As a boy Sebastian or Bastion as he was often called had been taught that to be a man meant he needed to be strong, he needed to be assertive and take charge.  There would be no room for being the so called “SNAG” (sensitive new age man), not if he wanted to succeed and success was a must, it was expected of him.

Bastion was sent to the best schools and given all the necessary opportunities to make something of himself, something that made his father proud.  But as yet he had no partner, no one to share his success with.  There had been several women in his life in the past, but none that he had felt compelled to spend the rest of his life with.  In fact he wasn’t sure he ever would find such a woman!

Bastion was given every opportunity to become successful, but he also had a very strict upbringing.  His father ruled the household with an iron glove.  More than once he had faced his father shame faced dreading the punishment he would receive.  But he was also taught to be responsible for his actions, something that he maintained throughout his life.  Something he would also expect of a wife!

He was now in his mid thirties and seemed settled with the life he’d made for himself.  He enjoyed his work as a publisher and got to meet many interesting people.  He also had a small group of friends that he spent time with, at the gym or relaxing over a few drinks at their favourite bar.

By all accounts Bastion had a full life, but there was still something missing.  More and more lately he longed for female company, someone he could love and share his life with.  At times he even found himself reaching for someone in his sleep and the more he tried to shake off these feelings the more they seemed to plague him.

Bastion went about his life keeping busy, so as not to think about what was missing in his life.  It was difficult at times, but he knew he had to stay focused.  Part of his job as a publisher was to read manuscripts and decide on what would sell if published… what was marketable… what the public wanted… and so on.  So he started taking work home more often even if he didn’t read it.

One Sunday morning Bastion sat contemplating his hangover and whether or not he should ever again try and fill the void by clubbing it with his mates.  He poured a mug of coffee and picked up a manuscript to read hoping this would pull his mind back into focus.

He sat back on the couch with his feet up putting the mug on the coffee table to cool.  He closed his eyes for a few seconds trying to empty his mind of all thought so he’d be open to what he was about to read.

This was something he always did when reading manuscripts, as he believed each writer deserved to have someone with a clear mind evaluate their writing.  This also helped a great deal when he needed to consider if the manuscript would be worth publishing.

This had always worked for him, he was able to read without being cluttered by other thoughts or personal problems and thus giving the piece he was reading his undivided attention.

As he opened the manuscript that day, Bastion had no idea that it would be the beginning of something that would change his life forever.  The title was ‘The Me I Need to Hide’ written by someone he’d never heard of.  He figured okay here goes… another soppy poor me type of story… though the poor me actually reflected more on the reader than the writer at that time.

As he read the foreword he could feel himself being drawn in, the words were simple but well written and touched a chord within him.  As he read he didn’t realize that he had wriggled further into the comfort of the couch and had begun blocking out his surroundings; something he did only when engrossed in something very special.

The manuscript was about depression, one woman’s journey in survival which included poetry, short stories and intermittent survival writing.  It showed not only the vulnerability of the woman but also her strength.  A strength she didn’t realize she had in the beginning, one that had eventually helped give her the guts to put the book together and send it off to a publisher.

He stopped a few times while reading, as he found the words he read had caught at his heart and he recognized at least some of the pain and emptiness that the author had so eloquently put into words.  Knowing that these were things she really experienced drew him in even more and he began to feel an empathy with her.

There were parts that he read and re-read and when finally he put down the manuscript it was well into the afternoon.  He looked at his mug and realized it was still full, once he’d begun to read he’d forgotten it was there.  This had never happened before and it unsettled him somewhat; that a manuscript could affect him this way.

As was his way when reading something good, Bastion put the manuscript aside and walked away from it, knowing that he would bring it back to mind later and consider all aspects of it from a publisher’s perspective.

But he couldn’t seem to put thoughts of it aside, it stayed with him through the rest of the day and well into the evening.  Eventually he picked up the manuscript again and looked at the name of the author ‘Brinda’ there was no surname which meant it was probably an alias, but somehow it seemed to fit her.

He felt like he knew her somehow, and that perhaps there was some kind of connection between what she’d written and what he had been going through of late.  He shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair brushing it back off his face.  Then he put the manuscript in his briefcase and decided to go for a run as this always helped clear his mind.

He deliberately left the manuscript where it was for the next few days, hoping this would put it out of his mind, but it didn’t work.  Thoughts inevitably drifted back to it and this began to frustrate him as this kind of thing had never happened to him before.

He had always prided himself on being a professional and not letting emotions get in the way as he knew this could cloud a person’s judgment.  But he had not been behaving in that way at all since he read the manuscript!

This he said to himself was driving him mad, and he knew that the sooner he dealt with it the quicker he could get back to where he needed to be.  He began to write a letter to the author explaining that unfortunately her manuscript wasn’t what they were looking for at the moment.  But when he looked at the completed letter he found he’d written her an invitation to visit his office to discuss her writing.

He sat dumbstruck for several minutes, unsure of what next to do.  Impulse took hold then and before he could do anything else he’d printed and signed the letter and handed it to his assistant Maree to post.

He seemed to be able to think straighter after that and threw himself back into his work.  There were a great many writers in Australia that truly deserved to have their work published and he wanted to help give them that opportunity.  In the process it would also help maintain the reputation he’d worked so hard for and which his publishing house had gained.

A week passed and he no longer had any thoughts of the manuscript.  He got on with life and again did what he could to fill the void he so often felt.  It was Thursday morning and he kept getting a feeling there was something he had to do.  He had no idea what it was, but it kept needling him.

He got to work and did the normal things, checked his email, read his mail and looked over the number of manuscripts that had come in the previous afternoon’s mail.  Some days it seemed like half the country wanted to be a published writer!

Today was one of those days; the pile of manuscripts on his desk had become very high and didn’t look like getting shorter any time soon.  But that’s what his work was all about, so he couldn’t complain.

He was about to take a cursory look at the first few on the top of the pile when Maree came in.  He looked up and was told that his 9.30am appointment was here.  He looked a little confused and asked what appointment?  Then realized who it was!

He sat slightly dumbfounded for a few seconds then got to his feet, trying to ready himself mentally.  He opened his brief case and found what he was looking for, then told his assistant to give him a few minutes then bring the person in.

He hurriedly looked through the manuscript again wondering how he’d get through this meeting and why the hell he’d arranged it.  As he looked through the pages, even with the quick glimpse he had time for it all came back to him.  The emotional pull the words had had on him before seemed to overtake him once again.

Bastion swore under his breath as he sat down, and then wondered if he could possibly get out of the meeting.  But it was too late!  Maree was showing her into his office and introducing her.

“Mr. Woodcliff, I’d like you to meet Brinda Cohen, Brinda, this is Mr. Woodcliff”

Bastion rose from his chair and extended his hand in greeting.  He smiled confidently, but felt far from it, wishing this was not happening and not understanding why he felt the way he did.

In the short space of time that they stood there, Bastion managed to take in the woman in front of him.  She was about 5’3” rounded, but not overly so, her hair was dark brown with a hint of red that he seemed to know would be highlighted when she was in the sun.  Her face was calm, her natural colouring gave the impression of time spent sunning herself.  Her cheeks had a natural blush to them which also gave him the impression that she was still a girl at heart and her eyes where the deepest darkest brown he had ever seen.  But what pleased him most was her smile, it seemed to light up her entire being.  At least this was how he saw her in that instance.

She shook his hand, and then sat in the chair opposite waiting expectantly for him to begin.  He sat looking down at the manuscript not really sure what to do or say.  He could feel the silence between them and drew in a deep breath.  As he expelled it he looked up at her and smiled again.  Maree excused herself and left the room closing the door behind her.

Brinda looked at him curiously and waited for him to speak.  When he didn’t, she began the conversation… “I received your letter of invitation regarding my writing, I wasn’t sure if this was a positive or a negative?” she said a little nervously.

“Yes” he said, “I have read your manuscript and found it to be most compelling!  The title may need to be changed though as it gives the sense that it’s just another soppy story”.

“Does that mean you will publish it”? She asked and he seemed a little lost for words again.  He could see she was getting uncomfortable and as much as he wanted the meeting to be over, he also didn’t want her to leave.

He opened his mouth not knowing what was going to come out and said... “At present we won’t be publishing your manuscript, it needs a little work and I was hoping to mentor you through any changes that might be needed so that it can be re-evaluated for publication”.

Her face broke into that smile again, the one that brightened her entire being!  He on the other hand sat astounded at what he had just said, the colour slowly draining from his face. 

As he gained composure, he knew he now needed to follow through on what he’d said.  He was a gentleman and didn’t have the heart to distinguish the shine he’d put on her face.  She seemed so warm and alive and he didn’t want to kill the moment for her… or was it for him?

He knew he should have told her then and there that although he found her writing very moving, it wasn’t the kind of thing they usually published. Then a thought came to him, “maybe, just maybe he could work this so they could publish at least part of her work”.  But he needed time to figure it all out.

He called for Maree and asked for coffee or tea if Brinda preferred it to be brought in, then consulted his appointment book.  He had a fairly busy week, but wondered if she might meet over the weekend to go over her manuscript and discuss possibilities for it.  He asked her and she was so excited about the prospect of working with him that she would probably have agreed to any time he was free.

So between refreshments, small talk and business like discussions he managed to set up three dates to meet and go over her manuscript.  This was incredibly unlike him and he felt slightly unnerved by it all.  Bastion had always been in control and even though outwardly he seemed to be in complete control of this situation, he knew deep down that wasn’t true at all.

Bastion had no idea why and that was what unnerved him the most!  A sensible man would have dismissed Brinda and her manuscript and walked away from it completely.  In the past this is what he had done, but this time there was something different about the situation and he needed to discover what that difference was.

The first meeting was that Saturday morning at 9.30am in his office; he also had Maree arrange for them to have lunch at a nearby restaurant so that they could continue through the afternoon if they needed too.  This was also something he didn’t normally do.  Weekends were his and it was rare to spend them with a client, especially someone he didn’t think he’d be able to publish.

As Bastion waited in his office that Saturday morning, he actually felt a little apprehensive… or was it nervousness?  He opted to wear jeans and a casual shirt instead of his more formal attire.  He made a fresh pot of coffee and looked over the manuscript again, wondering just what he was going to do and say to its author.

He was aware that he was not behaving like himself, but was unable to shake off the feeling that he was doing the right thing… although right for who or what he wasn’t quite sure yet?

Bastion looked at the clock on the wall and it read 9.36 am, he got up and poured himself a coffee just as she walked in.  He offered her a cup and she nodded and smiled in thanks.  He had Maree make two copy of the manuscript so they would both have a copy to work with and still keep one untouched.  He suggested they go into the conference room as it was bigger and they would be more comfortable.

It only took a couple of minutes to get organized there and once settled they drank their coffee and chatted for a bit to break the ice, as he could see she was a little nervous.  He refused to let register the fact that he felt butterflies in his stomach and was a little unsure of what might come out of his mouth next.

He explained that he wanted to get to know her more so he could get a good feel for her as a person, as a writer and so that he would have a better idea of how to sell her to the public when the time came.

This brought back that same smile he remembered from their last meeting and he found himself smiling back at her.  They talked about her life and how it related to the manuscript.  He discovered that each piece of writing was in fact related to a situation in her life where she had as she put it “fallen into, or been taken by the darkness”.

He asked her about specific poems that had hit a cord with him and she related where she had been emotionally when she wrote it.  Despair was in much of her writing, darkness, emptiness and a sense of a void that she could never fill.

She told him that writing had been her greatest friend, that putting down what she felt and what she was going through had been all that had saved her at times.  Towards the end she knew that her words had given her the strength to keep going and that no matter how bad she felt, she knew she would survive.

She was a fighter and she began to come back stronger each time.  She also wanted to be able to share what she’d gone through with others; so that they could see they weren’t alone in their own darkness, that there are others who truly know what they are going through.

She also wanted others to learn and understand that depressive disorders aren’t just fits of the blues and can’t be shaken off by someone telling them to snap out of it or to suck it up and get on with it.  Too many people still looked at depression with the same stigma it had always had and she wanted this stigma to be dismantled and dissolved.

Only through educating people about this illness would people come to understand it, but in the end she knew there would still be those who would look down their noses at what she had to say.  But she wanted to try and her manuscript was a good way to begin.  She lowered her eyes when she has finished speaking and seemed a little unsure of herself and what she had said.

He put a finger to her chin and lifted her face saying “don’t look down like that, it takes a great deal of strength to put your life into words, and a great deal more to do so in the way you have”.  A tear escaped her eye and he captured it away with the back of his hand before it had a chance to run down her cheek.

She smiled and thanked him for his kind words; he could see calmness spreading over her face and knew she was ready to go on.  He told her that she was a very good writer and that she had a wonderful way of showing how she felt about things.  He went on to say that she put so much of herself in each piece and because of that she would need to learn to distance herself emotionally from what she’d written.

Brinda didn’t really understand what he was getting at and asked him why she’d need to do so considering what she’d written was for the most part written from the personal?

Bastion explained that no matter how good either of them believed her work to be, there would always be those who would tear it apart and criticize it.  She needed to be prepared for whatever might be said positive or negative.  She also needed to know that not everyone would see what she’s done as a positive, in fact some may look down on her because she wrote from the heart… wrote what she had experienced.

He went on to explain that people could and would be hurtful just to sell a story, so there may well be exaggerations of the truth regarding who she is and what she had gone through.

He could see a slight quiver in her lip when he said all this and his face broke into a huge grin and he said “You are a strong woman Brinda, that shows in what you have written, so I think you will hold up fine against whatever you may be confronted with”.

She smiled again, but not quite the smile he wanted to see, so he said they should take a break and have an early lunch.  As they left the office Bastion said to Brinda, “It always helps to walk away from a project and clear your head before coming back to it, this way you see it a little clearer when you do”.

During lunch they chatted about everything and nothing, that is to say he couldn’t really say what they had talked about.  But what he could say is that it was most enjoyable and when they got back to the office he felt refreshed and ready to tackle anything.  The smile on Brinda’s face showed she felt the same way.

Bastion could see that Brinda trusted his judgment and she listened carefully to whatever he had to say.  This pleased him and without realizing it he had begun to form a plan in regards to her book.  It was still in the germination stage… a hint of an idea so to speak, but he knew that once the idea grew he’d be able to run with it.

The magic had begun!  This was how he described a situation where he felt he had nothing to begin with and ended up with a best seller.  He kept this to himself for the time being, he didn’t want to build up Brinda’s hopes in case things didn’t pan out.

They spent the rest of the day going over poetry and discussing how best each piece could be utilized.  He asked her how she’d feel about a complete re-work of the manuscript and she told him she’d be open to whatever he thought might help her get her work out there.

Before they knew it the day had flown, he looked at his watch and it was almost 5.00pm.  They both found this incredible as it didn’t seem like they had been there that long at all.

They decided to call it a day and suggested they meet again the following Saturday.  She looked a little unsure and when he questioned her about it, she said she was truly grateful for his help, but didn’t want to eat into his personal time; she knew he was a busy man and she didn’t want to intrude.

For a few seconds he was speechless!  She was concerned about him and taking up too much of his precious time.  He smiled at her and said that in no way was she an intrusion and that he had had a pleasant day working with her.  She smiled that smile that grabbed at his heart and he said, “Right then it’s settled, next Saturday same time same place”.

He drove her home and waited until she was inside before driving off.  He felt a kind of strangeness in his soul, a feeling he’d never had before.  He felt a need to protect this woman, a need to know her better and for the first time in a long time he drove home feeling completely happy about his day.

The next week went smoothly, no real problems and as Saturday approached he found himself getting somewhat excited at the prospect of working with Brinda again.  This time he organised for lunch to be brought to the office, so they could discuss things while they ate and not lose the momentum.

This worked well and they got through a great deal, his idea had emerged more and he was now ready to share it with Brinda.  He told her that while what she had written was wonderfully insightful, if left as it is, it would probably not sell too well.  She looked at him questioningly and he went on to say that as a whole it was too dark and that it may well pull someone into the darkness she so eloquently wrote about.

He watched her carefully as he said this; he needed to know how she would react to criticism.  For a moment he could almost see her lip quiver, then she looked him in the eye and said, “Then how do you suggest we go about making this something that will not only sell, but help people see that there is life after depression”?

“Good girl” he said, “now here is what I suggest we do”.  He took a sheet of paper and wrote notes on it describing what he felt they should do.  He told her that people could get a great deal more from her writing if put into a different context.

Bastion told her that they could work on putting together several smaller books that talked about aspects of depression and have useful information and maybe even some exercises to do based on her writings. 

She liked his idea and they both started coming up with ideas on how to put these books together and even brainstormed what information and types of exercises would work best.

So it went, each Saturday they met at the office and worked on the series of books.  They’d begin by discussing where they were up too and Brinda would give him a copy of what she’d worked on during the week.

 In just over two months they had put together what they hoped would be a helpful and insightful series of books.  They were short, but held a great deal of information and hope for those who needed it.

The final Saturday they met was a little sad for them both; they had enjoyed each other’s company and didn’t would miss the time spent together.  They weren’t altogether sure how this had come about, but both looked unhappy about not needing to spend future Saturday’s together.

Neither spoke about it, but both felt at a loss as they said goodbye that day.  There would be no need to meet like this again; in future they would discuss things over the phone, by email, or in his office during the week or through Maree.

That evening they both felt a little empty inside, like someone had taken something away from them, something that made them feel whole.  Something that completed them!

Brinda went to bed early that night and found herself crying into her pillow, unsure exactly why.  Bastion too had an uneasy night, he slept fitfully and eventually gave up and sat in front of the television watching but not really seeing or hearing what was on.

It was several weeks before Brinda heard from Bastion, and then it was through Maree asking her to email her a photograph of herself and then to arrange a meeting for the following week.  As she arrived at his office that day she felt somewhat nervous.

Maree let Bastion know that Brinda was there and he came out to greet her, they gave each other a friendly hug and entered his office.  Brinda was in for a big surprise as Bastion had mock ups of what her books would look like.

They were put on display boards for her to see and when he turned to ask her if she liked what he proposed, he saw that she had burst into tears.  He rushed to her grabbing the box of tissues from his desk as he did so.  He didn’t really know what to say, so held the tissue box in front of her and she took what she needed.

Then in a mock serious tone he said, “So I take it you don’t like what I’ve produced”?  At this she seemed to cry even harder, which confused him making him feel completely helpless.

All he could think to do was to put his arms around her and tell her to have a good cry and when she was ready they’d talk.  He held her in that way until she stopped crying and she thanked him for being so understanding.

“Okay” he said, “So tell me truthfully, what do you think of the mock ups”?  He looked down at her and saw her red puffy eyes expecting her to tell him she hated what he’d done, but her face broke into that smile he always remembered when he thought of her and she said, “I love what you’ve done; I just never thought I’d ever see myself on the back of one of ‘My’ own books”.

Relief came in the form of a grin and they both started to laugh, this was a huge day for Brinda, a day she never thought would ever come.  They talked about the details regarding the publishing, promotion and payment of her books and also of the launch.  He suggested they send out copies to several reputable journalists and see if they would be interested in interviewing her.

Everything seemed to be falling in place for Brinda, but as she stood to say goodbye she felt that old emptiness again.  She didn’t want to leave him, he made the emptiness disappear, but she didn’t quite know how to put this into words without sounding desperate or silly.  So she turned towards the door and began to leave.

Just as she reached for the door knob she turned towards him, smiled and said, “Thank you”.  She turned the door knob and as she opened the door Maree appeared with a tray in her hands.

“I figured we should celebrate” she said, and headed for her bosses desk setting the tray down and pouring champagne for them all.  “Oh and Bastion, I thought you should know that I have cancelled all your appointments for the day, so you are free to take Brinda out and really celebrate if you like”.  At that she raised her glass and said, “To you both”!

Bastion looked at Maree not sure what to think Brinda too was watching her curiously.  Maree grinned at Bastion cheekily and said,  “I have watched the two of you together and you meld well, you both click, but when you stopped meeting each other it was like the sun had gone out for you Bastion and I could hear the same in your voice when I called you Brinda”.

Maree looked from one to the other and said, “Well, I’ve done all I can, the rest is up to you both”.  Bastion nodded at Maree and she retreated to her own desk closing the door behind her.

Bastion walked over to Brinda and said, “She’s right you know it is up to us.  We have something, or am I imagining it”?  He looked at Brinda’s face searching for an answer.  “Brinda I don’t want to go home tonight and feel the way I have been feeling since I last saw you”.

Brinda smiled up at him, “Yes we do have something Bastion and I know exactly how you’ve been feeling, because I’ve been feeling the same way.  I was terrified that I’d leave here today and never see you again”.

Tears rolled down her face and he as wrapped his arms around her he kissed her on the forehead and asked, “I take it those are happy tears my love”?  In the midst of tears and uncertainty of the future, Brinda said, “Yes, these are most certainly happy tears”.

They kissed, gently at first then more passionately; it seemed that the rest of the world had been shut out and for a time there was just the two of them.  But life goes on and suddenly they heard Maree at the door excusing herself and softly saying, “It’s about time you two got your act together”.

They both looked at Maree a little stunned at what she’d said.  But she grinned at them and said, “It would seem that the only two people who didn’t know you should be together were yourselves.  Like I said I’ve taken the liberty of cancelling your appointments for the rest of the day, so why don’t you take your lady out for lunch and see what happens from there”.

He wasn’t sure if he should kiss Maree or sack her, but he kissed her and a day or so later showed his gratitude by organizing a trip to an exclusive day spa where she’d be completely pampered.

Bastion and Brinda spent that day together first going to lunch, taking time to enjoy both the food and the company.  Then as they walked back to his office to pick up his car, he led her into an exclusive little jewellery shop he knew of.  As they looked at a tray of diamond rings he asked Brinda to marry him.  She said yes and picked a dainty little diamond, but he wouldn’t have it.  He told her to choose what she wanted, not what she figured she should choose.

The next few months were spent happily getting to know each other on many levels, visiting family and announcing their engagement to the world.  The wedding was to be in the spring, a time of renewal and rebirth a time that seemed to symbolize what they had found in each other.

They worked on the book launch together and organised for Brinda to be interviewed by several journalists, all of whom they had a great deal of respect for and even though Bastion was by her side, it was she who took the lead… it was her moment to shine and he loved to see her shine.

Along with the interviews there had also been a small advertising campaign, and visits to organisations that might be interested in using Brinda’s books.  Everyone seemed positive about them and there was even talk of them being used in an educational program at University level; something that thrilled Brinda.

The day of the launch arrived and everything went as planned.  Bastion was calm, he was Brinda’s ‘Rock’, Maree had been with them through every step thus far and Brinda wanted her to be part of the launch as well.  She had in a sense become like family to her and Maree was happy be part of that family.

The launch was held in one of the larger book stores and when introduced, Brinda began by thanking all those involved in getting her work to this point.  She spoke about herself and the books she’d written, she discussed the importance of them firstly from the perspective of her own sanity and how her words had become a symbol of her survival and the strength she discovered within.

She went on to speak about the importance of others living with depressive disorders knowing that they weren’t alone in what they felt.  Knowing that there were people out there who knew what they were feeling and what they were dealing with on a daily basis.

She explained that she wanted her words to help people understand that depression is an illness and should be treated as such.  The stigma attached needed to be broken down and tossed away or those who suffer would suffer in silence and thus not get the help and support they need to come back from the darkness that is depression.

People asked Brinda questions and some looked towards Bastion for answers, but he told them that it was Brinda’s words they needed to hear not his… he was merely the publisher.  At this both Brinda and Maree grinned at each other knowing that he had been much more than that in the end.

But it was Brinda’s work they wanted to talk about and people were responsive and some even seemed to hang on to every word she said.  Bastion went into work mode on seeing this.  He could picture Brinda giving talks to groups regarding her work and her experiences.

Towards the end of the interview it became apparent that Brinda and Bastion had now become a couple.  When asked to comment Bastion spoke up then talking about Brinda’s writing and how they came to find each other.  He also mentioned that a certain personal assistant gave them a nudge in the right direction.

Bastion said that he was thankful that Brinda had sent her manuscript to his publishing firm or he may never have gotten to opportunity to meet her.  He also went on to say that he would be meeting with colleagues within his firm to set up a Publishing Award to publish one manuscript a year that was thought to be of merit.  He turned to Brinda then and said “and hopefully my future wife will consent to be a member of the judging panel.  I believe she has the experience and the heart to tell us what needs to be out there for all to read.  The audience applauded and Brinda found herself blushing and nodding acceptance at the same time.

Brinda’s books sold well that day and over the months that followed.  They were even licensed to be used as part of the training in a psychology course at a well known Sydney University.

Organisations and groups asked Brinda to give talks about her experiences with depression and how she was able to recognise the signs and find ways of pulling herself back from what she referred to as her ‘darkness’.  She was also called upon when the university first began utilizing her books and several students wrote about her in their assignments, one even in his thesis, which just about gobbsmacked her!

The following spring Brinda and Bastion were married in a small church overlooking the ocean.  Neither wanted a formal reception after the ceremony so they had organised with the local council for part of the beach to be fenced off for their use.

They had tents set up for the food another for the band that opened up so guests could either sit or dance inside or on the beach.  There were also smaller tents set up as change rooms in case anyone wanted to go for a swim.  The ceremony was fairly early in the morning, so they’d have the entire day to enjoy the beach.

The day was warm for spring, which was great for those who ventured into the water.  Everyone had a ball and in the years that followed, that day was often mentioned as the best wedding reception ever!

But for Bastion and Brinda, it was much more than a wedding and a reception; it was a beginning of something they had both longed for.  Ever since that day in Bastion’s office when Maree had given them that much needed nudge, neither of them ever again felt that emptiness, that void within.

They were finally complete and in knowing that, they knew true happiness; a happiness that they shared with others.  The Publishing Award was set up and they were in the midst of finalising the first of many manuscripts to be published.

What started with the picking up of a random manuscript had led to the melding of two hearts, hearts that shared some of what they had gained.  Making a difference to those who needed not just a helping hand, but the knowledge that someone else understood where they were at and what they were going through.

Maree became the Godmother of Bastion and Brinda’s children, which truly made her a part of their family.  And when Brinda announced that she’d decided to go back to university, she knew she would get the support she needed from Bastion.  In fact because the course she was applying for would enhance the work she did for the Publishing Firm, he suggested she put in an application for the firm to sponsor her.

It seemed that after all the pain and darkness that had been in their past, Bastion and Brinda had discovered something very precious.  The love they found for each other held them safe from whatever came their way and they made sure that those that came into their lives knew that anything was possible.