All was quiet in the emergency room of the North Georgia Memorial Hospital. Major had been stabilized but they kept him in intensive care. Everyone, except for Aiden, was either on a chair or a sofa in the room, asleep. Aiden sat in a corner on the floor on the far side of the room away from everyone. The engagement ring in his pocket burned his soul. He was so weary, so hurt and grieved.

The trauma of the night played back in his mind like a ghastly horror movie. Recalling Major vomiting, soured his stomach. My, God. Aiden's whole body felt like it was short circuiting. He sat, slumped over with his face in his hands.

Why should I blame her for returning the ring? Why should I subject her to my crazy life? "I don't know how long it's going to take me to get over all of this." I could have killed Billy. Jas is right, this is too much for her. I can't put her through this.

Aiden stood up and wrapped his arms around himself in pain knowing what he was about to do. He quietly walked across the room. Jas was lying next to Nanna sleeping so peacefully. Aiden gazed down at her, feeling all the love that he had for her.

His mind raced across time, flashing all the happy moments they'd shared during the last few months. Aiden felt the love and security she'd given him in bed, and the comfort of her embraces. He wiped the tear that slid down his face. Aiden leaned down and kissed Jas softly on the cheek. "Bye, babe."

***

The Apple Blossom Inn had become like a mausoleum over the weeks that had passed. Sadness was thick in the air. The two most important people that brought light and laughter within the walls of the inn were in grief. Nanna couldn't bear the depression that had come over Jas. No one had heard from Aiden and Flannery was gone. The Sparkman's had stayed as long as they could to help Nanna with Major's recovery, but had since gone back to Chicago. Bruce, Michelle and Ella came by during the week to check on them. They picked up the slack of helping to monitor the staff while Jas grieved for Aiden, and Nanna grieved for Jas.

Nanna and Major were taking their evening stroll. He had Nanna securely tucked under his arm. She leaned all of her weight on him because she was just wearied.

"Major, I can't handle this anymore. She's not eating and crying nearly all day and all night. It has broken my heart."

He kissed the top of her hair, and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Arabella, I'm going to stand by you in whatever you want to do to handle this. But do I have your permission to tell you what I really think?"

Nanna blinked up at him.

"You really may not want to hear what I have to say. I'll hold my peace if you don't want to hear it."

"Why do I get the feeling that this is not going to be good," Nanna said dryly.

Major led Nanna over to one of the two seat swings on the property. They sat and she leaned her head on his shoulder. "Tell me, my love."

"Let's go, Nanna. Let's go to Dallas. Let's get married. Let's live."

Nanna looked up with great sadness in her eyes. She really didn't know how to handle what Major said. It wasn't complicated. It was very simple – move on. Nanna knew that he wasn't trying to hurt her or disrespect Jas.

"Is it really that simple, Major?"

"No, it's not that simple," he said kissing her on the cheek. "But it's the best choice. We have to leave Jas and Aiden to God. We can pray that God will fix them." Major reached down and took her hands. "You and I don't have years left to waste. This sadness is hurting all of us. I want to live, Arabella. I want to live happily with you."

Nanna gazed up at him giving a weary smile, her eyes were blurred with tears. "This will be one of the hardest things that I've ever had to do."

"Jas is going to be fine. Ella, Bruce and Michelle will watch over her."

Nanna sighed. She allowed her mind to see the future, to see the home that Major had already built for her and to see her life under the open skies of Texas and their mansion in Oklahoma. "I want to be married before I leave Georgia."

Major gave Nanna a big hug. "Thank you, sunshine. We'll get the license in the morning and be married the next day."

***

The environment at the Sparkman home had not been much different from the inn. The main difference was that Troy decided to go back to work. He had made a decision that he had done all that he could to help Deanna to work through her past. Troy knew that Deanna was heartbroken because Aiden had slipped through her hands once again and had disappeared, but he no longer had the strength to deal with it.

They had a big fall out the day that he told her that he was done with all things related to Aiden. She was a heaping pile of misery, but for once in his life he felt free. Troy knew that beyond a shadow of doubt he had given his all and done his absolute best. Deanna would have to find her own way back into the light. Troy had decided to be happy.

He began to do the things that he once loved like jogging during the week. Going out on the weekends playing golf with Keith. He bought himself box tickets to the games and spent any of his free time with his sons and grandchildren. Troy still loved Aiden, and continued to love his wife, but knew that he couldn't get too close. She had been an emotional black hole for weeks. Troy didn't have time for toxic emotions.

***

"She won't come down, Nanna." Michelle said in exasperation.

Nanna tilted her head looking up into the loving eyes of Major. Her face was scrunched in frustration. This was the happiest day of her life and she really wanted Jas to be there. Things happened so quickly all of Major's family opted to view the wedding on Face Time. They would hold a separate ceremony with his family later on. Now was the time to get Nanna living again.

Major stood patiently. He glanced down at his lovely bride. He smiled. Nanna's red hair hung gently over her shoulders. Major ran his fingers through it. She was dressed in a beautiful white lace dressed that stopped at her knees. She was wearing gold accessories and a pair of high heeled gold shoes. He leaned down taking in the heavenly scent of the expensive perfume he'd order just for her. The name on the bottle read Arabella. "Go get the little love blocker," he whispered.

Nanna slipped away while Major made apologies to the small band of people gathered for the ceremony. Bruce had a tissue box next to him. Michelle couldn't stop crying. She loved Nanna like a mother and couldn't accept the fact that Nanna was leaving.

Ella was the maid of honor and could barely hold herself together. She and Nanna had been together all their lives. But for the sake of her dearest friend she forced herself to be happy and smile. She really was happy for Nanna, just sad that she would be leaving Ellijay.

Nanna banged the door of room 208. "Jasmine Arabella Stone you open this door right this minute."

"Go away!"

"Don't make me have to go downstairs and get the master key. If I do, I'm coming back with a switch and will tan your hide." Nanna started counting, just as she did when Jas was a child. "One...two..."

Nanna watched as the door cracked open. She pushed her way in. Jas sat balled up on the bed looking like a train wreck. Her face was streaked with mascara, her hair was disheveled and she looked gaunt from weeks of barely eating.

"Really Jas! Really! Is this what you want to happen to your Nanna on what should be a very happy day for me?" She sat down on the bed besides Jas.

"Oh, Nanna," she was miserable. "I'm so confused. How can I possibly be as happy for you as I am sad? Everybody that I love has left me, even Flannery."

"That's not true, silly girl. We're just moving on with life, as you should."

Jas laid her head on Nanna's lap. "Aiden doesn't love me anymore. Now I will have no one."

"What makes you think that?"

Jas wiped her eyes and looked woefully into Nanna's eyes. "He's gone, Nanna. I've called and texted and contacted his office. It's been almost two months. If he loved me he wouldn't allow me to be in this misery."

"Aiden will always love you, Jas. You broke him when you gave him the ring back. It's only so much a person can take."

"Oh, Nanna." Jas wept until she was shaking violently. "I didn't mean to break him. I was afraid."

Nanna stroked Jas's face. "He knows that, Jas. But he's also hurting. You've got to give him time to mend himself. The best thing that you can do for him is to pray."

"Nanna, I'm about to lose my mind. Where could he possibly be?"

Nanna lifted Jas up and embraced her. She kissed her cheek. "You know where he is, sweetheart. There is no one in this world that knows Aiden better than you do. Search your heart and you'll find him."

"Oh Nanna, what am I going to do without you?"

"I know exactly what you're going to do. You're going to find that man of yours and get married. Now, would you please get dressed so that I can have my wedding. I have a handsome man decked out in a black cowboy hat and suit that I'm longing to marry."

***

Aiden had visited the Ashram for almost the last two months. It was one of the most beautiful temples in all of Thailand. These monks opened their doors to all religions. Aiden spent six hours a day talking to God, silently in his mind. His routine was simple, wake up at 4:00 A.M. check Flannery's litter box and feed her and then walk five miles to the temple. He would arrive at the temple at 5:30 A.M. sign the roster and then find a quiet spot to sit within the ancient walls. Aiden would leave six hours later and return to his loving cat.

This quiet time away with God had made him stronger. The voices of anger, regret and pain that had dominated his life just below the surface were gone. Walking a total of ten miles, a day had toned and gave strength and restoration to his body. He could now walk through the doors of the old mansion that he and Jas owned and not be sad anymore.

When he first arrived, it was sad pulling off the sheets on the furniture they'd left behind. The day that he'd put Jas on the plane to go back to Ellijay, stopped time. Aiden was so upset for returning Jas back to Ellijay but in his heart, he'd made the right decision. Yet, he couldn't bear to live in that house without her. So, he simply boarded it up and took residences in a new apartment in Thailand until he decided to move to New York.

He and Jas had shared the happiest times of their lives in Thailand before anger from his past ate away at his life. The first week of restoring the house was rough. Every time he pulled back a sheet from the furniture it was like Jas popped out. For days, he could see her laughing and dancing all over the house. Even when he looked in a mirror she was there. But the bedroom was the worst. They'd made so much love in that room that the walls were screaming – take me.

The only God saving distraction that he had was Flannery. Every time he'd go into a fit of memories he would go and play with Flannery. She seemed to have more energy and life since the move. Flannery had Aiden all to herself and was most content.

Aiden hired a cleaning crew and some handy men to get the mansion back up to living condition. After they had finished their work it was just he and Flannery. They often sat on the balcony watching the sun set. One day when his heart was hurting beyond measure, he looked up and saw the beautiful gold temple shimmering in the sunlight. He and Jas used to go there to pray. It was so peaceful. That's when he made his decision, he would go to God. He would heal.

Today he laid across his bed listening to all the voice mails that Jas had left him. For the first few weeks he couldn't bear to hear her voice. Now, he could bear the weight of it. She called him three times a day, seven days a week. The cell phone was the only electronic indulgence that he allowed himself to have. That was only to hear Jas's messages and nothing else that a smart phone could do. He'd play the messages over and over and over. They comforted him.

He could sense her own healing as the messages progressed. The first messages were desperate pleas of contrition. She was deeply sorry for returning the ring on the worst possible day of his life. Those messages were soaked in tears. The next round of messages was dealing with family issues. She wanted to know if he'd forgiven Deanna, and he had in his heart. She wanted to know if he really loved Troy, and he did, now. She didn't mention Billy Bob because he was unredeemable and no longer worthy of their time or attention.

Those messages were followed by the memories. Aiden loved the memory messages. He played those over and over. Jas painted a lovely history of their time together from the first day he'd seen her. She wove in stories of Nanna, Flannery, Ella, Bruce and Michelle. She'd talked about the silly things they did and the places they used to go. Aiden would find himself cracking up.

They indeed had good times together. Listening to the memory messages made him realize that there was a lot to love about Ellijay. He slowly began to realize that God had been keeping him his entire life, and just like Bruce had said, if the only reason that he had been allowed to live on this Earth was for Nanna and Jas, it would be enough.

The final messages were the love messages. They were so blistering that he couldn't listen to them often. His body would be in flames and she couldn't be there to quench him. Those he reserved for very special times.

***

Nanna was so happy living between Dallas, Texas and Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Major provided a lifestyle for her that in all of her wildest imaginations she could not have dreamed up. Nanna had always believed that she and Jas lived a well-off life until the time the conglomerates came to Ellijay.

But she had no idea what wealth was, until she stepped foot on the Stallworth Ranch that had been in Major's family for generations. They literally could have existed as their own tiny nation within Texas. Major's generations were totally self- sufficient. They were in a position to lend to the world if they wanted to, and not to borrow.

It took Nanna a few weeks to adjust to lavish living that was absolutely normal to Major and his family. Abundance was normal to them, yet they lived like ordinary people. Wasn't a high minded one amongst his sons, daughters and grandchildren. They instantly fell in love with Nanna. That made Major very happy.

Nanna was walking through her flower garden, talking to Jas on Face Time. Major's grandson Trey hired the best horticulturist in England to create a flower garden for Nanna, rivaling the beautiful gardens in Europe as his wedding gift to them. Nanna enjoyed it thoroughly.

"Anyway Jas, Major asked me to teach his daughter Harley to make Brunswick Stew. According to Major he wants the recipe to become a family tradition so he's passing it down to his daughter. We've been having a great time in the kitchen. She is so sweet, just like Major."

"That's wonderful, Nanna. And how are you feeling about traveling now?"

"Lord Jas, I'd never stepped foot outside of Ellijay. This jet setting lifestyle of Major and Trey is crazy, but I'm doing it. We've been on trips on his plane about three times this month. The funny part is that Trey says that this is a major reduction in the amount of time he normally travels on business deals."

"Wow, and Major considers himself retired?"

"Crazy as hell, isn't it? But it's his life blood. His sons run most of the family business but he and Trevor are over things related to cattle. Major said he does this so that he can be sure that when he's gone Trey will be able to maintain that part of the family business."

"I can see that," Jas said, "Make mistakes now while I'm here and I can help you to fix them."

"Yeah, it's like that. So, how are things with you?"

Jas curled up against the pillow on the bed and propped the phone up so that she could see Nanna. "I'm good, Nanna."

"It's so nice to see a smile on your face." Jas looked absolutely radiant. The color was back in her face again. Her makeup was applied with care and her long auburn hair was shiny and fell softly about her shoulders. The woman she was gazing at now, was her happy Jas, before the storm.

"Thank you. I did what you said. I've been praying and searching my heart for Aiden. I think I know where he is."

"Good, dear. Are you going to try to go see him?"

"No. I want him to come to me."

Nanna laughed. "My, my...and how are you going to do that? Didn't you say that he wasn't answering your calls?"

"I have a plan."

***

Troy was shocked when he woke up one Saturday morning to find Deanna carrying a tray of homemade Belgium waffles and sausage to the bed. She laid the tray over his lap and had a big smile on her face.

The sad sack that had been moping around the house had simply vanished. This strange woman had her hair combed in a luxurious style, was wearing smoky make up and hoop earrings. The long terry cloth robe had been traded for blue jeans and a t-shirt. He hadn't seen this woman in ages.

"What happened to my wife?" Troy said with a lazy grin. "You look so sexy."

Deanna blushed. "I'm done, Troy. I'm done with all of it. I love my son, but I don't want to hurt anymore. While I'm looking at what I don't have with Aiden, I'm missing out on the lives of my other children and grandchildren. I'm done."

"Oh, Deanna, I've longed to hear you say that. We're always going to love him, but we've got so much life to live."

Deanna leaned across the breakfast tray and kissed Troy on the forehead. "Enjoy your breakfast. Me and Kathy are going shopping."

"Wow!" Troy was astonished. I've really got my wife back. His wife hadn't shopped since Aiden left the first time. Deanna Sparkman had always loved to shop. Before the days of spending money on private detectives, Deanna would purchase any luxury known to mankind. She had extraordinary taste for the finer things of life. "Don't let me stop you. Please, by all means shop until you drop."

***

Aiden and Flannery laid on the hammock that was on his balcony. He was laughing his ass off at Jas's last message. He played back the message at least a hundred times already.

"Should we listen to it again, Flannery?"

Bring me back my damn cat. Nanna's off globetrotting with Major. I know that you're in Thailand hanging out with a bunch of peaceful monks. Bet you didn't know I could figure it out. I know you. I know you better than you know yourself. You wanted to be close to our happiness. We were happy in Thailand, weren't we? That is where our love bloomed.

I'm stuck here missing everyone that I love. I suppose you are included in that. You lousy, despicable thing ignoring my messages. Well, I've had it up to here with missing you. I've had it up to here with everybody leaving me. So, bring me back my damn cat. I know that Flannery will love me when nobody else will.

"Well, Flannery, would you like to go home?