HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN

Epilogue

By Meloira

Cindy found him sitting next to his packed bag when she returned to their rooms around five in the morning.

"Good morning daughter." His face was solemn and his voice quiet. It scared her.

"Mornin? dad," she answered. She sat next to him and threw an arm around his shoulders. "Packed and ready, huh? If I didn?t know better, I?d say you?re anxious to get out of here."

"I?ve contacted the pilot. We leave as soon as we can make it to the airport."

"You?re putting me on, right?" He didn?t look at her. "I thought we weren?t leaving until check-out time?" Cindy got down on her knees in front of him. "Is something wrong at home? Is it Norie?" She tried to shake him out of his reverie, but he wasn?t responding. "Dad! What?s wrong?" Carl shook his head and attempted a weak smile.

"I thought we?d leave a little earlier, that?s all."

Cindy stared into her father?s face. He was lying to her. Frankly, his behavior mystified her. What could have happened in the last few hours that could make him so withdrawn? Suddenly, it dawned on her.

"It was Rachel, wasn?t it? I knew this was wrong."

"My decision to change our schedule has nothing to do with Rachel Cory. I miss Norie and I miss the others and that?s all. I merely want to go home."

His words nearly broke her heart. There was no way she could deny him. Cindy wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Alright Daddy," she whispered, "let?s go home."

Amanda was going to be really late for work. To start things off, she hadn?t gone to bed until after two a.m. Then she?d slept through her alarm. She?d also managed to put ladders in her only pair of stockings and break the heel from her favorite pair of shoes. She was looking for her purse when Rachel arrived.

"Hi Mom, no time for pleasantries," she said as she wrenched open the door. "Help me find my purse."

"Good morning to you too honey. Okay, what does it look like?" Rachel joined the search and began flipping couch cushions.

"Sorry, but I?m late, and it?s the one I was carrying last night," was the answer from the bedroom. "Ah ha! Found it Mom." Amanda emerged from her bedroom triumphantly holding her purse above her head.

"Good." Rachel dropped into the nearest chair. "I didn?t think you?d go to work today. I know I?m tired. By the way sweetheart, where did you disappear to last night? You had me worried you know."

"Sorry again, but I just couldn?t stay inside one minute longer. Besides, I slept like a baby, once I managed to fall asleep." Amanda dumped the contents of her handbag on a counter and rifled through them. Yep, it was all there. Wait a minute, there was a strange business card in the pile.

"You won?t believe what I did last night Amanda."

"Made mad passionate love with Richard?" Amanda turned the card over in her hand. There was a series of numbers on it, maybe a telephone number.

"Not hardly. I went to Carl?s room, told him I loved him and then I kissed him."

"You didn?t!"

"I did."

"Well, what happened?"

Rachel sighed. "Nothing. He told me to leave."

Amanda glanced at the card again and turned it over. Nothing. Not a single letter or name. It puzzled her. Who could have put such a card in her purse? She hadn?t been away from it all night. Someone must have slipped it in while she wasn?t looking. But who? The person must have wanted her to have the number for some reason. Well, the only thing to do would be to call the number and find out. Amanda slipped the card into her pocket.

"So, what happens next?"

"With Carl? I know I?d like to see him again. I think I could even change his mind about me if he gave me the chance. I?m going to have to find a way to break it to Richard though."

"I think you should go after him Mom. If you love Carl, then you should do anything possible to be with him."

"Thanks honey."

"Just one problem Mom. The only person who knows how to reach Carl is Vicky. And something tells me she?s not going to give up that info easily."

Rachel grimaced. "Yeah, I?m not exactly her favorite person. Maybe I should hire Gary."

"Might work."

"Oh, I?ll think of something. If Vicky can find him, so can I." Rachel stood up. "I need to get going sweetie, give Alli a hug for me." Amanda pecked her mother on the cheek and watched her leave. When she was sure she was alone, she took the card out of her pocket and read the numbers again.

"Don?t start making up grand fantasies Amanda Cory. Some knight in shining armor didn?t give you this. There?s a perfectly good explanation for it." Amanda tucked the card away again and smiled. It seemed as though someone had given her a ticket to a mysterious adventure, and she fully intended to put it to use.