Zachary Caldwell watched his brother with a mix of worry and anger as they sat in the backroom of his grocery store. He was in his wheelchair while Don sat at the small table Zachary kept his computer on.

"You really aren't going to go out there?" Zachary asked for the third time.

"I told you I'm not. Do I need to say it in Swahili for you to believe me?" Don Caldwell adjusted his Sheriff's badge as he avoided his brother's judging eyes.

"You don't know Swahili," Zachary muttered. "It's not like I want to be bugging you but Wally seemed really worried. He said those reporters scared that girl."

"She's not a girl. She's an adult. An adult who chose to take a job working with Alex Carter," Don reminded his brother. "They didn't call law enforcement so there's no reason for me to go out there."

"Why are you being this way? Is it because of what happened years ago? Because of Crystal? You went up there the other day when that lady was in an accident. Nothing crazy happened, Don. You survived it without any repercussions."

"Don't bring her up again," Don warned.

"Why not? It happened over twenty-five years ago, Don. Crystal's gone. It wasn't your fault. When are you going to stop blaming yourself?"

"Wasn't it? Maggie had no one to help her protect Crystal. It makes me sick thinking of it. After everything that happened...she was the only innocent one in all this. Crystal and you, Zachary. That night will haunt me forever."

"Stop making me sound like some kind of saint." Zachary bristled at his brother's praise. "If you're guilty then so am I. I was the idiot who swerved his truck in the rain. I could've done something if I hadn't been speeding."

"It was raining and you were worried. If it weren't for me asking you to check on Maggie and Crystal all those years ago, you wouldn't have gotten into an accident. You'd be walking right now instead of confined to a damned wheelchair." Don squeezed his eyes shut as he ran a tired hand over his face. "It's all my fault."

"No, it's not. You had no idea what would happen that night when you asked me to check on them. I just wish I'd been able to get to them," Zachary whispered. "It's all my fault, Don. Whatever guilt you have, let it go. Blame me if you have to blame someone. You told me to not speed and I did it anyway."

"No, it's not. They were my responsibility and I let them down. Then you had your accident and I couldn't leave you."

They became silent, each reflecting on the painful and unchangeable past.

"You know...you never told me what you were doing before you and the ambulance came to get me," Zachary whispered.

Don's eyebrows raised in surprise. "What I was doing?"

"Yeah. What kept you from your family and then me for so long? What had you tied up that you left the station so late?"

"It was over twenty years ago and you expect me to remember? I should be asking you the same thing. What were you doing before you went to check on Maggie and ended up in that accident? I covered for you on the report, but we both know you were drinking, weren't you?"

Zachary leaned back in his wheelchair. "As you said...it was years ago. I can't believe you're bringing this up now."

"Would you rather I have brought it up that night? Arrest my brother for a DUI only to come home to find my family murdered? Would that have been better?"

"I've been sober all this time, Don. You weren't the only one who lost something that night."

"I know, I know...you became paralyzed. I guess we all lost something important to us."

Zachary cursed under his breath, shaking his head. "Yeah, I wish I could run around again but I wasn't talking about me being able to walk. Maggie and Crystal were important to me too, Don. They were my family too. We both lost them that night except I also lost my brother."

"What are you talking about?"

"You haven't been the same since that night. Not that I blame you. I'm just telling you how I see things. Anyway, let's not fight about it. I heard rumors that Alex Carter is looking for answers."

Don frowned, his gaze falling on his brother. "Answers?"

"To what happened years ago. They never did catch that murderer, remember?" Zachary reminded his brother.

"How could I forget?" Don grimaced.

"And of course there's no one that could stand as a witness. They didn't even find the weapon. The only person who could know what really happened is--"

"Will you stop talking about it already?" Don stood up and began pacing the small room they were in. "Why would Carter want to open up old wounds?"

"You know why brother. We both do. I told you not to sell him the cabin."

"I told you it would have seemed strange to deny a buyer just because of his last name. Besides, I have debt I needed to pay off. I couldn't exactly do that without the money the sale of the cabin brought in. It's been on the market for over a decade but no one would touch it."

Zachary shook his head. "We all have debt but sometimes you just have to worry about it another day. Selling that cabin to a Carter wasn't worth it. Think of the trouble it'll bring. You could've said you're still a grieving man if you were really worried about denying him because of his family."

"And lie some more?" Don sneered. "No. I've been through too much and I'm too damned old to deal with it again."

Before his brother could comment, Don stormed off, leaving Zachary alone. Zachary pulled out his phone and texted Wally, reminding him to come back to work. Thoughts of the past and future ping-ponged in his mind and Zachary wondered what was really going on in his brother's head.

Abby closed her eyes and touched her blessings bracelet. "I have a job. I'm alive. The trees around me are beautiful."

"Who are you talking to, Abby?" Wally asked as he was making his way to his vehicle.

Abby jumped. "Wally? Sorry. I didn't see you there. I forgot you were still here. I'm not a crazy person...I was just counting my blessings."

Wally smiled. "That sounds like a great idea. Especially outdoors."

He pointed to the trees around them, "You can almost smell their life, can't you? My uncles used to take me camping. We always loved camping. Nothing beats the outdoors."

She took a deep breath, the distinct scent of the earth dampened by the rain filling her nose. She wouldn't call that life, but she nodded anyway. "That's great, Wally. Were you close to your uncles?"

He shrugged. "They took care of me since my father wasn't really in the picture." Before she could speak, he pointed at a robin. "Isn't she a beauty? If you listen carefully, you can hear them too. There's a lot to count blessings for if you really take the time to pay attention."

Abby smiled. Wally was friendly albeit a little odd but she liked him. "You're absolutely right, Wally. There are blessings all around us if we only stopped to look for them."

He nodded, watching the robin fly away. He turned back to Abby while opening the door of his car. "I've got to get back to work. Zachary gets upset if I'm late. I'll see you later this evening."

"Sure thing, Wally. Be careful on the drive into town." Abby waved goodbye. For a few moments, Abby did try and take in the sounds around her. She closed her eyes and heard birds, crickets, the wind...and laughter.

Her eyes opened quickly and she slowly turned her head to her right.

Standing there was a young girl. Blonde curls surrounded her face. She was wearing pink pajamas and she was semi-transparent.

"Who-who are you?" Abby whispered.

The girl didn't speak but waved her hand as if beckoning Abby to follow her. Abby rubbed her eyes and looked again in the girl's direction. She was soft and fuzzy as if her body was blurred into her surroundings but she was there.

"Ghosts don't come out in the day," Abby reassured herself. "I'm imagining this."

Laughter surrounded Abby, almost mocking her.

"You're not real," Abby said firmly.

Again, the young girl lifted her arm and began walking into a cove of trees.

An uncomfortable feeling shimmied its way down Abby's spine. Before she could think any better of it, she took a step forward to follow the young girl.