Dear Isaac,

If you're reading this, it means I had the guts to actually slip this letter in the book I borrowed from you. It also means that you are really gone, because I know you never take the time to read anymore unless you're on the road.

I don't even know who you are anymore. The man I fell in love with was not the same man who just last night told me to find someone else. How could you ask me not to wait for you? Do you really expect me to continue on with my life like I had never met you?

You are my one true love, my soulmate. Until yesterday, I believed I was the same to you. Now I feel used.

When you're trying to make yourself feel like you did the right thing, just remember this: Joey trusted you.

-Kari

Carefully Isaac folded the letter up and slipped it back inside it's envelope. He wished he'd never read it. It had been easier to believe that Kari had understood, that someday she would forgive him. Now he realized that it would be a long time until she forgave him, if she ever did.

"I'm sorry," he whispered.

Tilting his head back, he stared at the ceiling. I did the right thing, he tried to reassure himself. But then again, who was he kidding? He didn't even believe himself.

* * * *

"Come on, Zac, I'm trying to go to bed," murmured Talia.

Zac ignored her and merely kissed her again. "It's only ten."

She sighed, pushing him away."I wanted to get to bed a little early so I could get to know Bethany a little better."

"Why?"He tried not too look too nervous. They had nothing in common. It wasn't like they would become best friends and start exchanging secrets. If anything, they would start exchanging pleasantries.

No harm in that. The two of them couldn't share a room without at least becoming friendly enough to be civil.

Talia whispered her good-byes, and then left Zac alone, heading to her room. There was something about this Bethany that seemed to make all three Hanson brothers very uncomfortable, and she wasn't going to be able to rest until she found out what it was.

Bethany was watching a movie in the bed nearest to the door when she came in. "I wasn't sure what bed you prefer," she told Talia.

"That's fine." Talia walked over and sat on the opposite bed. "Whatcha watching?" She stared at the TV. "EdTV. I hated that movie."

"Yeah, me too. I was just killing time until you got here." Bethany hit the Power button.

"Excited about going to Italy tomorrow?"

Bethany smiled. "Yeah. Until now I'd even left the United States."

Talia gave her a strange look. "Funny, I thought that your father was the president of the Morgan Discount chain."

"He's my step-father."

If Talia remembered correctly, Johnson Allister, a friend of her parents, had a summer home in France. He'd always brought his family up there on vacation. Why wouldn't he have taken Bethany? Then again, why would she lie?

She wasn't fooled by Bethany's fake yawn, but didn't question her sudden desire to go to sleep. Instead she put on her pajamas and turned out the light.

Neither girl slept much that night.

* * * *

Taylor lay on his side silently. He hadn't slept more than an hour or two all week and it was beginning to appear like this was going to be yet another sleepless night.

He glanced at the clock. Only twelve hours to go until he would see Mal. These days he missed her with an intensity that took his breath away, however, he still did not want to see her.

Seeing her again meant there would be yet another terrible good-bye. He just wasn't sure how much more pain he could take.

When would life make sense for him again? Would he ever look forward to waking up in the morning again? There were so many questions milling around in his head, unanswered.

In the bed beside him, Isaac snored loudly. Taylor envied his ability to sleep through anything, including internal turmoil and worries. For example, Isaac had been thinking of Kari that evening. Taylor could always tell when he had been thinking of her by the tortured expression on his face.

Still, though, he slept on, seemingly undisturbed by his earlier thoughts.

Taylor gave up. He yanked on a pair of jeans over his boxers and pulled on an old wife-beater which was probably Ike's, but he was beyond caring. He tip-toed out of the room and down the hallway to the vending machines.

There, he stared at the soda machine, wishing that he'd remembered his wallet and realizing that he'd also left the room key behind. Now banished to the hallways, he peered curiously at a security camera. Behind it was some hotel employee now laughing at his stupidity.

He couldn't decide which was more humiliating, waking someone in his family up, or waiting for hotel security to take pity on him. Neither sounded very good to him.

Sitting down, he leaned his back against the wall, letting his head make a thudding noise hitting the wood. Maybe he would just sleep in the hallway.