

"I said, let her go!" Daniel yelled, seconds before he drew back his fist and punched him square in the nose.

Stunned, Mark released her arm and stumbled backward, wiping the blood from his nose. "Damn it, Daniel!" He whined.

******

That night Daniel held her while she cried. It broke his heart to see her so upset. She deserves to be happy and to wear that beautiful smile she has, he thought to himself. Kissing her forehead he told her everything was going to be all right and it was, because he only lacked about two hundred dollars having enough saved for an idea he had been waiting to share with her. Deciding now was as good a time as any to let her in on what he'd been doing, he pulled away from her and went to his room. Minutes later, he came back carrying a box with nearly three-thousand dollars inside. "I have a surprise for you," he revealed.

Wiping her eyes, she looked at him. "What is it?"

"We can move and start over where no one knows us. Like they did in that movie we watched," he answered.

"But we don't have enough money to move," she told him.

"Where would you go if you could go anywhere?" He asked with a grin.

"I don't know . . . Maybe somewhere along the East coast," she said at last.

"We've got the money to take a moving van, relocate, and pay rent on a place there." He told her, remembering how his friend at work had helped him figure out how much he would need. "The next time I get paid we'll have enough; if you want to." Taking the lid off the box, he showed her the money.

Tears fell from her eyes. "I do . . . I want us to move. I want us to go where no one knows what either of us has been through. But why, Daniel? Why did you save all this money just in case I wanted to move?" She asked him.

"Because I care about you. I want you to be happy and I don't want people to scorn you for following your heart," he replied after contemplating what he should say. He knew if she and he were together, everyone who knew him would make it hard on her, and that was the last thing he wanted.

"Wow." She blurted and then added, "Where do you want to go?"

"With you," he said simply, as he leaned in to kiss her. She returned the kiss and continued to kiss him. She yearned to feel his touch and she felt herself become excited at the thought of him making love to her. Collecting her wits, she pulled back and smiled. He was a great kisser, but that was as far as it needed to go right now. They leaned against each other on the couch and drifted off to sleep; both more content than they thought possible.

Chapter 7

It was official; Candace and Daniel would be moving in a month. Over the next month, they both turned in their notices at work and began boxing everything up. Not knowing exactly where their destination lie they set out on the road headed toward the East coast. Their coworkers thought they'd both lost their minds. Candace's parents pleaded with her to come home to Tennessee, but she refused. She and Daniel loved the ocean, and it didn't matter to them what anyone else thought.

She had already lost her savings to pay for the attorney. She didn't have anything to lose by moving, but she had everything to gain. In this neighborhood everyone knew her and Daniel; she had to see Mark and his girlfriend at work, and every Tom, Dick, and Harry had mean things to say about Daniel. They deserved to live in peace; they longed to move somewhere where no one knew them. It would be a completely fresh start.

Over the month they prepared to move. Daniel tried to come up with ideas of things to do for Candace to let her know he thought about her all the time. During her last two weeks of work, he met her for lunch every day even though it took longer to get from the apartment to her job than the amount of time he got to spend with her. Mark would snicker and laugh when he saw the two of them holding hands, but neither he nor Candace were concerned. "We only get one opportunity at a good life so let's live it," Candace would say. That was the plan. To drive until they found an area that was just right for them.

******

Moving day came quickly. Daniel's friend from work, who had helped him with the details before Candace knew, helped them load what few pieces of furniture they had into the U-Haul. Candace would drive while Daniel and Miller, in his cat kennel, sat beside her.

"This is the first day of the rest of our lives!" Candace announced, squeezing his hand. He smiled and looked ahead at the open road.

The notion of moving to a place where everyone was a stranger was frightening, but it was also exciting. That was how life was meant to be. Most people spent their entire lives waiting for the perfect moment to make a drastic change. Candace and Daniel understood life was too short to wait another day. Moving would make them happy, even if everyone who knew them thought they were out of their minds.

Since this would more than likely be the last time they were out West, they decided to do some sightseeing along the way. Daniel did his best to read the map and tell Candace where to go. They got lost twice before they got out of California, but after a couple of comical exchanged glances they got back on the correct road and on their way.

They were captivated by the Phoenix skyline rising above the desert and the neat architectural design of several of the buildings. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, they saw several hot-air balloons and agreed that it would be something fun to try. In Amarillo, Texas, they stopped for breakfast at a Krispy Kreme restaurant before continuing on their way.

Finally after driving through four states, they pulled off the interstate at a rest stop just outside of Oklahoma City and slept in the van. Daniel awoke to find Candace shivering. Scooting across the seat, he put his arm around her and draped his jacket across them both. She was so exhausted she didn't know it until she awoke some four hours later. Nestling against him, she whispered, "Thank you," and kissed his cheek.

"You're welcome," he said, surprising her.

"Oh, I didn't know you were awake." She blurted, and then added, "I'm glad we're doing this. I just hope it all works out when we get where we're going."

"It will . . . but I'll be happy anywhere as long as I'm with you," he confessed, kissing her tenderly.

She returned the kiss as both of their minds began to wonder. She had given herself too quickly to Mark, physically and emotionally, allowing him to hurt her. And even though she knew Daniel wouldn't intentionally hurt her, she was still afraid she would expect more than he could give. He couldn't think of anything he wanted more than to hold her in his arms and love her the way Noah had loved Allie in the movie, The Notebook. He wanted to touch all the parts of her body he had imagined. He hoped if and when he had the chance, that he could satisfy her with what he had to offer.

Pulling back, Candace smiled. This wasn't the time or the place for anything more, she thought to herself. Handing him his jacket, she cranked the van as he moved back against the passenger door. He wanted to tell her he loved her, but it just didn't feel like the right time; instead he offered her a sandwich from the cooler and sat back to eat his own.

It was cold in Little Rock, Arkansas, when they drove through; but they still decided to have a picnic at Riverfront Park. It was after nine o'clock at night when they arrived, but they saw a sign saying the park was open until midnight. They ate the sandwiches and chips they had brought with them from California, and it felt good to get out of the van for a while. It was a nice place, they both thought as they finished up their meal. Suddenly they blurted out at the exact same moment, "Do you want to rollerblade a bit before we go?" Laughing at one another, they agreed to circle the park once before leaving, just so they could say they had done it.

Holding hands, they skated around the park like they had done in California. They loved it; skating was what had brought them so close together in the first place. It was a hobby they enjoyed doing together and it seemed to bring them closer each time.

As they were getting ready to go, Candace's cell phone rang. It was her mother asking her to stop in Tennessee and stay a night or two before going on to the East coast. She and her parents had never gotten along, that was the reason she had moved so far away in the first place; but she wanted them to meet Daniel. She was so proud of all he had accomplished. She was certain her family would see him as a bright individual as well. So she agreed; they would stay a night or two at the house she grew up in, in a small town outside of Nashville.

Daniel could tell she was nervous about returning to the town she grew up in. She'd been gone since she was eighteen, and she wasn't in a big hurry to go back even to visit. She prayed they would see Daniel as she did and have confidence in their decisions.

Driving through Memphis, they decided to stop at a dance club on Beale Street. They could get something to eat besides the sandwiches they'd had for the last two days, and they could also unwind a bit before arriving in her hometown. Daniel was enthusiastic; he had learned how to dance somewhat from a Hip Hop dance video he had borrowed from the library. He knew Candace liked to dance, but she hadn't been in years. She didn't know he could dance at all, so she was extremely surprised when he asked her to dance with him.

When they got on the dance floor, it quickly became apparent he was much better than she was. People were just backing up and giving him room. She was amazed he had learned all that from a video. Catching her staring at him, he left the dance floor and joined her back at the table. "Is everything okay?" He asked, concerned.

"You are really good! I had no idea you could do that!" She exclaimed.

"There's something else I want to show you, but not here," he blurted out, before he could stop himself.

Immediately understanding what he was talking about, she blushed.

"You're so pretty when you do that!" He shouted above the music.

Again she felt herself getting excited thinking about him making love to her, and she tried without success to put the thought out of her mind. Looking across the table at him, she realized she was in love with him, and it scared her. Would he understand if I told him, she wondered. She didn't just want sex; she wanted a lifelong commitment and it scared her to think that it could never happen.

******

When they left the club, Daniel knew Candace had something on her mind. After the third time he asked her what he had done wrong, she pulled over on the shoulder of the road and burst into tears. "You haven't done anything wrong at all, Daniel. In fact . . . you've done everything right. I love you, and I want my family to like you. I want you to know that I am happier when I am with you than I have ever been with anyone," she confessed.

Hearing her say she loved him was like a dream. He couldn't speak the words fast enough to tell it back to her. "I love you, Candace. I mean . . . I've waited like forever to tell you that." He looked down at his lap and shook his head. "I mean . . . I didn't know how you would take it or what you'd say. I'm sorry if I did anything. I never meant to. I could never do what Mark did to you."

"Daniel, you didn't do anything at all. I know you would never intentionally hurt me; you're more considerate than that. It's just that . . . I eventually want a family and to have kids and . . ." She trailed off when she saw the expression on his face.

He knew immediately what she was about to say. He could do anything to make her happy, but the one thing he couldn't change was the one thing stopping her from being with him. "You're afraid my kids would be autistic too," he finished for her.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. I am in love with you and I love spending time with you . . . And God, I'm so confused right now!" She shouted, banging her fists on the steering wheel.

Forcing a smile, he squeezed her hand. "It's all right, Candace. I get it; I don't want to, but I understand. Just . . . do me a favor, okay? Don't settle for less than you deserve just so you can have healthy kids, okay? Misery is worse than autism."

They drove the rest of the way to her hometown in silence. He looked out the window and wished he could change who he was. She loved him, but because of his autism she was afraid to be with him. He understood, but it hurt so badly. He had to force the tears not to fall. For once everything had seemed so right and in an instant it had all changed.

Candace didn't try to hide her tears. At times, she could hardly see the road for crying so hard. She loved him, but she also loved the thought of having children someday. A child who was high-functioning like Daniel would be fine, but an extremely autistic child would a hard situation to cope with especially having known that it was a possibility beforehand.

Having never been very religious, she hesitated to pray. But twenty minutes before she pulled into her parent's driveway, she said a prayer asking God to lead her in the direction she was meant to take. She prayed she and Daniel would find true happiness, and most of all she prayed that if Daniel ever had children that they be healthy.

Hearing her openly pray surprised him. He'd never heard anyone pray out loud before. But when he saw how relived she felt after she had finished, he tried it himself. He prayed for their happiness and for his future children to be healthy, but he also prayed that Candace would stop worrying about hurting him and do what made her happy.

Chapter 8

It was after three in the morning when they arrived at her parent's house. Waiting at the door was a little awkward. They had to decide where everyone would sleep, because her parent's house only had three bedrooms and Candace's sister and her nephew were also visiting. Getting frustrated, Candace announced she and Daniel would take the room over the garage. Her mother pulled her aside and loudly enquired whether or not she and Daniel were sleeping together.

Mortified, she responded, "It's none of yours or anyone else's business if Daniel and I are sleeping together. That's between the two of us. This is exactly the reason I left here in the first place."

"Well . . . we'll talk in the morning; everyone's tired." Her mother stated, before unlocking the garage for them.

Moments later, Candace and Daniel were alone in the bedroom over the garage with only the faint glow of the street light illuminating the bed. Dropping her purse in a chair nearby, Candace walked over to the nightstand and switched on the lamp. Regardless of how she felt about having children with him, she wanted Daniel desperately to make love to her so much so that she immediately turned to him and kissed him fervently on the lips. Shocked, he staggered backward and sat down on the foot of the bed. Kneeling on the floor in front of him she said, "Make love to me Daniel."

"Are . . . Are you sure?" He stammered, suddenly terrified he would do something wrong.

"Do you want to make love to me?" She asked, taking off his shirt.

The ability to speak had temporarily left him. As he stared at her, he nodded his head yes. Suddenly everything that he thought he knew about this went out the window. As she stood and began to remove her clothes, he realized he took the first full breath he had taken since she had mentioned making love. Staring at her, he was amazed that this moment was actually happening, but he felt like a jackass for being so clueless about what to do. He stared at her, feeling his breath catch in his throat. When they fell upon the bed he muttered, "I don't know how . . ."

She touched her fingers to his lips and whispered back, "It's okay."

He was afraid to breathe or even blink for fear she would stop. He had wanted this for three years and it was more than he could have ever imagined.

Afterwards they lay against each other trying to catch their breath. Her skin was hot to the touch, yet she shivered. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm great," she answered, snuggling against him. "What about you? You haven't said anything."

"Oh . . . well . . . It's not because I didn't like it. I mean . . . it was way better than I imagined it would be. It's just . . . I thought you wanted a family someday." He answered, hoping he hadn't ruined the moment.

After a long silence, she said, "We could adopt . . ." Raising up to look at him, she added, "You are my family Daniel, and just for the record I imagined you would be this great."

"What? You imagined being with my like this?" He asked, relieved he hadn't been the only one.

"Yeah, a few times," she answered with a wink, kissing him affectionately.

******

It didn't take Daniel long to find out why Candace had left home when she was eighteen and had never been back. While she always tried to see the best in people, her parents fixated on the bad things in people's lives. That was apparent the moment they sat down at the breakfast table.

Everyone at the table besides he and Candace were dressed as though they were going to meet the President or some other high-fluting person. Her father, Corbin, rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt before taking his seat at the head of the table. Glancing up, Daniel noticed he was clean shaven and his graying hair was nicely covering the bald spot on the back of his head. The man tucked a cloth napkin into his shirt collar before reaching for the gravy bowl.

Her mother, Charlotte, glared at Daniel as she placed the bowls and plates of food on the table. Her pale orange checked dress swished as she moved around between the table and the stove; her heels clicked on the linoleum floor. Looking up at her face as she sat a glass of orange juice in front of him, he saw she had makeup on and her silver-streaked dark brown hair was frozen in place by tons of hair spray.

Her sister, Claire, and eight-year-old nephew, Tyler, also had on what appeared to be their finest attire. The boy sat next to the man and fidgeted with the buttons on the vest he wore over his own white dress shirt. Her sister sat on the opposite side of the table directly in front of him. She had her nose in the air as though she thought she was the most respectable one in attendance, but her ruby red lipstick and black eye shadow were the first things about her that Daniel noticed. Her makeup didn't match the bright yellow heels and yellow-green dress at all. In all honesty, her whole outfit was amusing. She must have dressed in the dark, Daniel thought to himself.

"So what did you do to that nice boy Mark you were dating?" Her mother queried as soon as her behind hit the chair beside Candace.

"Mom, I didn't do anything. He cheated on me," Candace answered, never looking up from her plate.

"No wonder with you and him living together!" She barked, pointing at Daniel.

He glanced at the others around the table and pretended not to care what she said.

Candace put down her fork and took a drink of her juice. Looking at Daniel, she took a deep breath. "Mom . . . Daniel and I love each other. I know it's asking too much for you to be happy for me, but I am not going to sit here and let you talk to us this way. You said when I went to California I wouldn't last a week in the real world. I made it Mom, and here I am now twenty-six years old and I'm still making it. I know nothing I do is ever going to be good enough, and I want you to know that it no longer concerns me what you or anyone else thinks. Life is about living and that's what we are doing. How you feel about it is your decision." After waiting a minute to see what her mom had to say, she picked up her fork and continued eating.

Daniel glanced across the table at her mom, and then continued his own breakfast. The older woman stared at the plate in front of her until everyone else was done eating. As they stood to clear the table, her father asked Candace to join him in the living room. Daniel stayed put at the kitchen table. Tyler sat beside him giggling.

"What?" Daniel asked him, wondering what was so funny.

"Mom says you're crazy and grandma said you're a retard. I was just wondering what you did to make them think that." The little boy told him.

Claire, who was washing dishes with her mother quickly tried to smooth it over. "Now Tyler . . . I didn't say he was crazy. I just said . . . he was a bit . . ." she trailed off when she saw Daniel getting up.

"I'll just be outside waiting for Candace," he mumbled leaving the room.

Sitting on the front porch steps, he thought about Candace. A smile formed on his lips when he thought about just a few hours ago. She had been remarkable in the bedroom. She hadn't seemed to care that he didn't know what in the hell he was doing. He was in love with her and now he knew she loved him too; that was all that was important.

Hearing a commotion behind the house, he arose to check it out. Turning the corner, he saw Candace repeatedly kicking a metal trashcan. She had tears streaming down her face and was shaking all over.

"Candace!" He shouted, rushing over to her.

At the sound of his voice, she fell to her knees with her back to him, still sobbing. "Candace, what's wrong? Please talk to me," he said.

After a few minutes of not getting a response, he knelt in front of her and looked her in the eye. "Hey . . . Hey, what happened, baby?" He blurted before realizing what he'd said.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, we shouldn't have come here. They'll never see you as I see you. I mean . . . I see you as an intelligent, honest, handsome man who loves me and treats me as I deserve to be treated. But they see you as some freak that warrants being locked away somewhere. You have done absolutely nothing wrong Daniel, and you ought not to have to listen to all that garbage. I'm so sorry," she wept.

"Hey, it's not your fault! I mean . . . like with Allie and Noah, she couldn't help what her parents said about him," he tried to explain what he was struggling to say.

"And they were wrong about Noah just like mine are wrong about you."

"They don't have to like me. No one ever has. It's okay. I'm strange and I do a lot of bizarre stuff. I mean . . . look at my curly hair . . . I probably look like a weirdo to people around here," he said.

"But I wanted you to at least feel like you belonged in my family and they have treated you like shit," she told him, drying her eyes.

"I feel like I belong . . . with you . . . in our family. It's me and you against the world," he told her, taking her hand in his.

"Right," she replied, squeezing his hand and then hugged him.

******

Candace and Daniel weren't aware of it but her parents, her sister, and her nephew were all watching them from a bedroom window.

"She has made some downright irresponsible decisions before, but moving clear across the country tops the cake! The boy seems to be fond of her though," Claire said.

"Oh of course he cares about her; she's been a mother to him for four years. But he doesn't understand the kind of love she wants. She has always wanted a husband and children. Oh, dear Lord, I hope she's not pregnant! Could you imagine how mentally retarded the child would be with him for a father?" Charlotte responded.

"Or with her for a mother . . . Still throwing tantrums because someone said something she didn't like," Claire added. "What did you say to her, Daddy?"

"I simply stated the obvious. The boy is too young for her, besides the fact that he looks like a total nutcase with that long curly hair. She's going to end up with a retarded baby and the father to raise. I don't know what the hell has happened to her brain! I'm ashamed to say she's my daughter . . . Her running around with that freak show!" Corbin admitted.

"Did you tell her that, Grandpa?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah, I did . . . No use in sugar-coating things. It's time she climbed out of her fairytale story and sees what she's doing to this family!" He answered, angrily.

"She'll realize it when it's too late," Claire uttered.

"Yes she will," agreed Charlotte.

******

Simply because they hadn't slept but an hour the night before, Candace and Daniel spent one more night in the bedroom above the garage. They each took a shower and prepared their things to be ready to leave the next morning. She was still angry with her family, but she tried to put it out of her mind so she could sleep.

She finally fell asleep with her head resting on Daniel's chest with his arm wrapped around her. He tried to sleep but couldn't. He knew she needed her rest, but he had a sudden overwhelming urge to be with her again. Trying to force it out of his mind, he rubbed his hand along the back of her cotton nightgown. Remembering how she had looked the day before, he felt himself getting excited. Now is my chance to show her what I learned from the movie without the label, he thought. Please don't let me screw this up, he mumbled to himself before gently waking her up.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What's wrong?" she asked concerned.

"I've got something to show you. Will you sit up?" He asked.

Confused, she did as he asked. It was dark in the room with only a small sliver of moonlight shining through the curtains. Daniel sat up and took off his shirt. "Let me show you what I learned," he whispered, taking a deep breath to try and calm his racing heart. When she saw what he was about to do, she smiled.

When they were finished he laid down on the sheets beside her trying to catch his breath.

"Where did you learn that?" She asked suddenly.

"A movie at the apartment," he admitted.

"Oh . . . I forgot I had movies like that," she laughed.

"It showed some more stuff, but I didn't like any of it."

"What you just did was wonderful! I was not expecting any of this," she said with a grin.

"So it was good?" He asked relieved.

"Oh, Daniel, it was way better than good. It was . . . spectacular!!!" She exclaimed.

Feeling like a million bucks, he wrapped his arm around her. Moments later, they were both sound asleep.

Chapter 9

It was shortly after nine in the morning when they left her childhood home. There had been no 'I love yous' exchanged, nor hugs and kisses. Her parents refused to even come to the door when they were about to leave. Claire gave them a bag of fresh sandwiches and some bottled water, but she never tried to hug her little sister or give her any words of encouragement. She did, however, take one last moment to say something awful about Daniel.

"Sissy, you are too good for trash like that. He is a kid! Don't you have any respect for yourself? If it wasn't for you he would be in an asylum rolling around in his own piss!" She declared loud enough for him to hear.

Candace didn't have a chance to respond before Daniel walked up beside her. "I'm almost twenty; I'm not a kid. The only better thing she deserves is a better family. If you gave a shit about her, you would hug and kiss her goodbye. Think about it . . . you may never see her again. Does that bother you at all? We . . . Me and Candace are a family! We are all each other has. I don't want you to like me; I was never trying to get you people to like me. I don't give a damn who likes me and who doesn't. So you just go back in your fancy house and kiss some more ass because we are out of here," he informed her, taking Candace's hand in his. "Come on baby, let's go."

Once on the road, she gazed at him. "Thanks," she said.

"You're welcome. I was tired of seeing them talk to you that." He replied, squeezing her hand, and then added, "Did you see that sunrise this morning? It's proof that there's more beauty coming our way."

"You're such a romantic," she flattered.

He wondered what she meant, but he didn't ask. Smiling he picked up the map and checked out the next town they would drive through. They were closer than the two of them had ever been and he knew there was something special between them, even if nobody else saw it. Wondering what the next few days held, he switched on the radio.

The song 'This I Promise You' was on. They both listened intently as though the artist was singing it especially for them. It was as if Daniel's feelings were spilling out through the radio. He looked at Candace and imagined saying the exact words to her, but he decided against it. She had just gotten out of a serious relationship with Mark. He would give her some time to let her heart heal before he confessed his own heartfelt feelings to her.

******

Candace wanted to stop at Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, where she had gone with her older cousin as a child. Daniel had never been there so they stopped to have lunch, skate a little, and take a look at the old carousel if it was still there.

Coolidge Park overlooked the Tennessee River and had a beautiful view. The carousel in the middle of the park was originally built in 1894, but it had more recently been restored by a local master wood carver. With fifty-two hand-carved animals and ornate benches, the carousel was a family favorite for anyone visiting the Chattanooga area.

They purchased a camera at a shop nearby and took pictures of the beautifully restored carousel and each other at various places around the park. Before they left, Candace asked a woman pushing a baby in a stroller to take a picture of them together with the Tennessee River as a backdrop. They held hands and smiled as she snapped the photograph; a serene end to a good day.

After spending more time at the park than they meant to, they had to drive through Savannah during the night. They discussed stopping somewhere and sleeping in the van, but finally decided to just continue their journey.

When they had left California the plan was to move somewhere along the East coast. As the trip progressed they mentally decided upon South Carolina as their destination. So when they got lost trying to find Hilton Head Island and stumbled upon Beaufort, they decided to see what the historic town had to offer.

The local waterfront park got their attention. It was a lot like the park near their old apartment had been. It was located downtown and along the Beaufort River. Daniel could imagine him and Candace skating and picnicking here as the years rolled by. Candace liked the playground area and thought it would be a great place to bring children, if they had any.

Beaufort also had a number of Elementary, Middle, and High Schools nearby if and when they had children. Candace liked how close the Beaufort University of South Carolina campus was to the other amenities. She had a dream of one day getting her nursing degree, and she thought this just might be the place to do it. There was also a local technical college. They passed a big library that had a sign out front about preschool story time. Daniel smiled. This place seemed like it would make a great place to raise a family.

Stopping briefly at a local museum just to get a bit of a feel for the area, Candace read some interesting details about the city. The first settlement of Beaufort dated back to 1711. It had been the first and last Confederate town occupied by Union troops during the Civil War. Some homes were confiscated and converted into Union hospitals during the war. A sad detail they learned was that of the more than seven thousand casualties of war buried in the town's National Cemetery, only a hundred and seventeen were Confederate soldiers. Back then, whether they were fighting for the South or the North was of the highest importance; but now it was just such a tragedy that so many people had lost their lives. Feeling saddened by what she had read, Candace decided to drive around a bit more.

They drove past a huge white eighteenth-century mansion. A sign near the front steps revealed the house was on the National Registry of Historic Places. Continuing to drive, mostly to see what all there was to see, they drove outside of Beaufort. Some time later, they stood atop of the Hunting Island historic lighthouse. The view of the ocean was breathtaking. They were sixteen miles away from the historic town of Beaufort, where they were almost certain their new life would begin. The history here was remarkable and it seemed like the picture perfect locale to start over.

A plaque at the bottom of the stairs told of the lighthouse's interesting past:

The historic lighthouse was originally constructed in 1859. It was destroyed by Confederates during the beginning of the Civil War to prevent Union forces from using it as a means of navigation. It was then rebuilt in 1875. It had been used to warn ships to stay away from the treacherous hazards nearer land. In 1889 due to erosion of the beach, the lighthouse was moved inland just over a mile from its original location to where it presently stands. It was deactivated in June of 1933.

After several minutes of silence between them, Candace interrupted Daniel's thoughts of settling here. "Do you think this is it?" She asked.

"I like it here; it's a beautiful place, but it's up to you," he answered.

"It's gorgeous here . . . Yes, I think this is it." She told him.

A few minutes later they were on their way back to Beaufort to find their new home. "Are we getting another apartment?" She questioned, hoping they could find something in their price range.

"Let's look for a house first; we've got enough to pay a month or two rent." He told her, counting the rest of the money he had saved.

******

As luck would have it, a man named Abe had just finished moving out of the house he owned. He hoped to find someone who wanted to lease to own it, so he could relocate to Ohio with his son and grandchildren. He had no sooner put the sign out front than the U-Haul had pulled up.

The old man had rather scraggly white hair and an equally white beard. He was missing some teeth on the top, but his smile was warm and welcoming. The nearly eight decades he had lived through shown clearly on his face. The map of wrinkles on his forehead told of many worries of past and present, but his bright blue eyes conveyed happier times in his life.

He moved slowly and had a limp in one leg, but he carried no cane. He had long since forgotten what it was like to move without pain, but he was strong-willed and determined to carry on as he always had.

His calloused hands shown of many years of hard labor, and he hated the dark spots that now covered his hands and arms. But compared to the alternative, he supposed he could live with all that. Even though he missed her terribly, he still felt he had a lot of living left to do. She would have wanted him to keep on living the rest of his life, and he knew she would have understood his decision to let the old place go after all these years. After all, it was what had been done for them so many years ago.

******

There were several streets to choose from as Candace and Daniel tried to decide which one to go down. At last they chose the one with a house on the corner where children were playing outside. All the way at the end of the street on the corner sat a three-story brick house with a For Lease sign out front.

As they turned into the driveway an older man, who had been standing on the porch, walked toward them. "Looking for a place around here?" The man asked them.

"Yes, Sir . . . Beaufort seems like a nice place to make a fresh start," she answered.

"That it is. Good place to raise a family too. You two have kids?" The man inquired, peering into the truck.

Daniel quickly responded, "No Sir, no yet."

Candace glanced at him.

"Well, that's good. It's good to get settled in your new place and get to know one another before you welcome a new life into the world. Me and my wife married two years before our oldest son was born; four years later, we had three kids and this house. Yeah . . . she couldn't have been happier." The man sniffled and took a deep breath, before turning toward the house and continuing. "She loved this place, but I can't stay here now that she's gone. My middle son, Andrew and his wife have invited me to move to Ohio to live with them. I just need to find somebody to take the house. My other two sons have houses in other states, and as bad as I hate to get rid of it I just can't stay here anymore. Too many wonderful memories here. I miss her terribly, but staying in this house won't bring her back." He wiped a tear from beneath his eye.

"Sorry for your loss," Candace said.

"Oh, it's alright. She's been gone for right at four years, but when you love somebody as much as we loved each other you never really recover from losing them." Again, he wiped a tear from his cheek, and then turned back to them. "Anyway . . . are you looking to buy or rent?"

"Rent. We don't have enough money to buy. We both quit our jobs to move out here."

"Where you from?"

"California," Daniel answered.

"Well, sounds like me and my wife. We met as kids in Texas, but her father refused to let us see each other. Well, we snuck around and did it anyway . . . like kids do. Then she got pregnant. So we ran away, came out here, and got married. A couple months later, she had a miscarriage; but we stayed together and a year and a half later she delivered our son Alex. But . . . you know her parents never did come visit us, even when she got sick. If I could go back I would have told them how much she wanted to see them one last time, but I didn't . . ." He trailed off.

Daniel and Candace looked at one another. They thought it strange to have met this man, whose own life seemed so much like their own. The man interrupted their thoughts, when he asked, "How about lease to own?"

"Seriously?" Daniel blurted.

"Yeah . . . That's what my wife and I did. I've done some renovations. I put new screens in all the windows and had some of the floors replaced upstairs. All the appliances, the couch and chair, and the gas grill out back stays. Are you interested?"

"How much are you asking per month?" Candace asked, curiously. She was sure it would be more than they could afford. It was a really nice house.

"Whatever you can afford. The place needs a family in it." The man thought a minute then asked, "Is fifty dollars a month alright until you two find new jobs and get back on your feet a bit?"

"Yeah! That's . . ." Candace started until Daniel interrupted her.

"Can we see inside first?" He requested. He wanted to make sure they weren't making a mistake.

"Oh absolutely. I'll tell you what . . . come on in and I'll give you the grand tour."

The front porch wrapped around to the side of the house where two double glass doors led into a beautiful sun room overlooking the water. It was painted pale yellow with white trim. There were several pictures of yellow roses adorning the walls and tables. The outside glass walls had white blinds to shield the bright sunlight or for privacy at night.

Daniel saw Candace's face light up as they stood in the sun room. "This is beautiful," she muttered.

"This was her favorite room in the house. She loved yellow roses, so she expressed that in here. Yeah . . . she would stay in here for hours just reading or gazing out at her flower garden." The man told them, wiping a tear from his eye. "Well . . . come on through here, and I'll show you the rest." He said, leading the way through an old wooden screen door.

The living room was rather large. Along one wall was a fireplace with a decorative rock hearth. The couch and chair were a navy blue striped pattern and sat out in the middle of the room, one slightly facing the other. The staircase leading upstairs was in the back. Candace began to visualize where their own chair and television would go.

"See . . . this here is a real wood-burning fireplace, not of those fancy deals," he told them, interrupting her thoughts.

Next they saw the kitchen, which also had a door that led out onto the front porch. It had a lot of cabinet space, and there was an island in the middle with more cabinets beneath it. The kitchen was decorated in ivy. The curtains had an ivy print and strains of it ran along the cabinets.

The refrigerator had cross-shaped magnets on the front with a newspaper clipping of a young boy scout receiving an award. Noticing Daniel reading it, the man took it down and showed it to them. "This is my grandson, Caleb. He lives in Tennessee."

"My sister and parents live in Tennessee," Candace told him.

"Really? Where about?"

"My parents live about thirty miles East of Nashville; my sister lives in Manchester."

"They don't agree with the two of you being together?" The gentlemen asked knowingly.

"No . . . They don't like me," Daniel answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"I've been there. My wife's family never thought I was good enough for her, but it didn't matter. We were in love. Don't let her family change your feelings for her though."

"Not a chance dude," Daniel blurted.

Nodding, the man continued into the dining room. An oak dining table with six chairs sat in the center of the room. Candace ran her hand along the edge of the table thinking how nice the house was so far.

"Do you have a dinette set? You could keep this one if you want to. There's no sense in me dragging it to Ohio, just to hide it away in storage."

"Ours doesn't match the chairs; we just used what we could find." Candace answered, sheepishly.

Grinning, the man said, "Yeah, we did that too when we first started out. I spent a lot of long hours on the boat dock back then to make enough to buy her all the things she deserved, but I don't regret it at all; and if it would bring her back I would gladly do it all over again." He glanced at Daniel, while wiping the tears from his eyes. "Keep the table and chairs too; she would want a family using them." He added, before returning to the living room and climbing the stairs.

There were four bedrooms, a rec room, and a bathroom upstairs. The master bedroom was to the left of the staircase. There was a small balcony outside the master bedroom with a sliding glass door leading to it. From the balcony, there was a view of the backyard and the water beyond it. The room was decorated in lighthouses. On the nightstand by the bed sat a lighthouse lamp illuminating the room in a soft glow, even though it was still daylight.

Noticing the man still in the hallway, Daniel stepped aside so he could enter. "No, No . . . You go ahead. I haven't been in this room since the week of her funeral. Too many beautiful memories in there. She took her last breath sitting in a wheelchair out on the balcony. She loved this house, but I just can't stay here now that she's gone." The man told them, turning to the opposite wall to dry his eyes once more.

Daniel moved beside Candace. "So what do you think?" He whispered.

"I love it. It's amazing. I mean . . . I never dreamed we could get a place this nice," she answered.

"Me neither," he agreed, walking out onto the balcony.

Interrupting their thoughts, the man cleared his throat. "I'll just be on the front porch. Feel free to take as long as you like to look over the rest of the place. Oh . . . and there's a door underneath the stairs that leads out onto the screened-in back porch where the washer and dryer are and from there you can go into the basement," he told them before going back downstairs.

"Could you imagine living here?" She asked Daniel.

"Yeah . . . It's like we were meant to find this place," he said.

"I know; it's weird," she agreed.

The downstairs bathroom had been decorated in seashells. The shower curtain, the window curtain, the rugs, the towels, and even the knobs on the drawers had different types of seashells on them. There was a large oval-shaped tub along one wall with a marble surface surrounding it. The vanity was also marble. The closet opened into a large space for linens and other bathroom items.

The upstairs bathroom was decorated in purple irises. The window had a valance that matched the rest of the room. There was a rug beside a white claw-foot tub that also had pale purple irises on it. A white pedestal sink stood on the opposite wall from the tub. The bathroom had also been updated with a stand-up shower in the corner.

The other three bedrooms weren't as spacious as the master bedroom, but were a lot bigger than either bedroom in the apartment. Both of the smaller bedrooms had bay windows with a window seat overlooking what had once been a flower garden. Neither room had any furniture in them.

The rec room had an entertainment center against one wall with a couple of DVDs on top of it and a futon couch in front of it. A pool table sat in the right corner. The room had been painted a light blue and had a sailboat border around the top.

The house had a full finished basement. At the present, it held boxes and some old furniture, but it could very well be turned into two more bedrooms later if necessary. The attic was small and the only entrance to it was through a window to the right at the top of the stairs across from the rec room, but with all the other space in the house they doubted they would need any extra room anyway.

Candace led the way onto the screened-in porch. She smiled when she saw the washer and dryer; they'd had to go to a laundry mat in California. Glancing into the back yard, Daniel noticed a picnic table and gas grill. There was also a wrought iron gate that led down a stone walkway to a dock at the far end of the yard. Imagining him and Candace eating out on the picnic table, he turned to her and asked, "Are we going to take it?"

"I think we should. This is like a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Okay . . . I'll go pay him for the first couple of months, and then we'll start moving in," Daniel said, leaving her.

The man heard him coming and stood up, wiping his nose with a handkerchief.

"We'll take it," Daniel told him, smiling. "I'll get your money out of the van.

"Fifty dollars for three months, then we'll talk over the phone and settle on the next six months." The man told him.

Counting out a hundred and fifty dollars Daniel handed him the money. The man didn't bother counting it; he just shoved it into his shirt pocket and asked, "What's your name, son?"

Daniel was shocked; no one had ever called him son before. After a moment's hesitation, he answered, "Daniel Raye."

"My name's Abe Clark. I hope you and your . . . what's her name?" He asked, as though he knew they weren't married.

"Candace Troy," Daniel answered.

"I hope you and Candace are as happy here as my wife and I were. And when you decide to ask her to marry you, don't worry about paying for a honeymoon. I'll take care of it. The man my wife and I were given this place from did the same for us. We spent a week in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Fully paid honeymoon at no charge to us, and I intend to do the same for the two of you. But don't tell her . . . A woman likes it when her man takes care of all the arrangements." Abe told him, with a smile.

"Thank you . . . I don't know why you're doing all this, but thank you," Daniel told him honestly.

"I'm doing it because my wife is gone. She's been gone four years and I miss her a lot. No one understands me the way she did; nobody loves me the way she did. My sons love me and I love them, but they are not their mother. Without old man Jack Tucker, who gave this house to us when we didn't have two nickels to rub together, I would have never been able to provide for her something this nice. He could see we were in love and he offered to pay for our honeymoon. She was so surprised when I told her, she cried. He was just like the father I never had. He was even at the hospital when my oldest son was born. He, like me, had never met his father and he quickly took me under his wing. He passed away almost five years before my wife did and even though he was no blood relation to me, I cried like a baby at his funeral. I loved him like a father. He was the only man who had ever come into my life and didn't leave willingly. I was a better dad because of him. My sons don't understand why I want to do this, but I'm hoping maybe you do." Abe confessed to him.

"You want to do what he did for you." Daniel responded, and then added, "I've never met my dad; he left my mom before I was born. There were other guys around but they only wanted to get with my mom."

"Well . . . Let me tell you like old man Jack told me . . . I'm no blood to you, but anything you need, I'm here for you, son." Abe told him, patting him on the shoulder.

Daniel felt tears forming in his eyes and he wiped them away. "Thank you, Sir, but see . . . I'm autistic and you probably won't like me at all now that you know that," he blurted.

"You have high functioning autism . . . Asperger's, right?" Abe asked.

"Yeah . . . How'd you know that?"

"My grandson Caleb has Asperger's. He's smart as he can be, but he has to listen through recordings to understand people's emotions. He rocks when he gets nervous and the way people look at him bothers him. People around him, who don't try to understand, stare and say mean and hurtful things. But we still love him, and there's no way that you having Asperger's is going to turn me against you. You give me hope that my grandson can live a successful life and fall in love and maybe have a family of his own someday."

Not knowing what to say, Daniel looked through the doorway and saw Candace walking around in the kitchen. Abe interrupted his thoughts saying, "Everything stays except the bed in the master bedroom and I will get it out tomorrow when my son arrives to help me. You two are welcome to move it now if you want to. I can help."

******

With Abe's help, Candace and Daniel got their few pieces of furniture and boxes moved in and put away in less than an hour. That night, Candace cooked dinner for the three of them. She loved their new kitchen and the house in general, and even though she had never been one to say the blessing before a meal, before they ate she thanked God for bringing Abe into their lives.

Abe spent the last night in the house he had shared for thirty-two years with his wife in their bedroom. Candace and Daniel slept in different rooms: he on his old bed in the bedroom at the end of the upstairs hall, and her on the futon in the rec room.

Halfway through the night, Candace awoke slightly frightened of being alone in the room. She assumed it was because it was a strange house. Tiptoeing down the hall, she opened the door to the room where Daniel was sleeping. He was awake and flipping through a magazine he'd found in the drawer of the nightstand. "Can't sleep?" He asked her smiling.

"No . . . It's just going to take some getting used to," she answered.

"Do you want to sleep in here?" He asked, scooting over to give her room to lie down.

"Are you sure?" She asked, looking at the twin-size bed.

"Yeah, I'm sure. I've got used to you being beside me and I miss you when you're not."

"Aww Daniel, you're such a sweetheart," she told him, sitting down on the bed.

Wrapping his arm around her, he asked, "Can you believe we got this house?"

"Not at all! I mean . . . I hoped we could get a house, but not like this and with all the furniture! He's such a blessing, Daniel. It's like we were meant to meet him."

"His grandson Caleb has Asperger's autism like me." Daniel said, glancing away.

"Really?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah . . . He said I give him hope that his grandson can lead a normal life and maybe have a family of his own someday." He told her, and then after a few minutes of silence he added, "I think we were meant to meet him too. He called me son and he didn't say I was stupid when I told him I had autism. I've waited my whole life to meet my real dad and whether or not I ever meet him, I'm satisfied with just meeting Abe." He told her, as a single tear ran down his cheek.

"I'm so happy for you, Daniel. It feels good to be accepted by someone who has no reason to accept you. Just so you know . . . I'll always love you."

Smiling, he kissed her tenderly. "I'll always love you too."

They spent the rest of the night cuddled together in Daniel's old bed. When they awoke, Abe had breakfast ready and was knocking on the bedroom door to let them know.

******

It wasn't long after breakfast that Abe's son arrived to help him finish moving his things. They took down the bed and helped Candace and Daniel put theirs up. She helped them box up a few trinkets and photographs Abe took down off the walls. Then as they were about to leave, Abe and his son had a minor disagreement about something in the garage that his son thought he should take with him, but Abe said he planned to leave it for Daniel.

As he started out the door, Abe hugged both Candace and Daniel and then handed him an envelope with his name on the front. Puzzled, he put it in his pocket and watched as they left.

A short while later Daniel opened it and nearly fainted. Inside the envelope was the hundred and fifty dollars he had given Abe on the lease, a set of car keys, and a letter. Unfolding the letter, he began to read:

Daniel,

I remember when my wife and I were young like the two of you. We were so much in love, but no one seemed to understand that but us. Her father said I was trash and a waste of their daughter's time. But regardless of what they said to me, I never stopped loving her. Until our sons were born she was my world, and then after they were grown we spent every holiday with our grandchildren. When Caleb was diagnosed, his mother and my son Alex were devastated that their son would never be 'right', as they put it. My wife and I took him into our home and raised him for two years, until she got sick. During that time we took him fishing; we went down to the Florida Keys on vacation; and when he moved back with my son and his mother he made friends in the neighborhood. They claimed he was a changed child; that he had somehow miraculously overcome autism.

A few weeks later he had an episode at school, and once again his parents were beside themselves by the fact that he was still autistic. My wife, even though she was sick, had a talk with his parents and told them that Caleb wasn't the problem. The problem was their attitude toward his diagnosis. Gradually they began to come around to thinking like we always have. Each person is unique, and what they deal with in life is what shapes them as a person.

Last week Caleb called to tell me he had a girlfriend named Brittany, who he went to high school with. He is sixteen years old, and I am so proud of him. Thanks to you, I can imagine his future being happy as well. So I am giving you back the money you gave me on the lease. I have everything I could need or want. I want you to save this money and when the time is right, buy your beautiful Candace an engagement ring. My only request is that I get an invitation to the wedding. It doesn't have to be a fancy invite; just a phone call will do. It also makes no difference to me how elaborate the wedding is; my wife and I were married on the courthouse lawn.

The keys in the envelope go to my old car. It's an older model, but it runs good and will make a good family car when the time comes. I'll keep in touch son, and I wish you both the best.

Love,

Abe

Daniel was overcome with emotion. He had to sit down to catch his breath. This man they had only met yesterday leased them the house free for three months with almost all the furniture included, gave them the keys to his car, and took the time to share so much with him in the letter.

Not wanting Candace to know it had even crossed his mind to ask her to marry him, he folded the money and the letter up and hid it in his sock drawer. When she asked what had been in the envelope, he showed her the keys to the car.

Chapter 10

Over the next month they settled into a new routine and begin to enjoy having their own house instead of an apartment. Miller settled in quickly and caught two mice within the first week. Candice found a job at a local restaurant called The Low-Country Buffet in downtown Beaufort as a waitress. The restaurant served breakfast, lunch, and dinner so there was the opportunity for her to work different hours from one week to the next.

Daniel found a job at the Ross Family Stables, a therapy center for children with disabilities and various disorders. The center also rescued and rehabilitated abused and neglected horses and ponies. Daniel was one of six ranch hands who helped with the animals as well as the children. The owner, a man named Jackson Ross, had decided to open the center after witnessing how riding therapy had greatly improved his own son's quality of life as a small child. His son Max, now thirty-nine, was born with Down syndrome. Through his early years of life he showed signs of moderate cognitive delays as well as other issues. He was in day care with an older sister and both of them were repeatedly teased by not only the other children but the adult caregivers as well. Their mother eventually quit work and stayed home with them. Once school age, Max was placed in special education classes but he was still very behind others his age and he had a hard time communicating with everyone.

When he was seven years old, a doctor recommended that they try riding therapy which had had a great success rate in other children with Down syndrome. His parents decided to give it a try and he attended his first session the next week. At first it was hard to tell if it was having any influence one way or the other, but soon Max had started laughing and smiling while on the horse. He began to talk to the horse and others in his life. He became excited about the therapy sessions and his entire mind frame seemed to brighten. He was now a happy child and was making grand improvements. Jackson and his wife decided it was time to be of assistance to others as their own son had been helped. They sold their house in Charleston and bought the hundred and three acres in Beaufort where the Stables now sat. Jackson hired a contractor to build the stables and the family house, and within three months they were ready to start preparing for the opening.

Their original plan was to purchase some fine horses and train them to work well with the children. But then one day while returning from Seabrook where he was working at the time, Jackson spotted an overgrown lot with four malnourished horses on it. One of the horses, a beautiful brown and white Appaloosa mare, was emaciated and seemed to beg him to help them. He stopped the truck and walked over to the fence. All four horses sauntered right to him. Two of them were American Quarter mares, while the other was a tall handsome black stallion.

He stroked the horses while he looked around trying to figure out who might own them. He didn't see any source of water in sight and there wasn't any kind of shelter available for them either. He couldn't leave them to starve, so he turned around and drove back into town. Stopping at the local police department, he notified them of the condition of the horses. Two officers and the sheriff followed him back out to the lot and attempted to locate the owner, to no avail. Finally, when no ownership could be established the officers decided it was in the best interest of the horses to be taken and relocated somewhere where they could be rehabilitated. It was at that moment that Jackson decided to take all four of them. He went home and returned with a trailer within an hour to load them up. The owners were never located, and Jackson and his family took full responsibility of them. He named the Appaloosa Speckle, the two Quarter horses Faith and Hope, and the stallion Chance. He hired a local homeless man named Mike and together they trained the four of them within a month to be gentle and loving with children. The center officially opened in May of that year with those four horses as their main therapists. The following year a Shetland pony named Tiny, an American Paint horse named Shiloh, and two Thoroughbreds renamed Seabrook and Autumn joined the farm.

The children were taught to hold the reins and steer the horse. They were taught safety rules, like never walking behind a horse because they could kick their back legs if startled. The ranch hands, including Daniel, showed the kids to walk calmly up to the horse's shoulder and say its name, so they wouldn't surprise or frighten the animal. Some children were taught how to mount and unmount the horses, while mounting ramps were used for other children who didn't understand the concept of it all or where wheelchair-bound. They were educated not to tug too sharply on the reins because sharp tugs could hurt the horse's mouth with the bit inside.

All the children started out by familiarizing themselves to the horse and the horse to them. The first few riding sessions always took place in an arena with a handler leading the horse. Eventually the children were given the opportunity to learn how to nudge the horse's sides to get it to start walking or to move faster. They were taught to pull back on the reins to stop and which direction to pull the reins to get the horse to turn. After the ride, the children could feed their horse a carrot or some apple slices as a treat.

Eventually a small petting zoo of rescued animals, consisting of five pygmy goats, two alpacas, eight mini pigs, and three lop-eared bunnies was added to the farm. Eleven cats and four dogs were also rescued and brought to the farmstead. It was an excellent location for all the animals, being in the most 'country' part of Beaufort County. The children made progress while learning about the animals and how to care for them, and it all gave Jackson and his family a purpose in life. Not only were they helping children and their families, but they were also dedicating their lives to helping many animals to go from abusive and neglectful homes to being loved and treated like family. The satisfaction from it all was immense.

******

Daniel was great with the kids and the other animals, and after three weeks he was given a raise. Besides working with the animals and the children, he and the other ranch hands were responsible for cleaning out the stalls in the barn, where the horses slept, and storing the riding equipment in the tack room, such as the saddle and bridle. The horses were kept with a fresh bucket of water after each ride and a long trough while they grazed, but the ranch hands were responsible for making sure both were full throughout the day and before they left at night. Only Daniel, Jackson's son Max, and another man named Dewayne were in charge of brushing the horses and cleaning their hooves at the end of the day. Jackson made it clear he only wanted those he trusted the most doing those particular jobs. Daniel felt proud that he had been so entrusted with caring for the beautiful animals.

With both of them working, they had no problem paying their bills and by the end of the month, they had started a new nest egg of savings. As their funds began to grow, they started talking about buying furniture for the two spare bedrooms, in case Abe or someone came to visit. They had a garage sale to get rid of Daniel's old bed and the things they had before moving that they no longer needed.

Since the rest of the house had been decorated so beautifully, Candace decided to decorate the four spare bedrooms as well. She decided to paint the one at the far end of the upstairs hall a very pale shade of green. Two of the other rooms had originally been painted an ivory color with a striped hunter green border around the top. While she wanted to leave most of the house the same as Abe and his wife had decorated it, she wanted to repaint those two bedrooms. She chose white paint for both rooms in hopes of one day decorating them for their own children. The forth room was located directly across the hall from the rec room. It would one day become the nursery if they had children. Because of this, she decided to also paint it solid white but she added pale blue trim, thinking it would go nicely with the ocean-theme of most of the rest of the house.

They went to a furniture store near Charleston and purchased their first brand new queen-size bedroom suite. It had the bed, a dresser with mirror, chest of drawers, and nightstand. Workers from the store delivered it the next day. They decided to put their old full-size bed in the spare bedroom at the end of the hall. Candace was ecstatic; she had never bought anything brand new before. Their lives in Beaufort were falling into place wonderfully.

Chapter 11

Their first year in the new house was happy. They both worked during the day. Candace got home around four, while it was usually closer to six when Daniel arrived home. She always had dinner waiting, even though he had repeatedly told her it wasn't necessary. Most Saturdays she worked until two, while he was at home doing laundry and cleaning.

It just so happened that his twenty-first birthday was on a Saturday. So while Candace was at work, Daniel spent the day shopping for the perfect engagement ring for her. He had decided at Christmas that he would propose to her on his birthday. He'd worked extra hours during the past month so he could buy the bridal set at the same time. Abe had told him over the phone about a small chapel in Gatlinburg that would be a good setting for the wedding and had even offered to help pay for it. Candace knew absolutely nothing at all about his plans, but he hoped and prayed she said yes.

They had been making love at least three times a week since the first time and afterwards they always said I love you to one another. Daniel still worried he wasn't pleasing her like he should, even though she always seemed to enjoy it. Sometimes he stopped before finishing for fear she would get pregnant. He too was afraid his children would have autism. He wanted to be a dad, but only after they were married and had discussed with a doctor the possibilities of his children having autism; but whether they ever had a child or not, he still wanted to spend the rest of his life with Candace.

The day began as most Saturday mornings did. They had cereal for breakfast and ate together at the dining room table before Candace went upstairs to get ready for work while Daniel did the dishes. Later, she took the car and left. After giving her enough time to get there, he rode his bicycle downtown to several different jewelry stories to try to find her the perfect engagement ring.

After more than an hour, he picked the one he wanted to get her. He had the jeweler to match the size of it to a ring she had at home and wore often. He went ahead and paid for her bridal set as well as his wedding band. It would be two weeks before he could pick the wedding rings up though, because he had the inside of the bands engraved with 'Daniel and Candace Forever'.

With the engagement ring in a small box in his pocket, Daniel hurried back home to shower before Candace got home from work. He was planning to take her out to dinner at a seafood restaurant downtown and then propose to her. But as it got closer to time to go, he decided he would propose when they got back home.

Candace had told Daniel happy birthday before she left, but she hadn't bought his gift yet. She wanted to get him a new fishing pole and tackle box since they had recently taken up the hobby. So when she got off work, she stopped by Walmart and bought it, along with the supplies to bake him a cake.

Daniel surprised her when she got home. He was sitting on the front porch steps wearing new jeans and a polo shirt. Opening the driver's door so she could get out he asked, "I have some extra money and I was wondering if you wanted to go downtown for dinner?"

"Sure. Just let me change first." She answered and then added, "Happy birthday. I got you a gift in the car."

Watching her go into the house, he smiled. She was such a great person and the love his life; hopefully after tonight she would agree to be his for the rest of their lives. He loved her more than words could describe. As Peggy Clark had been Abe's, Candace Troy was his whole world, and he would love her until he took his last breath.

She came back out wearing jeans and a white blouse with lace ruffles down the front. Daniel was digging through the included lures and bobbers inside his new tackle box. "Do you like it?" She asked, referring to his birthday gift.

Stopping to look at her he answered, "You look great in anything."

"Actually I was talking about your gift but thanks," she said trying to hold back a laugh.

"Oh . . . Yeah thank you," he responded, feeling like a fool.

"So . . . are we driving?" She asked after a moment.

"Um . . . Do you want to walk with me?" He invited, holding out his arm.

Looping her arm through his, they began to walk to the downtown area. "I was going to bake you a cake," she told him.

Looking at the ground and letting his mind wonder, he responded, "It's okay . . ."

Thinking something was wrong but deciding to let it go, Candace strolled along beside him. The only thing that was wrong was he was getting nervous about proposing to her. What if she doesn't want to marry me, he wondered.

The food at the restaurant was delicious; it had been at least a couple of months since they had eaten out. On the way home, they stopped briefly to watch a man and his young son toss a football back and forth. The little boy was shouting, "Daddy, watch how good I can throw it!"

Daniel could imagine himself playing with his own child like that. Candace saw him watching them and smiled. He would make a great daddy, she thought to herself.

Back at the house, Daniel turned to her and said, "I know I'm not smart . . . and I'm goofy and people think I'm crazy, but I swear I know what I mean when I say I love you. Like really love you. Like Noah loved Allie and Jack loved Rose." A minute later he opened a little felt box and placed a small diamond engagement ring on her finger. "Will you marry me Candace?" He asked kneeling on one knee.

"Oh Daniel, it's beautiful!" She blurted, looking at the ring and then threw her arms around his neck as she answered, "Yes, I'll marry you! I love you so much!"

Hugging her back and feeling happiness he had thought he would never feel he said, "I love you too, Candace."

Taking her into his arms, he kissed her zealously. Encouraged by her touch, he rapidly unlocked the door and led her upstairs to their bedroom. They made love as thoughts of their future together flashed through their minds. Afterwards, they fell upon the bed and cuddled.

With sweat running down his face, Daniel took a deep breath and kissed her lips gently. Pushing his curly hair out of his eyes, she smiled. "That was amazing," she responded.

"Yeah . . . you are," he said with a smile.

Never again did he stop before he was finished. They were engaged; they were going to be together no matter what happened. He wanted to have children with her and deep down she wanted to as well.

Chapter 12

Candace had imagined her wedding day since she was a little girl. She always thought she would have a beautiful white wedding dress and pretty flowers, with her dad walking her down the aisle and her family in attendance. But she knew her real wedding would be nothing like her dreams. Even though Abe insisted on paying for their honeymoon and helping with their wedding, she was disappointed that none of her family would be there. She would, however, have a beautiful white dress and flowers. Daniel had made sure of that. Candace's friend and co-worker, Lindsey, would be her maid of honor. Abe would walk her down the aisle, and Daniel's boss Jackson would be his best man.

Since they had gotten engaged on Daniel's birthday in March, they decided to get married a week after Candace's birthday in June. The wedding would be at a small chapel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on June 23rd. The chapel provided services for music, flowers, and photographers. Abe refused to let them pay for anything beyond what they would wear. So at his urging, Candace decided she wanted ivy with lavender flowers.

A week before the wedding, Abe drove down to Tennessee to make sure everything was ready. He hired a photographer and located a wedding gown and tuxedo rental shop in Gatlinburg. His plans were to meet Daniel and Candace in Sevierville two days before the ceremony to assist in the any finals details; however, those plans changed when Daniel told him about the awful things Candace's family had said to her when she had called to invite them to her wedding.

Abe, who remembered how upset his wife had been when her own family had refused to attend their wedding, thought of Peggy. Partly on account of regretting what he hadn't done when it had been he and his wife going through the same scenario, and partly because he wanted Candace to be as happy as possible on her special day he decided to go have a talk with her parents. So before he went to meet Daniel and Candace he found her parent's address in the phone book.

Turning into the Troy's driveway in his son's BMW, he was approached by an older man and a young boy. "Can we help you, Sir?" Candace's father, Corbin, asked.

"Yes, I believe you can," he said exiting the car. "You see, my name is Abe Clark and I'm from Beaufort, South Carolina but I live in Ohio now with my son and his family. Your daughter, Candace, and her soon-to-be-husband Daniel Raye, mean a great deal to me. They are leasing my late wife and I's house in Beaufort. Both of them are hard workers and good kids. Now, they are getting married this Saturday afternoon at three o'clock in Gatlinburg and you and the missus should be there to give your blessing." Abe told them.

Corbin turned bright red and told the boy to go in the house. "Look Mister . . ." he began.

"Abe . . . Abe Clark."

"Yeah, well I'm sorry you drove all the way here from Ohio, but it was a wasted trip. We . . ."

"Oh, no, it wasn't a wasted trip!" Abe interrupted. "I am going to play the father of bride in that wedding, since the lovely bride's real father is being a jackass about the whole situation!"

"Excuse me? You don't know me at all! Candace is no longer my daughter as far as I'm concerned. She has shamed this family by being with that trash! She has no respect for us! And I bet you didn't know he is autistic for Christ sake!" Corbin boomed.

"There is no need to bring Christ into this, but if you insist I'm sure he would be rather appalled at the way you are treating your daughter. And, Sir, the only one shaming your family is you. As a matter of fact Daniel has high-functioning Asperger's autism and so does my grandson. Neither of them is crazy! Daniel loves Candace with every fiber of his being and she loves him deeply in return. Saturday they will begin their new lives together, and if you think you might ever want to be a part of that life, you will be at the wedding!" Abe shouted, getting back in the car.

"Don't plan on us being there!" Corbin roared.

"Don't plan on ever being forgiven by your daughter!" Abe countered.

"Oh well, I have another one and she's made us very proud!" Corbin yelled as Abe backed out of the driveway.

If I was Daniel's age again I would have knocked that old bastard's teeth down his throat, Abe thought to himself as he headed to meet the bride and groom-to-be. Her father would regret being that way one day he should just hope it wasn't too late to make it right.

Chapter 13

Two days before their wedding, Daniel and Candace met Abe at a McDonald's in Sevierville, Tennessee. They would follow him to the chapel and rental places, since neither of them had ever been before. He also had a surprise for them.

"Two days until the big day!" Abe announced as they sat down at the table.

"I know . . . It's hard to believe." Candace replied, squeezing Daniel's hand.

"Well, I have a present for the two of you. You have a fully-paid seven-night honeymoon stay already booked at the adjoining inn on the same location as the chapel. The honeymoon suite has a king-size bed, a large two-person Jacuzzi, and a private balcony on the river. The ceremony has been paid for as well. I have already booked a photographer and arranged to have the flowers you wanted. The only thing left for the two of you to do is rent your dress and tuxedo. I found a place that does that in Gatlinburg. The prices seemed reasonable, if you two want to go and look," Abe told them.

"Oh wow, are you kidding? There's no telling how much all that cost!" Candace blurted.

"It doesn't matter how much it cost. I know what the two of you have is special, because my wife and I had it too. Old man Jack did it for us and I am doing it for the two of you. Candace, I never had a daughter but I feel blessed to have you as my adopted daughter and Daniel as my son. I know what it's like when your family criticizes you for being the happiest you've ever been. I'm not blood related to either of you, but I love you both as though you are my children. Please take what I have done for you as my wish for you both to have a long and happy life together," Abe told them.

"Thank you . . . I don't know what else to say, but thank you," Daniel responded.

******

Candace and Daniel followed Abe to Gatlinburg so they could pick out their wedding attire. She tried on four different dresses before she found one she truly loved. It was a long, white strapless gown with a short veil and long lace ruffles.

When she stepped out of the dressing room, Daniel was speechless. She was beautiful. The woman, who had assisted her, saw his mouth gaped open and smiled. "Do you like it, Mister . . ." she trailed off, realizing she didn't know his last name.

Never taking his eyes off of Candace, he blurted, "Wow! You're so pretty baby!" Ignoring the fact that the woman, another customer, and Abe were present, Daniel pulled her against him and pressed his lips to hers.

After several extremely awkward minutes, Abe cleared his throat and said, "Alright, son, save some of that for the honeymoon!"

Reluctantly Daniel took a few steps backward. Slightly embarrassed, he looked down at his feet and smiled. He had never kissed her in public before, but he hadn't been able to stop himself a few moments ago. Even though he should have been concentrating on their wedding attire, all he could focus on was being able to take that dress off her after the wedding. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he glanced out the window and grinned.

Daniel's reaction had surprised Candace. She loved the dress, but she hadn't imagined he would like it so well. She had been impressed by how handsome he was in a tuxedo too. Even without her parents or sister there, they were still going to have a beautiful wedding. And thanks to Abe, they would always have photographs to remind them of the joyous occasion.

******

The night before their big day Candace, Daniel, and Abe ate dinner at a popular Gatlinburg restaurant called Crystelle Creek Restaurant and Grill. They enjoyed a delicious shrimp appetizer with a butter dipping sauce as they waited for their meal to arrive. Daniel ordered a half rack of ribs with a baked potato, while Candace requested the teriyaki chicken with steamed vegetables and a rice pilaf. Abe chose the ribeye steak and a baked potato. A short distance from their table, a man stood on a small stage, singing and playing an acoustic guitar. He is actually pretty good, Candace thought to herself as she halfheartedly listened to him while they talked amongst themselves.

Abe insisted on paying for the meal, and then suggested they go to a live show that was a popular attraction in the area. The one he chose was in Pigeon Forge. Instead of taking both cars, they left Abe's son's car at the Inn and he rode with them out to the Comedy Barn. Candace drove, but she immediately wished she'd let Abe have the keys. The traffic was horrible. Soon, however, they made their way to where they were going.

Again Abe declined to let them pay for their tickets. The seats were good; they weren't far from the stage and they had a good view. The comedy was hilarious. All three of them nearly laughed until they cried. She especially liked the trained cats, dogs, and pigs that performed. There was a cat that climbed a ladder and a pig that jumped through a hoop. It was truly an entertaining time.

On the way back to the Inn, Abe pointed out the massive Island Ferris wheel that towered over the shops and attractions around it. Tonight it was lit up in blue and green lights. It was lovely, but they agreed it was best to enjoy it from the ground. None of them were particularly fond of heights.

Back at the Inn, Abe once again paid for three separate rooms for the night. He insisted he cover the cost, so they could keep with the tradition that the groom shouldn't see the bride in her wedding dress the night before the wedding.

Abe said his good nights and retired to his own room three doors down from Daniel's. Candace's was on the opposite side of Abe's. She quickly kissed her soon-to-be husband and hurried off to hers. Daniel walked into his and shut the door behind him. There was a full-size bed, a TV, a telephone on the nightstand and a small bathroom in the back. They only needed the simplest rooms for this night.

He sat down on the side of the bed and kicked off his shoes. This was it, the night before their wedding. He could hardly believe where they were today, as how it had been when they first met. The first time he'd laid eyes on her he'd been fifteen years old, but in his mind he'd been more like ten. He had been told all his life that he was developmentally delayed. She'd been his first crush, his first love, the first woman he'd ever made love to. And tomorrow would ensure she would be his last. He'd heard that some people got cold feet the night before their wedding, but that was the farthest thing from what was on his mind. He could hardly wait to start their new life together. Sure, they'd been living together since he was seventeen. But sharing the same last name and vowing to spend the rest of their lives together was much different than sharing the same bed and making pinkie promises. With a smile on his face, he stretched out across the bed and closed his eyes.

******

She doubted she would get any sleep. She was excited and anxious about tomorrow, but this was the first night she'd not slept in bed beside Daniel. Even though he was right down the hall, she felt alone. She'd turned on the TV when she first walked into the room. Hoping for something good to watch to take her mind off it, she flipped through the channels several times. Finally, she switched off the TV and stripped down to her panties and T-shirt. Strolling into the bathroom, she lifted her shirt up to underneath her breasts and stared at herself in the mirror. She was hardly showing at all so far, but there was a tiny new life growing inside her. She'd known for a few weeks, but she hadn't wanted to tell Daniel until their honeymoon. Candace knew he loved her, but she didn't want him to feel trapped by a baby. If he changed his mind about the wedding, like her sister's ex had, then he wouldn't feel like he was letting the baby down too. She didn't want him to change his mind and she hoped he didn't, but she believed enough in herself that if he did she knew she could raise the baby by herself. Rubbing her abdomen she whispered, "We will see tomorrow sweet baby." Smiling, she turned off the bathroom light and went to bed.

******

He hadn't been here since he and his wife had been here many years ago. It was still fairly the same as it had been then, visually-wise anyway. The feelings were very much different tonight though. He was proud of Candace and Daniel and he was excited for them. But being back here brought back so many memories of her.

He'd first laid eyes on her as she was walking home from school with friends. Normally he would have been at work, but his friend's dad had asked him to drop by that afternoon to take a look at his car. Even back then, he'd been pretty handy with his hands. The year was 1945. He was seventeen years old and working to try to get his own car so he could get out of that dead end town.

He'd heard the giggling first, and then when he looked around the side of the car he saw her. She was pretty as a picture. Her sandy blonde hair was cut short and blew in the breeze. Her hazel eyes made him feel as though he would melt at any moment. She held her school books tucked in her arms and she shyly watched as he strolled over to her. He wiped his greasy hand off on his shirt and extended it. "Hello there, miss." He told her. "The name's Abe and what would your name be?"

"Peggy Kay," She answered sweetly. And from that moment on they were inseparable.

She was the same age as him, but she was still in school. She had dreams of one day becoming a school teacher. She'd come from a good family, with two loving parents and three siblings. They never liked him from the first time they saw him. He was trash in their eyes. The fact that he had a job, was a hard worker, and obviously loved their daughter didn't change their thoughts one bit. All they could see was that he had quit school, hardly had any contact with his mother, and always seemed to be filthy. He always cleaned up when he knew he was going to see her, but her folks would catch him out in town somewhere and he'd be greasy from work. He hadn't cared what her parents thought about him. She didn't seem to either; and they would sneak around and do as they pleased.

Then she found out she was pregnant. She'd told him under the old weeping willow where they'd picnicked a few times. She was crying and he had held her and promised everything would be okay. They'd told her parents together and her father had slapped him. "All her hopes and dreams are over because of you!" The man had shouted at him. He'd let her father scream and shout at him for nearly an hour and then he'd calmly told him that he loved his daughter and he was going to marry her. The next day, her father forbade her to see him and began talking about sending her away to have the baby. That night she packed a few things in a small suitcase and met him by the street. They left Texas together and never returned. Even though she'd lost the baby, he'd never once regretted running away with her. He had thought often about what she would have done with her life had he not interfered. Would she have become a teacher? Would she have married a rich man that her folks approved of and settled down in Texas? Or would she always have been searching for the true unconditional love that she found in him?

Over the years she had told him she too didn't regret them leaving. Although she never became a teacher, she was quick to tell him that her dreams changed once she met him. They had both found a father figure in old man Jack Tucker, raised three handsome sons, enjoyed birthdays and Christmases with nine grandchildren, and spent nearly five decades in the house in Beaufort before she passed on. She never wore a frown for more than a few hours. Never a day went by when she didn't kiss him and tell him how very much she loved him. Their children and grandchildren grew up knowing they were loved unconditionally. And it all began with one simple look.

He was blessed beyond measure for all the years he'd had with her. Her love had made him capable of achieving things he'd never thought possible. With her by his side he'd felt as though he could take on the world. Through the two years that she was sick he'd never once thought about losing her. He had truly thought that together they could conquer anything. But then one day she was gone and his world stopped turning for months afterward. A couple of times he had considered taking his own life just so he could see her again. It seemed like the house was a constant reminder of what he'd lost. Their children were grown and had their own lives. All of their grandchildren were either adults or teenagers. Everyone else had their own lives, but he just couldn't move on with his without her beside him.

Then one night as he was lying on the couch downstairs because he couldn't sleep in their bed alone, Peggy had come to him. She'd been wearing the same pretty blue dress she'd had on all those years ago when they'd first met. She was the same, yet older and with a sad expression on her face. She'd sat down on the edge of the couch beside him and pushed his gray hair out of his eyes as she always had when she was trying to get his attention. "My sweet Abe," she'd whispered.

He'd felt the tears forming and opened his mouth to speak to her but she spoke again before he could. "You know I'm always with you in your heart. I'm sorry I had to leave you, but you can't go on like this. Go on and live your life and enjoy it. You don't have to stay here. No matter where you go, I'll always be right here." She said, placing her hand over his heart. "I love you Abe Clark and we will be together again, but you have a lot of life left to live yet." Peggy leaned down and kissed his lips tenderly and then she was gone.

The next morning, Abe awoke and set about getting the house ready to be leased out. But while he was doing some of the renovations and moving some of their items into storage, he thought of old man Jack. He knew he wouldn't have been half the man he was today had it not been for the man taking a chance on a kid he'd never laid eyes on before. Abe took out an old photograph of the only man who'd ever been a father to him and held it in his hands. I'm going to do what you did for us for someone else, he thought to himself. That was when he made the decision that he would stay in the house until the ones who were supposed to get it next arrived. That same afternoon, he met Daniel and Candace for the first time.

He smiled to himself as he remembered something he'd once read, "Eventually all the pieces will fall into place. Until then laugh at the confusion, live for the moment, and know that everything happens for a reason." He turned off the bedside lamp and soon drifted off to sleep.

******

Moments before Candace would walk down the aisle, Daniel stood at the altar and felt as though he were about to faint. The minister handed him a napkin soaked with cold water and repeatedly told him to relax. He was overwhelmed with thoughts that she would change her mind at the last minute.

When the wedding march began, he took a deep breath and smiled as Abe lead his bride down the aisle. Kissing her on the cheek, he gave her hand to Daniel and stepped back. As the minister spoke, they stared at one another. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony." The minister began.

When it was time, they both said I do and exchanged rings. At the announcement of them being Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Raye, he kissed his bride.

As they left the chapel, they were all smiles. With Candace thinking about how beautiful their wedding had been, and Daniel thinking about how he couldn't wait to get her alone in their honeymoon suite.

The chapel and the Inn where they were married were conjoined by a glass walkway between the two. The honeymoon suite was really nice. It wasn't as extravagant as the ones at The Crescent hotel in California where they had shared their first kiss, but they didn't need fancy anyway. They hugged Abe goodbye, thanked him once more, and hurried off to begin their honeymoon.

Chapter 14

Their first night as Mr. and Mrs. Raye was spent mostly in their room. Neither of them had ever been in a Jacuzzi before, so as soon as they took off their wedding attire, they tried it out.

Daniel had been imagining their first night as husband and wife since before he had proposed; then seeing her in that wedding dress had just made him more excited. But as it was, Candace surprised him. She asked him to go down to the lobby to get her a bottle of water, and then while he was gone she dimmed the lights by the Jacuzzi and got it running. After she poured in some of her favorite bubble bath, she sat down and waited for him to return.

Walking into the room, he had a look of surprise on his face. "You tricked me?" He asked, smiling.

"I wanted to get it ready." She whispered, motioning for him to join her.

Shedding his clothing, he climbed in and sat down in front of her. "I love you so much," he told her leaning in to kiss her gently.

"I love you too Daniel," she responded.

Later they decided to walk down the street to get a few grocery items that they could keep in their in-room refrigerator to eat during the week. Holding hands as they walked, they talked about things they had seen in brochures and might be something they wanted to do before the week was up. Candace had seen a brochure for a riding stable that she was interested in checking out. Daniel was around horses every day in his job, but Candace had never ridden a horse.

Daniel's boss had told him about a small hiking trail off of Cades Cove in Gatlinburg called Abram Falls Trail that was supposed to lead to a beautiful waterfall. They both decided that was a must-see while they were there.

At the store, they collected items for sandwiches and some cups so they could have water to drink. Daniel also picked up a few more brochures of things they might want to do.

Once back at the Inn, Candace suggested they watch TV while they tried to fall asleep. A few minutes later, they were busy making love. Finally a little after seven in the morning, they fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

Candace awoke a few hours later and noticed Daniel wasn't in the room. Putting on her nightgown and panties, she quickly glanced in the bathroom and then hurried toward the balcony. He was seated in a chair with his back to her. Getting closer, she realized he had his headphones on and was writing something. She was trying to be quiet, but she tripped over the edge of a nearby rug and fell against the balcony door.

"Good morning." He told her, smiling as he stood.

"Good morning . . . I didn't mean to . . . I tripped and . . ." She stammered, feeling foolish.

"It's okay. Are you alright?" He asked, laying down the notepad and hugging her.

As if on cue her stomach made a loud rumbling sound. "I was going to say yes, but my stomach seems to think otherwise." She laughed.

"Let's catch that bus thing and go eat breakfast. We can go to the stables later if you want," he told her.

"The trolley? Are you sure . . . I mean it could be crowded?" She asked, remembering how Daniel didn't feel comfortable in crowds.

"It's cheaper than driving, and we can see the sights. I'll be okay. Come on, let's get ready." He answered, pulling her into the room.

Half an hour later they were ready to leave. Candace normally wore capris, but she decided to wear a pair of cut-off denim shorts with a pale purple tank top and flip-flops. Daniel had on his usual summer attire: checked shorts, a white T-shirt, his snapback hat, and sneakers.

As they stood at the trolley stop next door to where they were staying, Daniel couldn't keep his eyes off her. All the time he'd known her, he'd never saw her in cut-off denim shorts unless she had her bathing suit underneath. She was so sexy, and she didn't even realize it. Other men were walking past and turning around to get another look. Daniel felt a tingle of anger, but it left almost immediately. This is all mine man, he almost said aloud.

They had breakfast or lunch rather, at a pancake house in Pigeon Forge. They both ordered from the breakfast menu and then sat back to wait for their food to be delivered.

"My boss said that with my name badge from work, we could take out two horses without a guide." Daniel told her, glancing around the restaurant.

"I don't know, Daniel. Are you sure that's a good idea?" She asked, slightly worried.

"Trust me, I know horses."

"I know . . . I trust you a hundred percent. The horse on the other hand . . ." She trailed off as a waitress sat two steaming plates of food down in front of them.

They ate in silence, each enjoying the delicious pancakes, eggs, bacon, and biscuits they had ordered. As Candace finished up, Daniel left the table saying he would be right back. A few minutes later he was back, handing her a disposable camera. "Since we forgot to get one . . . I mean, I thought we might want some pictures from our honeymoon." He told her.

"Yes, we need some to put in our family album."

"Excuse me . . . Did I hear you say that ya'll are on your honeymoon?" Their waitress asked cheerfully.

"Yeah, we got married yesterday." Daniel answered with a smile.

"Well, I'll be! Ya'll sure are a cute couple! Well, I'll tell you what . . . I'm knocking twenty off your food and here are two free passes to the Titanic Museum." The waitress announced, laying the passes on the table.

"Really?" Candace gushed, staring at the woman.

"Why Lord yes, honey! You and the hubby enjoy your honeymoon cause when you get back home, it'll be time to start making babies." She responded with a wink before walking away.

"I can't believe it!" Candace told Daniel. "She doesn't even know us."

"Come on, let's pay and get out of here before she changes her mind." He whispered, taking ahold of her hand.

******

Daniel's boss had been right. After he had shown a riding stable employee his Ross Family Stables badge, they let them take out two horses for as long as they liked. Candace's horse was a ten year old Appaloosa mare named Rhonda. Daniel's horse was a five year old American Quarter mare. Her name was Piper.

Candace was terrified at first, but Rhonda was calm and gentle as though the horse could sense her fear. Gradually Rhonda and Candace began to trot along in front of Piper and Daniel. He was glad to see her enjoying something that he considered his career. He was accustomed to calming children as well as the horses at the stables where he worked. Most of the children, like Candace, had never been on a horse, not to mention most of them had handicaps that among other things caused them to be withdrawn and hard to communicate with. Some of the kids he worked with were wheelchair bound; others were blind. With the joy on each child's face of being on the horses, Daniel felt pride that he had helped make it happen. He felt sympathy for all the children he met, but the kids with autism especially pulled as his heartstrings. He could relate to them; he knew what they went through on a daily basis. Those kids, he shared his own diagnose with. Even the parents were usually shocked to hear that someone with autism could grow into such an independent and capable adult.

Daniel thought about his life up until now, as he and Candace and the horses trotted along the trails. When he was fifteen and just moving to California he never imagined meeting Candace, let along falling in love with her and getting married. Now here they were five years later, on their honeymoon, maybe about to start a family. It was amazing how one step changed my whole life, Daniel thought as he looked at his wife on the horse in front of him.

Candace and Rhonda were enjoying themselves. The horse seemed to know Candace was having a good time, because every so often she would slow and neigh softly as if she was talking to her. Candace knew now why Daniel enjoyed his job so much. She felt like no one else existed except her, Daniel, and the two beautiful horses. She felt free and she loved it.

Nearing the end of the six-mile trail ride and the gate of the stables, the horses slowed. Daniel and Piper went to the gate and he climbed down. Candace surprised him when she was able to get down by herself. Before she handed the lead to the stable hand, she kissed Rhonda's nose and thanked her for the amazing ride. Daniel watched with a smile on his face. Like himself, she loved animals and it was clear she had already gotten attached to the horse.

Once back on the trolley, they decided to get off at a souvenir shop near the Titanic museum, so they could do a little shopping before their tour of the museum.

The shop had an airbrush booth inside, where Candace began browsing the designs they offered. Knowing they didn't have a lot of money to spend on useless items, but seeing the look on her face, Daniel told her to pick out each of them one. After several minutes of looking, she decided on a mountain scene with the sunset in the distance and 'Candace & Daniel Forever' across the front of both shirts.

The shirts weren't going to be finished for an hour, so they crossed the parking lot to the museum. Upon entering they were given boarding passes as though they were truly on the magnificent ship.

Inside there were several items that had actually been aboard the ship on its maiden voyage in April of 1912. Many of the items had laid at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean for more than seventy years, until the wreckage was discovered in 1985.

There were stories along the walls of people who had purchased passage on the glorious ship but for whatever reason their plans changed, as though fate had intervened.

The museum was set up so visitors could feel as though they were actually onboard the ship that fateful night. In the third class section, there was a stairway behind glass where the lights would blink and water began running down the stairs. It truly had an ominous feel to it.

The grand staircase in the middle of the museum was a very close replica of the one on the Titanic. Daniel stood at the top and could imagine being Jack in the movie, standing on those stairs and how out of place he must have felt. Although Jack and Rose had only been characters in a movie, the events that the actual people experienced were beyond any that either of them could fathom.

In another part of the museum, visitors could walk through the bridge area. Out the 'windows' one could see the starlight night just as the captain and others saw it on April 14, 1912. Outside of the bridge, the room temperature was dropped to allow one to experience the coldness of that night, as well as a small pool of water alongside the 'ship' to experience how icy the water felt when the ship sank sending over half of its passengers into the frigid depths.

At the end of the tour there was a wall of names: the few that survived and the more than 1,500 who perished.

Candace was very emotional by the time they finished the tour. What the passengers and crew had experienced that night was horrific. It was unbelievable that such a great loss of life could have been avoided had there been enough lifeboats for everyone on board.

As she went to the restroom to collect herself, Daniel browsed the gift shop. Among the many books, T-shirts, and keychains he found a replica necklace of the one from the movie. Glancing behind him to make sure Candace wasn't nearby he picked it up and looked at the price tag. Thinking only a moment, he took it to the checkout counter to pay. Looking behind him again, he turned back around as the lady behind the counter smiled. "Is this a gift?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's for my wife." He answered, feeling proud to call her that.

"Oh, that's sweet. Would you like me to put it in a box?"

"Yeah. Thanks." He responded, noticing Candace flipping through a book across the room.

"No problem, young man. How long have you two been married? The lady asked, as she took the tag of the necklace and gently placed it in a small box.

"Since Saturday." He blurted and then added, "We're on our honeymoon."

"Aww! Well, congratulations to you and your bride!" She told him beaming.

"Thanks." He said returning the smile, and going outside to wait for Candace.

******

After picking up their airbrushed shirts, they boarded the trolley and went back to the Inn. Daniel made them both sandwiches and then they watched a comedy show on TV.

Even though it was still early evening, they were both tired after only getting a few hours of sleep the night before. When the show went off, Candace suggested they take a bath together in the Jacuzzi before bed. While she was in the bathroom getting the tub ready, he took the box with the necklace out of his pocket and sat it on the table by the bed.

Joining her by the Jacuzzi, he began to strip off his clothing. She did the same and sat down in the tub. Seconds later, he turned off the water and joined her.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear as he wrapped his arm around her.

"I love you too." She replied, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"Today was fun, wasn't it?" He asked.

"Yeah, it was. The museum was sad, but I enjoyed seeing all the exhibits. You were right about the trolley. We did get to see a lot of the sights."

"Before we leave, we should check out Cades Cove and Abrams Falls. My boss said they are both free and worth the drive," he suggested.

"Okay, do you want to go tomorrow?"

"Yeah, if you do." He told her and then asked, "Did you see anything today that you might want to do?"

"Well . . . I know its June, but I would like to go in that Christmas store and look around. I've always loved Christmas." She told him, lifting her head to see the look on his face.

"We can do that." He told her, smiling.

Leaning toward him, she kissed him tenderly. Then as she initiated with a soapy wash cloth, they bathed each other. Daniel, afraid he would hurt her most delicate areas, was hesitant to do it. But she took his hand and helped him. She was so gentle as she washed him, and it immediately made him want to be with her intimately. Shortly thereafter, he was.

During their lovemaking, Daniel got a little carried away and left a mark on her neck. His breath caught in his throat when he saw it, but he continued what he was doing. When he finished, instead of kissing her afterward as he normally did he got out of the tub and sat down on the end of the bed, still naked. He had tears in his eyes when she joined him. "What's the matter?" She asked worried.

"I hurt you! I didn't mean to, I swear!" He blurted.

"You didn't hurt me! I loved it! It's always great!" She told him honestly.

"But . . . The bruise on your neck . . . "

Getting up to look in a nearby mirror, she laughed. "It's called a hickey and it doesn't hurt. It just shows you were enjoying it too." She said, gently kissing his check.

"Are . . . Are you sure?" He stammered, feeling like an idiot.

"Yeah, perfectly normal. It shows other men that I'm yours," she teased.

"Good," he responded with a smirk.

Suddenly yawning, she tried to hide it.

"Come on, let's go to bed." He said holding out his hand.

"Let's dry off first." She said, hurrying back in the bathroom to get the towels.

After drying off, they turned out the lights and climbed into bed neither of them bothering to get dressed. She fell asleep on his chest as she had so many nights before.

******

It was close to lunchtime when they awoke. Eating a sandwich in the room first, they decided to take the car to Cades Cove.

Because of the traffic, it took a bit to get there. But it was gorgeous once they did. Along the path were several churches and cabins from bygone times. They pulled off and walked through every one they came to. Farther down, Daniel pointed out a deer in the field on the left. It flicked its tail and looked around, but never bothered to dart away.

To view another cabin, they had to park the car and walk several feet. It was a two-story log cabin built in the early 1800s by settlers who had just arrived in the area. The downstairs area was just a large open space with a fireplace in the middle and a small door opening to a narrow space beneath the stairs. The upstairs had a low ceiling and was also an open space. It was hard to believe this cabin had been someone's home for many years. Daniel was shocked that it didn't have a bathroom or a kitchen. Candace tried to imagine how it may have been furnished years ago.

The trail to Abrams Falls wasn't far past the cabin, but they did have to turn off the main path to get there. The trail itself was two and a half miles and relatively level. Once at the falls, they were overcome by the beauty of what they saw. The falls were around twenty feet high and emptied into a lovely scenic pool.

Neither Candace nor Daniel spoke as they admired their surroundings. They had expected a nice view, but the reality of it was far above nice. It was such a tranquil sight with the sound of the falls, as well birds chirping nearby and a gentle breeze blowing through the trees. It was the most peaceful place either of them had ever been, and neither would forget being there.

******

Sightseeing for a while before returning to the Inn, Candace stopped at a souvenir shop to buy a couple postcards to send to her family, as if to rub in their faces how much fun they were having. The one of Abrams Falls, she planned to send to Abe. Two others with black bears on the front, she would send to her parents and sister.

Back at the room, she addressed them. On Abe's she wrote:

Dear Abe,

Thank you so much for everything! We are having a great time, but we miss you! See you when we get back home.

Love Always,

Daniel & Candace Raye

On the ones for her parents and sister, she tried once more to include them in her and Daniel's life together. She wrote:

Dear Mom & Dad,

We missed you at our wedding; wish you could have made it. We are on our honeymoon here and are having a great time! Hope to hear from you soon.

Love,

Daniel & Candace Raye

Her sister's was the same. She hoped they would feel remorse for not being present at the wedding and at the very least, wish them good luck. But she didn't have very high expectations.

As Candace was about to take the postcards down to the lobby to have them mailed, she noticed a little box on the table by the bed. Looking around for Daniel, she saw him out on the balcony writing again. Curious as to what was in the box, but also wanting to give him the opportunity to show her if he wanted her to know, she took her purse and the postcards to the lobby.

When she returned to the room, Daniel was sitting on the bed holding the box. "I got you this yesterday." He said, handing it to her.

Opening it up, she saw it was a replica of the heart of the ocean necklace from the movie Titanic. It was beautiful and it brought tears to her eyes. "I love it, Daniel. Thank you," she told him.

"It's supposed to be the heart of the ocean and since you have my heart, I thought you should have this to wear. I want you to know I love you, Candace, and I always will. If it ever comes to it, I would give my life for you, so you could live. Just like Jack did for Rose. I could never live without you with me. You make my life worth living and I'm thankful I get to wake up beside you . . . my beautiful wife every morning. Thank you, baby for sharing your life with me." He confessed.

As tears of happiness ran down her face, she sat the box back on the table and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Daniel, there's nobody I'd rather share my life with. You are my best friend and my soul mate. I love you with my whole heart! You're everything to me!" She replied, as she gazed into his eyes. "You are the prince I have waited my whole life to find and in the years since we first met, I have been happier than I have ever been in my life. Words can't express how much I love you," she finished.

Touching the side of her cheek, he leaned in and kissed her tenderly. After several minutes of kissing, Daniel took off his shirt and gave it a toss. Pushing his hair out of his face, he continued to kiss her. Tugging on the button of her shorts, he finally managed to unfasten them. Lifting her shirt off over her head, he gently laid her down on the bed and finished removing her clothing. Then he stood and removed his own.

******

Later while Candace was asleep he returned to his writing. He was writing her a letter, a good one. He wanted to tell her things he didn't know how to say to her face, so he was doing it this way. Watching her sleep, he smiled. "You're everything I ever wanted and everything I'll ever need." He wrote in the letter, before turning off the light and laying back down with his wife.

******

The next two days were spent in and around the Inn. A woman in the lobby had told Candace that there were picnic tables along the river by the Inn and also places shallow enough for guests to wade in the water and feed the ducks.

After awakening on Tuesday morning, she and Daniel agreed to have lunch by the river. They both had an apple for breakfast and made the sandwiches for lunch together. He had a hard time focusing on the task at hand however, because he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She was wearing a pale yellow strapless sundress and silver dangly earrings. Her hair was pulled up in a flip at the back, which left the base of her neck exposed.

He imagined himself taking her into his arms and kissing the base of her neck as she held tightly onto him. Suddenly lost in thought, he dropped a jar of pickets onto the tile floor. The jar shattered immediately and pickles and juice went all over. Candace screamed and leaped out of the way. They cleaned it up together and then finished packing their lunch into a cooler.

Just as they were about to walk out the door, he sat the cooler down on the floor and took her into his arms. Turning only briefly to lock the door back, he carried her back to the bed. She didn't complain or try to stop him. She held him tightly and pressed her lips against his. Deciding the picnic could wait, they made love once more.

******

"Are you okay?" She asked him, after listening to his erratic breathing for a few minutes.

"Yeah . . . Just give me a minute," he stammered between breaths.

Propping up on an elbow, Candace gazed into his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay?" She asked, worried.

After a moment's hesitation he blurted, "If I'm not . . . I'll die a happy man!"

"You know we could have a picnic tomorrow or the next day even . . . if you wanted to find another happy moment or two in a little while," she insinuated.

Turning toward her, he answered, "Baby, every moment I'm with you I'm happy doesn't matter what we're doing but if you are saying you want to do this again, then I say to hell with the picnic!" Laughing, he glanced at the clock on the wall and leaned over to kiss her again.

******

It was after dark Tuesday night when Candace and Daniel finally took a break from their love-making. Her legs trembled when she stood, so much so that she had to sit back down immediately after standing. "Are you okay baby?" Daniel asked her, alarmed.

"Yeah, my legs are trembling, that's all." She answered but she was a bit concerned herself.

"Do you feel alright besides that? You look pale," he told her, draping his arm across her shoulders.

"Yeah . . . I think I just need something to eat," she murmured.

Smiling, he asked, "Pizza delivery to the lobby okay with you?"

"Daniel . . ." she began.

"It's okay. I'll put whatever we spend back in savings. We'll never be on our honeymoon again; let's enjoy it. So . . . What toppings do you want?" He said, interrupting her.

"Pepperoni." She answered, after a brief hesitation.

"Okay . . . I'll call it in downstairs. Be right back, baby." He announced, leaving the room.

Half an hour later, Daniel returned with the pizza. He saw Candace standing on the balcony looking down at the water. "Are you alright?" He asked, sitting the pizza on the table and joining her on the balcony.

Startled, she looked at him. "Yeah, I'm fine." She answered, a little too quickly.

"Is something bothering you?" He asked, afraid he'd down something wrong.

"It's just that I hope we stay like this . . . in love and so happy to be with each other," she blurted.

Thinking a minute before he spoke, he realized he worried about the same thing. Putting his hand over hers on the railing he said, "I've loved you since before I knew what love was. On Saturday I made a promise to spend the rest of my life by your side, and that's exactly what I want to do. I'll always be in love with you, Candace, and nothing or no one will ever change that."

Turning to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I don't know what I did to deserve such a sweet, sexy, and incredibly good man such as yourself, but my future has never looked brighter than it does right now; and it's all because of you. I love you so much!" She told him.

"Our future," he corrected with a smile.

******

Wednesday morning, Candace awoke to find Daniel watching her sleep. "Morning baby," he said with a smile.

"Good morning." She replied, sleepily.

"Let's go on that picnic today. I saw some ducks down by the water this morning; we can feed them." He told her, sitting down on the bed beside her.

"How long have you been awake?" She asked.

"A couple of hours. I already packed the cooler," he answered.

"Wow." She replied, sitting up.

Noticing him staring at her, she blushed. "What?" She asked.

Squeezing her hand, he said, "You're so cute in the morning."

"No, I'm not! My hair's a mess and . . ."

"That doesn't matter . . . Your hair, your clothes, whether or not you're wearing jewelry or makeup. You're still beautiful to me, any time of day." He confessed.

"You're so sweet, Daniel." She said, leaning in to kiss him.

Returning the kiss, he pulled her to him. After several minutes, he pulled back and looked at her. "Baby, I like. . . I mean, I love making love to you and that would be so awesome right now, but we can do that every day for the rest of our lives. So let's go enjoy our honeymoon while we can." He whispered, hoping it didn't make her angry.

With a smile, she answered, "Okay . . . Let's do it, because we've got all night to make love."

"Yeah . . . All night sounds real good." He responded, standing and holding out his hand to her.

An hour later, Candace and Daniel were tossing pieces of bread to the ducks. The ducks were almost tame; they wouldn't allow themselves to be touched but they would take bread right out of their hands. Every time Candace would speak, one of the ducks nearest to her would quack as though it was talking to her.

When they decided to walk a little farther upstream to eat lunch at one of the picnic tables, that same duck followed them and stood nearby watching. As Daniel finished his sandwich, he tossed the last of the bread to it. Still it remained where it stood. "It's okay. You can eat it," Candace said. Immediately the duck began to eat the bread as thought it was simply waiting for her permission.

After lunch, they returned to the room to watch television. Candace lay on Daniel's chest as he flipped through the channels. Suddenly, he found the movie The New Guy on. Sitting the remote on the night stand beside the bed, they began to watch the movie. She kissed his chest and nestled closer to him. Moments like these were the times when all doubts of their love not lasting were gone. Whether they were watching movies, skating together, or simply cuddling after a long day, these were the moments when nothing else mattered but the two of them. He would do anything to make her happy; she was his beautiful wife and he intended to be with her the rest of his life come what may.

"You know that's how I felt when I really got to know you," Daniel blurted out after the movie was over.

"Felt like what?" Candace asked, propping up on an elbow to look at him.

"Like you were too good for me. I felt like I didn't stand a chance." He answered, looking away.

"Really?" She asked, and then added, "I'm nothing special."

"Yes, you are. You are so sweet and beautiful and you're sexy. And you really were out of my league. I don't know what you saw in me. I mean . . . you . . . baby, you could have had anybody, but yet you picked me. I'll never understand that, but I thank God that you did! Like in the movie Gil falls in love with her and she falls in love with him too, but she doesn't know about who he really is. You knew everything about me, every little dirty secret, but none of that changed the fact that we fell in love and got married."

"Daniel, you don't give yourself enough credit. Yes, you were different, but that made you unique. You are handsome and sweet and incredibly sexy! You respect me and love me and treat me as I deserve to be treated. You work hard to help provide for us. You love me on my worse days as well as my best. You're always here for me to talk to; you understand the things I don't say. Someone once said, 'To the world you may be one person but to one person you may be the world'. That's the way I feel about you. I waited my whole life to meet you, and now you're my world. It's like . . . we were destined to meet and fall in love," she told him.

"I feel like that too. I mean . . . out of all the people I've met in my life, meeting you changed everything."

Looking into her eyes, he leaned over and kissed her. Switching off the TV, he sat up on the bed and pulled her to him. Easing her shirt off over her head, he continued to gaze into her eyes. She in turn sat up straighter and lifted his shirt off over his head. Never taking his eyes off of hers, he unfastened her bra and removed it.

******

Thursday morning, Daniel got up before daylight and went onto the balcony to continue his letter. He planned on giving it to her before they left going back home, because then reality would set back in and he didn't want to take a chance on never getting what he needed to say out.

Today, he didn't wear headphones yet the morning sounds surrounding him calmed his mind and gave him peace. He could hear the water running in the creek beneath the balcony and birds chirping happily, still it wasn't the same as the sounds of the ocean. That was home; even though they didn't live right on the beach, they were close. Suddenly feeling a tinge of homesickness, he took out his cellphone and called home.

Abe, who had been cat-sitting Miller while they were gone, answered on the second right. "Hello, Abe speaking," he announced.

"Hey, Abe, how are you doing?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel! Son, you are supposed to be getting busy with the wife, not worried about this old geezer!"

Laughing, he answered, "Believe me, we have been! She's still asleep, so I thought I would call and check on you and Miller."

"Ah, well, we're good. Miller's been sleeping with me on the couch . . . but I know he misses the two of you," Abe said.

"We miss both of you too," Daniel told him.

"Well . . . You go back to bed with your beautiful wife and me and Miller will catch a few more hours of shut eye and we'll see you two on Saturday." Abe replied and then added, "I love you and Candace; be careful."

"We will and we love you too, Dad." Daniel blurted out before he realized what he'd said.

Abe held the phone to his ear and swallowed. "I'm glad, son. I'll let you go now, bye." He responded, hanging up.

Chapter 15

He had done it just like old man Jack had for him so many years ago. He had given Daniel a father in his life when he'd never known his own. Obviously he had accidentally called him dad, but it didn't matter. He'd always known you don't have to be blood to be family, and although Abe had three sons of his own, he could relate to Daniel more than any of them.

He remembered what it was like to be so much in love yet not have the support of anyone but each other; to have children and no one to share the joyous news with. He would never forget how he tried to comfort his wife the night they brought their eldest son home from the hospital. She had called her parents to tell them about his birth and her father had announced, "He'll never be anything but trash just like his father," before hanging up on her. She had wept all night.

Neither their sons nor their grandchildren got to meet his mother or his wife's parents. Both of her parents passed away within a year of her death. His own mother died last year; and although he offered several times to visit with his wife and sons, she had always come up with a reason for him not to.

The way he and his wife had been treated by those supposed to love them unconditionally, had hardened his heart over the years. But because of old man Jack, who believed in him and loved him and his wife and children as if they were his own, Abe had learned to love his children, grandchildren, and now Daniel and Candace as though he'd never felt heartache before.

His sons didn't understand the relationship between he and Daniel and they never would. His sons had always felt loved by both their parents; they had never had to run away to be happy. Abe knew how hard the next few years would be for Daniel and Candace and he planned to be there anytime they needed him.

******

Daniel hadn't meant to call Abe 'dad' but it felt right. The man had done more for him and Candace in a year's time than any man in his life had ever done. He accepted him for who he was, and gave him advice when he thought he needed it. Daniel loved him like the dad he had never known and it made him feel stronger knowing Abe was there for them if they ever needed him. Thinking about what Abe had said, he grinned and returned to bed with Candace, who was still sleeping soundly.

******

Later that morning after breakfast, they decided to ride the trolley to the Christmas store. Even Daniel, who until he met Candace had thought of it as just another day, thought the store was amazing. There were at least fifty artificial trees inside decorated with anywhere from a few simple ornaments to being covered with fancy expensive decorations. Daniel saw Candace's face light up as they walked through the store. She had always loved Christmas and took the time to decorate extensively. Their first year in the house, Abe had visited to help them hang up lights outside as well as put up their small tree they'd brought from California.

After Christmas, they had found a large seven foot artificial pine tree on sale and had bought it and some other decorations. So this year, they would have a big tree in the sunroom, instead of a tiny one on a table.

Daniel caught sight of a very pretty angel on top of a tree covered in plastic candles. Stopping to admire it for a moment, he lost sight of Candace. A few minutes later, a salesclerk stopped and asked him if he needed any help. He surprised himself when he blurted, "I want that angel." He was even more surprised when he saw how much it was, but he paid for it and walked outside. Seconds later, Candace appeared.

"What'd you get?" She asked, seeing the box in his hand.

"I thought our brand new tree could use an angel this year." He answered, opening the box and showing it to her.  
"Oh wow! It's beautiful! It's going to look so pretty on our new tree!" She said.

"So you like it?" He teased.

"I love it!" She answered, kissing him tenderly.

"Get a room!" A man yelled who happened to be walking by.

Daniel pulled back and shouted, "We have one thanks!"

Laughing they held hands and walked back to the trolley stop.

That afternoon while Candace took a nap in the room, Daniel rode the trolley to a fancy steakhouse he had saw when they first arrived and made reservations for later that evening. Returning to the room, he was surprised to find her still asleep. He knew she had been more tired lately but he wasn't too concerned about it; he just assumed it was because they spent so much time making love.

Writing more on the letter to her and then dressing in a suit Abe had loaned him, he finally realized he was going to have to wake her up. "Wake up baby," he said gently shaking her.

Opening her eyes, she looked at him strangely.

"Why are you dressed like that?"

"I have a couple of surprises for you. Go look in the closet over there and you'll find one of them," he told her.

She gasped when she opened the closet door. Inside was a dark blue strapless dress with shoes to match. "Where did you get this?" She whispered, running her hands over the fabric.

"Abe had this suit and that dress and shoes delivered here this morning. They were his and his wife's when they were younger." Daniel informed her, and then added, "Your necklace will match it."

"Do I need to wear this? Where are we going?"

"Yeah . . . Get dressed up and then I have two more surprises," he said.

After Candace fixed her hair, put on makeup, and dressed she and Daniel went downstairs to the lobby. "Are we taking the trolley?" She asked.

Smiling, he reached into his wallet and handed her his new driver's license. "Nope, I'm your chauffeur tonight."

"Oh my gosh! Daniel, when did you get them? I'm so proud of you!" She gushed, hugging him tightly.

"Two weeks ago. I was going to take you with me when I took the test but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"It is!" She said as she took ahold of his hand and followed him to the car.

Pulling into the parking lot at the steakhouse, Daniel turned to her and said, "Your last surprise is a steak dinner for my gorgeous, amazing wife."

"Aww, Daniel, you are such a romantic!" She exclaimed, kissing him tenderly and then adding, "I love you so much!"

"I love you too." He said, gazing into her eyes, once he had the car parked.

The steakhouse served delicious food. They each had a ribeye steak and a baked potato and shared a slice of blackberry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. They didn't talk much as they ate, yet Candace couldn't help but smile. Looking across the table at Daniel, she remembered the first time she met him. At the time she'd never thought they would fall in love. He'd been just a kid, who at the time nobody thought would ever be anything. Now here they sat; they were married and leasing their own home. He had a good job and had gotten his driver's license. Life is good, she thought to herself as they got up to leave.

As soon as they got back to the room, they changed out of the fancy clothes and into their pajamas. Lying down on the bed together, Daniel asked her, "Have you enjoyed our honeymoon, Mrs. Raye?"

Smiling, she answered, "Absolutely. Have you enjoyed it, Mr. Raye?"

"Yeah I have, but the best part was being with you every minute of every day for the whole week." He replied with a smile.

"I can't believe the week will be over tomorrow," she blurted suddenly.

"Did you get to do everything you wanted to?" He asked curiously.

"Yeah . . . I mean there are lots of things I'd like to do, but it all costs so much and we've been trying to save and . . ." She answered, before he cut her off.

"If money was no object, what's one thing you would want to do here before we go home?" He asked, hoping she would be honest.

After several minutes of silence, she answered, "Go to that big amusement park called Dollywood."

"Let's go tomorrow then," he said quickly.

"But it costs a lot and the crowds . . ." she began before being interrupted again.

"I'll put the money back we spend. Let's go; it'll be fun," he announced.

"Daniel, you are so good to me."

He leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Staring into his eyes, she whispered, "Make love to me please."

"Baby, you don't ever have to beg." He answered, slipping her gown and panties off and then removing his boxer shorts.

******

Candace and Daniel made love twice before she fell asleep and he left her to finish the letter. It only took him half an hour. Then he set the letter on the table for her to find in the morning and fell asleep beside her.

A little after dawn, she awoke and saw that Daniel was still sleeping. Getting out of bed, she noticed something on the table. Realizing it was a letter she picked it up and began to read:

My Dearest Candace,

As you know I have a hard time expressing my feelings sometimes, so I decided to write you this letter. I hope it makes sense to you.

My life has been hell since the day I was born. Nobody ever gave a damn about me, except Mom and even she got tired of me always being around. I never planned on meeting you our second day in California. I didn't know what love was then, but I knew I felt different about you than I had with anyone else. You brought a ray of sunshine into my life that I never knew existed.

I want you to know, that day Mom killed herself I told her that I thought I loved you and someday I was going to ask you to marry me. She laughed and said I was out of my mind, that no one would ever want to marry me. I believed her too, until the first time we made love at your parent's house when we visited them.

After that night, I thought about what Mom had said and about the fact that I now knew we both loved each other. You were so amazing that night. You didn't care that I didn't know what the hell I was doing. We did it and it felt so great and then the next night we did it again. It all just felt so right. Then we met Abe and he really and truly believed in me and you did too. I felt capable of making my life all it could be. I love you, our life together, our home, my job. I mean, everything seems so perfect. I wish Mom could see us now. But because of you I'm not trying to please anyone but myself now. You love me and I love you more with every breath I take. Your love is what keeps my heart beating. You give me a reason to wake up every morning. And I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are everything I've ever wanted and everything I'll ever need.

I know you want kids someday and I want you to know that I do too. I would love to be a dad. To play catch and teach them to drive and everything dads are supposed to do. I know I didn't have anybody around to learn from on how to do it, but I can learn now. I swear to you I'll never leave you or my kids. I know what it's like and I would never do that.

I can't guarantee my kids won't have autism, but I can promise to love them and care for them regardless. I see kids who come into the stables who have Down syndrome, cancer, autism, and any number of other diseases and handicaps. Some are blind or wheelchair-bound, some have never spoken, while others look physically normal but are mentally handicap. Each and every one of those are special in their own way, and no matter what they deal with on a daily basis, once they're on the horses it's like their free from all the shots and needles and drama that stays with them. There's no better feeling than to see a little girl who is blind start to light up as soon as she feels the horse move, or a little boy who has never said a word say 'fun' when asked how it was on the horse. My point is . . . I know how to interact with special needs kids and if for whatever reason we can't or don't have children of our own I'd like to adopt a special needs child. I want to be able to bring a kid from the life I grew up in to all the happiness I feel now.

I would love nothing more than to create a new life with you, a baby of our own. I'd have to learn how to feed it and change diapers and all that, but I swear I'm ready to learn.

Our honeymoon has been great, but I miss Miller and our home. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. In closing, I just want to say that you, Abe, and Miller are all the family I've got, but I'm not sad because of it. I'm happier knowing that than I've been my entire life. I love you, Candace Raye, and I always will.

Forever Yours,

Daniel

Candace smiled as she put the letter back on the table. At least now she had an idea of what his reaction would be when she told him the secret she had been keeping for the past three weeks. She was thirteen weeks pregnant. She had found out after she'd been late the second month in a roll. She'd been to her first checkup and everything looked good. In five more weeks they would have an ultrasound to determine the baby's sex.

Pulling her first ultrasound pictures out of her purse, she laid them on the table with the letter and went to take a shower.

Later when she returned to the room, Daniel was sitting on the bed holding the pictures with tears in his eyes. "Are you . . . Are we . . . Is everything okay so far? When did you . . ." he stammered.

"I found out three weeks ago. I'm thirteen weeks now and so far everything looks good." She answered, sitting down beside him.

"You're pregnant? We're really going to have a baby!" He shouted with a huge smile on his face. "Oh my God, honey, I can't believe it! I love you so much!" Hugging her tightly and then added, "Do you know if it's boy or a girl yet?"

"Not yet. We will find out in five weeks," she answered.

Suddenly, his smile dropped as he asked, "But what about we've been doing . . . Will it hurt the baby?"

"No, my doctor says it's safe until I'm eight months," she answered quickly.

His smile returning, he hugged her again, "I can't believe it. Have you told anybody?"

"Just Miller," she answered with a grin.

******

Later they went to Dollywood. The park itself was beautiful. There were lovely flowers everywhere you looked. They took lots of pictures and Daniel bought the baby a little bear that wore a shirt that said Dollywood on it. They held hands and looked at all the exhibits around the park.

One of the many things that caught their attention was an old 1890s East Tennessee one-room schoolhouse. Walking inside, it was hard to imagine what it had been like spending all day in a small wooden desk in one room. Unlike the schools of today where the students went from library to recess to the cafeteria to the restroom, etc. Back then, other than to use the outhouse or play outside the entire school day was spent in that room.

They also enjoyed a ride on the Dollywood Express, an authentic coal-fired steam engine. It took them on a five-mile journey through the foothills of the breathtaking Great Smoky Mountains and around some of the park that they had yet to see.

Daniel especially liked the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary. A plaque near the front of the exhibit told that it was the country's largest mountain setting habitat for bald eagles. It was a sight to see a bald eagle up close. They truly were beautiful birds.

For lunch they ate at Aunt Granny's Buffet inside the park. Daniel had the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and biscuits; while Candace decided on the baked chicken, green beans, and corn bread. For dessert they both had a piece of strawberry cheesecake. As he was wiping the corners of his mouth, Daniel made a quick mental note to recommend the place to his coworkers once they were back home.

After lunch, they enjoyed a show in the Craftman's Valley area of the park. The show was called Country Crossroads. It was six performers who recreated classic country hits as they danced on stage in country-western attire. Candace really liked it, because she had grown up in Tennessee listening to some of the songs they performed. Daniel, on the other hand, didn't recognize any of them. But he too thought it was a good show.

As they started to leave, it began to rain. Standing in the rain waiting for the trolley, they kissed tenderly. People were looking at them as though they were crazy, but it didn't matter. They were in love and going to have their first child. Life truly is good, they thought to themselves.

******

Saturday morning, they checked out of the Inn and left. Excited to tell Abe the news, they decided to skip breakfast and head for home. However, when Candace started feeling weak a couple of hours later, they stopped at a restaurant and had lunch before continuing on their way.

******

Abe and Miller were in the sunroom when they returned home. Hurrying out to meet them, he noticed Daniel was driving. He didn't think he had a license, so he was surprised.

"Abe, hey!" Daniel shouted, opening the passenger door for Candace.

"Hey! Did you two have a good time?" He asked.

"Yeah, we did. Thank you for all you did and for staying here with Miller." Daniel said, unloading their suitcases from the trunk of the car.

"It was my pleasure. Me and Miller had a good time," Abe stated as he helped Daniel with the suitcases.

In the kitchen, Daniel took ahold of Candace's hand and said, "Abe, we have good news."

Daniel had a bigger smile on his face than Abe had ever seen him wear. Candace was obviously thrilled as well. Almost sure of what the news was, but wanting to hear it from them, Abe smiled and asked, "What is it?"

"We're going to have a baby! I'm going to be a dad!" Daniel shouted, as new tears of joy fell from his eyes.

"Ah heck! Well, congratulations you two!" Abe said, hugging both of them. "How far along?" He added.

"Thirteen weeks. We can find out if it's a boy or a girl in five weeks," Candace beamed.

"I don't know the first thing about being a dad, but I can learn. I know I can," Daniel told them.

"Ah, son, when you hold that newborn baby in your arms you'll know what to do. My wife always described that moment as holding your heart in your hands, because from the first time your child looks at you, you know you would give your own life for theirs." Abe told him and then added, "You're going to be a great dad, son."

"Thanks . . . Dad," he answered hugging Abe.

"So . . . Which one of the bedrooms are you going to make into a nursery?" Abe asked them.

"The room closest to ours. We can put up border or wall paper and paint it." Candace told him, laying her hand on her tiny baby bump.

"Well, be sure to let me know. I want to buy the baby some items. I feel like I'm having another grandchild," Abe blurted with a tear in his eye.

"You'll be the first one we tell, I promise." Daniel said.

"Do you have a doctor and all that?" Abe asked her.

"Yeah, I have my visits at the clinic in Seabrook, but I'll deliver at the hospital downtown." She told him.

"Good . . . Good. Well, I'm going to be on my way then. My son is meeting me in Augusta, and we're going to visit a half-sister of mine in Florida." Abe told them.

"How many siblings do you have?" Candace asked curiously.

"I have three half-sisters; we all have different fathers. I haven't seen any of them in over twenty years, but we're all getting older and I decided to be the better person and get to know them and their families. I can't change that my mother never saw my children or grandchildren, but I can let them know my sisters." Abe told them and then added, "Don't let how someone treats you affect how you treat others."

Daniel nodded knowingly, while Candace asked, "What are their names?"

"Joanne is my youngest sister. She still lives in Texas in the house where we grew up. Patricia is six years younger than me. She's in Kentucky. Katherine is ten years older than me, and she's the one we're going to visit in Florida. I'm planning to visit Joanne and Patricia later this year."

"I have two half-sisters. They live with my grandmother," Daniel told him.

"Try to get to know them again if you ever have the chance, because in the end we only regret the chances we didn't take." Abe replied with a distant look on his face.

"Do you think my family will ever think differently?" She asked.

"Honey, I honestly don't know. Your sister may change her way of thinking, but I don't know about your parents. My wife's parents and my own mother never did, but I hope for your sake they do." Abe said, hugging her.

"Be careful." She told him, as he turned to go out the door.

"Oh, I will. I've got to meet the little one when he or she arrives." He said with a wink, tipping his hat and shutting the door behind him.

Chapter 16

Daniel and Candace settled back into their old routine and anxiously awaited her next doctor's appointment. She told her coworkers and he told his about the baby. She wanted to tell her parents but she didn't. She didn't want them to say things about their baby like they had said about them.

Abe called at least once a week to ask how she was. He also suggested they register at a store for the things they would need, in case anyone wanted to get them a gift for the baby.

Since she had told Daniel about the pregnancy, he suggested they not skate for fear she would fall. So instead they went fishing quite often. It was something they both enjoyed and they could still be outdoors. Other than that small change, life continued on as normal.

******

A few days before they were scheduled to have the ultrasound, Candace and Daniel drove to Charleston to do some shopping. In one of the shops they went in there was a white sleigh-like crib with matching chest of drawers and changing table. Reading the tag, she saw that the crib also converted to a day bed for an older child. Daniel saw a look of longing on her face, but a moment later she shrugged her shoulders and walked over to look at some crib bedding. Daniel, curious of the price, turned over the tag. It was seven hundred dollars for the set. Disappointed, he joined her at the bedding.

She was looking at a blanket with airplanes on it. "Do you hope the baby is a boy or girl?" She asked.

"Doesn't matter, as long as it's healthy." He answered with a grin.

"I feel the same way," she agreed.

Laying down the blanket, she walked out of the shop. "Have you thought of any names yet?" She asked him, glancing into another shop window.

"Ah, well . . . I'm afraid I'd come up with some crazy name." He answered, looking at the ground.

Turning to face him she said, "This is our baby, Daniel. I want you to help me decide on a perfect name." Leaning in, she kissed him.

After a minute he smiled, "Okay, I'll think about it, I promise." He said, and then added, "Have you thought of any?"

"I thought maybe Daniel Zane Raye Jr. and call him DJ if it's a boy and maybe Nicole for girl's middle name but I haven't thought of a first name yet."

Daniel smiled. "DJ . . . I like it and Nicole is pretty too."

******

Daniel took off work to take Candace to have the ultrasound. She could have drove, but he wanted to be there. She was glad he wanted to share this wonderful moment with her.

First, they got to hear the baby's heartbeat. Both of them had tears in their eyes. It was amazing that this little person was growing inside of her. The doctor told her she was doing great so far in the pregnancy. Her stats were good and the baby's heartbeat was nice and strong. She also seemed to be on schedule with her due date.

As they were waiting to be called in for the ultrasound, Daniel began wondering if his own father had heard his heartbeat before he was born. If he had, he questioned how he could've walked away from something so precious without ever meeting him. Daniel already loved this baby. It was a part of him. Even though he hadn't met this little person yet, he knew his life was forever changed.

Daniel held Candace's hand as the sonographer put the cold jelly on her abdomen and moved it around to get a good look at the baby on the monitor. They were both awestruck. There it was. There was their baby. They could see its hands and head and where its little heart was beating. Daniel's eyes were glued to the screen. He was overcome with emotion, but instead of trying to hide it, he let the tears fall.

"Do you want to know the sex?" The lady asked suddenly.

"Yes, please." Candace blurted.

"Okay . . . It's a boy and as far as I can tell he's doing great."

"A boy? I'm going to have a son?" Daniel asked.

"Yes Sir, congratulations."

"Thank you." Daniel answered, kissing Candace tenderly.

As soon as they got back home, Daniel called Abe to tell them the news. "Hello. Abe here," he answered quickly.

"Abe, it's a boy! We're having a son!" Daniel shouted excitedly into the phone.

"Ah, heck! That's great! How are all the tests and everything? Everything look alright so far?"

"Yeah . . . The doctor said Candace is doing well and the baby's heartbeat is nice and strong," he told him.

"Good. Good. I sure am glad to hear it. Listen, son, my sister in Kentucky, Patricia, her daughter has a cradle she wants you two to have. It was mine and each of my sister's and two of my nephew's. She offered to bring it to you at the end of October when they drive down to Florida to visit Katherine," Abe told him.

"Wow! Really? Why does she want us to have it?" Daniel asked shocked.

"I've told my sisters about you two and how Candace's family has treated you both, and they offered to help. They would also like to meet you both."

"I can't believe it," Daniel blurted.

"What is it?" Candace asked, joining him at the table where he was sitting.

"His sister Patricia's daughter wants to give us a cradle that has been in their family for years. She's even offered to bring it to us the end of October when they drive down to Florida," Daniel filled her in.

"Oh my gosh! That's great!" She exclaimed loud enough for Abe to hear.

"Ha ha, ah, well . . . I'll let you two get to . . . I'll talk to you later. Love you both," Abe said.

"We love you too. Bye." Daniel returned, hanging up the phone.

******

After making love that night, Daniel whispered, "So DJ it is?"

"Yes." Candace answered, turning to face him and then adding, "Did you know Zane means 'gift from God'?"

"Really? I didn't know that, but he is a gift from God."

"Yes, he is." She agreed.

******

The following week Daniel and Candace went to Walmart and sat up a baby registry. They were amazed at all the different items to choose from. Planning to use the cradle for the first month or two, they didn't put a crib on the registry. Her due date was the last week of December so they put several blankets, sleepers, and pairs of socks on it. Daniel picked out a brown and blue infant car seat. Candace added a cute Winnie the Pooh diaper bag to the registry. They included infant gowns, bibs, a baby bathtub, diapers, cradle sheets, a baby monitor where they could watch the baby sleeping in the nursery, and even a thermometer. She planned to breast feed, but would need a pump and bottles for when she went back to work.

"I wish we had the money to buy all those things we just picked out," Candace said on the drive home.

"Yeah, me too." He agreed, squeezing her hand, and then added, "He may not have the most expensive things, but I promise he will have what he needs."

"That's all that matters, Daniel. You don't have to give him the world; you just have to be a part of it," she told him.

"I'll be here with you and our son until I take my last breath."

Chapter 17

Candace mailed out the printout notices of the baby registry to Abe and her family, as well as to Daniel's grandmother and sisters. She didn't expect to get anything from anyone but Abe and his family, but she wanted to give them all the opportunity to be involved if they wanted to. The notices read:

For Daniel Zane Raye Jr. (DJ)

Parents are Daniel and Candace Raye

Gifts can be purchased online or in store. Select ship to registry address in checkout upon online purchases.

Due Date December 28, 2008

******

A little over a month after sending out the registry notices, Candace got a call at work saying Daniel had a package at the post office that needed to be picked up. She took her lunch and went to get it.

It was addressed to Daniel but it didn't have a return address on it. She was extremely curious as to what it was and who is was from, but she didn't open it. She left it on the table at home and went back to work.

Because it was raining and storming, Daniel's boss told him and two other employees to go on home. He got home nearly two hours before Candace was scheduled to get off. As soon as he walked through the door, he saw the package. Curious as to what was inside he used his pocket knife to cut the tape on top. Inside were two gifts wrapped in dark blue wrapping paper and a card. Opening it up, he read:

Daniel,

I know we've never really gotten to know one another because we were young when we were separated, but we would like to get to know you now. Granny has no right to say those cruel things about you, and I'm sorry I never stood up for you before. I think it's great you have a wife and a son on the way. We would like to meet them. We got your son a gift from each of us. It isn't much, but both items were on the registry. My cell phone number is on the back of this card, if you want to call. We love you and miss you.

Love,

Stephanie and Adrianna

Daniel could hardly believe his eyes. His sisters wanted to meet him, Candace, and DJ after he was born. They wanted to get to know him. Stephanie had been four and Adrianna two when they had been separated from him. He had seen them from a distance at the funeral, but he hadn't tried to talk to them or any of his other relatives. He liked the thought of getting to know them. His son deserved to know his aunts, and deep down he realized he missed them too.

Sitting the card aside, he opened the two gifts. One was a two-pack of sleepers with baseballs and bats on them; the other was a fluffy blue blanket with a bear in the middle that said 'Dream Big Little One'. He had suggested they put the blanket on the registry. He thought it odd his sisters had chosen that specific one.

Placing the gifts back in the box, he got his windbreaker jacket and headed to meet Candace when she got off work, even though he was going to have to walk in the rain to the restaurant. He couldn't wait until she got home. He was thrilled about the card and gifts.

******

"You are not going to believe who that package was from!" He blurted out as soon as he walked up beside her at the restaurant.

"Who?"

"My sisters. There was a card inside that said they want to get to know me, you, and the baby." He told her excitedly.

"Daniel, that's great! I'm so happy for you!" She said.

"They sent two gifts from the registry too. Stephanie gave me her cellphone number," he said with a smile on his face.

"What about your grandmother? Has she had a change of heart?"

"Nope . . . But it doesn't matter. I'm still going to see my sisters," he said determined.

"Well, let me punch out on the clock and we will get out of here." She told him, turning to walk into the back room.

When she returned, they left. On the drive home, it began to pour rain and streaks of lightning shot across the sky. As they waited at a red light, Candace said, "I want you to feel something that I felt today."

Taking his hand, she put it on her stomach. Instantly, Daniel jerked his head around to look at her. "Do you feel that? It's him kicking," she said.

"Wow! Does it hurt?"

"Not unless he does it really hard. It's amazing. I'm so glad I can feel him like this," she grinned.

******

"How old are your sisters now?" Candace asked him as they cooked dinner together.

"Stephanie is fifteen and Adrianna is thirteen. They were four and two when we all lived together with mom and Campbell in Florida. I haven't spoken to them since that day. But I want to know them and I want DJ to know them. I've never had anybody but Mom and you, and I don't want our son to be alone like that."

"I completely understand. You don't have to explain anything to me. Hey, when is their fall break? Maybe they could come stay a few days with us."

"I'll have to call Stephanie and ask," he said.

"Call her. It's still early evening. See what she says." Candace suggested, handing him the cordless phone.

Nervously, he dialed the number written in purple ink on the back of the card. Hip hop music began playing as he waited for her to answer. Suddenly a girl said, "Hey, you got her!"

"Stephanie?" He choked out.

"Yeah, this is her. Who's this?" She asked, confused.

"It's Daniel . . . Your brother." He answered, pulling out a chair at the kitchen table and having a seat.

"Oh, hey, Daniel! So you got the package. How are you and . . . um . . . your wife?"

"We're good. How are you and Adrianna?"

"We're fine, but Granny is in the hospital. She's been in there for two weeks. She fell and broke her hip and so she's going to a rehabilitation hospital next week."

"Oh . . . So, who's taking care of you guys?"

"Me mostly . . . I mean Mom's sister Amy is supposed to be staying with us but she's at the club tonight. I'm here with Adrianna and Amy's three kids Mark, John, and Becky. They're ten, four, and seven."

"Wow! You've really got more to handle than any fifteen year old should, don't you?" He blurted out.

"I know right, but it was same when Granny was here. I'll be glad after I graduate high school. I'm moving out of here!"

"Well, we were wondering if you and Adrianna would want to come here during your fall break and spend a few days with us."

"Seriously? Hell . . . I mean heck yeah! I've got some money saved up . . . I think it'll be enough for bus tickets. We get fall break the last week of this month. Is that okay? Do you have room for us?"

"Save your money. I'll send you both a bus ticket. And yes, we have room. We are leasing a house."

"Damn! Sorry, I mean dang! I can't wait to tell Adrianna; she's helping the boys with a bath right now. I got a camera for my birthday . . . Do you think I can take a picture of the beach while we're there?"

"Sure. You can take a hundred pictures of the beach if you want to. And it's okay if you don't have suitcases; just put your stuff in a trash bag." He told her, remembering how they'd always moved using black trash bags for their clothes and other belongings.

"Good . . . I was wondering about that. How many days should we pack for?"

"Hold on, let me see." Daniel said, laying down the phone and turning to face Candace. "How many days should they pack for?"

"If they catch the bus on Friday, they'll be here Saturday. Then they could catch it back on Saturday evening, and be home Sunday."

"Pack enough for seven days and your swim suits." He said, picking the phone back up.

"Oh! I'm so excited! Do we need to bring our own food?"

"What? No, no, we've got food here. We cook at least twice a day and we have sandwich meat and bread and all that. We've got an extra full-size bed upstairs and someone could sleep on the couch downstairs or the futon couch in the rec room."

"Thank you, Daniel!" She cried, sounding as though she might be fighting back tears.

"You're welcome and we will pick you both at the bus station in Beaufort that Saturday evening."

"Okay . . ." she said reluctantly.

"Okay, talk to you later." He told her.

"Bye." She said, ending the call.

******

The last week of September meant they only had a week to prepare for the girl's arrival. Candace and Daniel both took the first two days of the week the girl's would be visiting off from work. Candace swapped hours with a coworker for the remainder of the week, so she would only be at work during the breakfast crowd and then be home to do things with the girls. She knew from what Daniel had said that they were treated more like a free babysitter than children in their own home, so she hoped to have some fun with them while they visited.

Chapter 18

Daniel and Candace arrived at the bus station in Beaufort a little after four on Saturday to wait for the girls. Half an hour later, they were on their way back home. Daniel, who was driving, repeatedly glanced in the rear view mirror. Stephanie looked a lot like their mother, while Adrianna looked like her dad Campbell. Obviously she couldn't help it, but she reminded Daniel of the man he'd tried so hard to forget.

Stephanie had long light brown hair down past her shoulders, which at the moment she wore in a ponytail. She had a light layer of makeup on and a chain around her neck with a cross on it. She was wearing a white tank top with a denim jacket over it and jeans with holes in both knees. Typical teenager wardrobe, Daniel thought to himself.

Adrianna had blonde hair just slightly below her ears. She had pale freckles and wore a cap turned backward. She sported a plain metal chain around her neck and several stretch bracelets around her left wrist. She had on a black T-shirt with a skull on the front over a pair of jeans that were at least two sizes too big. Daniel noticed she had a wallet chain, like he did, dangling from her pocket. She also wore the same brand of shoes as him. She carried a skateboard with her and refused to let them put it in the trunk with their bags of clothes.

The twenty-minute drive from the bus station to the house was extremely awkward. No one knew enough about the other to start a conversation. Finally, Stephanie asked, "How long have you lived here?"

"Almost two years." Candace answered, and then added, "Have you two ever been here before?"  
"No. We moved from Florida eleven years ago and we've never been out of Arkansas since. I've always wanted to go to LA or New York though," Stephanie answered.

"We lived in San Diego before we moved out here," Daniel told them.

"Oh wow! Really? I heard they've got a huge skateboarding park there where they have competitions." Adrianna shouted, joining in on the conversation.

Daniel smiled. "They do," he said. "Do you compete?"

"No, just fool around with my friends, but I'm good though. Does the park near you guys allow skateboarding?" She asked.

"Yeah . . . We used to go rollerblading there before I got pregnant," Candace answered.

"This is so cool!" Adrianna exclaimed.

******

At the house Daniel helped the girls get their bags upstairs to the spare bedroom. "Are you hungry? We thought about having a couple of pizzas delivered." He said, before leaving them to unpack.

"Sure, we could eat." Stephanie said.

"What kind do you like?"

"I like pepperoni, but she won't eat anything if it's not cheese." Stephanie answered, motioning toward her sister.

"Okay, that's fine. Candace likes cheese pizza too. I'll go call it in. You two get settled and come on downstairs. It should be here in half an hour," he said leaving the room.

"What do you think about this place so far?" Adrianna asked her sister while they sat on the futon in the rec room upstairs.

"It's a really nice house. They are nice and they are ordering pizza! Do you know how long it has been since we had pizza at home? And Daniel is so much different than he used to be. Now he doesn't seem autistic at all."

"Maybe he got better when his environment changed; that's what they told Aunt Amy about Mark's autism. If she would get him in a healthy, loving, environment he would overcome some of his challenges. But you know she's not going to do that. She just leaves all three of them with whoever she can. Does Daniel know Mark is autistic?" Adrianna asked.

"I don't know. I doubt he even knows who Mark is. None of our family has ever wanted anything to do with Daniel and it's not right. I mean, look at this place . . . he's doing better than any of the rest of us, autistic or not." Stephanie added.

"I like his hair," Adrianna blurted as they descended the stairs.

"I'll get out a blanket and some pillows so one of you can sleep on the futon couch in the rec room upstairs." Candace announced, as they came into the room.

"Oh that's okay. We sleep in a daybed at home, so a full-size bed is fine for us to share." Stephanie responded.

"Okay, but if you change your mind there are extra blankets and pillows in the hall closet upstairs. Daniel called in the pizzas; they should be here anytime. Come on in here and make yourselves at home," Candace told them.

"This is way better than home! We don't get pizza and clean sheets at home!" Adrianna announced, plopping down in a chair by the fireplace.

"Adri!" Stephanie snapped.

"What? It's true. We're just a check to them," Adrianna declared.

"Adri, we agreed not to bring up our home life while we were here." Stephanie mumbled, turning to face her sister.

"Steph, he's our brother. He should know how crazy our family is," She retorted.

"It's okay, Stephanie." Candace interrupted. "Either of you can tell us anything you like. You won't find any judgement here."

Stephanie looked down at her lap and then at Daniel. "Mom used to say horrible things about you, when you weren't around. I was little, but I remember a lot from when we lived in the house owned by Mr. Charlie. Campbell would get mad and hit us all. I remember Mom saying, 'Don't hurt my girls', but she never tried to protect you. I loved you because you are my big brother. I mean . . . Sure you did some weird things, but you are still my brother. The day Mr. Charlie died, you knew something was wrong. You took me and Adrianna and hid in the hall closet when Campbell got home. When I heard him hurting mom, I ran to help her and you ran after me. When he hurt me, you dragged me back to the closet to keep him from doing anything else. He never cared about any of us, even though Adri is his daughter. We were all just baggage to him. She doesn't call him dad. She tells people she that she meets that she's never met her dad. But we both tell people we have an older brother. You took care of us when nobody else did. I never understood why Granny wouldn't take you too. You are her grandchild as much as we are. And I especially don't understand it now, because of Mark." Stephanie confessed with tears running down her face as she focused on the rug below her feet.

"Who's Mark?" Daniel asked.

"Mom's sister Amy . . . Mark is her oldest son. He was diagnosed with autism when he was three. He's never spoken and he rocks and hums a lot like you did. He's ten now and he lives with us. See, that's what I don't get . . . Granny wouldn't take our brother in, but she did take Mark. He's worse than you were. He drools a lot and carries a rubber hamburger dog toy with him everywhere. He even sleeps with it!" She told him.

Daniel was trying to listen to Stephanie describe Mark, but his thoughts were still on what she had said about the day Mr. Charlie died. Suddenly, he was overcome with emotion. "I don't remember getting you back in the closet. All these years I blamed myself for not protecting you and mom better, and now I realize I did protect you the best way I could." Tears ran down his face as he looked from Stephanie to Adrianna to Candace. He wiped them and then continued, "As far as why she took in Mark and wouldn't take me, it doesn't matter anymore. If she had, I would have never met Candace. I love her and our son with everything in me. I have Asperger's. It's a high-functioning form of autism. But it sounds like Mark has the lower-functioning form. Who is watching him while you are here?"

"Our neighbor, Tyshawna. She watches him and his brother and sister when we're in school. He don't go to school anymore since he got beat up on the bus." Adrianna piped in.

"That's awful! Where's his mother?" Candace asked.

"Granny has custody of Mark. She keeps John and Becky to keep the state from taking them. Aunt Amy stays messed up on pills and living with a different man every week. She's due again in March." Stephanie answered, watching Candace's facial expression.

"The doctor told Aunt Amy and Granny if Mark lived in a healthier environment his autism would improve some, but neither of them try to make that happen." Adrianna added.

Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"That's awful!" Candace repeated.

Daniel wiped his eyes and nose and stood up, taking a deep breath. "Well, pizza's here." He announced, heading to the door.

They ate in silence. Daniel and Candace glanced at each other as they watched the girls eat. They both acted as though they were about to starve.

After dinner, the girls went upstairs to get ready for bed. Daniel washed the dishes, while Candace went out to the sunroom. She was having a lot of thoughts running through her mind. She wondered how someone could have children and then not care enough about them to at least attempt to give them a good life.

An hour after the girls went upstairs to bed Candace went up to check on them. They were both asleep on the full-size bed but they were still fully clothed, shoes and all. Pulling the door shut behind her, she made a mental note to ask them tomorrow if they had any pajamas.

Joining Daniel in bed in their room at the opposite end of the hall from where the girls were sleeping, she nestled up against him. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her forehead. "I feel so sorry for them," he said suddenly.

"Me too! And that little boy . . . Mark. The girls are kids themselves; they shouldn't be left with the responsibility of raising three young children. Stephanie should be dating and Adrianna should be staying over with friends. I agree with what the doctors say about Mark. Maybe a stable, permanent, happy home is just what he needs to improve." She said, thinking out loud.

Suddenly, Daniel sat up straight and blurted, "Then let's give him one, him and my sisters. We've got room and they're my family. I know what it's like when nobody gives a damn about you. No kid deserves that."

"I agree, but what about Mark's siblings? We have DJ to think about too." She thought for a minute and then added, "We could take them all. We do have the room."

"Would you be up for all that though? I know you want us to have more children too."

"We have plenty of time to do that. These kids need us now."

"Let's enjoy this week with the girls. Then maybe we could drive them back and meet Mark and his siblings and take it from there," Daniel suggested.

"Your grandmother probably wouldn't agree to relinquish custody of them anyway."

"I don't know," he said seeming lost in thought.

Lying back down beside her, he propped up on an elbow and gazed into her eyes. "I love you so much, Candace." He whispered.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

Kissing her, he tugged at her nightgown. Pulling it over her head, he ran his hand across her belly. "You are beautiful."

"Ugh! I look like a fat cow," she blurted.

"No, you're perfect." He replied, leaning over to kiss her again.

"Make love to me?" She whispered.

"Okay." He said simply, reaching over to turn off the lamp beside the bed.

******

Stephanie and Adrianna awoke the next morning to the smell of bacon and eggs drifting up the stairs. Taking turns, they both showered and changed clothes before joining Candace, Daniel, and Miller downstairs in the kitchen.

Candace stood in front of the stove frying bacon and eggs, while Daniel was busy loading the toaster. Miller sat perched on the floor between them as though hoping they would drop something.

"Oh, what a pretty cat!" Stephanie said, rushing over to him.

"He's a sweetheart. His name is Miller. Do you like cats?" Candace asked.

"Yeah, we each had kitten but we had to give them away because Granny couldn't pay the pet deposit." She answered, leaning down to pet his fluffy white head.

"We made breakfast; I hope you two are hungry. After we eat, we thought we would go into town and show you two around a bit." Candace told them, smiling.

"Okay." Adrianna said, plopping into a chair.

After they had eaten and cleaned up, they all got in the car and headed downtown. Candace pointed out some popular old buildings and the restaurant where she worked. Daniel pointed out the stable where he worked as they drove past. Suddenly, Candace turned to face the girls and asked, "What about a little shopping?"

"For us? Oh you don't have to do that," Stephanie told her.

"It'll be fun. C'mon, we'll go to a boutique or two and then either Kmart or Walmart. You can each get an outfit and a couple of sets of pajamas," she insisted.

"Okay . . ." Stephanie agreed at last.

As it was, Adrianna and Daniel decided to get ice cream while Candace and Stephanie shopped. At the ice cream parlor, the man at the front recognized Daniel from the Stables. "Well hello there Daniel. How are you doing today?" The man asked.

"Fine and how are you? Oh and how is Destiny's rehabilitation coming along?" Daniel asked, referring to the man's twelve year old daughter.

"It's going really well. She can take a few steps by herself now. Oh, is this your daughter?" He asked.

"No, Sir. This is my youngest sister Adrianna. My wife is shopping with my other sister Stephanie, but we decided to have ice cream instead." Daniel replied with a grin.

"Yes . . . I know all about how women can be when they go shopping. My wife and daughters are the same way! Ah well, hope you two enjoy your ice cream." The man said, handing them their ice cream cones and walking into the back.

"Thank you. We will."

"You know . . . I don't really remember you." Adrianna said, glancing at Daniel to see what his reaction would be.

"That's okay. You were only two." He told her, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Yeah, but I always wanted to meet you after I found out we had an older brother. I wish things would have been different . . . you know? Like we could have stayed a real family, only without Campbell. I mean, once when I was seven this boy hit me because he wanted me to give him a sucker that our neighbor Tyshawna had given me and I wouldn't do it. He got me good too, even blacked my eye. I told him the next time I saw him he better be glad that my brother wasn't around or else you would be beating him up. I always imagined you taking up for me. I wish we could have found you then," she told him.

"I would've taken up for you." He answered, looking out the window. He was sad that he had missed so much with his sisters as they were growing up.

"So . . . Did you have to go to college to do what you do?" She asked.

"No, all I've got is a GED. But I like my job. I mean . . . It's sad that all the kids have diseases or handicaps that they may never recover from, but just getting to see the smiles on their faces make it all worthwhile."

"Sounds like you have one of those jobs where you make a difference."

"I hope so." He smiled, and then added, "So what grade are you in?"

"I'm in eighth grade right now and Steph's in tenth. I'm supposed to be in ninth but I got held back in third. Granny said it was because I am developmentally delayed or something like that. She tells her friends I'm stupid sometimes when I don't understand something. But I'm not. I guess I just don't think fast enough for her," she answered.

"You like school?" He asked, remembering how he had hated it because of being bullied nearly every day.

"It's okay. I mean . . . I make okay grades but I'm not planning on going to college. I just want to graduate high school so I can get the heck out of Arkansas."

"All I wanted to do was get out of high school too when I was your age," he chuckled.

******

Stephanie and Candace were really enjoying themselves. Stephanie had found a pair of jeans with a lace and sequin design down one leg and a pastel top with butterflies on it. Candace bought Adrianna a new pair of jeans and a T-shirt that looked something like the one she had been wearing when they had arrived. She also purchased both girls two sets of pajamas.

After paying for their purchases at the last boutique on the corner of the street, Candace called Daniel so he and Adrianna could pick them up. While they waited for them to arrive, Candace made small talk, "So do you have a boyfriend in Arkansas?"

"Yeah . . . His name is Jared Jenkins; he's seventeen." Stephanie answered quickly with a grin spreading on her face.

"That's good. Are you two pretty serious?" Candace asked.

"Yeah . . . We love each other and he even told his mom he wanted to marry me!"

"Wow! That's great!"

"Yeah . . . And when I turn sixteen his sister Jackie is going to try and get me a job with her at the clothing store where she works. So I'll be making my own money. Jared works with his stepfather detailing cars, but he wants to go to school to study auto-mechanics so he can open his own shop someday." Stephanie told her.

"Sounds like he's got a good head on his shoulders. What about you . . . Do you want to go to college?"

"I won't ever be able to afford what I want to do."

"There are scholarships, grants, and student loans to help with expenses. Even some companies pay their employees to continue their education. Never give up on your dreams, no matter how impossible they may seem."

"I've always wanted to be a social worker . . . Like the people who should have helped me, Daniel, and Adri but they didn't. I want to be one, because I want to be a voice for the kids who are too afraid to use their own. No child should have to live in the conditions we have our whole lives, and I want to be the one to give those kids a brighter future."

Candace was overwhelmed with emotion as Stephanie told her about what she wanted to do with her life. Like Daniel, Stephanie had been as low as possible, but they were both on their way to achieving great things. Neither of them cared about the money involved, they simply wanted to make other children's lives better than their own had been. She truly felt blessed to know them both.

"You can do it, Stephanie. You can be anything you want to be and don't ever let anyone tell you different. I believe in you."

"You're the first person who has ever said that and the first one who didn't think it was a joke. Thanks Candace. I'm glad I met you."

"You're welcome, honey and I'm glad we got to meet too."

******

On the way back to the house, Candace and Stephanie showed Adrianna what they had bought. "Wow! Omar will love this shirt!" Adrianna blurted out before realizing what she'd said.

"Who's Omar?" Daniel asked with a grin.

"He's Adri's boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend! He's my best friend. His mom is our neighbor Tyshawna," Adrianna clarified.

"How old is he?" Candace asked.

"He's my age, but he'll be fourteen three months before I am. He skates with me at the park by our neighborhood," Adrianna told her.

"I'd like to meet Omar and Jared; they sound like very nice young men," Candace told them.

"Maybe they could come out here and visit you guys with us this summer!" Stephanie exclaimed.

"We could probably work something out with that." Daniel replied, turning the car into the driveway.

******

That night Candace cooked dinner while Daniel and the girls played Uno at the kitchen table. After Stephanie got beat twice she got up to help Candace prepare the veggies for salad. "Do you like to cook?" Candace asked her.

"I can't cook much. I can do breakfast foods, because I cook for the little kids. But my favorite thing to make is hamburgers. Everybody at our house likes them and we usually have enough for the next day's lunch." She answered, and then asked, "Do you?"

"I enjoy trying new recipes that use a lot of same ingredients we have on hand. We eat a lot of different kinds of handmade soups and salads, because the same veggies can be used in several different recipes. Daniel also likes to try a variety of different seasonings on pork chops, chicken, and steaks on the grill. In the summertime we get a lot of our fruits and vegetables at the local farmer's market because they are cheaper and usually better quality that at grocery stores. I'm planning on canning some tomatoes and tomato juice and maybe some grape preserves this year, so we'll have them during the winter months."

"What's canning?" Stephanie asked, looking confused.

"It's where you prepare the vegetable, fruit, etc. to be stored away in jars until it's ready to be eaten. That way you don't have to spend money on those items at the store. My mother and both of my grandmothers used to can all sorts of things, but this is my first year trying it." Candace answered.

******

After eating dinner and doing the dishes, the girls went upstairs to change into a set of their new pajamas. They were excited to see how they fit.

Candace and Daniel sat downstairs on the couch, he with his arm around her. Suddenly she pulled his hand down and rested it on her belly. "Do you feel him kicking?" She asked him.

"Yeah . . . Wow! That's amazing! Can he hear us talking?"

"I've heard babies can recognize voices once outside the womb that they heard before they were born," she said.

Daniel, sitting down on the coffee table in front of her, gently laid his hand on her belly. "Hi DJ, it's me your Daddy. I just want you to know I love you and I can't wait to meet you," he said to his unborn son.

As Candace watched him, she wept softly. He was going to be a great daddy, she thought to herself.

Stephanie and Adrianna were watching from the doorway, but Candace and Daniel didn't know. After a moment, they went back upstairs. "That was so sweet!" Stephanie declared, climbing into bed.

"He's going to be a good dad." Adrianna said, switching off the light.

Downstairs, Daniel and Candace were discussing what they were going to do tomorrow. Finally they decided it would be a good day to take the girls to Waterfront Park and then to Hunting Island.

After tomorrow's plans were decided, they went upstairs and got in the shower together. Daniel lathered up a washcloth and washed her body tenderly and then she washed him. As the steam from the shower rose around them, they touched each other's most sensual places. Kissing one another breathlessly, they turned off the water and still dripping, hurried to the bedroom. Locking the door behind them, Daniel turned on the light and joined Candace on the bed.

******

The next morning, Daniel let Candace sleep in. He dressed and went downstairs to make pancakes for breakfast. He talked to Miller while he cooked. "It's just you and me buddy with all these women," he snickered.

Miller looked at him as if he understood exactly what he had said and meowed softly.

******

After everyone had eaten breakfast and gotten dressed they drove to Waterfront Park in downtown Beaufort along the Beaufort River. Stephanie took pictures of the breathtaking view and people out on the water sailing. Candace took several pictures of Daniel and his sisters by the pineapple fountain in the center of the park.

After picnicking for lunch by the water, they drove to Hunting Island. Hunting Island was a popular tourist area because of its pristine sandy beach, natural setting, and warm Atlantic Ocean. They also visited the Hunting Island historic lighthouse. From the top platform, Stephanie snapped photographs of the breathtaking view of the ocean, the beach, and the marshland.

Candace let the others go on ahead as she stopped to read the sign that told of the history of the Hunting Island lighthouse. It read:

The lighthouse was originally constructed in 1859 and was the only one in the state open to the public. From the top, those who were adventurous enough to climb the one-hundred and sixty-seven step spiral staircase could truly get a bird's eye view of the Atlantic Ocean, the park, and the surrounding marshes from 132 feet above the ground.

The first lighthouse was destroyed by the Confederates during the beginning of the Civil War to prevent the Union from using it as a means of navigation. It was rebuilt and placed back into service in 1875. The purpose of this lighthouse was to warn ships to stay far away, as there were many hazards such as sandbars, wrecks, surf, and treacherous currents. It was deactivated in June of 1933.

A unique feature of the lighthouse was that it was constructed using cast iron plates and designed to be dismantled in case it ever needed to be relocated. As fate would have it, due to erosion of the beach in 1889 the lighthouse was moved inland one and a forth miles from its original site to where it presently stands.

While at the beach, they listened to a tour guide tell a group of people that Hunting Island was a popular nesting ground for the endangered Loggerhead Turtles. The guide told them that the park also maintains a hatchery for the study and preservation of the species.

******

That night they were all exhausted from the day's events. Candace and Daniel had to return to work the next day, while the girls promised to stay either at the house or nearby in town. They promised Candace they would stay together if they left the house.

Shortly after returning home, everyone went upstairs to bed. Opting to take a shower in the morning, Candace changed into her nightgown and climbed into bed. Daniel took a quick shower and returned to the bedroom. He hoped she would still be awake, but she had the comforter pulled up to her chin and was sleeping soundly. Kissing her on the forehead, he smiled. She is so beautiful, he thought to himself as he climbed in bed beside her.

******

Daniel and Candace both left of work the next morning before Stephanie and Adrianna awoke. Later in the morning Daniel called home to make sure everything was okay. Adrianna answered and assured him that it was. Shortly thereafter, the girls left the house and walked downtown.

They ended up at the restaurant where Candace was working just in time for lunch. "Hey girls, I'm just getting ready to clock out. Have you two enjoyed your day so far?" She asked them.

"Can we go to the park and skate after Daniel gets off?" Adrianna asked.

"Sure. I'll bet he'll like that. We haven't been since we found out about DJ." She replied, touching her expanding belly.

******

A few hours later when Daniel arrived home, Candace and the girls met him on the porch. "Skating?" He asked with a grin, seeing Adrianna holding her skateboard.

"Yeah . . . Show me what you got." She exclaimed, handing him his old skateboard.

A few minutes later, they pulled up in the parking lot at the park. It took him a few minutes to get readjusted to the board, but soon Daniel had them all watching him. His sisters were absolutely amazed. Even Candace was awestruck. She knew he could rollerblade great, but she'd never saw him on a skateboard.

He did a 5-O down the side of the rail leading to the picnic area and several Ollies. At the end of his 'showing off', he pulled off a complete 180 in the air. Adrianna equaled him on several stunts, but there were a couple that she was no match for him.

"Been years since I was on the board," Daniel said as they were leaving.

"You're awesome!" Stephanie blurted.

"How'd you learn to do all that?" Adrianna asked him.

"I had a lot of time alone while Mom worked. I didn't have any friends until I met Candace, so I'd go to the skate parks out in Vegas and then in Los Angeles. I'd watch the older guys do all these sick moves. One day a guy they called Slam came over to me and asked if I knew how to skate. I shook my head no and expected him to walk away but he didn't. He handed me his board and said, 'Give it a try'. I broke my arm and both ankles that summer, but I knew every stunt that he did before he left."

"Where'd he go?" Stephanie asked curiously.

"He went away to college," Daniel told them.

"So, when did you meet Candace?" Adrianna asked.

"About six months later, when we moved to San Diego. Best day of my life too," he told them smiling.

"Was it love at first sight?" Stephanie asked.

"It was for me." Daniel answered, glancing at Candace.

Candace smiled but didn't answer. He'd been a kid when they first met; it had taken a few years for her to fall in love with him but she didn't go into the details with the girls.

Chapter 19

The girls left on Saturday with plans of coming back to visit in the summer while school was out. They wanted to meet DJ and spend more time with their brother and sister-in-law. Candace and Daniel had enjoyed them visiting, and missed them as soon as they boarded the bus heading back to Arkansas. But they had things to keep them busy.

DJ would be arriving in two short months, right after Christmas. They still had to paint the nursery, get the rest of the items they would need for him, and decorate the room.

They had decided they would paint it a baby blue color, and use a sailboat border around the top. Daniel had bought some cheap paintings of boats at the local thrift shop that they planned to hang up after the paint dried.

Two of Candace's friends from work where planning to throw her a baby shower the weekend after Thanksgiving so they hoped to get some of what they would need then. Daniel's boss and his wife had told him they were going to get them some stuff for the new arrival, and Abe had promised he would come baring gifts as well.

After dropping the girls off at the bus station, they stopped by the grocery store to pick up a few things and then headed back to the house. Turning into the driveway they saw a white Ford Ext-Cab truck sitting near the house. They glanced at each other and pulled in behind it.

Daniel got out first and walked toward the truck, when an older man and woman got out smiling. The man had his hand extended and was introducing himself, "Hello there! I'm Robert and this is my wife Patricia."

"Abe is my brother. We told him to tell you we would be dropping by to deliver the cradle and some other things for the baby." The woman said, gesturing toward the bed of the truck.

"Oh yes, he told us. It just slipped my mind." Candace told her, walking up and shaking her hand.

"Oh honey, that's understandable! I was just telling Robert what a beautiful place you have here."

"Thank you. Would you like to come in?"

"Oh no . . . We need to be on our way. We still have a ways to go. Let me get these boxes for you. You don't need to be lifting." Patricia said, letting down the tail gate and tugging at a large cardboard box.

"Move aside, darling. Nothing wrong with me and the young man's arms; we'll get these boxes and the cradle to the room where it's going. You lady-folk stay here and chat." Robert announced, taking the box out of his wife's hands.

"My daughter has two boys but they've outgrown all this stuff, so we boxed it up for your little guy. If there is anything that you don't need or want to use, just give it to someone else who needs it."

"Thank you so much," Candace blurted with tears filling her eyes.

"You're welcome, honey. We're glad to help."

Robert and Daniel carried the cradle up to the nursery and then all four large boxes. Daniel offered to pay them for the items but they wouldn't take it. "Life is too short to be selfish. If you are ever given the chance to help another person, do it without asking for anything in return." Robert stated, turning to go.

"Thank you, Sir." Daniel told him, shaking his hand.

"You're welcome. We're glad to be able to help."

******

After eating dinner, Daniel offered to clean up the kitchen while Candace went up to the nursery to look through the boxes Robert and Patricia had brought. All four were large, about the size of child's toy box. She used a pair of scissors to cut the masking tape that sealed them, and nearly fell over when she saw what was inside. She took a seat crisscross on the floor between two of the boxes and began to sift through them.

The first box had several bibs, burp clothes, and cloth diapers on top. Further down there were socks, four pairs of tiny shoes, sleepers, some bottles, three infant bath towels with matching washcloths, and an infant pumpkin Halloween costume. Taking time to fold everything, she placed it all back in the box and turned her attention to the second box.

Inside it was a blue infant bathtub, lots of baby boy shirts and pants, a pair of denim overalls with a bear wearing a baseball cap on the bib, two large blue and white blankets, three smaller blankets, a double electric breast pump, and several rattles. Almost to the bottom of the box, she unearthed a cute stuffed giraffe. She held it up to get a good look at it and then placed it in her lap. About that time, Daniel walked into the room.

"Wow!" He said, seeing all the stuff lying around her.

"DJ is going to be overloaded," she said with a smile.

"What's in these two?" He asked, moving closer to the other two boxes.

"I don't know. It's took me this long to go through these."

Daniel pushed one of the boxes closer to her and cut the tape with his pocket knife. "Well, he has one of those bouncy seats now." He said, lifting a brown and tan bouncy with teddy bear faces dangling from the top, out of the box and sitting it on the floor in front of her.

"Oh, it's perfect!" She gushed, reaching over to run her fingers across the material.

"There's more." He said, getting down on his knees to dig through the rest of the box.

Moments later, a bottle warmer, half a box of newborn diapers, a portable playpen, and a cloth farm animal play mat with dangling toys were surrounding them.

"Do we even need to look in the last one?" Daniel chuckled, glancing at Candace's face.

"I can't believe they just gave us all this!" She said, looking around them.

"Neither can I," he said.

"Let's see what's in that one," she told him anxiously.

He cut the tape and lifted out a folded up highchair. Next came out a large Mickey Mouse diaper bag and at least half a dozen crib sheets.

"I've got to call Abe and tell him to thank his sister for all this!" Candace said, getting up.

"It's kind of late. Maybe you should wait and call tomorrow." He said, helping her up.

Glancing at her watch, "Yeah, it is. I think, it's time to get to bed. This week has worn me out."

"Before you do, I wanted to ask you about something."

"What's that?"

"Have you thought anymore about trying to adopt Mark and his siblings and my sisters?"

"I've been thinking about it all week. I think, we should look into it but we will have to divide up the basement into two bedrooms to add some more room for everyone."

Daniel beamed. "I'll get someone out here tomorrow when I get home from work to get an estimate. And I'll call the Department of Children's Services in Arkansas. I want to find out who has legal custody of Mark's siblings. It may be easier to get them first and then him and my sisters. My grandma likely won't let me have them without a fight."

"You're probably right . . . unless her health is declining and DCS sees she can't take care of them anymore. Did you mention anything to Stephanie and Adrianna about it? They seem pretty settled in Arkansas."

"I didn't want to get their hopes up, but I guess I should have."

"We can talk about it tomorrow. I'm going to bed. Just leave this stuff here and I'll organize it after work tomorrow." She said, turning the light off and exiting the room.

Daniel followed her to the bedroom door and then decided to go downstairs and watch some TV for a bit. "I'll be back up in a few. I don't think I can't cut my mind off enough to go to sleep right now," he told her.

"Oh, ok. I love you."

"I love you too."

******

In the living room, Daniel sat down on the end of the couch. The lights were off but the room was still somewhat illuminated by the light from the stairs. He leaned back and stretched his feet out on the coffee table. Taking on five kids was an overwhelming job for anyone, plus DJ would be arriving soon. But he just couldn't stop thinking about his cousins. He wanted to take in his sisters too, but Candace may be right. They may not want to leave Arkansas right now. They were teenagers with boyfriends and it was the only home they'd ever really known. But his cousins were just little kids. From what Stephanie and Adrianna had said, his aunt had moved her kids from pillar to post all their lives. He knew how that felt. San Diego had been the first place that truly felt like home and he owed that to Candace.

They had this great house, with more than enough room for the three of them. They'd hardly stepped into the basement other than to store some boxes, but he knew it would be excellent for the girls when it was divided into two rooms. Upstairs, Mark and his brother John could share a room and it would still leave Becky and DJ to a have their own rooms, as well as, having the rec room as a spare bedroom if they needed it. He was smiling to himself as he ascended the stairs up to bed.

Chapter 20

Over the entire month of November Candace and Daniel picked up as many extra hours at work as they could. They hired a contractor to remodel the basement, turning it into two large bedrooms and a small bathroom. Daniel, in making many calls to Arkansas had found out that his aunt would voluntarily allow him and Candace to adopt seven-year-old Becky, four-year-old John, and the baby girl she was carrying. Further phone calls set the process in motion with the Department of Children's Services. As was expected, his grandmother refused to relinquish custody of Mark or the girls to them.

A social worker with the South Carolina DCS office would be conducting 'home study' interviews with them beginning the first week of December. They were told that it would be the answers to those questions that determined whether or not the adoption process would continue or not. They were incredibly nervous but tried to stay focused on other matters.

On Thanksgiving, Candace cooked a turkey and all the fixings for the two of them. It would be the last Thanksgiving as a two-person family. They hoped that by next year, they would be sharing their home with four little children. She had always wanted a big family. It'd just been her and her sister growing up and they had never been close, with six years separating them. She'd always felt as though she'd never been good enough for her parents. It had been as though her sister was the pride of the family, while she herself had only existed there until she'd been old enough to leave home.

All through high school, she'd imagined where she'd go when she graduated. Two of the places at the top of her list were California and along the East coast. Now here she was, head over heels in love with her husband, due in a few weeks with their precious little boy, and hoping to welcome three more children into their lives. It wasn't the way she'd pictured her life back then, but it was exactly the way she wanted it to be.

While she'd never felt wanted as a child, she hoped to give these babies a better childhood. She'd never been abused or gone through even half of the things they had, but she knew what it was like to have to wonder if you were truly loved at all. DJ, Becky, John, and the baby girl would never have to do that with them. And she held high hopes of being one big happy family in the near future.

The weekend after Thanksgiving, Candace's friends from work, Sabrina and Angie, threw her a baby shower at the restaurant. Daniel's boss Jackson and his wife Rebecca came and brought gifts, along with Candace's boss Cliff, and two ladies from the church they had attended once or twice recently.

They received several gifts and even the infant car seat they had added to the registry. As far as they could tell, they had everything they would need for DJ.

As the shower was coming to a close, Jackson asked Daniel to join him out in the parking lot where he handed him the keys to one of the white seven-passenger vans that his wife's company sold. "We think what you're doing is honorable. You've always thought about others as long as I've known you and even though you're a lot younger than me I feel like we can all learn something from you and your wife. We know about the kids you're trying to adopt and we thought you could use something bigger than the car," Jackson told him.

"Wow! I don't know what else to say. Just wow! Thank you!" Daniel exclaimed. He felt as though it was all a dream. He'd never set out to impress anyone; he'd only wanted to give his cousins a better life than he'd had. It didn't matter how many extra hours he had to work or even if he had to take on another job somewhere else to cover all the expenses of raising such a large family. There was nothing in the world he would rather do.

Chapter 21

Daniel answered the door sporting a navy blue button-up shirt and black dress pants. Candace sat in a chair at the dining room table wearing a dark purple knee-length dress and heels. They were dressed up because the social worker in charge of the adoption had just arrived and they wanted to make the best impression possible.

"Daniel Raye?" Glenda, the older short brunette social worker, asked. They had only spoken over the phone, so neither knew what to expect.

"Yes, Ma'am." He answered, extending his hand.

"Nice to meet you in person. I'm Glenda McDonald and I'm the social worker in charge of the adoption of the three children of Amy Richardson. We spoke on the phone last week."

"Yes, Ma'am." He repeated timidly and then added, "Please, come in."

Candace met them just inside the door. "Hello. I'm Daniel's wife Candace."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Glenda McDonald with the Department of Children's Services." The woman restated, extending her hand and then added, "Shall we get started?"

"Please, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Candace asked.

"No thank you." Glenda said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

Candace and Daniel sat side by side across from her. Both were clearly anxious, but they tried their best to calm down.

"Mainly what we are going to do at this point is talk. I have several questions to ask you two. Some of your answers could affect the adoption but most of them are just so I can get a better look at your lives and background. If it would be possible, I need to speak to you individually first. I'd like to start with you, Mr. Raye."

Daniel glanced at Candace with a look of panic on his face. What if he said something wrong and ruined it all? She simply smiled and excused herself from the room. He took a deep breath and repositioned himself in the chair.

Glenda smiled, "Don't be nervous. Just be honest and I'm sure everything will be fine."

He nodded and relaxed a bit.

"Tell me about your childhood."

Daniel gulped, closed his eyes for a second, and then began, "Well, it wasn't a good one. I don't really know what you want me to say."

"What are a few of your most unhappy memories?"

Daniel was sure these would be the 'make it or break it' questions he'd been so worried about. He took a deep breath and leaned back against the back of the chair. "I didn't have a good childhood at all. My mom was really the only person who was a constant while I was growing up, and even she didn't want me around all the time. She didn't want the state to put me in a home because she couldn't get a check for me if they did, but she didn't want to deal with me either. I was diagnosed with Asperger's when I was six, but everyone around me knew something wasn't right long before that. I remember my grandmother calling me a retard in front of my whole kindergarten class. The only man I ever really had around was Campbell and he beat me, my mom, and my sisters. He killed a man in our house when I was young. He caught him in bed with mom. He broke my sister's arm. Up until recently I blamed myself for not protecting her but I was just a kid myself."

Glenda looked shocked but didn't speak at first. She held a pen and seemed to be taking notes into a notebook tablet in front of her. Finally she asked, "Do you have any happy memories from your childhood?"

"When we lived in California before mom met Campbell. It was just me and my sister Stephanie then. She was a baby. I don't remember how old I was but there was a woman who lived in our apartment building that gave me an old skateboard." He smiled at the memory. "It had been through it all from the looks of it, but it was the best thing in the world to me. I was afraid to stand up on it then but I would sit on it and roll it all over our apartment and outside on the sidewalk. We moved so many times after that, but I never lost that skateboard. When I was thirteen, my mom and I moved back to California. I meet a guy at one of the skate parks there and he taught me how to ride it. Those are really the only happy memories I have."

Glenda continued to write, nodding as he talked and then asking another question as soon as he finished. "How would you describe your parents?"

"I never met my dad. My mom refused to ever talk about him. I heard he was a drug dealer but I don't have any proof of that. My mom was a pretty woman once. When I was young, she had long black curly hair that she used to pull back with a silver butterfly clip. I don't know why I remember that clip, but she always had it either in her hair or clipped to the strap of her purse. She used to wear a lot of short skirts and a lot of makeup. I thought she was pretty without it, but she didn't care what I thought. We were never close. My sisters and I were always a burden for her. She committed suicide when we were living in San Diego the second time."

"Oh my! You have had a rough life," Glenda commented before continuing on to the next question. "How long have you and Candace been married?"

"Almost a year but I've loved her since I first met her" he answered grinning.

"Normally, we prefer couples to be married at least two years before we place a child with them but since the mother has approved the placement of the children with you two and they are relatives of yours, I don't see that being an issue here. What reasons do you have for wanting to adopt these children?"

"I want John, Becky, and the baby to have a better childhood than I had. We have the means to see to it that they are all three taken care of and we want to open up our home to them."

"What are your experiences with other children?"

"I took care of my sisters when we kids and I took care of myself for years. Mom was around but she never was really 'there' for me. Also, I have a lot of experience with children at my job. You can ask my boss; he will give you a great reference."

"What will be the sleeping arrangements for the children?"

"We are planning on the baby sharing the nursery with DJ and Becky and John will each have their own rooms down the hall from us."

"Do you have a backyard or other place for the children to play?"

"We have the rec room upstairs that we are planning to use as a play room and we have a backyard too."

Nodding, she wrote a few more lines in the note tablet. "What is your job like?"

Daniel smiled. He enjoyed talking about his job. "I work at the Ross Family Stables near the end of town. We work with kids who have special needs, teaching them how to ride and care for the horses. Its great therapy for the kids and it's good for the parents too. They get to see what their children are capable of when given the chance. We have kids come who are blind, autistic, physically disabled, have cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, ADHD, cancer, and numerous other diseases and conditions. There's nothing like being there to witness a kid's face light up while sitting on one of the horses or getting to brush or feed one. We also rescue other abused and neglected animals."

"Asperger's is a form of autism, correct?"

"Yes, Ma'am. It's considered a high-functioning form of autism."

"So, what is it like? Tell me what you've observed from yourself as well as others with Asperger's."

Daniel felt himself begin to perspire. He was getting nervous again. Would this affect the adoption? "Well, unlike people with low-functioning autism, people with Asperger's have normal speech and cognitive development. But their gross motor skills are delayed and sometimes they are more clumsy than normal. They usually have difficulty in understanding facial expressions, body language, and keeping eye contact. They have difficulty expressing emotions and relating to others. Some have an intense and persistent association with particular objects, topics, or subjects. There is usually a difficulty in establishing and maintaining relationships. People with Asperger's usually function better when a routine is followed. Some kids do a lot of repetitive movements."

"I see and how many of these describe you right now?"

"My handwriting is not the best. Sometimes I don't understand unspoken cues and hand gestures. I have normal speech and all that. I relate to movies when it comes to how to talk to some people. When I don't understand something I'll ask questions. I don't have to stay on a routine. I've gotten better through the years. I think working with the kids at the Stables has helped me too."

Glenda smiled. "What are your hobbies?"

"I still like to skate. I ride the board and roller blade. I like to fish too. I'd never been until we moved out here though. And, unlike most people, I truly enjoy my job. I look forward to going to work every day. Every new day is another chance to change someone's life for the better. To give a child a reason to look forward to their next visit to the Stables; to give a parent a reason to be hopeful in the improvement of their child's emotional health."

"Do you two have any pets?"

"Yes, Ma'am. We have a white tom cat named Miller. He's an inside-only cat but he does his own thing. He's not 'in your face' like some cats are."

"Well, I think that is all the questions I have for you. If you would ask Candace to come back in, I need to ask her some questions alone as well." Glenda told him, rising from the chair for a moment to stretch her legs.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll get her." He said, standing up and strolling from the room.

A moment later, Candace sat in front of her in the chair Daniel had just vacated. Glenda smiled as she turned the page in the note tablet and said, "Tell me about your childhood."

"I had a fairly good childhood, I guess. We went on vacation every summer when I was a kid. I never had to do without anything I needed. We only moved once the whole time I lived at home and it was within the same county. I had a lot of family pets and several friends."

"What are a few of your fondest memories?"

"The summers I spent on Pine Lick with my grandparents were the best. They had a four-wheeler with a small handmade wagon behind it. My cousin and I would sit in the wagon as my grandparents would ride on the four-wheeler through the creek bed, splashing water up on us. I also remember spending snow days with my other grandmother. She watched the Young and the Restless religiously every day, so we would have lunch and then we would go to the living room and she would watch her show. Still, whenever I hear the theme song I immediately think of her."

Glenda smiled and continued to write. Stopping only briefly to ask, "Do you have any unhappy memories?"

"My grandfather died when I was twelve. He had always seemed so strong and tough; I didn't understand how he could have been so sick and there was nothing anyone could do. At that time, I believed doctors could fix anything but they couldn't fix him. One day this man who I thought could take on anybody and come out on top, was dying and nothing could change the inevitable. I saw him the day before he died and he spoke to me. He hadn't been talking much but he talked to me. I thought it meant he was getting better, but then the next day my parents told me he had died. I was inconsolable. I still think about him a lot." Candace wiped a tear from her cheek.

Glenda reached over and patted her hand. "It's always hard when we lose someone we thought would never leave."

Candace nodded and absently wiped at another tear.

"How would you describe your parents?"

"They married before I was born and are still together. My dad is a hard worker and has a lot of friends within the community. He owns a shop that sells motorcycles near Nashville, Tennessee. My mom is a beautician. She has a shop a short distant from where I grew up."

"What do you like best about Daniel?"

"He treats me with respect and he loves me. He works hard to provide and he's going to make an excellent daddy," she answered with a smile.

"Why do you want to adopt a child?"

"I only know bits and pieces of the life that Daniel had when he was a kid. I can't imagine what it was like. I know from what we've been told about these kids that they have had a rough life too. I want to give them the home that I wish someone had of given Daniel. I want them to enjoy their childhood and be innocent little children. They grow up too fast anyway. John, Becky, and the baby girl need a loving environment to grow and prosper. No child deserves to grow up wondering if anyone truly loves them or not."

"What do you think some of the difficulties will be with the two older children settling in?"

"I know it will be a new experience for them, but I hope some of the difficulties will be minimized since they will be still inside the family. I would think they would be upset that their mother allowed them to be adopted, but then again they may not because they haven't lived with her for some time. I honestly think the pros will exceedingly out way the cons."

"What are your experiences with other children?"

"Well, my son will be arriving a few days after Christmas." She answered, laying her hand on her belly. "And I used to babysit my cousins when I was a teenager. I love kids. I've always wanted a large family."

"Do you two plan on having more blood children in the future?"

"We would like to eventually, but not for some time. We will have two babies in the house at once if the adoption goes through, so we want them to at least get out of diapers before we have anymore."

"I've read in the files that you were granted custody of Daniel after his mother's death. How old was he at that time?"

Candace took a deep breath. She had hoped that particular detail wouldn't be mentioned. She was worried it would hamper the adoption, if not stop it completely. "He was seventeen."

"Why did you choose to gain custody of him?"

"He didn't have anyone else. His grandmother refused to take him. He didn't know who his dad was. I couldn't stand by and let them put him in a home."

"So, at that time you two weren't romantically involved?"

"No, Ma'am. He was a kid who had no one else in the world. He says he was in love with me from the moment he laid eyes on me, but for me it wasn't until he was nearly twenty. Up until then, I saw him as a kid who needed me not as a man who I needed."

Glenda didn't glance up or acknowledge she had even been listening, other than her continued writing. Seconds later, she asked, "What is your job like?"

"I work at the Low-Country Buffet downtown. My boss is great. I've already talked to him about taking a few months off once the adoption is final."

"How do your parents feel about adoption?"

"I don't know honestly. They live in Tennessee and we're not close. They've never accepted Daniel and they didn't agree with our marriage. I doubt they will even have a relationship with DJ, let alone our adopted children."

Glenda nodded and continued writing. Candace looked at the table and thought about the answers she had given thus far. She had answered them all truthfully, but she still worried her answers had not been the ideal ones.

"How will these children fit into the community and school system?"

"I plan on getting Becky enrolled in the elementary school down the street. A friend of mine has recommended a church preschool program that I plan to check out for John. When I do go back to work, the same church has a day care for children under four that I hope to get DJ and the baby girl into."

"Sounds like you two have made a lot of plans and are truly ready to bring these children into your home. I spoke with Ms. Richardson and she has made it clear she wants you to take the baby girl from the hospital. She does not want to have to care for any of them any longer. Her mother has custody of her oldest child. I see no reason why the adoption wouldn't be granted," Glenda told her with a warm smile.

Candace felt tears well up in her eyes, "Thank you!"

"It's not written in stone yet, but after this paperwork is submitted and I notify the Arkansas worker we should be able to set up a date for the three of us to pick the children up at the bus station. I would say, not later than the second week of January." Glenda told her, collecting her paperwork and getting up from the table to leave.

"Thank you," Candace repeated in disbelief.

"You two should be thinking of a name for your new daughter," she told her as she left.

Chapter 22

December was a very busy month for Candace and Daniel. After the home study interviews, they began to go to thrift shops and other stores trying to find toys and other items for Becky, John, and the baby girl. They bought two used cribs and a set of bunk beds that could be taken apart and converted into twin beds for Becky and John.

Glenda telephoned the week before Christmas to say they would be granted temporary custody of Becky and John beginning on January 8th. Then if there weren't any issues, the adoption of all three children would be finalized before a judge in March after the baby was born.

Candace and Daniel were ecstatic. They went out that very day and bought Christmas gifts for John and Becky. They wouldn't see them until after the holidays, but they wanted them to have a few gifts to open when they arrived.

Daniel purchased John a Hot Wheels race track not unlike the one he had always wanted as a kid. Candace chose a Barbie doll that came with two cats and a smaller doll for Becky. They also got them each a blanket for their new beds, the little girl a princess one and the boy a baseball print one. In addition, they put both of them a bike and helmet on layaway. A few days later they picked out a few gifts for DJ and the little girl too.

Abe visited two days before Christmas. He brought them two boxes of toys for the kids that his grandchildren had outgrown. He also brought Candace a dozen red roses and Daniel a T-shirt that said 'World's Greatest Dad' across the front. He stayed with them for a few days and then headed back to Ohio. He made them promise to call as soon as DJ arrived. They assured him they would. They were sad to see him go; he'd become like a father to both of them.

******

The day after Christmas, Candace awoke before daylight. Her back was hurting but she thought she'd just slept the wrong way or something. She didn't wake Daniel, but went downstairs to make some breakfast. She got the skillet out of the cabinet and set it on the stove. She was just about to get the eggs out of the refrigerator, when she suddenly felt like she'd wet herself. She looked down at the floor and saw that her pajama pants were soaked and the floor was wet as well. The sudden realization of what was happening scared her. She dropped the eggs and leaned against the refrigerator door. "Daniel!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

A sharp pain shot upwards and she sank to the floor among the scattered eggs and shells and where her water had broken. She heard a bang from their bedroom and then Daniel come racing down the stairs taking them two at a time. He was wearing only his boxers and his hair was wildly tousled. His eyes were wide as he caught sight of her on the floor. "What happened? Did you fall?"

"My water broke. The baby's coming!" She answered, holding her abdomen as another contraction came.

Daniel reached down and touched her shoulder. "We have to get you to the hospital!"

"Call an ambulance. I don't think he'll wait until we get to the hospital. He's coming now!"

He ran from the room to grab the cordless phone on the table in the living room. Keying in 911, he hurried back to her side.

"911. What is your emergency?" The female operator on the line asked.

"My wife . . . She's in labor . . . The baby's coming now!" He stammered.

"Sir, I need you to calm down. How far along is your wife in the pregnancy?"

"She's due in two days." He told her, taking a deep breath and trying to calm down.

"Okay. Sir, where is your wife? Is she lying down?"

"Yes, she's on the kitchen floor. Do I need to move her?"

"No. Sir, the ambulance is in route. I want you to tell your wife to keep calm and help is on the way."

Daniel kneeled beside her, "She says to try to stay calm. The ambulance is on its way."

Candace didn't answer, but she screamed loudly as another contraction came. Daniel was near tears. She was in pain and he didn't know what to do to help. The operator brought his attention back. "Sir, we need to determine how the labor is progressing. I need you to look and see if can see the baby's head."

Daniel eased her soaking wet pajama pants off of her and tossed them aside, followed by her panties. As soon as the view was clear, he realized Candace had been correct when she said the baby was coming now. "Oh my God! I see the head!"

"Sir, you have to calm down! It's okay. I'm going to talk you through this. I need you to wash your hands and arms quickly. Get some towels and a pillow. Prop up your wife's head and back as much as you can. Reassure her. Help is coming, but you have this under control if the baby comes before they arrive."

"Oh my God! Where is the ambulance?" Candace screamed.

"It's okay, baby. The ambulance is on its way. I'm going to take care of you and DJ. It's going to be okay, I promise." Daniel told her, helping her to prop up on the pillows.

"You're doing well, Sir. Now I need you to tell her to push when the next contraction comes."

"She wants you to push with the next contraction."

"I don't want to have the baby here! I want to go to hospital! What if something goes wrong?" Candace, who already had tears streaming down her face, began to sob.

"It's okay, baby. It's me and you. We've got this far alone. We can do this," Daniel reassured her.

Candace screamed again as the newest contraction came.

"Push, baby! Let's bring DJ into the world," Daniel urged.

She did as he asked and then collapsed back against the pillows as the contraction ended. "I don't know if I can do this!"

"Yes you can, baby. I know it hurts, but it's going to be okay." Daniel turned his attention back to the operator. "Where is the ambulance?"

"They're on their way, Sir."

A minute later, another contraction overwhelmed her and she once again began to push. Daniel looked down and dropped the phone. He grabbed one of the towels seconds before his son dropped into his arms. Candace collapsed against the pillows, but then she immediately sat back up. "He's not crying! Why isn't he crying?"

Daniel held the baby against him and grabbed the phone. "He's not crying!"

"Sir, take the towel and gently clean off his nose and out of his mouth."

Daniel did as he was told. A second later, DJ began to cry loudly.

"Sir, the ambulance is at your house. I need you to hand the baby to your wife and go let them in."

"Yes. Okay. Thank you," he said quickly hanging up the phone.

Daniel stood by as the EMT cut the umbilical cord and checked out mom and baby. He was beaming with pride. He'd just helped deliver his son. From the moment DJ had dropped into his arms, he knew the love of a father that Abe had told him about. It all seemed surreal. He'd waited all this time to meet this precious little boy and now here he was. He felt a single tear of happiness slide down his cheek.

******

Candace and the baby rode to the hospital in the ambulance. Both of them were fine, according to the EMTs, but she wanted to have the baby seen by the doctor to be on the safe side. Daniel followed them in the car. He'd nearly forgotten to get dressed before leaving. He'd thought absolutely nothing of it when the EMTs came in and he stood there in nothing but his boxers and a smile. Given the circumstances he was sure they'd understand. But showing up at the hospital dressed, or underdressed that way rather, might be a bit much.

They weren't at the hospital but almost half an hour when the doctor came in and assured them that both Candace and DJ were fine. Daniel Zane Raye Jr. was a healthy six-pound, four-ounce baby with his mother's nose and his father's eyes. He was twenty inches long. The doctor recommended they stay overnight, but they would be free to go in the morning.

While DJ was gone with a nurse to have a bath and Candace was filling out paperwork for the insurance and the birth certificate, Daniel stood by the window and looked out. He wondered if his own dad had witnessed his birth. And if so, how had he left before ever getting to know him. He knew it wasn't just his own father that never made any effort to be in his life. Kids were born to single mothers every day. Some men didn't care the least about the children they helped create, yet they continued to make baby after baby with woman following woman and no thought about the pain they were leaving in their wake. He didn't understand it, how someone could gaze into their precious child's eyes and have no desire to be involved in their lives whatsoever.

His thoughts were interrupted by the nurse returning with his own son. He was wrapped in a blue blanket and he smelled like the baby lotion they'd gotten at the shower. Wearing only a little white T-shirt and a diaper, DJ looked so tiny and innocent. His precious baby boy.

The nurse handed him to Daniel and left. "Hi there, little man. I'm your daddy. Besides your mom, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Don't ever forget that," he whispered to him.

Chapter 23

The next two weeks was spent getting into a routine with a newborn in the house. Candace was on maternity leave from work, so she stayed home with DJ while Daniel worked during the day.

He was a good baby, not difficult to get back to sleep after waking in the night. She was breastfeeding, so she had to get up every time he did, but she would pump during the day so when Daniel came home she could take a nap before dinner.

Daniel had no problem with feeding, diapering, bathing, etc. It all seemed like it just came naturally. He loved spending time with his son, even if DJ was just asleep in the cradle with him standing close by. He could imagine him taking his first steps, riding a bike for the first time, starting school, having his first crush . . . All the things he was sure all proud new parents thought about.

******

January 8th arrived sooner than expected, but Candace and Daniel were excited as they fastened DJ's car seat into the van and went to meet Glenda at the bus station. She'd told them the Arkansas social worker would be arriving with the kids at two, but they were already at the station when they drove up.

Seven-year-old Becky reminded Daniel of Stephanie when she was little. She had strawberry blonde hair that fell down over her shoulders and hazel eyes. She was wearing a faded pink T-shirt with a mismatched baby blue skirt and worn-out sneakers, with the laces untied. She was about an inch taller than her brother.

Four-year-old John held his sister's hand and looked like he'd been crying. He was dressed in dirty jeans and a black T-shirt that looked like it was two sizes too small. He was wearing only socks, with holes in the toe.

"They were dropped off with me just like this. I bought them some new clothes but they didn't want to change." The Arkansas worker told Glenda, handing her the bags of new clothes and sneakers.

The kids looked pitiful. Their faces were dirty and they looked like they hadn't had a bath in days. John's nose was running nearly into his mouth and Becky's hair was straggly and dirty. Daniel immediately remembered his own childhood. He never went anywhere clean unless he had bathed himself or he had stayed somewhere where they helped him bathe. He'd prayed someone would rescue him and his sisters from it years ago, and now here he was being a rescuer to these two children.

Candace, holding DJ, walked slowly over to the kids. Daniel stood back a bit, thinking they might trust her more easily than him. He overheard the Arkansas worker telling Glenda how poor the conditions were that the children were living in and that three more children in the home had been removed two days prior. He didn't want them to know that he'd been eavesdropping, but he wanted to know where his sisters and Mark were now. "Excuse me, but I overheard you say the other three kids were taken from the home?"

"Yes. A ten-year-old boy, sixteen-year-old girl, and thirteen-year-old girl were removed from the home as well. The conditions all five of these children have lived in for months were beyond most people's comprehension," the Arkansas worker told him.

"The two girls are his half-sisters," Glenda informed her.

"Oh! The two girls are being cared for by their neighbor. We've checked her and her home out and it is a stable, safe environment. She is thinking of seeking custody of them, if the grandmother's rights are relinquished or terminated. We are thinking she will surrender her rights to avoid facing charges. The boy is in foster care. He's with a family who only takes disabled children. He's in good hands for the time being, but they don't plan to adopt him."

Daniel nodded and walked back over to the van. Maybe Candace was right, maybe his sisters didn't want to leave Arkansas, but he couldn't let Mark be moved from pillar to post. He decided to call Abe for advice later. In the meantime, he turned his attention back to Candace and the kids. She was bent down in front of them talking.

"Hi, Becky and John. I'm Candace and this is DJ."

"Hi . . ." Becky mumbled. John started to cry again.

"It's okay. You don't have to be afraid. We love you both."

"How can you love us when you just met us?" Becky asked.

"We've known about you two for a while now and we've been preparing to welcome you into our home and our family. You each have your own rooms and your own toys."

"Can we see them?" Becky requested.

"They're at home. Do you want to come with us and we can show them to you?"

Becky looked up at her and then at DJ. After a moment, she shrugged her shoulders and said, "I guess we can."

"Okay, let's go then." Candace said, reaching out her hand for the little girl to take.

Becky took her hand and walked alongside her with her brother in tow.

"Hi, John and Becky. I'm Daniel. It's nice to finally meet you two." Daniel said, opening the van door for them and extending his hand.

Becky shook it but then pulled back quickly. John continued to sniffle and cry.

"I have booster seats for both of them!" Glenda shouted, rushing over and handing the seats to Daniel.

"Okay, kiddos, let's get this show on the road." He said, taking DJ from Candace and securing him back in his seat while she fastened Becky and John in their booster seats.

"Call me if you have any concerns, and I will be in touch about Mark's status. He is their older brother," Glenda declared before shutting the door.

Candace didn't ask what she was talking about. She assumed Daniel would bring it up later at home, and she was focused on calming little John. "Why are you crying, honey?"

"I want . . . to . . . go home," he stammered between sniffles.

"We can't, Bubby, mommy don't want us anymore," Becky told him matter-of-factly from the seat behind him.

Candace felt tears well up in her eyes. How horrible it must be for a little seven-year-old to know that her mom doesn't want her anymore. She wiped the tears away quickly and patted John on the leg, "It's going to be okay now, honey. I promise."

When they turned into the driveway in front of the house, Becky gasped. "Is this your house?"

"It's your house now," Daniel answered.

"It's huge!" She blurted wide-eyed.

"Nah, it just looks like it from out here." Daniel chuckled.

"Come on, Bubby!" Becky exclaimed, grabbing John's hand and pulling him out.

Daniel got DJ's seat and followed Candace and the kids to the door. As soon as they stepped inside, Becky spotted Miller. "You have a cat! I love cats!" She shouted.

"His name is Miller," Candace told her.

"Hi, Miller," she said from the entryway.

"You can pet him if you like," Daniel told her.

The little girl slowly walked over to the cat and gently patted him on the head. John, still in tow, reached one finger out toward the cat's nose. Miller stood up on his hind legs to sniff it. "You're funny," John giggled.

Daniel and Candace glanced at one another and smiled. DJ was sleeping soundly in his car seat, so Daniel set him down beside the couch in the living room and had a seat himself. "I was thinking we might order some pizza for dinner. Do you two like pizza?"

They both nodded but they didn't turn their attention away from the cat. "Do you want to go upstairs and see your rooms?" Candace asked.

"Uh huh." Becky answered, following her up the stairs with John in tow.

The kids glanced in the master bedroom and then in the nursery as they walked down the hallway. The first door on the right past the rec room was Becky's room; John's was directly across the hall. Candace stepped into the little girl's room and switched on the light. Becky's eyes got wide.

"All of this for me?" She asked, walking over to the bed and running her fingers over the sheets. She turned and opened the toy box and peeked inside and then opened each of the dresser drawers and looked at the clothes.

"It sure is. Do you like it?"

"Uh huh." She said again, and then added, "Can I put on this one?" She asked pulling a frilly pink nightgown out of one of the drawers.

"Sure, but how about you take a bath first? I can help you. We can wash your hair and dry it and beautify you all up to match the pretty gown. And then you can sleep in it. Is that okay?"

Becky was excited. She smiled and hugged the gown to her chest. "Can we do it now?"

"Let me show your brother his room first and then we will, okay?"

Becky nodded and led the way across the hall to John's room. He ran straight to the toy box and took out a dump truck and an airplane. He sat down in the floor and began to play with them.

"Do you like your room, John?" Candace asked.

"Uh huh." He said, never taking his eyes off the toys.

"Do you want to stay here and play while I help Becky with her bath? I can help you after she's finished."

"Okay." He said simply, continuing to drive the dump truck around on the floor beside him.

"Will he be alright in here alone?" She asked Becky.

"Yeah, we're always alone." The little girl shrugged, walking down the hall to the bathroom.

Forty-five minutes later a clean, sweet-smelling, little girl thrilled to be wearing her new pink frilly night gown strolled out of the bathroom and hurried to find John to show him. He was still in his room, but he had every single toy in the toy box surrounding him playing.

"Wow! Are you having fun, John?" Candace asked, taking in the sight of the room.

"Uh huh." He answered again, looking up at her.

"Look at me, Bubby! I've never looked so beautiful!" Becky announced, twirling around in front of him.

"You've always been beautiful, honey. Beauty comes from the inside," Candace told her.

"Granny said I was ugly," she said as her face dropped.

"Well, your granny just doesn't know beauty when she sees it and trust me you are as beautiful as they come!"

The little girl beamed. "You really think so?"

"Of course I do. Now, do you want to go play in your room while I help John get a bath?"

"Can I go back down there with the cat?" She asked, cautiously.

"Sure honey. This is your house now you can anywhere you like in it."

Candace and John headed into the bathroom and Becky began tiptoeing down the stairs.

******

"My, don't you look like a princess!" Daniel announced as soon as Becky walked into the living room.

She smiled and then asked, "Is Candace your wife?"

"Yes she is. Why do you ask?"

"My dad didn't marry my mom. He didn't want me."

"My dad didn't marry my mom and he didn't want me either," Daniel confessed to her.

"Really?"

"Yeah, but we want you and John here with us."

"What about Mark and mommy's baby? Will we ever see them again?"

"Your mom's baby is coming here to live with us after she's born and I'm sure we can arrange it so you guys can visit Mark, if he doesn't come here."

"Why do you want us to live here?"

"Because we love you, John, Mark, and the baby. We know you all have had a rough life so far and we want to change that; to make it better. Is that okay?"

Becky seemed to think about his answer for a minute and then she smiled.

Chapter 24

March 23rd

DJ was almost three months old and was in day care during the day while his parents worked. His adopted siblings, Becky and John, had settled into their new home rather nicely. Becky was in school at the local elementary school, where she was in first grade. John was attending the preschool at the church, the family now attended regularly. Candace had been back at work nearly three weeks.

One day in late March, Daniel had come home on his lunch break because he'd forgotten to take something to eat with him that morning. As soon as he unlocked the front door, the phone began to ring inside the house. He hurried to it, thinking one of the kids might be sick or something. "Hello?"

The other end of the line was silent for a moment and then a man's voice said, "He died last night, Daniel."

He didn't recognize the voice. "Who is this? Who died?" He demanded.

"Dad. He'd had the flu but I didn't . . ." the man trailed off.

"Who is this?"

"Andrew, Abe's son. He died last night. He loved you and Candace like his own. I thought you should know. I'll call you back after we make the arrangements." The man said with his voice cracking.

Daniel nearly dropped the phone. He slumped into a nearby chair and fought back tears. "Okay . . . Please do," he said at last.

"I will," Andrew said before hanging up.

As soon as he put the telephone back on the base, he dropped his head into his hands and sobbed. The only man he'd ever had in his life who cared anything about him was gone. Abe had been a father to him. He'd looked up to him. Abe had made him feel important, smart, and loved. He was the only grandparent DJ knew. Becky and John loved him when he last visited. He'd been like a father to Candace too. He'd given them encouragement, love, respect, and hope. He'd given them their home; he'd never taken a penny from them on the lease. He'd given them his car and all the furniture and décor in the house, except his bed. Abe had played a huge part in the man that Daniel was today, and now he was gone.

He felt like his heart was breaking into a million pieces. He couldn't imagine not being able to talk to him anymore, not getting to hear his southern drawl when he got deep in conversation. He felt like he'd just lost a piece of himself.

Abe had visited a few weeks prior. He'd been looking forward to meeting Andi, the name they had chosen for the baby girl, due any day. He'd held DJ and talked to him, laughing when he passed gas in his arms. He'd read a book to John and played tea party with Becky. He'd seemed so well, so alive. It didn't seem possible that such a strong man could have died so quickly. Daniel hadn't even known he'd been sick. He had no time to prepare for the man's departure. It didn't seem fair. Abe had given so much to them, to his sisters and their families, to his sons and grandchildren, and to his wife yet he'd been taken to Heaven without even getting to say goodbye. It made him question his faith. He suddenly wasn't so sure in what he believed anymore. It didn't seem right that a kind and gentle soul like Abe should have died so soon. He was old, but he still had many good years left. Daniel needed him. For once in his life, he had a dad and now he was gone.

He could hardly catch his breath between sobs. He glanced over at a framed photograph sitting on the table by the phone. In it Abe sat in a chair at the dining room table, Becky and John stood beside him, while DJ was in his arms. "Thank God for the memories," he said aloud, picking up it and holding it to his chest.

******

Becky rode the bus home from school, while Candace picked up John and DJ from the church. They all arrived home at the same time. Daniel would have normally been home from work already anyway, so Candace didn't think anything of it when she and the kids walked into the living room to see him sitting on the couch. However, the look on his face told her something was wrong.

"What is it?" She asked, sitting the baby carrier in the floor and taking a seat next to him.

When he turned his face toward her, she saw his eyes were bloodshot and tears streaked down his face. At first he didn't answer and she thought she heard him humming really low, but then he wiped at his eyes and handed her the photograph.

"He's gone," he said simply.

Instantly, she knew why he'd been humming. He'd been back to his childhood when he'd lost his mother. Now, the only man he'd ever known to care about him was gone.

Candace felt the tears sliding down her face. Abe had been like a father to her too. He had accepted her when her own father wanted nothing else to do with her. "When?" She asked after a moment.

"Last night," he answered. He started to hum again until he noticed John and Becky watching him.

"What's wrong?" The little girl asked.

Daniel cleared his throat and sat up straighter. "One of the greatest men I've ever known went to Heaven last night." He told her, choking back tears.

"Jesus?" John asked.

Candace and Daniel glanced at one another and smiled. "No, son, not Jesus but he was a great man too."

"But shouldn't you be happy instead of sad? Miss Shirley in Sunday school says Heaven is a happy place. She says there's no more pain or tears." Becky said, taking a seat beside them.

Daniel smiled and wrapped his arm around her. "You're right. Miss Shirley is right. He can't mourn for what he lost now because he's back with her. He's probably happy in Heaven. We are just really going to miss him."

"I bet if you talk to him he'll still hear you," Becky told him with wisdom far beyond her years.

"Do you think so?"

"Stephanie used to say when two people love each other no matter how far apart they are, they are still together in their hearts. If he's in your heart, he can still hear you when you talk to him. He's not gone forever, Daddy, he's in here." She told him, reaching over to point to his heart.

She'd never called him daddy before. He'd not known what to say when she'd asked what they should call them. Now it had rolled so easily off her tongue and it was true. He was her daddy and no matter how much it hurt that Abe was gone, his memory would forever live on in him. Becky, John, DJ, and Andi would have a great daddy because Abe had been great to him. He outstretched his arms and pulled both John and Becky to him. "I love you all so much," he said.

"We love you too, Daddy." Both kids said in unison. Daniel smiled. Abe would be so proud.

******

The funeral was going to be in Ohio. Andrew called and told them and then added that they would understand if they didn't want to travel that far with the kids. They talked it over and called him back to tell him they wouldn't be able to make it. Daniel had wanted to go, but the more he thought about it he realized Abe was gone. His body would be in the coffin, but what made him Abe was already gone. He knew he would understand why they didn't attend the services.

The following morning, Glenda called to say the baby girl had been born and that they could pick her up at the hospital or the social worker would bring her to Charleston to meet them.

So, three days later at the bus station in Charleston, Candace and Daniel met their new baby daughter Andrea Sue, Andi for short. She was perfect. She had a tiny patch of red hair on the very top of her head and brown eyes. She was dressed in a pale purple Easter dress and white shoes. Candace felt the tears forming as she stared at her.

"A court date to finalize the adoptions has been set for April 5th. I have papers for you two to sign to petition the court for custody of Mark as well. He is currently in a state home for handicapped children, but we all feel it would be best for him to be with his siblings." The social worker told them.

"We agree," they said in unison.

"The neighbor, a Miss Tyshawna, has been granted permanent custody of the two older girls."

"Where do we sign?" Candace asked.

Chapter 25

Twenty-Three Years Later . . .

Daniel was forty-five years old, Candace fifty-two. They now had eight children: thirty-three year-old Mark, thirty-year-old Becky, twenty-seven-year-old John, twenty-three-year-old DJ, twenty-two-year-year-old Andi, eighteen-year-old Thomas, fifteen-year-old Hailey, and eleven-year-old Zoey. Thomas and Hailey were siblings they had also adopted out of the state of Arkansas, but they had been no relation to Daniel or the other kids. Becky, John, Andi, and DJ were married and had families of their own, giving Daniel and Candace five grandchildren. Thomas was about to graduate high school and planned to go to college to study engineering. Mark was still living at home but he had a job as a door greeter and bag boy at a local grocery store. He'd made great improvements over the years and was looking forward to getting his own apartment soon. Hailey was a sophomore in high school and had plans of going to college. She wasn't sure what she wanted to be yet, but she still had two more years to figure it out. Zoey was in the fourth grade at the elementary school and she was also a cheerleader for the pee wee football team.

Life had been good to them. All their children and grandchildren were happy and healthy, although Mark still had autism, Hailey had some developmental delays, and Zoey had ADHD. They had a good marriage and they were very much still in love. Daniel had taken over at the Stables when Jackson had passed away eight years ago. Candace now had her nursing license and worked part-time at the local hospital. She made sure to attend any school functions Hailey or Zoey or any of their grandchildren were involved in. And on weekends, sometimes they took their youngest girls to Hunting Island. They wanted to instill in their daughters what they had felt the first time they had set foot in South Carolina. They often talked about Abe to their children and grandchildren and made sure to mention how much he had done for them. They still missed him even after all the years that had passed, but Becky's little seven-year-old words had helped them cope with their loss.

Twenty-three years later, he still remained as close to Candace and Daniel's heart as he had been when he was alive.

******

One day in late November, just a few days before Thanksgiving, the alarm clock went off in Candace and Daniel's bedroom. It was six in the morning; time for Daniel to get up for work. Candace had worked the night shift the day before and didn't have to be up until eight when the girls got up for breakfast. School had already let out for the upcoming holiday.

The alarm buzzed for several seconds and then silenced itself. Candace didn't awaken until it went off again. This time she rousted up and told Daniel it was time to get up. No answer. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and set up in bed. The curtains were blocking the light and the room was still fairly dark. She could see him in the bed beside her, but he wasn't making any effort to turn off the alarm. She reached over to shake him but she stopped when she placed her hand on his arm. He was cold. Very cold. She leaped out of bed and hurried around to his side. She silenced the alarm and turned on the lamp.

Daniel's eyes were closed but she instantly knew he wasn't sleeping. She frantically shook him, shouting his name. No response. Zoey and Hailey came into the room to see what was wrong. Candace knew he was gone before she checked for a heartbeat, but she did it anyway. She knew there was no saving him, but for the sake of her daughters she shouted for them to call for an ambulance. Hailey raced downstairs to get the phone, while Zoey came to her mother's side.

"What happened? Is he dead? Daddy . . . Daddy! No!" Zoey sobbed, falling onto the bed beside her father.

Candace slumped to the floor. She felt as though she couldn't breathe. The room was spinning and she prayed Daniel would just wake up. How could he be gone? He'd been fine last night! He had kissed her good night as usual; she'd even fallen asleep with her head resting on his chest. He had to wake up; I'm not strong enough to handle everything alone, she thought to herself.

What was probably only a few minutes, felt like an hour; but finally she heard the EMTs coming up the stairs. The first one in the room, a scrawny young blonde fellow, checked for a pulse. The second, a short heavy-set red-headed woman, used the stethoscope to try to catch any sign of life. She turned to the guy and shook her head. Candace saw it. She already knew he was beyond help. But the young guy jumped on the bed and began chest compressions. "Let's get this man to the hospital!" He shouted.

The woman glanced at Zoey and Hailey and nodded. Candace knew what they were doing. They didn't have authority to pronounce him and they wanted to leave the girls with a little bit of hope.

"You can follow us to the hospital," the woman told them.

"Come on, Mom. Let's go!" Hailey shouted.

"Maybe they can do something at the hospital!" Zoey said anxiously.

"Girls, I need you to listen to me. Go to your rooms and get dressed. I've got to do the same. Then we will go to the hospital. I'll call your brothers and sisters on the way there." She said, steadying herself to get up.

******

Daniel was pronounced dead at 8:07am on November 26th. His body was sent for an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The doctor came out and talked to Candace alone. She already knew he was gone, but now with the confirmation she felt as though she was going to collapse. The doctor steadied her and called for a nurse to come assist. Again, the room was spinning and she was about to hyperventilate. She worked with both the doctor and the nurse, but she'd never been like this at work. They assured her they understood and it was okay, but there was no way anyone could understand. She had just lost her best friend, her husband, her soul mate. Nothing would ever be the same, and now she had to go to the next room and break the news to their children. She just wanted to wake up. She wanted it all to be a terrible nightmare. She wanted to hear him say her name one more time, to hold her once more. How could she ever go on without him? They'd always been together. Since he'd been fifteen years old, they'd been inseparable. They'd shared nearly twenty-five years of marriage. They still had hopes and dreams for the future. He wanted to go to their granddaughter's upcoming birthday party. He had planned to help Mark move into his new apartment. He'd been looking forward to seeing Thomas graduate high school. He still had so much living to do. How could he already be gone?

******

Candace somehow managed to get through telling their children their dad had gone to Heaven. They all took it hard, but Zoey and Hailey took it the worst probably because they were younger. For two days Mark didn't talk to anyone; he wouldn't even come out of his room. Finally DJ managed to get him to go home with him and his family for a few days, just to get out of the house. Thomas stayed with one friend and then the next, to keep from having to come home. John refused to talk about any of the arrangements.

Becky and her ten-year-old daughter Savannah came to stay with Candace and her younger sisters for a few days. Since returning home from the hospital, Candace hadn't moved from the spot on the bed where Daniel had taken his last breath. She hadn't showered. She hadn't slept. She hadn't eaten in two days. She kept asking herself, why didn't I know something was wrong? Why didn't I wake up, so at least he hadn't been afraid to die alone?

"Mom, let me help you get a shower and get on some clean clothes." Becky told her, rubbing her back.

"I can't."

"He's not coming back, Mom. You can't give up living; you know Daddy wouldn't want that," she said in those wise words she'd always had.

"I know, honey. I just don't know if I can go on without him." Candace said, turning over to look at her.

"You still have all of us. We're here for you."

Candace wiped at a tear. She thought as much as she'd cried the past two days, she'd be all out of tears.

"Come on let's go get you a shower and some clean clothes." Becky repeated, holding out her hand.

"Okay," she answered reluctantly.

Later after she had gotten a shower and some fresh clothes on, Candace was sitting on the couch drinking some hot tea Becky had made. Her granddaughter Savannah sat down beside her and patted her hand.

"I miss Grandpa too but you know what Mom says?"

Candace turned to listen to her.

"Mom says when two people love each other no matter how far apart they are, they are still together in their hearts."

Candace immediately flashed back to that day on the same faded couch so many years ago when she and Daniel had been upset over Abe's death. Becky had said those exact words to them. It'd made it easier to accept it. They'd known Abe wouldn't have wanted them to be so upset so they'd kept little Becky's words in mind, picked up the pieces of their shattered hearts, and moved on.

Today, she would do the same. Daniel wouldn't have wanted her to be so depressed. He would have wanted her to go on living her life, so that he would remain alive through her and their children and grandchildren.

******

Daniel hadn't planned on dying so soon, so he didn't have a will or any last wishes that he had made known. It was revealed that he had died from an anaphylactic reaction to a bee sting that had occurred earlier in the day when he was clearing out some boxes in the shed. No one even knew he was allergic to bees. All the years they were together, Candace had never known. She didn't know he'd been stung; only Mark knew because he had been with him when it'd happened. Daniel hadn't told Candace because he didn't want to worry her.

The autopsy revealed that more than likely Daniel had awoke unable to breath, and shortly thereafter passed away. Yet, he had made no commotion. He hadn't tried to rouse his wife sleeping right next to him. He'd promised himself years ago he would protect her. He'd known he was going to die and that she wouldn't be able to stop it from happening. Right up until he closed his eyes for the last time, he had protected her from it all. Candace found peace in that.

Chapter 26

Daniel's life insurance from working at the Stables paid for his funeral. Hundreds of people came. Parents and children that he had worked with at the Stables, friends of the family, and even Abe's son Andrew and his family made an appearance. Zoey read a poem for her dad and DJ said a few words during the service. Becky and Hailey sang a song together in his memory. Their three oldest grandchildren placed pictures of themselves in the coffin with him. Candace was sure he would have been pleased. He was buried in the cemetery two blocks from John and his family's home. The headstone held a photograph of Candace and Daniel's wedding day. On the back of the stone was engraved the names of all eight of their children.

Candace stood for a long time at the grave site. She didn't cry, she just reminisced about their life together. They'd had the kind of love most people only dreamt about. Her only regret was that she hadn't fallen in love with him sooner. For so long they'd been everything to one another. She'd never imagined having to live without him by her side, but now she knew she could. She would hold him in her heart until she joined him again.

******

Over the next week, Candace and her sons helped their brother Mark move into his new apartment. Thomas moved in with him, planning to only stay until he got into college. Hailey, Zoey, and Candace had a long talk about what they wanted to do from now on. Eventually they decided to move a short distance away into another house that was for sale closer to the rest of the family. None of them felt they could move on in the house where they kept expecting to see Daniel's smiling face appear, saying it had all a bad dream. The older children agreed with the move, and Candace set about helping the girls pack their things.

They would take the girl's beds, the living room furniture, the master bed, and their personal belongings. The rest of the furniture and appliances would stay for the next owner. Her children didn't understand this but she insisted. The boys helped them move and by Friday, Candace was collecting the last of a few boxes out of the shed. She was the only one still there.

All of a sudden, she heard a vehicle pull into the driveway. She set down the box she was holding and walked around to the front of the house to see who it was. It was a small black older model truck pulling a U-Haul. There was a young man with sandy blonde hair getting out of the driver's side door. He saw her and started over. She met him halfway.

"Hello. You have a really nice house here!" He blurted with a smile.

"Thank you, but it's not mine now. It's available for lease," she told him.

"Wow! See, me and my girlfriend are looking for a place around here. How much are you asking a month?" He asked, sure they couldn't afford such a nice place.

"Where are you from?" She asked.

"Indiana. We have a baby due in April and we wanted to settle down out here and raise a family."

"Do you have family out here?"

"No, Ma'am. She grew up in foster care and my dad . . . uh . . . He stays drunk all the time. We've been gone for three days and I doubt he even misses us."

Candace thought of Abe and Daniel as she unlocked the front door and showed him and his girlfriend the house. She remembered the day Abe had walked her and Daniel through the same rooms. She recalled how he had cried outside the door of the master bedroom, and now she wiped her own tears as she left the young couple to explore the rest of the house alone. Taking a seat in the sun room, Candace thought about all the memories they'd made in the house. She looked down at her lap and wiped the tears from her eyes. When she looked back up, she vaguely saw the outlines of Daniel, Abe, Peggy, and Jack in front of her. All four smiled and nodded their heads, as if letting her know she was doing the right thing by continuing the legacy of the greatest gift.

"So, you never said how much you're asking a month." The young man said once they had rejoined her downstairs.

She laid the keys on the table and smiled. "You two settling down here and raising a family will be payment enough," she said.

"What? Wait, why are you doing this?" The young girl asked.

"Because a great man once did it for us." She said as she opened the door to leave, and then added, "All the furniture still here stays too. I wish you both the best."

"Wait! What's your name?" The girl shouted after her.

"Candace Raye. My daughters and I just bought another house a short distance from here. I'll be nearby if you need anything," she answered. "And please, let me know when the baby comes."

She smiled, took one last look around the kitchen and shut the door behind her.

Asperger Syndrome

Asperger Syndrome (AS) is a neurobiological disorder on the higher-functioning end of the autism spectrum. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. Every individual is different, but some of the more common characteristics include:

* Impairment in the understanding of nonverbal behaviors (facial expression, body posture, hand gestures)

* Inflexible to changing routines

* Difficulty judging personal space

* Clumsiness

* Sensitivity to crowds, loud noises, food textures, etc.

* Difficulty understanding other's feelings

* Socially inappropriate responses

* Difficulty comprehending implied meanings.

While the peers of children with AS may view them as 'odd' or 'weird', as adults most of us recognize that everyone is different. Imagine what a boring world it would be if everyone was exactly the same.

Autism is but one reason for children and adults being bullied and convinced they are 'less than' the rest of us. This is simply not true. They are still individuals; same as those with cancer, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, etc. They are still people. They still have hopes, dreams, wants, needs. They laugh, they believe, they hurt, they cry. A disease or disorder doesn't change the fact that they are as deserving of a good life as any one of us are. Please be kind to those with autism and other diseases and disorders.

The characters in this book are fiction, but the idea for this book came about after I saw the prejudices some people have for others with autism. It was sad that they felt the need to whisper and joke about two of the nicest men I've ever known. A few people even went as far as to criticize me for being friends with these guys. Although it didn't stop me, it did make me feel as though it was time that the prejudices about autism be silenced for good. You've read the fictionalized story, now here are their stories; and please remember, don't judge. (Names have been changed to protect their privacy.)

Aaron

Aaron was born a healthy baby boy to loving parents and joined an older brother. He walked and talked at the usual milestones as other babies his age, except he always seemed a little clumsier than his brother had. But his parents, knowing all children are different, didn't think much of it.

As his second birthday and then his third passed, it became apparent he was a unique child. He seemed to have difficulty in understanding the tone of his parent's voice when they reprimanded him for doing something that could hurt him. He had no problem showing love and affection for his parents, but when it came to his brother he seemed to be totally unaware that the older boy had feelings and/or felt pain. He would pinch and bite his older brother and then be clueless as to why he was bit or shoved back. There was four years difference in their ages and for a long time their parents contributed the issues to sibling rivalry or 'boys just being boys'.

When Aaron started school at the age of four, his teachers told his parents that his gross motor skills were quite delayed and they should work with him at home. No matter how hard they worked with him holding a pencil, using scissors, and using food utensils he hardly showed any improvement after months. He began to show a lot of tension when working in groups in the classroom. He would hum loudly and curl up in a corner with his knees hugged to his chest. It threw up a red flag for his teachers and they suggested to his mother that she have him tested for autism.

Nearly a year and a half later, Aaron was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism. His parents were devastated. They were sure their lively little boy would eventually be just another handicapped adult living at home or in an institution until his death. This was 1997, but there was still a lot skepticism about the ability of autistic people ever being able to function in the world by themselves. Anyone who acted or looked different from the self-perceived 'norm' was frowned upon in society.

Asperger's wasn't as well-known as it is today. His parents didn't know what to expect and they felt as though their son had just been given a death sentence.

Six-year-old Aaron was placed in a special education class at school and life went back to normal for everyone but him and his parents. Now their days were consumed with appointments with psychiatrists, occupational therapists, and pediatricians. While his father buried himself in work and hardly even ate dinner with the family anymore, his mother was determined to get the best possible help for her son.

The path his life would take was set into motion when one of his therapists suggested he be allowed to find his 'ability'. It was believed then as it is today that children with Asperger's often times have at least one thing that they excel in. For some its video games, math, science, or reading. For Aaron, it became dance. He began to dance all the time. When he was frustrated instead of having a meltdown, he would dance. He didn't have to be able to hear music; it was as though he had his own melody in his head. He would dance to anything: country, hip hop, rock, jazz, even church choir music.

At the age of ten, he taught himself to choreograph his own dance routine. His mother videotaped him and she would watch it whenever she had doubts regarding his potential. As he became more focused on dancing, his condition began to improve. He was even put back in a regular classroom. His grades were good and he even managed to make and keep a few friends along the way.

As he entered high school, he once again felt out of place. Teenagers could be horribly cruel at times. He was bullied and teased. Hardly a day went by when he didn't come home from school with bruises or emotional scars. His mother began to worry about his wellbeing. He became depressed and his grades dropped.

Then his mother saw a sign at the grocery store while shopping one day advertising for a new dance studio that had just opened nearby. She wrote down the number and brought it up over dinner than night. Aaron was intrigued.

The next afternoon, he and his mother stopped by to check it out. He signed up that day and attended class the next evening. Gradually his grades improved once more. He became the lively teenager he'd been the summer before high school. He was still being bullied at school but now he had a new outlet for his anger and frustrations. He let it all go on the dance floor and his instructors believed in his natural talents.

Just after turning sixteen, one of his instructors suggested he send in a video of him dancing to a local producer putting together a movie centered around dancing. He toyed with the idea for a few days and then recorded himself with his webcam and sent it to the producer. He didn't think anything else of it until he received a telephone call two weeks later.

The producer wanted him to come down and audition for a leading role in his new movie. He was overcome with emotion and overwhelmed at the thought that he may actually have a chance to turn his love for dance into a life-long career.

A few days later, he auditioned for the part and was chosen out of a group of eighty-six others. He became home-schooled while he was on set filming and he never looked back at his old high school and the ones who had made him feel as though his life wasn't worth living.

On set he gave it his all just as he had in dance class and in the living room of his childhood home. All his built up emotions, dreams, hopes, everything went into his dancing and acting career. He still had Asperger's but it was no longer considered a death sentence for him or his parents. If anything, it had helped pave the way for the rest of his life.

Today, he has an apartment, a wonderful career, and dance abilities beyond most any 'average' person. I've never met him in person, but we had an online friendship for months. Over the course of our friendship I told him it was my dream to get a book published one day. He told me about himself and everything he had gone through to get where he was today. One of the things that sticks out the most to me that he said was, "Don't ever let go of your dreams because there is no dream too big."

Brad

Brad was born healthy as well but unlike Aaron, he was three years old before he ever said a word. He was diagnosed at age four with autism and like Aaron's parents Brad's parents were convinced their son would 'never amount to anything'.

Brad also had autism but it wasn't Asperger's. He wasn't low-functioning though; he was still a lively child with all the wants and needs of any other child. He was otherwise healthy and happy. He attended school, although he had always been in a special education classroom. He had a few friends and he loved to go fishing. Outside of watching TV, fishing was his favorite thing in the world to do. His dad had taken him fishing for the first time when he'd been just six years old but it was a passion he never grew out of. He could sit on the bank alone with his thoughts for hours.

When Brad was eleven, he witnessed something horrifying. He was traumatized, as anyone would be. He felt he should have done something to stop it but because his brain didn't work as fast as some peoples did, it was done before he could react. For years afterward, he had terrifying nightmares and even began to worry the man would come after him, even though he was locked away in prison.

As time went on, he gradually began to talk again. He went back to fishing anytime he could, because there he felt closer to his dad than anywhere else. He attended school regularly and although he contemplated dropping out, he managed to graduate high school. He moved in with his grandmother and she made sure he was taken care of. He could mostly take care of himself, but he needed help with his finances and any insurance or medical decisions.

I met Brad for the first time twelve years ago. He was thirty-three years old and I was twenty-three. He began to come in at least once a week to the store where I worked. Sometimes he was with his granny; sometimes he was alone. He lived all the way on the other end of town, but he would walk to the store in the hot boiling sun, rain, snow, it didn't matter. His granny had a car, but he didn't have a license, so he walked all over town where he needed to go. I had seen him out walking and in the store, but we had never actually spoken except an occasional hello in passing.

On this particular day, he had come to the store and was standing around up next the registers as though he had something he wanted to say. I waited for a bit to see what he was doing and then I asked if there was something I could do for him. He shook his head no and kind of blushed. He turned back to looking at the greeting cards and I finished stocking the battery rack. When I was finished, I went outside to bring back in some carts out of the parking lot. As I was getting them out of the cart rack I saw him walking toward me.

"Looks like it's going to rain don't it?" He said, making conversation.

"Yeah it does. I hope it doesn't start until after I get off at eight," I told him.

He nodded and walked away. I didn't go outside anymore until I got off work that night. By then it was pouring down rain. As I was making my way to my car, I saw him standing under the eve of the building. It only took me a split second to ask him if he needed a ride somewhere. He nodded, got in the passenger seat, and pointed out the way to his grandmother's house. We sat there in the car in front of her house and talked for over an hour.

From then on, we were always together. We went fishing, riding around, or just sitting somewhere talking. I told him all my hopes and dreams, and he told me his. Eventually we tried dating; it didn't last long, but we remained friends.

People would often ask me why I wanted to hang out with Brad or why he acted so strange sometimes. I'd simply say, "That's just Brad." And it was. He would listen to me rattle on endlessly about nothing. He was always a shoulder to cry on if I needed it. We talked about the past, the future, and where we hoped life would take us. He loved me. Even his family claimed he didn't know what love was, but I knew differently. They didn't see what I saw. They didn't know him like I did. He was different, but he didn't care. If no one liked him, he didn't care. We even talked about running away together and moving someplace where no one knew us. Somewhere where no one knew our past; someplace we could create a new future. But real life doesn't happen like it does in books and movies, and eventually we drifted apart. His granny's health was declining and he started to spend more time with her. I rekindled a flame with an old boyfriend, and although we stayed friends things were different.

Then one day my overly jealous boyfriend told Brad that I didn't want anything else to do with him and for him to leave me alone. It was a lie and I think Brad knew that, but he didn't want to cause problems for me so he stopped coming in the store. He stopped waving when he saw me out on the street. He stopped calling me. I tried to make amends but the damage was done.

A few months later, his granny passed away and he moved back to Texas where the rest of his family was from. I never saw him again. I've tried to find him online or even a number to reach him, but to no avail. I don't even know if he's still living. I would love to hear his voice again, for it to go back to the way it used to be. But times have changed. Life has gone on. He may not want to hear from me, but I would like to let him now he changed my life for the better.

Brad was the first person I'd ever met that truly couldn't care less what others thought of him. Life felt so boundless being with him. I felt free to be myself with no judgement. In his eyes, I was special in my own way just as he was. And I'll never doubt that he was the first non-family member to ever truly love me unconditionally.

About the Author

Marie Tayse finds inspiration in every experience, every moment in life. She writes about the subjects that hit home with her, in hopes that someone else may find something worthwhile as well.

She wrote her first short story at the young age of ten. Since then she has written numerous poems, short stories, screenplays, and books. Only six of these have appeared in print so far, but she plans to do something with some of the others in the near future.

Marie loves all genres of music and uses it as inspiration as well. She is also an animal lover and has hopes of one day owning and operating a rescue for abused and neglected animals. She and her family have already adopted eight rescue cats and two dogs.

Marie lives in Tennessee with her family and 'furbabies'.

Email her at: seekinganswerstn@mail.com or 'friend' her on Facebook. You can also 'like' her page on Facebook: Marie Tayse – Author.

Other books by Marie Tayse:

The Monster Within

The Protector

One Great Love

A Walk into the Unknown

Meet Miracle

