Amber and Danny at the Fair

Trey opened the door right after Danny rang the doorbell, Lucy at his heels. "Hey, guys! Come on in!" he exclaimed.

"Aren't you adorable!" said Amber as she stooped to pet Lucy. "What's your name?"

"Lucy," Trey told her.

Jade was sitting in the recliner, and Amber saw the cast on her arm. "Oh, my God! What happened to you?"

Jade grimaced. "Tripped over a tree branch in the park. Spent four long hours in the waiting room."

"I'm sorry!" said Amber.

Danny placed a hand on Jade's cast. "The bone's knitting back together nicely. In six weeks it'll be good as new."

Jade sighed. "That seems like forever to me. Isn't there any way it could be sped up?"

Danny laughed and shook his head. "Nope. Sorry. But I'm glad we came. It looks like you could use some cheering up."

"Trey's been doing an excellent job of that." Jade clasped his hand and gave a proud smile. "He's my angel."

"There are indeed angels on earth," Danny agreed, turning to Amber. "Hannah isn't charging you a dime for the geometry tutoring, is she, Amber?"

Amber shook her head. "I offered to pay her, but she refused."

Danny nodded. "I knew she would."

"Would you folks like something to drink?" offered Trey.

"We're fine," Danny replied.

"So you're being tutored in geometry?" Jade asked her sister.

Amber nodded. "I failed a test, and Mom put me on restriction. Then Danny told me about Hannah, and she offered to help me."

"Geometry wasn't my best subject, either," said Jade.

"So what did you folks have planned for this afternoon?" asked Danny.

"We were gonna just hang out and watch movies," Trey told him. "Jade can't do much with that thing on her arm."

"Since you guys are here, maybe we could do something else," Jade suggested.

"That's all right," said Danny. "Movies are fine with us."

"Since there are four of us, maybe we could play 'Truth or Dare'," Trey suggested. "It's a lot more fun with four people than just two."

"You can go first, since it was your idea," said Jade.

"OK. Truth or dare, Danny?"

Danny thought for a minute. "Truth."

"Who was the first person you saw when you entered heaven?" asked Trey.

"My grandmother who died when I was five," Danny replied. "Truth or dare, Amber?"

She didn't have to think for very long. Danny already knew everything about her, and she knew he'd never ask her to do anything she really didn't want to. "Dare."

"Drink a small amount of an unknown concoction." He, Trey, and Jade went to the kitchen and returned ten minutes later with a small cup. Amber raised it to her lips. Apple juice, syrup, and cream. Not bad.

"Your turn, Amber," Danny reminded her.

"Truth or dare, Danny."

Danny grinned. "Dare."

Amber was stumped. She'd been sure he'd choose 'truth' again.

"Um - eat something I give you," she finally stammered. She went into the kitchen and, after much searching, finally located a box of vanilla wafers. She put a dollop of peanut butter on one and took it to Danny.

The game proceeded without incident until Trey asked Amber what the scariest thing that had ever happened to her had been, and all she could see was Bruce's leering face as he'd dragged her toward the closet. "No, no! Please, no!" She jumped up and ran down the hall as Trey watched her with a puzzled expression. Danny was right behind her, catching up to her and then holding her, soothing her.

"It's all right, Amber. It's all over now, and you're safe."

"Yeah." She gave a shuddering sigh and was herself once again. "Silly me."

"Not at all." Danny's arm was around her, still holding her tight, as he led her back to the living room. "Something very traumatic happened to her not very long ago, and it still upsets her to be reminded of it."

"I'm so sorry!" Trey gasped. "I had no idea!"

"It's all right," Amber told him.

"I know what would make you feel better," said Danny. "How does a ride in a cable car sound?"

"Great!" Amber enthused.

Instantly, the group found themselves sitting in a cable car riding up a steep hill. Danny held Amber's hand a she gazed around at all the sights, and soon she'd forgotten all about the game.

When it got to be nearly dark, Danny and Amber said good-bye to Trey and Jade and returned to their own town. "Well, did you have a nice time?" Danny asked as he said good-bye to Amber at the door or her house.

"I had a wonderful time." She remembered what had happened during the game and stared at the rug mat. "Mostly."

Danny gave her a quick hug.

"Is it always gonna be like that?" she asked him. "Where anytime, something might happen out of the blue to remind me and it'll be just like it's happening all over again?"

"What you experienced is called a flashback," he told her. "It's very common in people who've experienced traumatic events like you have. Usually they diminish over time, but if it's been awhile and they're still a problem for you, there are medications that can help."

"You mean I'm gonna have to become a druggie?"

"I think you're gonna be just fine, Amber. This is the first time anything like this has happened, isn't it?"

"Well, yeah..."

"And I think likely it's the last time it'll happen. You're a strong girl, Amber, and you'll pull through just fine. I know you will."

She sighed. "I sure wish I could be as certain as you."

He kissed her lips. "Just believe in yourself, like I believe in you." He gave her hand an affectionate squeeze, and then he was gone.

"Bet you'll be glad to get this thing off, eh?" the physician's assistant asked Jade as he prepared to cut the cast off her arm.

"More than you'll ever know!" she exclaimed.

The young man quickly snipped through the cotton and bindings, which then fell away from Jade's arm. She lifted it, using the hand of her other arm to dust it off, then tried to straighten it and winced in pain.

"It'll be weak for awhile," the physician told her.

"Well, at least now I can get back to my normal life." She moved the arm back and forth several times in an attempt to restore its flexibility.

"I don't suppose you'll want to return to the park for awhile," Trey chuckled.

"You suppose right," Jade replied.

They left the doctor's office and returned to Trey's car. "Do you need to go anywhere else?" Trey asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"No, thanks," Jade replied. "I just want to go home and rest."

A few minutes later, they were back at her apartment. "Thanks for the ride," she said.

Trey grinned. "Sure. Any time."

"Would you like to come in for a little while?" she asked as they were getting out of the car.

"Nah, I'd better head on back to work. They're expecting me." He walked her to the door, and they kissed. "Bye for now."

"Bye." Jade entered her apartment, then checked the time. She decided to take a brief nap and then call Iceas, who should be out of class in about twenty minutes. She fell asleep almost right away, but was soon awakened by the ringing telephone. She rubbed her eyes, then grabbed the receiver.

"Hey, girl!" Iceas sounded as bubbly as ever. "How ya doin'?"

"Hey." Jade yawned. "I thought you were still in class."

"It was cancelled today. I have to go shopping for a birthday present for my Mom, and I was wondering if you'd like to come along."

"Sounds like fun! Guess what? I finally got that cast off my arm!"

"Great! I'll pick you up in about twenty minutes, OK?"

"Sounds good!"

Jade freshened her make-up while waiting for her friend to arrive. Iceas pulled up in her bright red Hyundai about half an hour later, and when Jade opened the door, she squealed with delight. "No more cast! How cool is that?"

"It's still a bit stiff." Jade demonstrated.

"It'll be all right." The girls got into Iceas' car, and Lady Gaga blasted from the speakers as they drove to the mall.

"Where to first?" asked Jade as they walked toward the entrance.

"The linen department," Iceas replied. "I was thinking she could use a new sheet set or towels."

As it turned out, a fantastic sale was going on, and Iceas was able to find a sheet set and two nice towels for less than thirty dollars.

"Those are gorgeous!" Jade exclaimed. "She's gonna love them!"

"Looks like you got some good deals," the cashier remarked as she was bagging Iceas' purchases.

"They're for my Mom's birthday," Iceas replied.

She and Jade walked the length of the mall, visiting the clothing stores, the jewelry stores, and many others. "I've never seen that here before," Jade commented as they reached the bakery store. "It must have just opened."

"Well, let's check it out," Iceas suggested.

They walked up and down the aisles, looking at cakes, pies, cupcakes, muffins, and donuts, until they reached the cookies. "Raspberry cheesecake! Those are Trey's absolute faves!" Jade exclaimed. She bought a dozen of the cookies, and they left the mall.

After a dinner of Asian vegetables with shrimp, Jade took the raspberry cheesecake cookies to Trey's apartment. When he opened the door, she saw that his eyes were red-rimmed.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"It's Lucy. When I got home from work, I found her lying on the floor, barely conscious. She hasn't touched her food or water, and I've found several places where she's passed blood. Do you know how late the emergency vet's open?"

"I'm pretty sure they're open all night," Jade told him.

The cookies forgotten, they sped to the emergency animal hospital. Jade held Lucy in her lap, and the little dog looked up at her with wide, frightened eyes filled with pain. "You're gonna be OK." Jade spoke soothingly as she stroked Lucy's fur. "We're taking you to a doctor who'll make you feel better."

The bright lights inside the animal hospital were a sharp contrast to the dark of the night. A plump, middle-aged technician with curly brown hair took one look at Lucy and took her from Jade's arms, telling Jade and Trey to wait in the waiting room. About twenty minutes later, a veterinarian emerged with a grave look on his face.

"I'm sorry, but Lucy has parvo virus," he told them. "Treatment will involve several days of extensive hospitalization, and even then, there's no guarantee she'll survive. The only other option would be to go ahead and put her down."

"No." Trey shook his head. "I have to give her a chance, however slight it may be."

"I'll go ahead and admit her tonight, then," said the veterinarian. "We'll start administering fluids intravenously, and hopefully, we'll see improvement in several days."

After he'd left, Trey and Jade held one another and cried together.

Amber held her breath as the teacher passed the graded geometry tests back. Relief flooded over her when she saw the 'B-' printed in red at the top of her own paper. She looked over at Hannah and gave her a grateful smile, and Hannah grinned back.

She couldn't wait to tell Danny.

He was waiting for her after school, as she'd known he would be. He broke into a smile as she ran to him and embraced him. "Guess what! I got a B- on my geometry test!" she exclaimed.

"Congratulations!" he said. "I knew you could do it!"

"Thanks to you and Hannah."

"Thanks to Hannah, you mean. I only impressed upon her that she should help you. Want to go to Dee-lite to celebrate?"

"It's a few more hours until dinner time, so I suppose Mom wouldn't mind."

Seconds later, they were sitting at a booth in Dee-lite, enjoying their treats. Amber was having her favorite, strawberry cheesecake, while Danny was having rocky road. "So, have you talked to Aaron and Maggie lately?" asked Amber.

"Yes, and they're both fine," Danny replied. "Aaron was just promoted up to private first class, so he has reason to celebrate as well. Maggie's busy with school and chorus. I see them whenever I can, but they have their own lives now, so we're not as close as we were when we were younger. Kind of like the situation between you and Jade."

Amber thought of something. "Would you like to go to the football game with us this coming Friday night? Trendi said Blake and Ashlynn are going, and she's gonna try to get Dekker to go, too."

Danny looked thoughtful. "As much as I'd love to, what if someone there were to recognize me? I wouldn't want to steal the spotlight from the ball players after all their hard work."

"You could go in disguise, like dye your hair and wear a fake mustache or something. Nobody would recognize you then."

"That sounds like a good idea. Maybe I'll just do that."

"Here she is, good as new!" The veterinarian handed the wriggling, squirming dog to Trey, and she covered his face with kisses right away.

"Hey!" Trey laughed as he struggled to hold onto her, and Jade looked on with shining eyes. "Looks like you're rarin' to go!"

"I'm sure she's glad to be out of that little cage," Jade agreed as Trey snapped Lucy's leash to her collar and led her out of the animal hospital. Back at Trey's apartment, he and Jade laughed as Lucy ran from room to room, sniffing all her favorite spots to make sure they all still smelled the same.

"Can you stay for awhile?" Trey asked Jade.

"Sure. I don't have to get up early tomorrow."

"Great! Want to go out and get something for dinner? I need to pick up a few things anyway."

"Cool!"

It was a pleasant evening, so they walked to the corner grocery and bought ground meat, tomatoes, kidney beans, various spices, tortilla chips, cheese, and sour cream, then returned to Trey's apartment. Trey cooked the ground meat while Jade grated the cheese, and then he added the beans and spices, turned the heat down, and covered the pot.

"Time to let it simmer." He winked at her, and she grinned. Then he came to her and began to kiss her passionately. She leaned into his embrace, running her fingers through his hair, and for a little while, dinner was forgotten.

Danny looked so different that Amber almost didn't recognize him when he appeared on her doorstep Friday evening. "Is that really you?" she asked after staring at him for a few minutes.

"C'est vrai!" He grinned as he took her arm in his own. "Shall we be on our way, mademoiselle?"

"You look older with a mustache," Amber told him. She hesitated, then took a deep breath and blurted it out. "Sexier, too!"

He chuckled. "What can I say?"

Moments later, they were at the game, where they soon met up with Blake, Ashlynn, Trendi, and Dekker, who looked confused. "Where's Danny?"

"It's me!" Danny grinned. "I changed my looks a bit because I didn't want to draw undue attention to myself."

"Well, it certainly worked!"

The game went well. Amber's school won, and the group was leaving the stadium when they encountered Jacy and Daria, who'd been Jade's best friends in high school. Daria said hello to Amber and asked about Jade.

"She's doing well," Amber told her. "She's still in college in California, and she has a boyfriend named Trey. He's the best."

"What about Gideon?"

"They broke up about a year ago."

Jacy couldn't stop staring at Danny. "Do I know you?" she finally asked him.

He frowned. "I don't think so."

"It just occurred to me that you remind me an awful lot of - never mind."

Their friends went their separate ways, and Amber was left alone with Danny again. As she gazed into his eyes, she began to feel desire growing inside her and wondered whether he felt the same. Taking a deep breath, she bit her lip and took the plunge.

"You know what? I think we should do something to celebrate the winning game, just the two of us."

"What a great idea!"

Instantly, she found herself slow dancing with Danny in the grandest ballroom she'd ever seen. Several other couples were dancing near them, and Amber's favorite slow song, 'This Moment In Time' by Forever Yours, was playing. It wasn't exactly what's she'd had in mind, but she was touched. She rested her head on Danny's shoulder and savored the intimacy of the moment.

"What do you want to do first?" Danny asked Amber as they entered the fair grounds. Although early in the afternoon, it was already quite crowded, and the noise of screaming riders and barkers shouting over the din filled their ears as the aromas of deep fried treats assaulted their nostrils.

"I think I'll start mild." Amber laughed. "Let's go on the merry-go-round first."

"Your wish is my command." He put his arm around her and led her to the merry-go-round. It had only a short line, so they were able to board it right away. They chose adjacent horses and enjoyed the gentle ride, and after that, they rode the Himalaya and then the Sizzler.

"That was so much fun," Amber said as they got off the last ride. "I think I'm ready for the roller coaster now."

"Why don't we take a break and check out some exhibits first," Danny suggested.

"All right." They looked at the aircraft, art, plant, antique, and craft exhibits.

"Want to see the livestock?" asked Danny.

"Phew! I don't think so." Amber held her nose, and he burst out laughing. "Hey, we haven't gone on the Parachute Ride yet!"

"So we haven't." They rode that, and then the swings, and then Amber said she was hungry, so they ate Polish sausages with fried green peppers and onions on buns and french fries while sitting on benches beneath a large tent. By now, it was dusk, and they went to a concert, then stood in line for about half an hour to ride the Ferris wheel.

Amber felt a thrill go through her as the car they were in began to ascend. She grasped Danny's hand, and he squeezed hers tight. "I've never ridden a Ferris wheel with a boy before!" she told him.

"Well, there's a first time for everything, isn't there?"

She wondered whether he'd kiss her when they reached the top, and her heart began to beat faster in anticipation. When at last they got there, the wheel stopped, and the car they were in swayed lightly back and forth in the breeze.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" asked Danny as they gazed at the scene below them.

"I'll bet it reminds you a lot of heaven, doesn't it?" asked Amber.

"Mm hm." He hugged her and kissed her cheek. All too soon, the ride ended.

"We never did ride the roller coaster," Amber remarked as they were getting out of the car. "I'd like to do that before we leave."

Danny sighed. "All right."

They joined a line that seemed to go on forever. Amber knew it would be a long wait, but to her, it would be worth it. "I just love roller coasters!" she exclaimed. She looked at Danny and saw that he seemed to be in deep concentration.

At last it was their turn to board, and Amber was about to run forward when she felt someone pull her arm back and was shocked to find it was Danny. "Just wait," he told her in a low voice.

The car soon filled up and began to move. "What was that all about?" Amber asked crossly.

Danny's only response was to lead her a few steps back. They both watched as the car slowly made its way to the top, then picked up speed and came crashing down, running off the tracks and into the crowd as it did so.

Instantly, the air was filled with terrified screams. Danny gave Amber's hand a gentle squeeze. "I have to take you home now," he told her. "I'm needed here."

She nodded, wanting nothing else but that. The next moment, she was opening the door of her house to find Helen asleep in the recliner with the television still on. Helen startled awake when the door opened. "Amber? You're home already?"

"There was a terrible accident, Mom. The roller coaster went off the track."

"Oh, no! Was anyone killed?"

"I don't know. Danny stayed to help. That's why I had to come home now." She was shaking so much she could hardly change into her pajamas, and once she was in bed, she pulled the covers up to her chin and lay there wide-eyed, unable to sleep, until she felt the warmth of a hand touching her own.

"Danny!" she whispered. "I thought you were at the hospital!"

"I just came from there," he told her. "Fortunately, no one was killed, but six people were injured, two of them seriously."

"Are they gonna be OK?"

"Yes. They're both in surgery right now."

"Do they need you to go back, then?"

"No. I was able to get a friend to relieve me." She felt, rather than saw, his smile.

"Can you stay with me for a little while, then? I still feel too keyed up to sleep."

"I can stay for as long as you need me to."

She moved over, and he slipped beneath the covers beside her. She felt his arms encircling her, and she rested her head on his shoulder and was soon asleep. When she awakened the next morning, he was gone, but she still felt just as peaceful and content.

"What are we gonna do about Thanksgiving?" Jade asked Trey. They sat on a pier with their legs dangling over the side, tossing bread crumbs to the ducks. "I don't want to spend it apart from you."

Trey squeezed her tight. "And I don't want to spend it apart from you, either."

"I suppose the logical thing would be to spend it with your family, since they're a lot closer than mine," Jade reasoned. "On the other hand, I know Mom and Aunt Maria are really looking forward to seeing me again."

"How about we spend Thanksgiving with my family and Christmas with yours," Trey suggested. "You've never met my father, and I've never met your mother and your Aunt Maria, so it'll be an opportunity for everybody to get acquainted."

"What a great idea!" They were out of bread crumbs, so Jade helped Trey to stand, and they walked back to his car.

"You remember Jade, Mom," Trey said to his mother.

"Of course I do!" Come on in, sweetheart." Debra Whittaker stepped aside so her guests could enter. "This is my husband, Hugh."

"How do you do." Hugh shook Jade's hand.

"Dinner's almost ready," Debra told Trey and Jade.

Just then, Shelby emerged from the kitchen carrying a steaming plate. "Hi, Jade!" she said with a smile.

"Hi," Jade replied.

The family gathered around the table and sat down. Hugh asked his son to say the blessing, and Trey said a short prayer.

"So tell us about yourself, Jade," Hugh said as they were eating.

"I'm taking psychology at the community college," Jade said. "My Dad died when I was little, so it's just me, my Mom, and my little sister Amber. She graduates high school this year."

"Is that so." Hugh speared a slice of turkey with his fork. "Did Trey ever tell you he played football all through high school?"

"No, he didn't." Jade looked at Trey, who was pretending to concentrate on his food.

"You should see all the trophies and awards he won. His senior year, he was voted the most athletic boy of the graduating class. I was so proud of him. Not that I'm not proud of him now," Hugh quickly added. "I'm sure he's shown you his Purple Heart medal."

"Yes, he has."

"He and Ashley were together all the way through high school. She was head cheerleader, and I was sure they'd be married someday, but when he came back from Afghanistan, she wouldn't even come to see him," Debra put in.

"He could have gone to college on a football scholarship, but he wanted to join the army instead," said Hugh. "Said he wanted to see the world. We all knew he might get sent to Afghanistan, but we tried not to think about that. None of us expected the very worst to come out of it, of course."

"The very worst didn't come," Shelby pointed out. "Trey's still alive."

"No point in dwelling on the past," added Debra. "What's done is done, and there's no going back. All we can do now is look to the future."

"How's your job coming along, Trey?" asked Shelby.

"Great!" her brother told her. "I got my first promotion after being there only six months, and I might get another one soon."

"That's great!" said Debra. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks!"

"Nothing wrong with a desk job," Hugh mumbled, but his face betrayed that he didn't believe his own words.

After dinner, Jade went into the kitchen to help Debra and Shelby with the dishes.

"So, what's the community college like?" asked Shelby. "I've been thinking of maybe starting there in January."

"It's great!" Jade told her. "It's not anything like high school, where you're treated like a prisoner and have to get passes to go everywhere, or get sent to the principal's office for being tardy to class. You can come and go as you like, without someone checking up on you twenty-four seven."

"Are the courses really difficult?" asked Shelby.

"They're harder than high school," Jade admitted. "The classes are faster paced, and you have to do a lot more studying. What are you thinking of taking?"

"I'm thinking maybe cosmetology," Shelby replied. "At least it would be a change from what I'm doing now."

"What's that?"

"Supermarket cashier. I've been doing that ever since I graduated high school three years ago, and I'm getting sick of it!"

"You graduated in 2019?"

"Yes."

"So did I!" The girls laughed and embraced one another.

"So why don't you get your own place?" asked Jade.

"I only work part time. That's another reason I'm thinking of going back to school."

Jade emerged from the kitchen to find Hugh and Trey sitting on the sofa. "You never told me Shelby graduated high school the same year I did," Jade said to Trey.

He chuckled. "You never asked."

Jade sat down beside him. She noticed that he was watching a football game and wondered how he was able to do that without feeling major depression. "Would you like to see them?" he asked after awhile.

"What?"

"The football trophies I got in high school."

"Sure!"

He led her to the case in the hallway, and she looked in at them: miniature footballs encased in glass, footballs made of gold, golden cups with players in uniform poised on their rims. "Doesn't it make you feel awfully sad to look at these?" she asked him.

"No. Why should it?"

"Well, you know - just being reminded of what you used to do that you can't do anymore."

"It was never my ambition to become a professional football player," he replied. "It was fun when I was in high school, but I wanted to do something with my life that really mattered."

Jade had to swallow a lump in her throat.

"Do I ever think about what might have been? Of course I do," Trey admitted. "But I know if I dwell on it, it'll drive me crazy. Instead, I concentrate on what I have now. It's the only way to survive."

"You sure seem be be taking it better than your Dad."

"I know." He pulled her close, then kissed the top of her head as her arms went around him. "I don't think he'll ever be able to fully accept that his only son is a double amputee."

She yawned.

"Want to take a nap?" he suggested.

"Sounds like a great idea to me."

He took her hand and led her to his old bedroom, where she lay down on his bed and he lay curled around her.