A week later

Jason’s eyebrows raise at Katie’s news, and it takes him just a moment to respond. He didn’t know why…he shouldn’t feel any apprehensions.

Shaking off the awkwardness, he smiles instead. “Well congratulations, Hero.”

As she comes with the orange juice, he stops her by taking her left hand and admiring the diamond. He grins up at her and nods. “He done good.” He really was happy that Katie was happy…he was glad to see her smiling…maybe she’d found her place in life.

Taking his glass, he raises it as a toast. “To Katie and Scott – may they be forever happy.” Jason winks at her before taking a swig of orange juice, and grins. The strangeness in the back of his mind persists, but he continues to ignore it, suppressing any apprehensions so that all Katie would feel was his happiness for her.

*****

Carson tosses another item into the small box on the chair, clearing off the rest of the desk. He glances around the cubicle one more time. He had everything. Some people had stopped by just to see what he was doing…others had actually said they’d miss him. Most just didn’t approach him. Reese had told him that he was still welcome to come and go and socialize, but he knew he probably wouldn’t be here much.

Sighing, Carson picks up his box and gives the main floor once last glance. It had been over a week since he’d been here, and this was is the last time he’d be a part of it at all. He hadn’t talked to Misty yet today…last night had been the first night that he’d gone back to his own apartment after Frankie hadn’t shown himself again. Carson didn’t know if Misty would be coming back to work or not. Last he knew, she was still undecided, though he had tried to convince her to come back…TJY needed her, and he knew that despite him not being there, it was work that she loved.

Heading toward the exit, he stops momentarily at Nate’s cubicle. Knocking on the entrance, he extends his hand to him. “Nate…I’ll see you around, eh?”


Jason makes his way across the main floor of TJY on a set of crutches, Trooper coming along behind him. He would have forced himself to hobble without the crutches, but since the week before, he’d been unable to put any weight on it – any time he’d tried to walk, it had buckled, proving there was no strength left in it.

Rick had wanted him in a wheelchair, but Jason had refused, taking the crutches instead, and forcing himself to get to and from work on his own. Camryn had been over almost every night to his place to help him with supper, and at work, he spent most of his time sitting in his office. Jason had tried to keep a good outlook, and was doing a good job at hiding his disappointment and misery. Reese had told him several times that he wanted to talk to him, but Jason had avoided it, afraid it would have to do with his job.

Headed toward the hall, he spots Katie down a ways and gives her a nod, hollering to her. “Mornin’!”


Scott throws another empty box out into the hall and sets his hands on his hips, looking around the office. Finally, it was empty. After a week’s worth of work, he could finally move his desk in here and start setting up. It was a good feeling.


“Hey, Laura, did you get that paperwork for me from Reese?”

Laura looks up from her desk to see Wyatt, and nods. “Yep.” She hands him a folder. “Here you go. It’ll take you all night to get through this stuff.”

Wyatt chuckles. “I hope not. I got a date tonight.”

“Aerith?”

“Well who else?”

Laura grins. “You’ve been hanging out with her a lot lately.”

“Can you blame me?” Wyatt returns the grin, a bit sheepishly. “Or have you totally overlooked the fact that I like her?”

Laura laughs. “I don’t think anybody’s overlooked that fact. But you deserve it. I’d definitely choose a date over work any day.” She thumbs towards Nate’s cubicle across the room. “’Course I can’t convince Mr. Workaholic of that lately.”

Wyatt shakes his head. “Oh, throw him that smile he loves so much, and he won’t be able to resist.”


Reese switches on the light in the empty office and takes a glance around. He wasn’t sure anyone had even been in here since Con had left. It seemed strange now that it wouldn’t be him occupying it. But he was excited to know that Lockheart was coming, and it would be well-worth using up this space rather than letting it sit dormant.

Moving into the office he takes a look around, making mental notes of the things he should tell Ty to pay particular attention to while cleaning.


“Bret….earth to Bret!”

Bret turns his head from the blueprints on the table. “What?”

Erin rolls his eyes. “What is with you? You been in another world all week!”

“Sorry. What did you want?”

“Wondered when Con was coming back.”

“Tomorrow…least that’s what I heard. He got the doc’s okay to get out of the sling and start using his arm again. Dean wants him doing most foreman duties though, to keep him out of hard labor.” As the whistle blows, Bret looks at his watch. “I’m taking off for a while on my lunch. If Gary calls, tell him the answer is yes.”

Heading off the site and tossing his hardhat to the side, Bret aims for his car, digging his keys out of his pocket. It doesn’t take him long to get across town and park at the edge of the curb.

Glancing to his rearview mirror, he sees the necklace that still hung there. Maybe it was self-torture to leave it there, but for some reason, he just didn’t want to take it off.

Giving a sigh, he gets out of his car and heads inside the bar.


To: Katie, Jason, Scott, Camryn, Con, Jamie, Wyatt, Aerith, Nate, Laura, Misty, Carson
From: Kyle
Subject: Party
I know I didn’t get everybody I needed to with this email, so it’s up to y’all to pass this on to anyone else who might be interested in our end-of-summer bash. Yeehaw!
We’ve been talking about it for weeks, and it’s finally coming up. Next weekend is almost here, and we’re expecting to see you at the park by three in the afternoon on Saturday. Swimming…hamburgers…hotdogs…frisbee…music… Mmmm, my mouth is watering already. If you decline just because you don’t think it’ll be any fun, then I highly suggest you immediately go to your doctor to have your head examined.
That said…see you there!
-Kyle


“So why can’t we do it right away?!” Morgan paces the small dim room to the back of the factory. He looks at Frankie with distaste. “I said I’d help ya just ‘cause I owe you one… But since I found out that dirtbag Carson is gonna suffer, I wanna get in there now to see him squirm.” A wicked grin creases his mouth. “I owe him for the time he turned me in to Tony. And if taking that little girl will do it, I’m all for it. But I don’t understand why we’re waiting!”


Cindy eases down in the computer chair, one hand on her tummy. She was starting to show more and more and it was getting just as bit uncomfortable to move around now. Scrolling through her email, a smile spreads. She’d heard from Jason again. He was getting better at keeping in touch.

Reading that he was up and moving again made her feel glad. She’d heard about his knee injury through Austin, and was glad to hear that he was recovering quickly. Jason mentioned he’d be back on both feet in no time and as good as new soon after.

Satisfied, Cindy rises again, making her way slowly to the kitchen to prepare lunch for Wes. She could hear him cleaning up in the bathroom down the hall, and calls to him. “Did you want that leftover chicken casserole or a sandwich, hun?”