Chapter 5

Chapter 5


It was early evening and Meredith Heaton anxiously paced the floors of her office. Amelia would probably be arriving soon and she had done her best to prepare for her arrival. She had sent most of the staff home to rest after a long week of work with a particularly difficult group of families. It was a necessary attribute for a counselor to be a good listener but Meredith had always believed it was even more important to be an eternal optimist. She saw so many successful turnarounds that it made her hopeful and confident that real healing had taken place. She only hoped that she could do the same for Amelia. The amount of love she felt for her girl overwhelmed her for a moment and her concern grew to a frantic level. She wanted so badly to speak with her and ease her mind about what was troubling her. Jack could not give any clarity to what was going on but Meredith had a feeling that there was something that he was not saying. She tried calling Amelia's cell phone again and got her voicemail once again. She thought fondly of the days when Amelia first came to her. The lonely, bright and quiet girl of fourteen was an instant soul sister. Meredith's heart responded to her in a very motherly way from their first meeting. She smiled at the memory of their first meeting.


It all began in the winter of 1999. Meredith and George had planned a benefit to raise funds for the Center at Camp Camilla. Meredith had established a charity with the money that her father had left her to allow families to come for counseling. The Center would cater to people of all backgrounds and the main feature of the Center would be the counseling rooms and of course the island. Her plan was to host events through the year to raise money for travel and expenses for those families that needed their services. It was Meredith's brainchild from the early days of her career to make a legacy for future generations of families. She was on the verge of introducing the idea of the Center to as many of her rich friends as she could gather in one place. To prepare she had rented every available room within driving distance and because of the magnitude of the event everyone in the area was abuzz with the festivities. It would be a celebration to remember. So many people from the towns had been hired to help with all of the preparations that several businesses would be closing down for the week to aid the celebration.


Meredith had heard news of Carolynne Devine's culinary talents and visited her kitchen multiple times to sample Carolynne's skillful creations. Convinced of her superior skills, Meredith wouldn't rest until she agreed to come and take care of the food for the days of celebration. Carolynne finally relented when Meredith explained that her expertise in the kitchen would be experienced by many great people of influence. Carolynne had a desire to grow her own business and perhaps open her own restaurant some day and the prospect of meeting so many influential people was exciting.


Everything had been building up to this time. Meredith and George had worked tirelessly through the previous years, renovating and restoring each of the cabins with updated furniture and bed linens, modernizing the old building with new plumbing and fixtures. They had constructed five new cabins and expanded the boathouse to accommodate larger groups. They also added a conference building with large rooms with views of the water. Meredith's special addition was to redo the barns that had never been used to full capacity for animals with their high ceilings and crosscut beams into large ballrooms for banquets and parties. They added modern kitchen facilities to the barns complete with every convenience of a modern restaurant. They had hired more grounds crew to keep the pathways clean of snow and the main road into the camp plowed and de-iced.


Amelia's job as Carolynne assistant was expanded that year and she became more and more important in the Seasons kitchen. Carolynne asked Meredith if it would all right for Amelia to attend their first planning meeting to take notes for the event. They arrived earlier than Meredith expected and her first glimpse of Amelia was of the quiet girl staring in awe of the countless books that filled the shelves in the main lodge. Meredith encouraged her to look through them all, happy to find a fellow book lover in her midst. Carolynne protested but gave her permission. Meredith's cook at the time had been there for ages and was nearing retirement and Meredith insisted that she show Carolynne around both of the kitchen facilities to make sure that everything was up to her specifications.


Amelia was shy at first but talking about books brought out a spirited discussion. When Amelia explained the reasons she didn't think Wuthering Heights deserved to be a classic, Meredith knew that she had just met her literary match. In the days leading up to the gala Meredith and Amelia became great friends.


Their conversation that day left a mark on Meredith's heart and Amelia's place in it continued to grow. So much had happened to the girl, so much she had already been through. Meredith worried once again about what could have happened that would bring on this trip.


Meredith blew out a breath of frustration, when her phone rang. Meredith dove for it and hurriedly raised the phone to her ear.


“Hello?” Meredith said, quickly hoping that it might be Amelia calling back.


“Meredith?” a familiar voice asked, “It's Carrie, Jack's sister.”


“Hello, Carrie,” Meredith spoke softly with a sigh. She couldn't remember the last time Carrie had called her.


Carrie hesitated, “Meredith, I have some things to explain.”


“Okay.” Meredith answered, her breath tight in her throat.


“You may want to sit down. It is a very long story.” Carrie replied.


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Amelia stopped to grab a bite to eat in Albany. The trip was beginning to wear on her but she was so close to home that she couldn't imagine not arriving that evening. She took a bathroom break and bought a sandwich at Subway and took it out to her car to eat. She didn't feel like being around people so she moved her car to a shaded spot in the parking lot and opened the windows to let the breeze blow in.


The seemingly endless hours in the car had been tedious and she was starting to feel guilty about the way she had left Florida. Another call to her work that morning had made her defiant. Her supervisor was rude and Amelia didn't know if she would have a job when she returned. Not that she cared at this point. She was a nurse and nurses could get jobs anywhere. She wasn't even sure if she would return yet. Everything was too confusing.


The guilt came from her memories of Jack and with Jack. The jumble of memories flowed easily. Thoughts of his betrayal were fresh but so were all of their tender moments. The two men she saw in her mind didn't coincide with each other and confused her greatly. The irony of it was the one person that she wanted to call to talk about it was Jack. She had almost stopped the car to call and talk with him but her fear overcame her again and she had fought hard not to do it.


Now that the car was stopped and she was alone in the silence Jack filled her thoughts. She wanted to hear his voice, wanted to roll back the day and not see him with Samantha. She picked up her phone and turned it on. She knew that there would be no cell phone reception at the camp and any messages would be unavailable to her. She knew that he was probably worried about her. He was probably wondering where she was.


After a few minutes of internal debate she finally called to get her messages. The mechanical female voice announced that there were five messages waiting for her. Her anxiety rose as she pushed the 1 key to hear her messages. Her heart melted at the sound of Jack's voice.


The first was from Jack from around noon the day before.


Amelia? Hey, I'm coming home in a little bit. Will you carve out a little time for dinner tonight? I'll throw something together for dinner. I'm going home early from work. I have something we really need to discuss, okay? Call when you get this, Thanks. Bye.


The second message was from Meredith. Her voice was full of concern.


Amelia, call me when you get this. I called Jack and told him you were coming here and he seemed surprised. What is going on? I want to help.


The next message was from Carrie.


Hi, sweetie. I heard from Jack and know you are traveling. Please come home. Please remember I love you and Jack loves you too. Call me, bye


Message number four made the tears flow.


Amelia, where are you? I talked to Meredith and she told me you were leaving to visit her. What is going on? Why did you leave? I really need to talk to you. I can't believe that you just left. I've been so worried. We need to talk.


I need to explain about Sam. I don't know how you know but let's talk okay? I just want to know if you're all right.


Call me.


The hurt in Jack's voice was genuine but as Amelia hung up the phone she wondered at his insistence to talk. There was one more message and she could see that it was from Jack but she didn't want to listen to it. In both messages from Jack there were no reassurances of his love. No explanation for why he was with Sam. No explanations why she was there in the first place. It was too much. She wanted to talk to Jack but the fear of losing him rose up again.


She powered off her phone, leaving the final message unheard. She didn't feel like she could deal with any of it. Maybe after a few days, she thought but not right now. There was too much. There was so much to lose. So much that she didn't want to think about. In her mind's eye she watched her father walk out the door when she was four. She saw her mother crying for him to stay and the pain that was so apparent in her face, the pain that had never quite left her face in all that time. Until the day he finally came back.


Amelia pushed back on the thoughts that invaded her mind but they flowed in unrelenting anyway. Pictures of her parent's reunion filled her mind, flowing through her with abandon. Her mother had been so happy when her father came that day. Jed Raddington came riding into their lives that day and changed it forever. Amelia could see the attraction physically. His face was handsome but beyond that her interest in him was baffling. Amelia admitted to herself early on that she was wary of him. Her experiences with other men in her mother's life had taught many important lessons about relationships. Lessons her own mother seemed to repeat on a yearly basis. Lesson number one, don't trust a man just because he's there.


Her mother had explained his faults to her enough times to be unconvinced with his sincerity. He had a strut, the air of a confidence man out for a score and the smile he had for Amelia was more of a leer until her mother explained her parentage to him. He spoke with a fake drawl that came out of his mouth as slick as anything. He had a terrible mouth filling his sentences with all sorts of curse words that would put a sailor to shame. His reaction to Amelia was aloof not really acknowledging her presence one minute and talking too closely with familiarity the next.  It was always worse when he had been drinking.  Then it went from creepy to uncomfortable. It surprised Amelia to this day that such a con man could be her father and the utter lack of interest that he had in his daughter. It wasn't yet apparent that he would leave nothing but destruction in his wake. But it was the day everything in her life rapidly changed.


Within days Jed was living with them in their tiny apartment. Her mother kicked her out of the bedroom that first night and told her to spend the night a Carolynne's. The hurt inflicted by that rejection numbed her to her core. Carolynne was accommodating and sympathetic. It was summertime and Carolynne was transitioning between her job at Seasons and her new position at the Center with Meredith. After the smashing success of the gala event, Meredith offered Carolynne a full-time position at the center to serve not only as their event food specialist but to replace the retiring cook of Camp Camilla. By fall Carolynne would be living full-time on site in her own cabin. When Amelia had come to Carolynne she offered to let Amelia live in her spare room until her father left the house.


That summer was difficult because every interaction with her mother turned into a shouting match. It was mostly her mother that did the shouting, insisting that Amelia not ruin this for her.  Amelia tried to reason with her, trying to convince her mother that Jed was bad news. Anna fought back, telling Amelia that she didn't have any business telling her what to do and that she couldn't be happier now that Jed was back in her life. Amelia was back and forth between the couch in the front room at her mother's and the spare room at Carolynne's until the night that ended everything.


It was around nine o'clock and her mother was out with friends. Amelia had fallen asleep on the couch while watching television when Jed came stumbling into the room. She woke to him grabbing at her clothes and she only just managed to wake up enough to realize what he was doing and get away. She still shuddered to think what he would have done to her if she had not woken in time. He came at her yelling and cursing for her to just sit down and chill. He caught her arm at one point and tried to pull her into the bedroom with him. She managed to get him off balance enough to get out of his grip and tried to get the front door open but he blocked her way out. He was leering at her and saying the terrible things he would do if she didn't stop. He took some swipes at her and struck her in the head and ribs.  He had hit her clumsily scratching her cheek and making it bleed. She could only think of getting away. She surprised him by not going for the front door but turning around to the bedroom and locking the door. Her face and body ached but she managed to open the window before he could find the key to unlock the door. That night she ran away and never looked back.


On that difficult day, Carolynne wasn't home and she was worried that Jed would come after her so Amelia walked eight miles toward Camp Camilla before she met Meredith and George on the road. They were on their way home from an event in town but when they saw Amelia and the state she was in they took her to their cabin to take care of her. George was the resident doctor on site and patched up Amelia's cut. Amelia was always at Camp Camilla because Carolynne insisted she come and Meredith and George made the decision to watch over her.  Amelia even liked George, Meredith's soft spoken, gentle husband. He was quiet but kind and they had an easy way together. He let Amelia come to him on her terms and it went a long way to sealing their friendship.


When they saw her injuries and heard her story they called the police and had them arrest Jed. The injuries he had inflicted were documented and recorded. The court awarded Meredith temporary custody of Amelia. Anna bailed Jed out of jail and was outraged by the court's decision. She called Meredith and demanded that Amelia come home. She accused Meredith of stealing her daughter away and threatened a lawsuit. Meredith quietly informed Anna that she was welcome to visit her daughter alone but that Jed would never be welcome on her property. Anna did not call again or visit that entire summer.


That summer was difficult.  Amelia healed physically but struggled with the choice her mother had made to stay with Jed.  She was young but she understood the wrongness of a mother abandoning her child for anyone.  It was hard to take in.  Luckily, Meredith, George and Carolynne took her under their collective wing even working some sessions with another counselor at the Center. 


Carolynne was the first to take notice of her and treat her kindly and she would always love her for it but Meredith was the first adult in her life that treated her like an intellectual equal. Meredith seemed easy with the world and she understood people in a way that impressed Amelia greatly. She had a measure of compassion and practicality about people that was really startling. She had finally found adults that acted like she had always imagined they should and it made her feel more at ease than she had been in her entire life. As much as she appreciated Carolynne for all she had done for her in getting her away from home, her friendship with Meredith had an air of equality that was empowering. She would always love Carolynne for all she had done for her and she was grateful that through her she met her new family. George and Meredith offered her a room in their home for as long as she wanted one.


It wasn't until the fall that Anna called again. Jed had left to travel for a few weeks and she was alone. She called to talk to Amelia but ended up trying to defend Jed. Amelia didn't have much to say after that and refused to speak with her mother. The fall turned into winter and without the constraints on her time and the freedom of Camp Camilla, Amelia thrived. She gained a healthy amount of weight and her thin frame rounded out nicely. She lived life with an ease that had always eluded her in the past and she was grateful every day for it.


In May she turned fifteen and worked with Carolynne in the kitchen at Camp Camilla. The newly opened Center was thriving and busy. Families and people from all over the country came to be counseled by Meredith and her capable staff. It was a great success and Amelia felt safe and at home for maybe the first time in her entire life. She was given responsibility over the vegetable gardens and watching out for the aging Camilla.  She spent many days in the libraries and could often be found sitting by the lake with a book in hand.


Later that summer her mother called to ask for a visit. Amelia agreed to meet her at a diner in town for lunch. George sat in the car to wait for her and make sure that things were all right. The conversation that would change her life was moments away and Amelia sensed that she should prepare herself.


“Amelia, you know that Jed has been here with me for this year and he's real sorry about upsetting you. He'd like to try again.” she said in her kindest, motherly voice. “Now you know he's real sorry and won't be a bother again.”


Amelia shuddered at the memory. She couldn't believe her mother would suggest it much less defend him when he was so clearly in the wrong.  Despite the strong feeling of protectiveness she felt for her mom returning to her mother with Jed there was unthinkable.


Amelia remained silent. She watched the front door, planning her escape. Her mother continued to speak.


“Amelia, you're not thinking right. We were happy weren't we? And now your daddy's come home. I've waited so long and now he's here and wants us to be a family.”


Amelia watched her mother, her anger bubbling up quickly. The heart and flowers description of him was nauseating. She could feel the disgust that must have been clear on her face. Her mother looked back at her with surprise and frustration.  Amelia's words came out with a force that she didn't know she could speak with.


“How can you defend him!?" she raged at the top of her voice,"He hit me! He hurt me! He ripped my clothes.  He was trying to..." she paused as shock appeared on her mother's face,"Who knows what would have happened if I hadn't gotten away? If you think I'm ever coming back to you while he is there, you're crazy.” Her mother was pale when she looked back at Amelia and she knew that some of what she said was new information. Apparently Jed hadn't told her everything about that night after all.


She was seething when she turned to head out the front door until she saw Jed's familiar figure in front of the door. Anxiety filled her as she realized it was her only way out. Jed started toward them and smiled at them both. Amelia glared at them both trying to find a way around Jed's imposing figure. Jed sat down with Anna and smiled up at Amelia with all the innocence of a child. The disgust she felt for him was overwhelming.


“Sit down, Amelia. You're making a scene.” Anna said calmly. Amelia sat in her chair and tried to figure out how to signal George. She couldn't see his car from where she was sitting. She wanted to leave.  She wondered if she would be quick enough to get away from Jed when he was sober. She sincerely doubted it.


Jeb's smile turned into a sneer as he slung an arm around Anna's shoulders. Amelia's gut twisted as she looked at him.


“Did you tell her the good news, yet?” Jeb asked watching Amelia's face.


“News?” Amelia asked a feeling of dread sweeping over her.


Anna smiled up at Jed with a sickeningly sweet smile. “Yes, hon. I wasn't going to say anything but we're expected again! You're going to be a sister!” Amelia sat in shock, stunned by the news. Jed smirked at the look on her face.


Amelia stood up to leave and Jed followed her motions.


“Sit back down now, and be polite. Your mother's not done talking.” Jed threatened.  He was imposing and Amelia looked around again for a way out but sat down.


Anna waited for her to sit and then continued, “Amelia, we're leaving to live near Jed's brother in Montana. He has a cabin we can stay in and your dad will get a job building houses. There's a school not too far and you can finish up high school there.”


Amelia looked at her blankly, “I already told you that I won't be with you until Jed leaves.”


Jed's face turned red and he spoke through clenched teeth, “I'm not going nowhere, girl, so you better get used to it. I'll show you a thing or two about talking back to your mother.”


He made a move toward Amelia and she got up out of her seat and backed into the corner. She tried to look for a way around him but there didn't seem to be a path.


“Amelia?” a strong and firm voice said from behind Jed. Jed turned to see George standing steadily behind him. George was not a big man but he stood tall and strong with a look rivaling outrage on his face. George walked around Jed and took Amelia around the shoulders protectively. Jed watched this menacingly but didn't speak.


“I'm sorry I was late.” he said softly keeping Amelia away from Jed as he eased her through the narrow space to head toward the door.


“It's okay, Uncle George,”Amelia said with relief.


Making sure that Amelia was safely out of reach, George moved to get around Jed with determination. Jed was outraged that George was taking charge.


“Hey, that's my daughter not yours and we're not done here.” he said with a scowl. Moving forward quickly and grabbing hold of Amelia by the arm.


What happened next happened so fast that Amelia couldn't quite believe it. George pulled Jed's hand off of Amelia and in three skillful well placed moves to his jaw, chest and knees Jed fell to the ground in pain. George stood over Jed in a fight stance and then straightened up into his regular posture and took Amelia's hand.


“You dare lay your hands on a woman again and you'll have me to deal with.” George said defiantly. He turned to Anna and said quietly, "You have a job with us if you will leave with us.  Your daughter needs you."


Anna stared at George for a moment then rushed forward to aid Jed, not looking back as George led Amelia out to the car and home to Camp Camilla. Sadly, that was the last time Amelia saw her mother alive.


She didn't hear from her mother until she was nineteen. They spoke on the phone only briefly. She was in trouble with Jed and wanted to come and stay with Amelia. Amelia had just started college and had no where for her to stay. Jed had abused her for years and she had lost the baby that she was carrying. She was back to staying with friends in Minnesota. She pleaded for Amelia to give her a second chance and apologized for letting Jed take control. Amelia agreed to visit her that summer. They left the call on good terms and Amelia was hopeful for a reconciliation that summer.


A few months later, Meredith received the call from a hospital in Minnesota where Jed had left her after a particularly brutal beating. Meredith and Amelia flew to see her but they were too late. She died shortly after that, dying of her injuries in a Minnesota hospital. Amelia mourned her loss greatly but Meredith stayed on with her for a long time.  Jed was on the run for a while but was finally caught and put in jail for her death.


That time was very difficult for Amelia.  She missed her mother more than ever.  Anna was cremated and Amelia took her remains to Camp Camilla and scattered her ashes into the lake. Her mother had always loved the water.


The years had passed and the memories of the horror of that time had faded but as Amelia's thoughts turned back to Jack she realized it was part of the fear that gripped her now. Life had turned on a dime too many times for her to not panic at this new development. Their life had been so happy. Until yesterday. She knew better than anyone the way that events could rush forward, seemingly unstoppable.


No, she thought to herself, I've had my world crash in on me before. If it is going to crash, I want to be prepared for it. I can't think of dealing with it otherwise.


Her thoughts had been so extensive that she hadn't realized how close she was to home. She sighed in contentment when she stopped at the gate that barred the way in to Camp Camilla and entered the code for the gate to open. As she drove down the road, the peace that had eluded her fell silently over her a small smile forming on her lips and she knew that she was almost home.

Island of Discussion - Chapter 4

It was after one o'clock in the morning when Amelia stopped at a motel on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia to sleep.  She had stopped only for gas and bathroom breaks in eight hours and after a busy morning at work she was forced to stop and sleep.  She got her suitcase after she paid for her room, and climbed the stairs to her room.  Once inside, she locked her door and immediately went to the bed.  She pulled off her pants, turned off the light and crawled into the bed.  She fell swiftly into a deep sleep.
A semi-truck's engine roared to life right outside the door and she was instantly awake.  She eased up stiffly to look at the bedside clock.  It was after nine in the morning.  She sighed and hugged the pillow securely to her head.  She had slept so well but with clarity of mind she remembered why she was laying in a motel room and she tried to drive the images of Jack and Samantha out of her mind.  No such luck, she thought in frustration.  She sighed, resigned to the ache that formed in her heart and she realized what she wanted.  She wanted Jack. Jack could always make her feel better. Her heart ached to think that might all be over now and she rolled out of bed to get moving. 
She quickly showered and changed clothes and straightened up the bed.  She repacked her bag and was ready to go.  The last thing she picked up was her phone on the night stand.  She had not turned it on since she had called work on one of the bathroom breaks that she had taken the day before.  There were waiting messages on her phone from Jack and Meredith and Carrie but she couldn't deal with them right now.  She was sure that the minute she heard Jack's voice she would want to talk to him.  She wasn't ready to face that moment yet. 
For once she didn't worry about work. She wasn't even sure she still wanted to work in her current position.  Her supervisor had been angry that she had left so suddenly and threatened to fire her if she didn't return but Amelia had managed to convince her that she was in an emergency situation. Could there be a bigger emergency than this? Amelia thought, woefully.  She had ended her conversation with her supervisor with a promise to return as soon as things were resolved and that she would keep in contact once she got to Camp Camilla.  The supervisor still wasn't happy but Amelia was past caring being considerate to a woman who showed no consideration for her.
After her miscarriage being in the Mother and Baby Unit was difficult for her.  It felt like a cruel irony to be surrounded by babies and mothers all day long.  She did miss her co-workers on the floor.  They always had such fun together.  The only available opening had been on the recovery floor in the main part of the hospital and her new supervisor had made her work life unbearable.  She was constantly on her about the time that she spent talking with patients claiming it made her less efficient than the other nurses on the floor though she finished her paperwork and other charting just as quickly as the others.  She had plenty of sick days and vacation days that she had never used. She had put in so many long hours at her job for years and hardly ever took vacation so she had at least three weeks coming her way. It would be good to get away from the stress and the physical toll of daily nursing duties. 
The hospital also reminded her of her loss.  The first nine weeks of the pregnancy had gone so well she was not concerned about spreading the word of their first child to everyone she talked to.  They had waited so long and gone through so many treatments that she had stupidly shared it with everyone on the floor and every patient she saw.  In some ways she knew better than to do it but her excitement at the prospect of a new baby was too much to contain.  In the 10th week she had started bleeding while she was at work which prompted her visit to her doctor.  She went to her doctor on her lunch break and it was there that she had the ultrasound that confirmed that the baby's heart had stopped. Through tears she called Jack to come and be with her and the doctor performed a D&C later that afternoon when the bleeding did not stop. 
She slipped her phone into her pocket and scanned the room for anything she might have left and then headed out the door and to her waiting car. The messages would have to wait until she could get to the right place in her mind.  She pushed the longing in her to hear her husband's voice away and carried her luggage to her car and headed out on the road once more. 
The road through Richmond was busy but traffic moved well.  She hadn't been on this road for a number of years and she noted the beauty around her as she drove through Virginia. She used to despise road trips mostly because she and her mother had moved around so frequently when she was young.  Her thoughts turned to Meredith and the happy memories of Lake Camilla.  Memories of her early days there were sad ones but also marked the first stable home she had ever experienced.  They were among the first people to show her all encompassing, life changing, unconditional love. 
Her feelings for her mother, Anna, were still complicated.  There were many things left unsaid between them.  Not that she had ever had much of an opportunity to speak with her.  After years of therapy she had come to realize that her mother had loved her the way she knew how to love.  She loved her with the maturity of a sixteen-year-old single mom.  After her experiences with friends and especially with Meredith and Jack she knew for ceratin that her mother didn't know the first thing about what it meant to really love someone.  Her mother's father had kicked them out when she told him she was pregnant. Her mother lived with her boyfriend who made Anna very uncomfortable and with no other stable family of her own she moved in with a steady stream of friends and boyfriends throughout Amelia's childhood.  Amelia's life was very unstable until she started school.  Her mother made sure she was enrolled wherever they were living from the time she could qualify for preschool.  Education was the one thing that her mother approved of.  In her adulthood she wondered if it was the schooling or the free child care for six hours a day that was more attractive to her.  School didn't stop her from taking Amelia in and out of schools and through countless relationships and living situations but it gave Amelia a place to be and a place to belong for the majority of the year.
Seven states and many moves later they landed in Upstate New York where her mother was a housekeeper at Seasons Bed and Breakfast in Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks.  She had just broken up with her latest boyfriend and had decided to swear off men and get her GED.  A friend of a friend was a housekeeper there and got Anna a job there also. It was the first full-time job that Anna had had and the pay was enough for their basic needs.  The best perk was that it also offered an apartment of their own. 
The apartment was small and consisted only of a living room, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom.  There was a foldout bed in the living room that her mother slept on and she let Amelia have the bedroom to herself. For Amelia, who had no experience with a space to call her own, it was heaven on earth. Amelia did her best to keep the whole house very clean.  It was ironic that a housekeeper would have such messy habits but Amelia didn't mind tidying up.  It was the first place she that felt like home instead of borrowed space.  Amelia spent a lot of time alone in her room because her mother would be out with friends most evenings.  It was very comfortable and quiet and after years of never having her own space, the solitude was refreshing.
At first her mother bought groceries and attempted to prepare meals for them but as she got busier with friends and leaving at night to party she would sometimes forget to go shopping and would get annoyed when Amelia would mention it.  There never seemed to be enough money coming in according to her mother so Amelia ate what she could and did her best to keep fed.  She went hungry for many nights in a row.
Raquette Lake is a tourist town, busy during the summer months but slower in the winter and the people knew each other well. Her teacher at school noticed that she ate with gusto at lunchtime.  Most of the kids barely finished their food but Amelia would carefully eat every morsel of food on her plate and sometimes look longingly at the food that others brought with them.  She wasn't one to complain but she started getting headaches in the afternoon and after much coaxing she told the school nurse about not having much to eat at home. The nurse called home and her mother was defiant, yelling that she got plenty to eat and that she just liked to complain. The nurse found out where she was living and secretly arranged a raise for Amelia's mother to include meals for Amelia and her mother to ensure that she was properly fed.
It was a relief for them both. Her mother had never been good at things like sitting down for meals so from that time on Amelia ate in the kitchen at the B&B for every meal.  Her mother would join her on Sundays and occasionally for dinner during the week but even then she ate like a bird and complained about the food.  It was ironic because the cook at Seasons was well known for her prowess in the kitchen. Her name was Carolynne Devine and she took a shine to Amelia right away and made it her business to ensure that she had three square meals for the first time in her life. Carolynne was known all over the Northeast for her delicious food and Amelia couldn't help but love it, too.  She ate everything she made for her without complaint.  She was a lovely woman with great skill and was so kind and loved to talk so much that Amelia had to say very little. Amelia had never been apt to speak much as a child and had grown quieter still the older she grew, especially around her mother.  She loved to listen to Carolynne's stories and they both benefited from the other's company.  She had her favorite saying painted in large scripted letters across the main wall of her kitchen.  It read:
Well-fed hearts and stomachs = JOY
Words to live by.
The winters could be harsh at times but it was nothing a cozy fire in the kitchen couldn't fix and that first winter she spent a great deal of time at a little table in the kitchen with Carolynne.  Amelia was shy at first but gradually started telling Carolynne about her day at school and the books she was reading.  Amelia loved to read.  She didn't have many friends at school, preferring to spend her lunchtime in the library.  There was one boy she sat with sometimes but they rarely talked.  Over the years she had forgotten even the boy's first name. 
Part of the problem was that she didn't really like what other 14-year-old girls were interested in and discussing it with other girls got her strange looks and whispers.  They teased her for not wanting to talk about boys. The way Anna talked about her father and her boy craziness in high school made Amelia want to stay away from boys even more.  She had seen Anna in enough screwed up situations with men. It wasn't that she didn't find boys attractive but she had no desire to date one. She had enough to worry about thinking that they could be leaving town anyday.
She loved science, nature and literature and read her way through everything she could put her hands on.  Her mother frequently asked her about her friends and if there were any boys she liked. She also made fun of her for reading so much but Amelia tried her best to ignore it. Her mother's behavior was growing more erratic and Amelia didn't like the way she spoke sometimes.  She made offcolor remarks about boys and it embarrassed her to the point of tears when Anna would call out to them on the street when they were together shopping.  At 14, she felt older and more mature than her mother and it was exhausting. She hoped that they would stay in Raquette Lake and she was afraid every day that Anna would come in and tell her that she was ready to move on. 
When summer came Amelia was enlisted to help with all of the cooking and baking.  Carolynne gave her an apron and set her to as many tasks as she could find for her.  She taught her how to make the perfect pie crust, knead and separate the perfect bread and rolls and many delicious dishes.  It was the first time she had any kind of cooking instruction and she took to it like a duck to water. She learned to make so many things that she decided to cook a meal at home. She was disappointed when her mother didn't like it and complained that the ingredients cost so much to buy even though Amelia had used her own money to pay for it.
She wasn't old enough to work at the B&B officially but with her mother's permission, Carolynne started a small fund for her and added to it generously throughout the summer out of her own pay.  At the end of the summer, Carolynne took Amelia on a trip to Utica to buy new school clothes and shoes.  She also got her first real haircut.  A simple layered bob that complimented her thin face.  It was the first time that she looked in the mirror and liked what was there.  Carolynne told her she was beautiful and for the first time she realized that it might be true.  She looked like her mother who she knew was beautiful.  She was still very skinny with knobby knees and elbows and stood awkwardly in front of the mirror but the new clothes fit her well and accentuated all of her best features.  Carolynne couldn't stop talking about her new look, so impressed with the change that she made her sit for some pictures with her at the photo booth in the mall in Utica.  Amelia still kept those pictures in her journal to remind her of those days.
Amelia loved her new things.  They were the first new clothes that she could remember.  They actually fit her frame.  She was growing fast and up until that year she had been able to wear her mother's hand-me-downs. But her clothes were worn and all of her pants were too short. She was able to cut some of them off for the summer but she was grateful to have these new things.  Her mother liked the new clothes but complained there was not enough money for her to buy anything new. She asked Amelia if she had any money left. Amelia gave her all that she had left but there were never any new clothes.
Life was looking better and it was only the start of the changes that were about to come.  Remembering those day during the drive in the present day that took her steadily north toward home her mind turned to Meredith and the island.  The nurse at school and Carolynne were two of the first kind strangers that had entered her life but they were definitely not the last.  Remembering those times now gave her a homesickness that she hadn't felt in a very long time and she sighed aloud, impatient to return to her favorite place on earth and the people she loved so much.

The Island of Discussion - Chapter 3

Jack Kendall slowly walked back from the hotel to his office feeling the weight of guilt on his shoulders.  His visit with Samantha was productive and necessary but he felt guilty for continuing to keep Amelia in the dark.  There was so much to explain.  So much that concerned her, too.  If only he had... he stopped the thought mid-sentence and picked up his pace. He shook his head and mused again over the timing of the events of his life.  He needed to talk to Amelia soon, though he had no idea how he would approach her about this.  He had tried to find the words over the past few weeks but had failed to be able to find the courage to discuss it.  The loss of their baby was still so fresh and he didn't want to cause her undue hurt with something that was sure to hurt her very much.
Jack picked up the pace and took the stairs up to his office to gather his jacket and briefcase.  He would have to talk with her tonight and he wanted to get home so he could prepare for the discussion though he still didn't know what he would say.  Within minutes, he was in his car driving home.  When he pulled into the driveway he was surprised to see there were lights on in the bedroom.  Amelia didn't usually come home until six and it was barely four o'clock.  Upon opening the garage door, Jack could see that Amelia's car was not there and he was relieved.  He needed time to think before he talked with her.  He eased into the garage, exited the car and went through the door to the kitchen.
The house was quiet and every step on the tile floor of the kitchen with loud in his ears.  There was a strange feeling in the room though he could not say why.  He dismissed his thoughts and walked upstairs to remove his work clothes.  His bedroom looked different but he took off his tie and walked toward his closet.  He saw his scrapbook on the floor and went to pick it up.  At first he thought it might have fallen from the shelf but it was not in the same part of the closet as the others and there was no way that he would have left it like that.  Strange.  He made a mental note to ask Amelia about it when she got home.  He slowly dressed in his favorite shorts and t-shirt and walked downstairs to see if he could catch the end of a ball game before he started dinner.
He looked at his cell phone, and saw five missed calls.  He remembered that Amelia had called him as he was going in to see Sam.  He dialed her number and the phone went to voicemail. He left a short message, hoping that she wouldn't call him before she came home.  A buzz startled him as he realized a call was coming in.  He smiled when he saw the name. He answered it quickly.  It was Meredith, one of his favorite people on the earth.
"Hi Mere!" Jack answered with a smile.
"Oh, Jack!  Jack, finally!" Meredith's desperate voice answered. "What is going on?"  Meredith was beside herself as she explained Amelia's call and Jack stood stock still as the shock of what she said washed over him.  He calmed her down and said he would call back when he knew more.  What on earth could have happened?  He got off of the phone and called the hospital, but they told her that she had not returned to her shift.  He apologized and told them he would have her call when he got in touch with her.  Could someone have kidnapped her?  Jack thought as he raced upstairs to their bedroom. He looked around the bedroom but nothing was out of place.  Then he entered Amelia's closet and saw the clothes missing and her suitcase gone. He couldn't believe Amelia would leave without any sign or message.  It wasn't like her.  She wouldn't leave him.  Panic assailed him as a thought occurred to him.  He ran for his closet and pulled out the scrapbook.  The page of prom pictures was slightly askew from the others and Jack let out a yelp. She had seen him with Sam, he thought.  He sunk down on the floor of the closet and put his face in his hands.  I am such an idiot! he exclaimed to himself, angry at himself for everything.
He let out a yell in bursts of frustrated air as he jumped up and started stuffing his own suitcase with his clothes.  He dialed Samantha's number and got her voicemail. His message was short.
"Call me back, my plans have changed."

The Island of Discussion - Chapter 2

Meredith Heaton

I remember the first day that I saw Camp Camilla. I was only nine years old but I remember it very well. It is a special memory to me for both of my parents were there with me. I was only thirteen when my mother passed away so every memory with her seems sharper somehow. Camp Camilla is an old Great Camp in the Adirondack Mountains. Back in the early 1900's, some of the elite from New York City bought up hundreds of acres in the Adirondacks to build their own version of “roughing it” in the great outdoors, complete with gigantic rustic lodges, man made lakes stocked with fish, individual cabins for each family of guests, separate structures for bowling alleys and game houses, tennis courts and a large and capable staff to see to their every need. All in the middle of the woods far from any other settlement. Camp Camilla was among the nicest of these camps.
My father inherited the land and structures from his uncle when he died. Father was to oversee it and wanted to visit the place where he had spent summers with his aunt and uncle as a child. My father's aunt, Camilla, still lived on the property but was getting older and wanted Father to manage it for her. Father was a favorite of both Camilla and his uncle and they had both long wished for him to inherit. Father hadn't visited Camp Camilla since his college days at Stanford University. His work and marriage had kept him from traveling far from home though his uncle visited us at our home shortly before his death.
My mother was not happy to spend so much time on the road. Her health had steadily declined since my birth. She had developed tuberculosis as a child. She was born in the days before Alexander Fleming's happy accident produced the first antibiotics in the 1940's. There was not much available for treatment of TB except lots of rest and ample food. She spent over a year in a sanatorium in Tucson, Arizona to be treated. The warm, dry air and healthy meals healed her of the tuberculosis but the damage done to her lungs was permanent. She was tired often and it was a rare day when she was able to play with me. Her lungs were weak and often she had to sit down to catch her breath when she would take me on walks. Despite all of this she was a lovely person. She loved to smile and laugh with Dad and I. There were days that were harder for her than others.
Mother was concerned that the drive from our home in Hartford, Connecticut was too far for her to travel. She had heard the descriptions of some of the roads we would have to travel, that Dad had traveled down as a boy with ruts and mud. Dad told her to stay behind to rest and he would take me alone. She protested and insisted on accompanying us. She did enjoy an adventure and she insisted on joining us after protesting that I was too frail to go so far as well. Mother was convinced from the time I was small that I was going to die at an early age. As much as I loved her, I hated that she thought me so weak. She had always suffered from a tired, frail body and she assumed that I would suffer from the same. From the time I was young I knew that I did not have this same ailment. I was always the strongest girl in my class at school and could run for miles without losing my breath. I gave up trying to convince her that I was not a weakling. As the years passed I realized that my mother had reason to fear for me for my brother died in his crib shortly after his first birthday and she was unable to have any more children after me. But back then I felt only contempt for her overprotective worrying.
The trip from our home to Camp Camilla in the Adirondack Mountains took a very long time in those days. It amazes me today that I can make the same trip in just over four hours. The roads nowadays are so smooth and clear. One of the favorite improvements in the course of my lifetime has been the influx of well maintained roads. The only luxury to the long hours in the car was having all of that time with my father and mother alone. Our driver, Kenneth, navigated those winding roads with ease leaving the three of us in the backseat to talk and laugh together. These were the days before seat-belt laws and we lounged lazily together in the wide bench seat. Dad would let me lay on his legs with my hair streaming out and mother would sit on the other side of him and stroke my face and hair until I fell asleep. I would awake to them talking softly together, trying not to wake me up. I would easily settle back to sleep and listen to their tender words with a warm feeling in my heart. For all the years since that time I have gone back to those moments to visit them both, to remember what it was to be loved by two parents so dear to me and imagine the big engine roaring us through the winding roads to Camp Camilla.
My dad was very busy with his business and was home for only a short time in the evenings and on weekends, he and Mother would go out on the town. These nights were spent alone with my books or watching television on the new color television that they had purchased. I was the first of my friends to have one, though I didn't tell anyone about it. I had very few friends in those days. Perhaps it was being raised by two sensible people or my status as an only child but I found other girls my age very silly. I would rather sit and watch my classmates interact, and analyze their behavior. I spent many hours just listening to people, trying to figure out why they did what they did, a fact that would later lead me to a career in psychology and counseling. It seemed a more sensible way to conduct myself than the usual pastime of young girls. I also had many dolls, one for each of my birthdays that I would line up and talk to. I acted out stories of my own imagining and spent hours in my own little world. It was only later that I realized that I was a lonely child. I was perfectly content on my own.
My only companions on the nights my parents were out, were my nanny, Elsie, and my dog, Little Joe, who I named after the youngest of the Cartwright brothers from my favorite TV show, Bonanza. The only full day and night I spent with my parents each week was Sunday. It was my favorite day of the week. We would start the day by attending church and end it with watching Bonanza. Our house was full of luxuries like the color television, which in those days was out of reach for most people financially but I wished all the time that my parents would stay home with me more. I craved time with them. Without any siblings to play with, alone time with my parents was my favorite pastime and I looked forward to it more than anything else.
We arrived at Camp Camilla right before sunset. It was my first visit and I couldn't imagine such a place really existed amid the surrounding forest of birch and hemlock and red maple. The camp was miles from anywhere. The road to the camp was long from the main road. A gate stopped us at the entrance and Kenneth got out to open it. He pulled through then got back out to shut the gate behind the car. Dad said that the road was eight miles long but it seemed longer to me as we were jostled to and fro by the ruts in the road and I was anxious to arrive. The forest was beautiful in the filtered light. The green canopies of deciduous trees stretching for miles in all directions. It felt as if we were entering a lost fairy world, surrounded by nymphs and dryads of my mythology books. The forest was not dark in the sunshine and light distilled down through the trees.
What greeted us at the end of the road was striking and amazing. Such a sight in the middle of the forest didn't seem possible. We emerged from the trees and came upon the entrance to the camp and were met by the grandest barn I had ever seen, though I never imagined that it was a barn when I first saw it. It more closely resembled a castle fortification with high walls, thirty or forty feet tall. It fit well into the landscape and looked as if it had grown up out of the ground rather than been constructed. The stone walls looked like the pictures of medieval castles from my story books with curved arches over the massive windows and sunshine streaming through the smaller high windows from the setting sun in the west. The road split and went through an archway made of massive stones cut and placed with perfection. The trees and lawns were manicured flawlessly, maintained with a careful eye for detail. Such a place didn't seem possible to me, especially set in the middle of the woods. It was like driving into the past. My father's eyes lit up as he took in the view of the lake as the car descended the hill into the camp. The road opened onto a pristinely placid lake that reflected the purple and pink sky perfectly in the light of the setting sun.
This was my first glimpse of my island. I think the island speaks to everyone as they come in the camp. It beckons like Bali Ha'i. It was covered in tall trees and the small cabin's windows glittered in the setting sun. The house was dark but there were four blue Adirondack chairs sitting welcomingly on the wide western facing deck. I knew immediately that it would be my favorite place to go and I longed to go there first.
We passed some smaller cabins set up on the hill and a wide field of grass that was set up for baseball games. The largest of the buildings was surrounded by trees on all sides. This was called the main lodge and it towered above the road. It was made of logs but couldn't be described as a cabin, for it was much to large for that. Standing in front of the lodge we were met by the groundskeeper and his wife. They were welcoming and showed us to a smaller cabin by the lake that was called the boat house.
Kenneth took our bags and Father led us out to stand on the large deck that overlooked the lake and the island. The sun was setting and the pink and orange light sparkled across the glassy surface of the lake. Father put his arm around Mother's shoulders and smiled then wrapped me in his other arm as we watched the setting sun. Mother took my hand as he let me go to walk the length of the deck. His eyes were boyish and wondering. I don't remember ever seeing him so happy. Mother smiled down at me and we watched the changing colors of the sky for a few minutes. "It's the most beautiful place I've ever seen," she said with a hint of sadness and wonder. I smiled up at her and silently watched the ripples catch the sunlight. It is another memory that I hold near my heart and travel to when I miss them.
The groundskeeper showed us to the Main Lodge where there was a pool table and a fire burning in the massive fireplace. He left us and Father and Mother and I stood in front of that giant fireplace to warm ourselves. The cool air of evening had put a chill in us but that was quickly warmed away by the roaring fire. I was curious to meet Camilla. Father had often spoke of her and their times together from when he was a child.  He went to the added expense to call her on her birthday and Christmas.  Long distance telephone calls were expensive in those days.  Later I found out that they also corresponded weekly by letter.  I had never met her so I wasn't sure what to expect.
The door opened to the hallway beyond and a petite gray haired lady dressed in grey wool trousers and red sweater set entered the room. She walked with purpose and held herself straight like she had been a dancer.  Her face was remarkably smooth and I wondered if she was not younger than Father instead of older.  She had a sparkle in her eye when she looked at me from across the room.  She crossed the room and hugged my father and he beamed back at her as she asked after his health.  She hugged my mother also who smiled kindly at her and said how happy she was to see her.  She turned to me with a kind and rather intent smile, my heart felt strange, like it would melt, there was so much love in her face. She crouched down in front of me with a great smile and enfolded me in a bear hug unlike I had ever experienced.  She smiled happily and held me out from her, smiling up at my dad, her eyes sparkling.
"She's everything you said and more," Camilla said with a grin, then looking down at me, "Come and sit with me, precious one.  We are going to be great friends."
And we were.

Island of Discussion - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Amelia Kendall stepped out of her scrubs, stuffed them into her backpack and hurriedly changed into her skirt and blouse. She struggled into her high heeled shoes and looked frantically at the time on her cell phone. She knew that if she didn't hurry, Jack wouldn't be able to eat lunch with her and she didn't want to miss him again. His job took up so much time lately that they had barely enough time to talk in the evenings before he drifted off to sleep. He had been away on business a week ago in Texas but told her that they might be able to meet for lunch sometime this week. She had decided to surprise him like they had always done during those years of marriage. His office building was just down the street from the hospital so she'd be able to get there with no problem. Her long hours at the hospital didn't help matters but she hoped that surprising him this way would be a good way to catch him. They had not had time to have a good talk in quite a few weeks even though they were married and living in the same room. It was odd for them to go through a spell like this. They had been inseparable in the five years they had been married and very happily married at that.
Jack was one of those men that every woman looks for. Not only was he handsome and smart, on closer reflection he was also a good communicator and friend. He was probably the best friend that she had ever had and she didn't make friends easily. Growing up the way she had made it hard to trust people but from the moment she met Jack she knew that he would be different. He had a way of looking at her that just said, "I love you" without words. She could be across the room, talking to anyone else but when he entered and saw her the feeling was instant. His eyes would light up, his face would soften and she would feel a warm glow that all was right between them. At least that had always been the way that it was until recently.
It was understandable that Jack wasn't acting like himself. Six months ago things had gotten hard. In the space of three months, he had found out his sister had cancer, been promoted at work and... Amelia tried to stop her thoughts as an instant ache returned to her heart. But the thought crept in anyway. And they had lost their first pregnancy to miscarriage. Amelia straightened her clothes in the mirror and brushed her hair smooth with hurried strokes. She threw her backpack on her shoulder and headed to the parking garage. She would normally have made the walk to his office building but she was already late.
Inside the car she hurriedly turned on the engine, and pulled smoothly out of her space. The ache of their losses became fresh in her mind. Jack's sister was almost ten years older and had become not only a sister but a surrogate mother to her here in Florida and she still felt the loss of her every day. Their intent was to name the baby after her if it was a girl. Carrie was always the first to encourage her when the pregnancy tests were negative. She researched fertility treatments for them. She was always so sure that they would conceive and was so positive all the time. Every time Amelia thought about her she felt guilty and sad. The pain of losing the baby shortly after losing such a vital part of their lives and the subsequent feelings had put a rift between them. Amelia knew it was her fault and she wanted to fix it. She had been distant, often escaping from Jack whenever he would try to comfort her or talk with her about it. She didn't know how to deal with it well, the pain was so raw and new, and she would often seclude herself to try to eliminate the pain. She had a hard time dealing with the loss and for the first time in their marriage Jack's presence only made things worse for her. Now that a few months had passed she was ready to open up again but Jack was distant.
In the past few weeks, Jack had been short during their conversations. He was usually the one to start conversations about everything when they were together, always curious about her cases at work and the juicy happenings of the hospital staff. She could tell that he was hurting and in need of a talk but when she tried to approach him, he would say only that he had a great deal of pressure at work and could they talk later. She tried to be patient with this but was hurt when he wouldn't talk to her. It just wasn't like him and she worried that her coldness had done some major damage to their relationship.
There were a few other things that had been bothering her, things that she couldn't quite get out of her mind. They seemed small at the time but now it was almost as if Jack were hiding something. It was out of character for him but she couldn't make the thought go away. Several times she had walked in while he was reading emails and he had quickly closed his account, trying to act nonchalant but looking nervous. Another time when they were together she opened his case from work to get out a pen and he nearly fell over trying to get it for her. She knew his face well and could see something near panic came into his face as he lurched toward her. She couldn't help thinking that he was keeping something from her. She shook her head and stopped the thoughts from invading again. All the more reason that lunch today would hopefully help them get back on square footing again. She wanted to find out what was happening with him and she hoped they could start today.
Parking in front of the building was scarce so she pulled into a spot in front of the neighboring building and got out of the car to feed the meter some quarters. After checking to see if the car had locked, she turned to walk toward Jack's building when she saw Jack emerge from the front doors with a purposeful walk. She was about a block behind him but saw him ahead of her. It was early afternoon and the sidewalk was busy in front of the building so she didn't try to call out to him. The heels she was wearing kept her from going fast and she worried that she would lose him. She pulled out her cell phone to call him and see if he would wait for her somewhere but the call went to voicemail. She saw him pull the phone out of his pocket and send her call to voicemail then he turned toward the neighboring building, The Hotel Lawrence.
It was not odd for him to visit with clients in the hotel's restaurant but picked up her speed in case he was meeting a client. She thought he might be meeting someone for lunch but as he entered he did not turn toward the restaurant but instead hurried into the lobby in the hotel. Amelia could see him through the clear glass doors and large windows that shone bright light in the afternoon sun. She saw him sit down and almost called out his name, when a woman approached from the elevator. Jack stood with his back to Amelia but she could see the woman's face clearly. They embraced and the woman's face was so happy as she hugged Jack that Amelia's heart nearly stopped. She watched the exchange with fascination, confused by the unexpected embrace. The woman kissed Jack's cheek and hugged him again. Jack's face was not visible but he did not turn away. Amelia approached quietly and the lobby was wide enough that she found an inconspicuous place to watch their conversation.
The woman sat down across from Jack and he scooted his chair forward as if wanting to be closer to her. She talked with great animation and laughed a few times at whatever he was saying. Then her expression got serious and she reached out for his hand. Jack's face was a picture of calm as took her hand in both of his, Amelia's heart ached, tears forming in her eyes, anger and hurt welled up in her chest. They sat like that for a few minutes, the woman's head was bowed and she appeared to be crying. Jack reached out several times to wipe away her tears. Amelia felt sick and she had almost decided to confront them when they stood up and Jack followed her to the elevators. Amelia was so surprised by this move that she couldn't make herself move an inch.
She watched Jack push the button and the elevator doors open as the woman stepped in first, Jack led her in with a hand on her back in a familiar way. Amelia moved toward the elevator as the doors shut. She watched the numbers climb to the 8th floor and stop. She couldn't believe that she did it but she went to the next elevator and followed suit. She held her breath as the elevator ascended hoping that her worst suspicions would not be confirmed.  Her mind raced and just as the doors opened, Amelia glimpsed Jack and the woman in front of a door. The woman slid her card into the lock and opened the door and Jack followed her into the room and closed the door.
Amelia's whole body felt like it was on fire with anger and hurt and hot tears filled her eyes. She got out of the elevator and stood at the end of the hallway to watch the door but Jack did not emerge. She thought about confronting them and then thought better of it.  She couldn't explain any of this and couldn't face Jack introducing her to someone he might be leaving her for. She wouldn't put herself through the humiliation of standing in front of them both.  She just wanted out of there.
Tears flowed freely as she reached for the elevator down button and punched it furiously with her thumb over and over. Sobs racked her body as the elevator lowered her to the lobby but she wiped her eyes and composed herself and numbly but steadily walked through the lobby and out the front door to her car. She climbed in, put her head on the steering wheel and sobbed for a few minutes She watched the glass doors hoping to see Jack emerge. She didn't measure the time but as she sat and the minutes ticked by, her worries and imagination ran wild. She couldn't wait any more. She couldn't face Jack. She turned the key in the ignition and drove through the pain until she reached her house.
She opened the garage door with the opener and drove into the garage to park the car, walked steadily through the kitchen, up the stairs to their second floor bedroom and slowly sunk down on the bed and laid on her side. Shock filled every inch of her as she replayed the scene in her head, over and over again. It didn't make any sense and yet there it was. Jack with another woman. Jack wiping her tears, listening so intently, laughing with her, touching her. Jack following her to a hotel room. Was this really happening? This isn't Jack! Jack loves me. That woman was so familiar. Who was she? Amelia's mind whirled. She reminded Amelia of someone, a familiar face. She replayed the woman's image in her mind and an image crept around the edges of her mind. She got up out of bed and pulled her laptop off of her desk. There had to be an explanation for this.

She logged into Jack's Facebook account to look at his friends, maybe it was someone he knew in from out of town. She scrolled down through the pictures, scanning their faces carefully but none of the women looked like her. She searched her memory trying to place the woman's face. She thought of Carrie, Jack's sister, and pulled out her phone to call her.

After three rings, Carrie picked up.

“Hello?” Carrie's cheery voice piped up.

“Hey, Carrie, it's Amelia.” Amelia said trying to sound normal.

“Hey, Ames! Aren't you still at work?” Carrie asked.

“No, actually,” Amelia replied. “I'm not.”

“Oh, sweetie, are you okay?” You don't sound good.”

“No, I guess I'm not,” Amelia said, on the verge of tears.

“Tell me what's wrong,” Carrie answered, concern ample in her voice.

“I saw Jack today.” Amelia paused and let out a breath, “I saw him with a woman. Downtown.”

Carrie didn't answer for a second, “With a woman?”

“Yes,” Amelia said, “In the hotel lobby.”

“Oh, was she a client?” Carrie asked.

“It didn't look like it.” Amelia went on hurriedly, “No, she wasn't. He was hugging her. They seemed really...” Amelia didn't want to go on, “Anyway, he followed her up to a room on the 8th floor. I stayed to see if he came out.”

Carrie was silent on the other end for a moment, “Amelia, you don't think...”

“I don't know what to think,” Amelia said with sadness, “Why would he go with her? Who is she?”

“What did she look like?” Carrie asked solemnly.

“I don't know. Maybe around Jack's age. 5'7”. Dark brown hair. Nice body.” Amelia said, “She was beautiful and really familiar. Was someone visiting from out of town?”

Carrie paused for longer than Amelia was comfortable with. “Ames” another pause. “Ames, you need to talk to him about this. Don't wait.”

“Why? What?” Amelia asked, hearing Carrie's hesitation.

“I can't talk about it but you need to talk with him, right away.” Carrie answered.

“Carrie, what aren't you telling me?” Amelia demanded. “What do you know?”

There was another long pause, “Hon, I'm sorry but this is all Jack.” Carrie sighed, “I wish I could explain. Talk to Jack and we can talk after that, okay?”

“Carrie, if you know something...” Amelia said.

“Hon, it's a long story and this really needs to come from him.” Carrie paused, “Just talk to him, okay?”

Carrie said sadly. “I need to go.”

“Okay,” Amelia said too confused to ask more questions.

“Bye, sweetie. Call me after you guys talk if you want,” Carrie said, “I'm sorry.”

“Yeah, bye.” Amelia answered softly.

Amelia sat in stunned silence for a few minutes. Carrie obviously knew what was happening. Amelia couldn't understand why she was not more forthcoming. Carrie was her best friend besides Jack in the entire world. Jack must have talked with her about the woman. The woman's face flashed into her mind again and all of a sudden the thought that was on the outskirts of her mind became clear. She gasped, jumping up off the bed and running to her husband's closet. She pulled out the mountains of scrapbooks that Carrie had painstakingly kept for him for years. She flipped furiously through the pages until she came to the one that she wanted and dreaded at the same time.

Amelia let out a small yelp as she stared at the photo. It was a picture of Jack with his high school girlfriend, Samantha. They were both smiling back from their prom photos and candid shots, and the thoughts surged forward like a tsunami wave. Samantha was Jack's first love, his first kiss, his first... Her heart clenched with disgust and sadness. Why was she here? How long had it been going on. Amelia thought back over the last few months and all they had been through and the feelings of betrayal grew. She stared at it for a few seconds before closing the book angrily. She threw the book back into his closet, ran straight to hers and began throwing clothes into her suitcase. She was packed in five minutes. She was so angry, so unwilling to think about it further that she didn't stop to leave a note or even pick up her toothbrush. She quickly went down the stairs and without stopping to do anything else got in her car, opened the garage and pulled onto the street. She stopped, crying and shaking as she dialed the number on her cell phone.
"Hello?" answered a kind voice on the other end of the line.
"Aunt Mere? It's Amelia. I'm coming home." Amelia said with sadness in her voice. Amelia heard some hesitation in her aunt's voice when she heard Amelia crying, softly.
"What's wrong? Is something wrong?" Aunt Mere asked. "Can I help you?"
"I'm coming home. I should be there late tomorrow night. Okay?" Amelia answered with an aching sob.
Amelia knew Mere was worried but she pressed on. "I need to go. Can I come?"
"Of course, my dear," Aunt Meredith answered softly.
Through tears Amelia said thank you and hung up, then powered off her phone. She didn't want to talk to anyone. Especially not Jack or Carrie and Aunt Mere would only have questions that were too painful to answer. She would be calling back any minute to talk and Amelia couldn't handle that right now. She got on the road heading north toward Georgia.

It would take about twenty-four hours to drive there but she didn't care. She would stop if she got sleepy. All she could think about was getting back to her home with Aunt Mere and Uncle George. Then she would figure out what to do. Then she could face this startling development. There she would be surrounded by people who loved her, that didn't keep secrets from her. She turned her radio to the hard rock station and raced north, away from Jack, and their life together, toward the one place, the two people that could give her comfort now.

The Island of Discussion - Prologue

Prologue - Meredith Heaton

There is an island in Glencoe, Scotland placed in the center of a large lake.  For centuries the locals came to the island during times of dispute, conflict and unrest to settle their differences.  They were taken to the island by the local authorities, given food and wine to eat and drink and told not to return until a settlement could be reached.  No weapons or fighting instruments were allowed.  The authorities took the boats away so their only choice was to stay or swim through the cold, glacial waters to the far distant shore.  Most people stayed and were left to hash out their differences as they saw fit. Sometimes the parties would argue, some would yell loud enough that the people across the lake could hear.  Sometimes it took days, weeks, or months to come to a solution but time after time their differences were resolved. In fact, in the fifteen hundred years that the people used this island, there was only one murder in all the surrounding area and that was said to be done by an outsider.
It was for this purpose that I made my own place on an island. A place where people could come for peace. A place where many have come over the years to settle their differences.  Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children, business partners, and friends.  Even a politician or two. All have come and found an answer and all have left with a solution.  I never imagined the island with so many gifts and all its secrets would be such a gift to someone so dear to me.  I never imagined the story and history of the island until that time.  I only knew how my family acquired the land and the buildings of the old Great Camp. I didn't understand how extraordinary a place it was until that summer.  Until the summer when Amelia returned to home to us. The summer that we all needed the Island of Discussion.