Chapter One

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Katie Karlisle folded up her American Lit textbook and placed it inside her backpack that was underneath her chair. Professor Steele announced that class was being called early due to the snow that was forecasted, and he wanted to make sure the students had plenty of time to make it back to their dorms safely. He also told the students to use this extra time to prepare for finals that were still happening next week.

Closing up her bag, Katie stood from her desk and tucked her jeans that had worked their way out back inside her boots. She checked her phone and discovered she had exactly one hour before her shift started at The Grill. On a normal day, there’d be just enough time to get there before she was due to clock in, but today she planned to put that hour to good use.

She smiled just thinking about him. Austin. Oh, how she missed him.

Austin would definitely be surprised to get a phone call from her so early in the day. The majority of their phone calls took place late at night before they both went to bed so being able to talk to him now was only going to make the rest of her day a little bit better.

Katie and Austin had been together a little over four years now. They’d started dating back in high school, and all of their friends knew they were destined to be together forever. They were the couple that everyone envied—young and old—and their love for each other was as strong as any happily, married couple that had been together for years. In fact, Austin had even promised Katie he was going to marry her one day. They both knew the importance of getting their education first before taking their relationship to the next level.

After high school, the original plans had been for Katie and Austin to attend a local community college together back in their hometown of Glenwood. That all changed when Katie was offered a four year scholarship to attend Dalton University, a school that was over twelve hours away from home. She was devastated. Austin had insisted there was no way she could turn down the opportunity. It was the chance of a lifetime for her, and she couldn’t let it pass her by. He was still going to love her regardless of how far away she was.

She hated leaving him behind and did her best to stay positive. Yes, it would only be for four years, but she knew it would feel like much longer. And so far, that had been true. It’d seemed liked forever.

Since Katie’s scholarship had only covered her tuition and books, she knew she would need every bit of the money she had managed to save while working at her family’s restaurant, Karlisle’s Kitchen. Just to live on campus in the dorms as well as have enough money for necessities, it’d take every dime she could get her hands on. Her family struggled to make ends meet as it was on the earnings they made from Karlisle’s Kitchen, and they felt bad they weren’t able to contribute more. But Katie, thanks to Austin’s constant praise of her, was determined to succeed.

The first week after Katie had arrived in Dalton, she’d been fortunate to find a part time job waiting tables at The Grill. The on-campus restaurant was located just south of the university and was a popular hangout for many of the students. The Grill was actually two eateries combined‒a coffee shop on one side where students were able to study in a quiet atmosphere while having gourmet coffees and lattes, and the other side was geared more for those who just wanted to hang out and grab a bite to eat. Burgers and sandwiches were served there, and the tips tended to be a little more than on the coffee shop side. Katie, thanks to her previous experience waiting tables at Karlisle’s Kitchen, learned the menus for both places quickly and was always willing to work at either one.

It didn’t take long before she soon tired from working the long shifts, but she knew it was something she had to do in order to stay in school in Dalton. Her bosses were aware of her financial circumstances, and because she was so hard-working and dependable, they allowed her to stay most nights until The Grill closed at eleven. She typically worked five to six nights a week and used her nights off to take care of laundry and to catch up on her sleep.

Katie had a small break in between her classes during the day, and she used that time to study and do her homework. It was rough, but this grueling schedule was what she needed to stay focused and to make it through her first semester. No matter how tired she was though, she still made it a point to talk to Austin every night before going to bed. They were pretty good about  limiting their time on the phone, and some nights she’d be so exhausted, she could barely stay awake long enough to tell him she loved and missed him.

When she’d come home for Christmas break that first year, she broke down and told Austin she couldn’t do it anymore‒she couldn’t stand being apart from him. Scholarship or not, she wanted to transfer back home and attend the community college with him. But when the holidays were over and it was time for her to return, Austin was able to persuade her to climb on the bus headed back to Dalton.

During her second semester Katie added an extra class to her schedule and cut back on the amount of hours she was working. She figured if she could take an extra class each semester for the next three years, she could finish up and graduate a semester early.

Before she knew it, her first year of college was officially behind her and she’d survived. Nothing about it had been easy, but she’d pulled through. Now, she was about to complete another semester. With finals being next week, Katie was already counting the days until she was going home for Christmas break again.

Going home for Thanksgiving hadn’t been an option for her this time, so she’d put in as many hours working as she could. There were quite a few other students who’d stayed behind as well making it not seem so bad. With the extra money she had made, she figured she’d put it towards a few gifts for her family.

Everyone back home was sad she’d missed Thanksgiving, but they understood it was too costly for her to come home with both holidays so close together.

Now, if she could just get past her exams next week, she’d be bound for Glenwood and back in Austin’s arms again. Hopefully, the two weeks she was home would pass slowly.

Katie picked up her fleece hooded jacket from the back of the desk and slid it on. She was still having a hard time adjusting to the cooler temperatures than what she’d been accustomed to back home. Even this time of the year, the weather in Glenwood was still relatively pleasant. In fact, you could probably get by wearing jeans and a light jacket. But here in Dalton, once the weather had transitioned from fall to winter, so had the temperatures. It was times like this she hated not having a car, but thankfully it wasn’t that far of a walk from class to her dorm.

One thing Katie had noticed upon her arrival in Dalton last year was the way the wind blew continuously. She attributed that to the brisk river that flowed just on the north side of the campus. Add that to the cooler temperatures now, and it felt downright bitter outside. Even bundled up in layers of clothing didn’t seem to help much, especially on days when the skies were overcast and snow was forecasted.

Today happened to be one of those days. She stopped in the lobby of the Fine Arts building and pulled up the hood of her jacket, tightening the string around her face. Even with it on, the part of her face that was exposed to the wind would be red and chapped by the time she made it back to her dorm room. It didn’t help she’d somehow managed to lose one of her gloves earlier in the week, too.  She figured wearing just one really wouldn’t do her much good other than look a little silly. Hopefully she’d get a new pair for Christmas.

Tossing her backpack over her shoulder, Katie dropped her head downwards to block the wind and walked down the front steps. The wind whipped and tiny flakes of snow flitted through the air. It didn’t take long before her hands were numb and her toes felt like they were going to fall off inside her boots.

Even though she was now a second year student, Katie still hadn’t made very many friends. She considered her roommate, Claire, to be one of her very best since they’d really gotten to know each other, but no one could take the place of Austin.

He meant everything to her. Sure, there were other girls she talked to that lived on the same hall, but their conversations were limited. With the exception of Claire, most of the time she preferred keeping to herself. She was friendly with her co-workers but outside of work, they seldom saw each other.

Katie was okay with having just a few acquaintances. She wasn’t a loner or anything but had a crystal clear vision of what she wanted in her life and what it took to get there.

Walking as quickly as she could, she made it back to the dorm in record time. Once inside the main entrance, she pushed her hood back and brushed the flakes from her jacket. It was nice and toasty, and she hoped Claire had left the heater on in their room. Rather than wait for the elevator, Katie took the stairs to the second floor and stopped just outside her room. She pulled her keys from her bag and fumbled with the lock on the door.

Claire wasn’t back yet so Katie wasted no time pulling her phone out to make the call to Austin. Claire liked teasing her about Austin and how they sounded so mushy on the phone, but Katie didn’t care. She knew Claire wasn’t really serious, and it felt good knowing her roommate was somewhat envious of their relationship.

With the phone pressed tightly to her ear, she listened for the sound of his voice. After the second ring, he answered.

“Hey, baby.”

A huge smile appeared on her face, and Katie could feel the heat in her cheeks. It was amazing he still affected her this way after being together for so long. There was no doubt in her mind their love for one another was real.

“Hey yourself,” Katie said, detecting the slight flirtation in her voice. “I thought I’d surprise you.”

“Well you sure did. Is everything okay?” Austin asked, knowing this wasn’t their normal time to call one another. Day or night, he always loved to hear her voice, and now was no exception.

“I’m fine. Class was dismissed early because they’re expecting more snow. God, as much as we always wanted it to snow when we were little, I really don’t care for it now. It’s so freaking cold here.”

“So does that mean you don’t have to go to work, too?” Austin worried about Katie over-doing it and feared at some point it would take a toll on her. But with strong will and determination, she somehow managed to keep going. Those were just a few of her qualities that he admired.

“I wish, but no, I’m supposed to be there in an hour,” she sighed. Finally, Katie began to feel warm enough to remove her coat. Using her shoulder to hold the phone in place, she slid her arms out. There was no need to put her things away since she’d be putting them right back on in just a little bit.

“I hate you’ve got to go back out in the cold. It’s too bad I’m not there to snuggle up and keep you warm. I bet I could talk you into calling in sick,” He flirted.

“Oh Austin,” Katie quickly added. “Don’t tease me like that.”

“I know.” Austin knew how difficult it was for her, and he was just as anxious as she was for her to come home.  When you’re used to seeing each other every single day and then suddenly it comes to a halt. Yes, he was ready to see her again.  It’d been three months now, and the separation had been entirely too long.

“We’re down to one more week.”

“Have you got your ticket yet?” he asked.

“I got it first thing this morning,” Katie told him. “I almost waited too late. I really wanted to be able to leave as soon as my last exam was over on Wednesday but looks like now I’ll have to wait until Thursday morning.”

“Aww, are you serious?” He sounded almost as disappointed as she did that she’d have to wait a few hours longer before being able to leave.

“Yeah, and I got the last seat, too. Otherwise it’d be the following weekend before the next bus was scheduled to come through again.”

“Man, you did luck out, didn’t you?”

“Claire was planning on leaving Wednesday evening too, but since I’ll need a ride to the bus station, she said she’d wait around until the next morning and drop me off on her way.”

“That’s nice of her. Maybe one day I’ll get to meet her. She’s really been a good friend to you.”

“Yeah, maybe one day the two of you can meet. She practically knows everything about you anyways.” Katie hesitated knowing she needed to end the call soon. “I just want to come home, Austin.”

“I know, baby, I know. It’s just a few more days.” He did his best to console her as difficult as it was to do over the phone.

“Well, I need to be going. I’ve got to get ready for work.”

“Be careful and try to stay warm, okay?” It killed him knowing she had to get out in this weather to go to her job. He wished he could make enough money so he could help her out, but, he needed to save the little bit he made from working, too. Even though he’d received some grant money to help with his schooling, he still had a few bills of his own. And, he’d been saving up for Katie’s Christmas present. This year he wanted to make sure he got her something extra special.

“I love you, Austin.”

“I love you too. Bye, Katie.”

As she heard the phone click, Katie immediately felt saddened. Why couldn’t she be like some of the other girls she’d met? They didn’t have to work like she did. Why did life have to be so hard on her? Yes, she knew in the long run all of her efforts would pay off, but it was tough—physically and emotionally.

She got up off her bed and walked to her dresser. Picking up her brush, she ran several strokes through her long hair. Austin always loved to play with it, taking a strand of it and twisting it between his fingers. For the most part, she wore it long and loose since he liked it that way on her. But right now, she could feel the static electricity in it the more she continued to brush it. She grabbed a couple of elastic bands then divided her hair into two equal sections. Then, starting on one side, she made a long braid and secured it with one of the bands. When she was done with the other side, she looked at herself in the mirror. Fortunately for her she could still pull off this look, but seeing the two ponytails draped over her shoulders reminded her of long ago. Growing up, she’d worn it that way often, and Austin hadn’t minded giving each braid a tug. Back then it’d been his way of flirting with her. Boys‒those were the days.

No doubt, she was homesick. She tried to tell herself it was only a few more days, but next week just seemed so far away.

Chapter Two

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Katie checked the time before starting her last exam. Math wasn’t one of her better subjects, but the class was a requirement towards her degree in elementary education. The night before she’d stayed up later than what she’d wanted to just so she could review her notes one final time. She knew the material, but it never hurt to double check one more time.

She was exhausted but excited and full of nervous energy, too. Tonight, she’d finish packing everything she needed for her trip back home. She hated she wasn’t leaving this afternoon like most of the students, but there was nothing she could do about it. At least she’d gotten a ticket. Had she missed that last seat on the bus she didn’t know what she would’ve done.

As she finished up the last problem, she did a quick scan over her test before turning it in to the professor. This was it‒another semester behind her.

She grabbed her things and rushed out, not bothering to bundle up. As soon as her feet touched the sidewalk, Katie took off running back to her dorm. She was surprised to see the sun had finally decided to peep out, but she knew it wouldn’t be for long. More snow was expected overnight on top of the several layers they’d gotten a few days ago.

By the time she made it to her building, she was panting and out of breath. The cold air burned her lungs as she took in a few deep breaths. Claire was already back and was sipping on a cup of hot chocolate when she walked in the room.

“Can I fix you some?” Claire asked as Katie dropped her things down on her twin size bed. She was shivering and quickly made her way over to the portable heater that they’d put against the wall halfway between their beds.

She rubbed her hands together trying to bring the feeling back into them. “That’d be great,” she told her roommate. “I’m like a block of ice.”

“What do you expect when you don’t bother to wear your coat? Surely you knew it’d be cold outside,” Claire teased.

“I know. I was just in such a hurry to get back.”

Claire pulled out the small container of milk from their mini-fridge and poured some in a mug. She set the timer on the microwave and waited for it to warm before adding several heaping scoops of the chocolate mix. It wasn’t often the two girls got to spend time together because of their crazy schedules.

“Here you go.” Claire said as she passed over the hot chocolate. “Be careful. It’s nice and warm.”

Katie breathed in the mint chocolate aroma. “Mmmm. Peppermint.”

“It’s delicious. I found it down at the supermarket along with these cute miniature marshmallows, too.” She held them up so Katie could add a few to her mug. “The perfect cup of hot chocolate.”

Katie took a sip of the hot liquid, careful not to burn her tongue. “This is good. I need to look for some of this when I get home.”

Claire stood up and walked over to her closet. She pulled a neatly wrapped package down from the top shelf. “I know we said we wouldn’t do anything for each other, but I couldn’t resist.”

“Oh Claire, you shouldn’t have.” Katie told her friend.

“I know, but you’re like a sister to me. I had to get you something before I let you go back home to that man of yours.” Claire couldn’t resist the giggle that escaped from her mouth. She loved teasing Katie about Austin, but it was all in fun. She wasn’t ready to settle down with one person just yet but it didn’t stop her from admiring her friend.

Katie set the package down on the bed then slid open the drawer on her bedside table. She lifted an envelope out and handed it over to Claire. “For you, my friend.” Katie hadn’t been able to do much, but she knew Claire would like what she’d gotten her.

“Katie, you shouldn’t have.” Claire exclaimed as she held the envelope tightly.

At the same time both girls tore open their gifts. Katie held up a gorgeous, knitted infinity scarf with a matching beanie. It was a shade of blue that closely matched her eye color. She lifted the scarf up to her check, loving how soft it felt against her skin.

“Claire, it’s beautiful.” She reached over and hugged her roommate. “Thank you so much.”

“Keep looking.” Claire told her.

“No, this is already too much.”

Katie lifted away the folded tissue paper and found a small envelope. As she held it in her hand she could feel the firmness of the contents and assumed it must be a gift card. She peeled back the flap and, sure enough, a gift card to her favorite clothing store down at the mall slid out. She felt the tears collect in her eyes and quickly looked away.

Claire noticed Katie’s reaction to her gift and reached up to touch her friend on her shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Katie nodded her head and brought her hand up to stop one of the tears that had escaped. “Claire, I.....” She attempted to hand the gift card back over to her friend, but Claire pushed her hand back. “I can’t accept this.”

“No, this is for you. You work hard all the time, and you deserve to treat yourself to something nice.”

“But Claire, I’m embarrassed about what I got you,” she paused for a moment to collect herself. “It’s so...It’s so small.”

“It’s not about the size or amount of the gift, Katie. That doesn’t matter to me.” Claire opened the envelope and pulled out an Amazon gift card. She smiled and Katie knew it would be put to good use—Claire was a book addict.

“Now, I can download more books.” Claire’s voice was full us excitement. “You’re the only one that knows how much I enjoy reading my crazy romance stories. I’m a hopeless romantic. Thank you.”

The two of them embraced again, and Katie began to feel somewhat better. She was fortunate to have Claire for a roommate. Since they both had hit it off so well their freshman year, it only made sense for them to remain roommates the next year, too. Katie had heard horror stories about some of the other girls who’d been mismatched in the dorms and couldn’t wait for the school year to be over, but the friendship they’d formed went way beyond just being roommates. She hoped they’d remain friends long after they graduated.

Claire ordered a pizza for them since the school cafeteria was already closed down. They crawled on top of Katie’s bed and watched Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel while they ate. Katie yearned to see Austin even more and before she knew it she was fast asleep.

The next morning, Katie was running around their room grabbing last minute things and tossing them in her carry-on bag. She didn’t want to take too much home with her, so in addition to her carry-on, she settled for a small suitcase that held a couple outfits. She still had clothes at her parent’s house so there was no need to take more than what was necessary. When she felt confident with everything she’d packed, she stood by the door and waited.

“I think I’m ready.” She told Claire who was just about finished packing herself. “Thank you again for the ride down to the bus station.”

“No problem. Besides, I was already going that direction anyway. I hate you weren’t able to leave yesterday, but you’ll be home before you know it.”

Kate closed the door behind them then double checked to make sure it locked. With them both being gone for the next few weeks, the last thing either of them needed was for the door to not close properly and someone mess with their things. They rode the elevator down to the bottom floor then stopped abruptly at the doorway.

“Oh, my.” Claire said as she looked around taking in all the new snow that had fallen overnight. “Do you think we can get out?”

A look of concern was evident on Katie’s face, too. She noticed there were very few cars left in the parking lot. “Wow. Where did all this come from?”

Apparently someone else had left not long ago because there was a fresh set of tire marks leading out of the parking lot. If they could follow the tracks out to the main roadway, hopefully the roads would be in much better shape.

They managed to make it out to Claire’s car without falling down. It sputtered when she tried to crank the engine.

“Come on, baby. You can do this.” She patted the car’s dash, confident it would eventually crank. On the next attempt, the engine fired to life and she tapped the accelerator a few times, giving it some gas. Then, she switched on the heater although she knew it’d take a little while before either of them would be able to feel any warmth.

There was still plenty of time to make it to the bus terminal, but she turned on the defrost hoping to speed up the time it took for the windows to clear. Christmas music played on the radio and both girls sang along to “Jingle Bell Rock.” They were like kids again, anxious to get home to see their loved ones.

It was only a three hour drive for Claire, but she expected it to take longer given the current road conditions. As for Kate, she’d be fortunate to make it home by this same time the following day. Under normal conditions, it was a twelve hour drive, but she knew that wouldn’t be this case today. It could be days before the bus finally made it to Glenwood.

She hoped not, but she was prepared none the less. She had her ear buds and Kindle to keep her occupied but that would only last until the battery died. If the bus didn’t have a way of recharging her battery, maybe there’d be enough time to plug it in when it pulled in at one of the other stations. She was lucky to stay on the same bus the entire trip and not have to swap over. She told Austin she’d text him with updates and would try not to call him unless she just absolutely had to. Just maybe her phone would keep its charge for the duration, too.

Claire finally switched on the windshield wipers and watched as most of the snow was whisked away. When she felt it was clear enough to see now, she backed her car out of its parking spot and slowly eased her foot on the gas. Uncertain what was underneath the layers of snow, she tested the tires against the pavement. There didn’t appear to be any ice, which was a relief.

Claire turned the volume on the radio down so she could concentrate on her driving. Katie remained quiet and said a prayer to herself that they’d make it safe and sound. Claire made it from the parking lot and out onto the highway but was only able to drive thirty miles per hour. Thank goodness they’d left in plenty of time. At this rate of speed, they’d be cutting it close.

Katie kept looking over at the time. Although she’d started to get a little nervous about making it, she knew Claire was doing the best she could. She remained hopeful—they had to make it. The bus couldn’t leave without her.

It took them nearly an hour to make what would normally be a twenty minute drive. Katie breathed a sigh of relief when the station came into view. The bus was still there.

Not wanting to shut the car off, Claire pulled up to the curb not far from the bus. She got out and ran around to help Katie with her things. The other passengers were already onboard waiting for it to leave.

“Please be careful going home.” She told Claire as she reached over to give her friend a goodbye hug.

“I will. I’m not in any hurry so I’ll take it slow. Hopefully the conditions will improve more as I get further south.”

“Text me and let me know when you’re there. Merry Christmas, Claire, and thank you for everything.”

“Merry Christmas to you, too. I’ll see you when you get back next year. Let me know what time your bus is due back, and I’ll be sure to pick you up, okay?”

Katie made it inside the station and presented her identification to the attendant with minutes to spare. She hurriedly made her way back outside and passed over her ticket information to the driver. He secured her suitcase in the luggage compartment then closed it up.

She pulled her carry-on tightly against her and stepped onto the bus. She immediately felt a burst of heat. At the top of the steps, she stopped for a moment to loosen her scarf from around her neck and to survey all the passengers. She’d traveled by bus many times before, but this was the first time she’d ever seen one this full. She wondered if there was even a seat left for her.

The driver stepped in behind her. “Is everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, just trying to spot a seat.”

“About halfway down on the right. There’s one left.”

She worked her way down the aisle examining each row that she passed. She felt like everyone was staring at her but she knew, just like herself, they were only eager for the bus to leave.

As soon as she spotted her seat, she immediately checked out her seat companion. No wonder it was the only one left. Sitting next to the window, a scruffy looking man, probably in his late sixties, was staring out the window. He paid no attention to her as she placed her bag in the overhead compartment. She quickly unfastened her coat and folded it up to rest in her lap. Now that she’d taken her seat, the bus driver began to pump the air breaks, preparing the bus for its departure.

Chapter Three

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The bus pulled away from the curb, and Katie noticed how slowly it crept along. She was thankful the driver was proceeding with caution but at this rate, it was going to take forever just to reach the state line. Still, she knew their safety was what was important, and she tried to remain calm. She blamed it on nervous energy and her eagerness to get home. It was safe to say she’d need to add several more hours onto her expected arrival time just so Austin wouldn’t be waiting at the station forever.

She pulled her phone from her purse and sent him a text telling him she was just leaving.

He replied back instantly with “I’ll be waiting. See you soon. XOXO”

Katie smiled and adjusted herself in the seat. She didn’t know how long it’d be before their next stop so she figured she’d try to get as comfortable as she possibly could.

Her bus companion, though, continued to stare out the window never bothering to look her way. The least he could do was acknowledge her since they would be sitting together for quite some time. Whatever he was looking at outside was obviously more important. She noticed the snow had started falling once again, and she couldn’t wait to see clear skies again. The winter was already brutal, and she couldn’t imagine it getting much worse.

The other passengers around her were all quiet as well. In the past, when she’d traveled by bus, someone had always struck up a conversation, but it looked like this time, everyone wanted to be left alone. Maybe it was still too early in the morning, or the weather just had everyone glum.

Katie pulled her Kindle from her purse and began reading a romance story that Claire had recommended to her. It’d been so long since she’d been able to read something other than her textbooks and notes, she was actually looking forward to it. But after the first five percent, Katie found herself struggling with one of the characters, and she decided to put her Kindle away. She’d try again later but right now she just couldn’t concentrate.

As she was placing her Kindle back in her purse, her arm bumped the man sitting next to her. “Oh, my bad. I’m so sorry.” She immediately apologized to him.

He nodded his head, and Katie noticed he wasn’t nearly as old as she’d first thought. It was obvious the man had lived a rough life. His skin looked rough and wrinkled, and there were age spots covering his hands that gave them a dirty appearance. Suddenly, she felt bad for the man even though she didn’t know him or anything about him. Something just seemed peculiar about him. He was overdue for a shave and a haircut, but she pretended not to notice. It was rude to stare, and she didn’t want to call any unnecessary attention to herself.

She shifted her coat around in her lap and realized she was a little warm. She pushed her sweater sleeves up and tried to get comfortable again. The bus continued on but still at a speed that was way less than the speed limit. Rather to be safe and arrive late than have an accident, she thought to herself.

The interesting gentleman next to her shuffled around in his seat, obviously uncomfortable, too. As Katie turned to look out the window, she was able to see he that he, too, had on several layers of clothing. He didn’t have a jacket with him but she assumed he must have stowed it away in the overhead compartment once he’d boarded the bus. For all she knew, he could’ve already been a passenger from an earlier stop and not boarded the bus at the Dalton station.

The man had on two flannel shirts, the outer one being somewhat thicker and bulkier than the darker one underneath. A dingy colored undershirt was visible underneath the layers. She didn’t know if it was dirty or if it was just discolored from years of wear. It was then she noticed the top button was actually missing from his outer shirt which explained why he didn’t have it fastened all the way up. Regardless, all of his clothes looked like they were in need of a good washing, but as long as he didn’t smell, Katie could overlook his unkempt appearance.

“Is something wrong?” The man cleared his throat as he spoke, and Katie felt terrible he’d caught her staring.

“Oh, um,” She hesitated for a moment. “No, nothing at all.”

Embarrassed, she quickly turned her head and stared out the window on the opposite side of the bus. She couldn’t believe she’d been so careless. The man was sure to be uncomfortable and awkward in her presence now. There’s no telling what he must be thinking about her. Worst of all, who knew how long she’d have to ride sitting side by side with him. Just great, Katie, she thought to herself.

Katie came from a family that was very appreciative of everything they had. Her parents worked hard in the restaurant, and, while she and her two younger sisters never had to go without, there were times when they had to make do with what they had until her family could afford to do better. The restaurant was costly for her family to operate and maintain, but she knew her dad did it for the sake of her grandparents. Still, she sometimes wondered if her parents had normal jobs would they be in a better situation financially. They were a happy family, nonetheless, and were proud of what they had even if it meant settling for less.

“Do you have the time?” the gentleman asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Katie reached for her phone that she’d placed inside the cup holder. “It’s quarter ‘til ten,” she told him.

“Thanks,” he mumbled.

“Hi, I’m Katie. Katie Karlisle. Where’re you headed?” Katie extended her hand to the man figuring now was as good a time as any to break the ice with him. If she was going to be with him for a long distance she might as make an attempt at being cordial.

He reached out to return the gesture, and she couldn’t help but notice how cool his hand felt.

“I’m Jack, short for Jackson. But everyone calls me Jack.”

“Nice to meet you, Jack.” Katie smiled, proud that she’d managed to make some headway with him. “I’m headed to Glenwood. What about you?”

“Glenwood? Hmm,” Jack hesitated for a moment as though he was thinking about the place she’d mentioned. Then he continued. “Never heard of it.”

Figuring they’d probably been on the road for about an hour now, she added, “It’s about eleven hours south of here. I’m a student at Dalton University, and I’m going home to be with my family and boyfriend for the holidays.”

“It is almost Christmas isn’t it?” Jack asked and Katie became instantly confused. Surely he knew the holidays were nearing. Wasn’t that why he was on the bus in the first place? Wasn’t he going to see someone for Christmas? His family? Then again, maybe he was trying to be funny just to see her reaction.

Not wanting to call attention to Jack’s answer, Katie tried to think of something else to talk about.

“Do you think it’s going to snow much more? Personally, I’m sick of the snow already but it sure is pretty. I guess if I didn’t have to get out in it, I would probably like it more, but it scares me being out on the highway and everything.” Katie stared at Jack as she waited for him to respond to her rambling. Talking about the weather with anyone was typically a safe subject, but he just stared straight ahead as if she hadn’t said a thing.

“Jack?”

He still didn’t react or even acknowledge she’d asked him a question. Katie reached down and touched his leg to get his attention. It was obvious he was deep in thought about something and hadn’t realized she was still talking to him.

Jack jumped when he felt her hand against his leg. He jerked his head in her direction as though he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have. “Did you say something?”

“Do you think it’s going to snow much more?” Katie asked again not really caring if Jack chose to answer her question or not now. Jack was...well, he was acting kind of weird. He apparently was thinking of something much more important than her or the weather and wasn’t in the mood to be bothered.

Then suddenly, he blurted out, “I’ve been on this bus for two days now and ain’t seen nothing but snow since I left. ‘Bout tired of it if you want to know the truth.”

So he’d heard her after all.

“Wow. Two days. That’s a really long time. Sorry to be so personal, but I bet your, um...” Katie paused for a moment. “I bet your bottom is pretty sore. You know, from sitting so long.” She brought her hand up to cover her mouth, slightly embarrassed she’s said say something of this nature to someone she just met.

Much to her surprise, Jack kind of chuckled, and she felt a little more relaxed with him. “Yeah, I guess you could say that.”

“So, where’re you headed?” She asked again, hoping he’d reply this time.

“Going all the way to Baltimore.” He looked over at her as he spoke as though he suddenly felt comfortable sharing this bit of information with her.

For a moment Katie was slightly confused. Baltimore? Did she hear him right? Surely there had to be more than one Baltimore and not just the big city in Maryland. She was almost certain the bus was headed south not northeast. At least she hoped it wasn’t traveling that direction.

Well, she wasn’t going to question Jack. If he was headed to Baltimore, then that’s where he was going. For all she knew, maybe he was getting off at the next stop then boarding another bus for Baltimore. Yes, maybe that’s what his plans were. And, if that were the case, then she only had a few more hours to share his company.

“I’ve got the entire day ahead of me on here, but hopefully, by this time tomorrow, I’ll be home with my family and Austin.”

“Who’s Austin?” Jack asked, suddenly interested in what she had to say unlike earlier.

“He’s my boyfriend,” she replied. Katie wasted no time telling Jack all about Austin. In fact, she probably told him a bunch of useless stuff he really didn’t care to hear about, but did it really matter? It’s not like she would ever see Jack again. If he didn’t want to hear her ramble on about her boyfriend, all he had to do was turn his head away. Instead, Jack stayed tuned in to every word she said.

“Sounds like you got yourself a keeper there.”

“I sure hope so.”

After another hour or so had passed, and, much to her surprise, some pretty interesting conversations with Jack, Katie’s stomach began to rumble. Since this wasn’t her first trip by bus, she’d made sure to pack a couple of snacks in her bag. The bus didn’t stop just because she or anyone else was hungry. They’d never make it to their destination on time if that was the case.

She picked up her purse that she’d placed between her feet and pulled out a pack of crackers. They were the usual ones you found in vending machines‒the orange square ones with peanut butter in the middle. They were her favorite and she practically lived off them when she was pressed for time between classes. They were also fairly inexpensive which was even better given her tight budget.

“Want one?” She asked Jack as she peeled open the plastic wrapper.

She could sense him eying the crackers and figured he was probably a little hungry, too.

“Sure.” He reached over and took the first one. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. I’ve got plenty more in my purse if you’d like your own pack.” She quickly offered and reached down for another one.

“No, no. I’m fine. One is good.”

“Alright, but if you want more, I don’t mind sharing.”

Jack nodded his head as they continued to munch on their crackers. Katie felt more relaxed now that she and Jack were warming up to one another. Now, she wished she had something to drink to wash down the peanut butter. Talking nonstop and eating had left her mouth dry.

Chapter Four

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Katie and Jack continued to talk, sharing stories amongst themselves. She was surprised to discover that Jack had just celebrated his fiftieth birthday last month and wasn’t close to being in his sixties like she’d thought earlier. Also, that he was on his way to visit with his wife, Charlotte. His story became even more interesting the more he elaborated. You see, Jack’s wife was hospitalized in a mental facility in Baltimore.

The couple had been married going on thirty years now. They’d had two children together—both boys. One had joined the Army right out of high school whereas the other had gone off to college to become an engineer. She wasn’t quite sure where the story was going until he told her the next part.

You see, the son who’d joined the military had been sent overseas and was killed in a roadside bombing. News of his death had stunned the family. Never did they think something so devastating would happen to them. They’d all struggled but Charlotte had seemed to suffer the most. While Jack hadn’t dealt with his son’s death very well either, he knew he needed to hold himself together for his wife’s sake. He’d come home from work to find she’d tried to kill herself by overdosing on prescription medication. When her first attempt had failed, she’d tried it again. Jack couldn’t stand to see his wife literally fall apart right before him. He had no other choice than to admit her into a hospital that specialized with similar patients.

Katie could sense the sadness in his voice as he shared this personal story. There were times she struggled to fight back her own tears. His story was so sad, and she could feel the pain he’d had to endure. It was bad enough he’d lost a son but to know his wife had tried to end her own life was almost more than Katie could stand to hear. Still, she listened intently to what he had to say.

“Does she know you’re coming?” Katie asked.

“No.” Jack replied and turned to face the window.

“So, you’re going to surprise her then?”

“I guess you could say that.”

Katie wasn’t sure how to take Jack’s vague reply. She thought she had it bad not being able to see Austin but to know this man had suffered such a huge loss was unimaginable. He hadn’t said how long Charlotte had been hospitalized, but she knew the pain of not being able to see your loved one for an extended period of time.

For the next couple miles Katie stared out the bus window. She was at a loss for words. Jack’s painful story kept replaying over and over in her head.

The skies continued to darken despite it being mid-afternoon. It only meant one thing—more snow was likely to fall.

She decided to send Austin a text letting him know the bus was coming up on its first stop soon. She’d know then if they were on schedule or running behind. And honestly, at this point, she just wanted to arrive safely.

The bus driver keyed up the microphone to get all of the passenger’s attention.

“Attention everyone. May I have your attention, please.”

There was a pause, and the bus fell silent. “We are about fifteen minutes outside of Homewood where we’ll stop for a thirty minute break. Inside the station, you’ll find a couple of food vendors along with restroom facilities. Since the road conditions are worsening, please be prompt and return to the bus as quickly as possible so that we can resume our travels. Thank you again for traveling with Express Bus Lines.”

Katie sighed. She hated to hear the weather was getting worse. From the way the sky looked right now, they were in for a long night. She wondered just how far the driver would go before it wasn’t safe anymore.

The bus began slowing down. Katie could faintly make out the lights from the bus station up ahead. She stood up to put on her coat.

“Would you like me to get your coat for you?” She asked Jack pointing to the overhead compartments.

At first ignored her.

“Jack?” she called out to him again.

It was apparent from his behavior that he didn’t want to look at her. Then, he slowly turned his head towards her. “I don’t have one.”

Katie could sense the uneasiness in his voice so she didn’t push the issue. She felt sorry Jack was traveling in these conditions without one. But why?

She assumed, since he’d been traveling longer than her, that maybe the weather from wherever he’d departed from had been pleasant and nothing like what it was now. Still, how could Jack not have known it was bound to get worse? It didn’t make sense. Katie knew it wasn’t her place to worry about Jack. He was a grown man and should know better than to not plan ahead. Still, something felt off. At least he had on a couple layers and that should suffice getting to and from the station.

As soon as the bus stopped, the driver opened the doors and passengers began to stand up and stretch. Katie really needed to go to the bathroom since she wasn’t keen on using the bus’s facilities. She’d take care of that first, then see about finding something to eat. She turned to look at Jack but he stayed seated. Surely he was getting off the bus.

“After you,” Katie told him but he still didn’t move. “Jack, you are getting off to get you something to eat aren’t you?”

He shook his head no. Katie sat back down to let the other passengers by.

“What’s wrong, Jack? Aren’t you hungry?”

“I don’t have any money,” he muttered.

“What do you mean you don’t have any money?” Katie hated to pry but this was almost too much. First no coat, and now, no money. Had something happened and he lost his wallet?

“I just don’t.  I used all the money I had just to buy my bus ticket.”

The situation was heartbreaking—a man on his way to see his mentally ill wife. What did he think he was going to do once he arrived at the hospital? She was pretty sure they’d provide him food but what about his other necessities? A change of clothes? A hotel?

If he’d used all his money for the ticket, then what had he eaten the last two days? Or had he had nothing at all?

“Can I get you something then? I don’t have a whole lot myself, but I’d be willing to split a sandwich with you if you’d like.” Katie felt it was the least she could do. She didn’t have much money, but there was no way she could let Jack go without something to eat. How long had it been since he had last ate? It was no wonder he nibbled on the cracker she’d given him earlier.

She noticed the chilled air from the opened bus doors. Since their time there was limited, she knew she needed to get going or she was going to have to go without, too.

“Come on. I’ll get you something.” She motioned for him to come with her. She wasn’t taking no for an answer.

As they made their way to the front of the bus, Katie realized she’d left her carry-on bag in the seat instead of returning it to the overhead compartment. Not wanting to waste any more time than she already had, she figured her bag would be fine. Other than some personal items, everything else was inside her purse.

Jack and Katie made their way inside the bus station where it was nice and warm. Katie visited the restroom first and took a moment to contain herself, still shocked with everything she had just learned about Jack. When she walked out, she expected him to be waiting on her, but he was nowhere in sight.

Katie walked over to one of the food vendors and examined several prepackaged sandwiches. Honestly, they were barely big enough for one person and she couldn’t see herself sharing it with anyone. She was pretty hungry and didn’t know what the bus’s schedule was for stopping later on.

She looked around hoping Jack would eventually show up. When it was her turn at the front of the line, she grabbed two of the sandwiches and placed them on the counter. He’d just have to settle for what she picked out.

“Will that be all ma’am?” The attendant asked before giving her the total.

“I’d also like two Cokes please.” Katie wasn’t picky, but at this point, Jack could either drink what she bought for him or go without. Where the heck was he?

When the attendant gave her the total, Katie was pretty sure her mouth fell open. She was shocked to believe how much two small sandwiches and two beverages cost. She pulled cash from her back pocket and counted out enough to cover everything. She’d have to think twice about eating at the next stop.

She scooped everything up and ran off to the bus. She looked around one last time before climbing onboard, but he was nowhere to be seen. Hopefully he was okay and would realize she had already walked back outside.

Katie shivered while she waited her turn. When she reached the top step, she looked back towards her seat and there he was. Jack was already back on the bus.

She made her way down the aisle and when she reached her seat, she passed their things over to Jack to hold so she could remove her coat. Part of her wanted to be angry with him since he hadn’t bothered to wait for her. After all, she’d offered to share her food with him. But somehow she couldn’t find it in her to be mad.

“Where’d you go?” she asked. Instead of giving him time to respond, she continued, “I decided to get each of us a sandwich since they’re kind of small, but I wasn’t sure what you’d like. I hope turkey is okay.”

“You really shouldn’t have.” Jack told her, not bothering to look at her.

“I know, but it wouldn’t be right to eat in front of you. I was raised better than that.” She grabbed one of the sandwiches that he was holding and proceeded to unwrap it. She was starving.

Jack, on the other hand, took his time unwrapping his. “I think I’m only going to eat a little bit now and save the rest for later.”

“Do what you want, but Jack, if you’re hungry, go ahead and eat it all.” Katie hated knowing that Jack felt he needed to save some for later. It wasn’t right. She knew it wasn’t her place to make sure he didn’t go without, but there was no way she’d be able to eat anymore in front of him later on. If it came down to it, she’d use the money she’d managed to save up for Austin’s present. She knew taking care of Jack was the right thing to do.

She could probably talk her father into letting her work a few shifts at the restaurant to make up for the money she’d had to use. He wouldn’t have to actually pay her, she’d just work for the tips. With it being the holidays, most of the customers would probably be glad to see her again since she’d been away for the last couple months. The regulars always loved Katie to wait on them and hated when she left for college. Austin always tried to remember to tell her when one of them had asked about her.

As for Austin’s present, well, if her plan worked out, there’d still be enough time to make it to the mall on Christmas Eve. They had previously agreed not to buy each other gifts, but there was no way she couldn’t get him something. After all, he was her world.

Katie watched as Jack began to take small bites. She thought the sandwich was actually pretty good, considering it was pre-packaged, and she was glad she’d gotten them one each. She took a sip of her drink, then closed it back up.

When he reached halfway, Katie noticed he still continued to eat. She figured he must’ve been hungrier than he first thought, and she was glad to see he’d listened to her.

While they were eating the bus had pulled back out on the interstate. From what she could see, most of the passengers around her appeared to be the same ones as before. The station was relatively small compared to some of the others she’d been in before, so she wasn’t surprised that none of the passengers had gotten off.

Jack grew quiet again so she pulled out her Kindle. Maybe now she’d be able to read. After several page clicks, she felt the bus slowing down. She looked up just as several cars up ahead began to break. Their taillights were even brighter now that the skies were a sullen gray. From her seat, it looked as though traffic was backed up for quite a distance ahead. She feared an accident must have occurred.

The bus came to a complete stop for a few moments then began to advance a couple of car lengths at a time. It was stop and go for the next thirty minutes or so. Katie figured she might as well text Austin to let him know there was a delay.

Slowly, the bus inched forward. She was sure it was going to be like this for a while or at least until they got beyond what was causing the backup. Looking over at Jack, she noticed he’d drifted off to sleep, oblivious to anything going on outside. He looked somewhat uncomfortable with his head propped against the window, but there really wasn’t a comfortable way to relax on a bus. Katie turned on her Kindle again and tried once more to read.

As hard as she tried to get into the story, it just wasn’t happening. The bus’s start and stop motion wasn’t helping either. Then, she detected sirens off in the distance. Careful not to disturb Jack, she leaned over to look out the window. Off the side of the highway, she could see an SUV had collided with an eighteen-wheeler. Debris littered the road which led to both lanes of traffic having to merge into one just to get around the accident.

Soon, the bus was able to pick up its speed again but still not up to the highway requirements. There simply was no way to travel the posted speed under these conditions.

Jack began to move around in his seat and eventually opened his eyes.

“You enjoy your nap?” Katie asked him.

“How long was I asleep?”

“Maybe an hour,” she replied. “You missed the accident. It looked pretty bad and had traffic backed up for several miles.”

“I hope everyone was okay.”

“Me too. Do you think we’ll be able to drive through the night?” Katie hated to hear what Jack thought about their situation. She knew he was just as anxious to get to his destination as she was.

“I’m not sure. Once it gets dark, I know it becomes even harder to see. They’ll probably make some kind of announcement before our next stop. You know, in case anyone needs to make arrangements. We’ll be changing out drivers then, too, since this one has almost reached the amount of time he’s allowed to drive in a day’s time.”

“I’ve never encountered where the drivers changed out before,” she added. “I’m usually the one changing buses halfway home so I never realized they had to do this. How many drivers have you been through already?”

“This makes the third one.” He quickly added. “We had a layover at the station the first night so we didn’t’ pull out until almost six hours later. Talk about being bored out of my mind.”

“Goodness, I can’t imagine being stuck in one place like that. I’ve had layovers before but nothing any longer than an hour or so. Never six hours.”

Katie and Jack continued to talk for several more hours. She told him all about how she’d met Austin in grade school but they hadn’t started dating until their teens. She knew she was probably boring him to death, but he seemed like he was very interested in what she was saying.

“He seems like a really genuine guy.”

“Austin is the best. He’s the sweetest guy and you can’t help but love him,” Katie added. “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so dedicated.”

“You’re both lucky to have each other.”

Katie felt bad for going on and on about Austin. She wondered if Jack’s son—the one that had been killed‒had left behind a significant other or any children. Figuring it was too personal to ask, she decided not to bother. If Jack wanted her to know about him, she’d let him bring it up on his own. Just as Katie was about to ask Jack about his wife, the bus driver picked up the microphone to get everyone’s attention again.

“Attention everyone. We are approaching the town of Maysville. The bus will remain at the station for at least an hour, possibly longer. Please feel free to exit the bus and grab a bite to eat. There will be plenty of time to do so. In the meantime, another bus is expected to arrive but is currently running behind schedule, thus explaining the delay. For some of you, this is the end of your destination whereas the others still have a ways to go. Please be sure to secure your belongings as new passengers will be boarding once the other bus arrives. Thank you for using Express Bus Lines, and we hope you have a happy holiday season.”

Katie couldn’t believe it. Add this delay onto what they were already behind and she’d be lucky to make it home by tomorrow night now. On a positive note, the driver hadn’t mentioned anything about the weather so just maybe that meant conditions were improving.

Chapter Five

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Jack followed behind Katie as they made their way inside the Maysville bus station. It was no surprise the temperature had gotten even colder outside. Katie pulled her coat tighter around her body and tried not to think of Jack with just his two flannel shirts on.

“Oh my, something smells divine.” Katie quickly spoke up. She hadn’t planned to buy anything this go around unless, of course, Jack wanted something, but it was hard to ignore the smell of pizza being baked over in one of the shops.

Jack didn’t bother to comment. The truth was, yes, he was starving, but there was no way he’d allow her to take care of his needs yet again. He simply couldn’t. The young girl had already been more than generous. After listening to her talk about her parents, work and school, he knew money was tight.

“Come on, let’s go see what they’ve got.” She grabbed onto Jack’s arm, leading him in the direction of the pizza shop. Dang it. She didn’t really want to but her stomach was telling her otherwise.

“No, really. I’m good.” Jack told her and tried to pull away.

“Do you know how hard it is to ignore this aroma? Besides, we don’t know how long we’re going to be here.” She politely told him. It’d be hard on anyone to resist the temptation.

Jack smiled at her. “Okay, if you insist.”

Katie picked up one of the menus and glanced over the choices. “How about a pepperoni? I’m not much for the other toppings but if there’s something else you’d like, I’m sure they could split it for us.”

“I’m good with just pepperoni, too.” Jack told her, trying to remember the last time he’d had pizza to eat. And she was right, they didn’t know how long they’d be here.

Katie was an angel—there was no doubt about it. He was so taken aback by her kindness and generosity, especially for someone her age.

She placed their order and told Jack she was going to the restroom. He selected a table for them and placed their ticket number on top of the table. He looked around at all the different people and wondered how had his life gotten so complicated?

Figuring it’d be a few minutes before their pizza was ready, she stepped into one of the station’s gift shops. There wasn’t anything she needed, but felt the change of scenery might help to clear her head.

Since this station was a little larger than most, she was impressed with the shop’s selection of items. She glanced through the post cards and magnets of nearby cities, a rack of paperback books, even some hats and t-shirts. Next, she looked through a couple of word-search puzzle books, remembering how much she enjoyed them as a kid.

Off to the side, Katie noticed a rack of denim shirts with some kind of design embroidered on the back. As she ran her fingers over the heavy fabric, she wondered if it would help Jack stay warm. She knew it didn’t take the place of a coat, but surely an additional layer of clothing would help some.

She turned the price tag over and gasped at the cost. How could someone charge so much for one shirt? Then, she reminded herself, it was a gift shop. Most of the items bought there were impulse purchases and the price wasn’t so much of a factor.

Looking through the sizes, she pulled one off the rack that looked like it’d fit Jack nicely. He needed something warmer, and it was, after all, the season for giving. Without giving it anymore thought, she also picked up one of the puzzle books and headed to the checkout. What the heck? He’d need something to do once she got off the bus at her stop.

At first she felt bad about using the money she’d put aside for Austin’s gift, but with the weather conditions and the uncertainty of her arrival back home, she’d be cutting it close to make it down to the mall anyways. Austin had the biggest heart of anyone she’d ever met, and he’d completely understand her need for wanting to take care of Jack.

She got back to their table just as their pizza was delivered. She placed the shopping bag down by her chair and figured she’d surprise Jack with it after they ate.

Looking around, she wondered if anyone thought it strange for her to be eating with Jack. Or, did anyone notice at all? She tried not to think about the death of Jack’s son, his hospitalized wife...it was all so much and just so sad. She began to choke up.

Katie took a sip of her water and hoped Jack didn’t notice her watery eyes. How would she explain that to him? He was, after all, just a stranger to her—someone she’d never see again once she got off the bus at the Glenwood station.

She served each of them a slice and watched as Jack sprinkled salt and pepper on his. She thought this rather odd but didn’t say anything about it. Who knows, maybe he thought it was unusual that she didn’t do the same thing. After having two slices each, Katie got a to-go box from the counter and placed the remaining slices inside. She doubted she’d want to eat anymore, but Jack might want to nibble on it later. She wasn’t a fan of cold pizza but she knew some people could eat it hot or cold.

Jack stood up and pushed his chair underneath the table. “Katie, I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me.”

“It’s been my pleasure.” She beamed, knowing in her heart she’d done the right thing. “I’ve also got something else for you.” Katie picked up the bag and passed it over to him.

He looked surprised and immediately put his hands up to push the bag away. “No, I can’t take whatever’s in there. I simply can’t.”

“Jack, please,” she insisted.

“Why?” He questioned. “Why are you doing this?”

“Just take it. It’s the least I could do.” Katie felt proud. “For you...my friend.”

Jack took the bag from her and peered inside. Slowly, he pulled out the denim shirt and held it up against his body. “I .... I don’t know what to say.”

“It’s not a coat, but hopefully it’ll help keep you warm until you meet up with your wife. I know it’s not the most attractive thing, but, you know, it’ll work for now.”

Katie swore she saw a tear in the corner of his eye, but she quickly looked away. She didn’t want him to see her own tears that had surfaced once again. He pulled out the puzzle book, too and snickered. “My wife loves these things.”

Katie grabbed the pizza box and walked towards the door. Looking back at Jack, she said, “I’ll see you back on the bus.” The moment was emotional for her and she needed time to pull herself back together. Yes, she’d done the right thing.

Chapter Six

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The bus doors closed and the new driver introduced himself. During his announcement, he updated everyone on the latest weather conditions, saying he’d drive as long as the weather permitted. He apologized for the inconvenience it was causing and said the stations were already working to reschedule bus routes that were likely to be missed.

Katie hated to hear this and wondered if they’d all be given a hotel room if they were forced to pull over. Surely they wouldn’t have to stay on the bus with it running all night long. But what if there wasn’t a hotel near? What if it wasn’t clear enough to make it to the next exit? What would happen then? Hopefully, the station would have it all figured out if it came down do it. They’d notify the driver in plenty of time, right? She silently prayed it’d all work out with no issues. Lord, please let everyone arrive safely at their destinations.

When Jack had gotten back on the bus, Katie noticed he’d put on the denim shirt. It was a little big on him, but it served its purpose on top of the other shirts he wore. She feared the worse should the bus have to pull over on the side of the highway—would it be enough clothing for Jack to stay warm?

Katie decided to call Austin instead of sending the usual text message. Right now, she needed to hear his voice‒she needed to hear him say that everything was going to be okay.

Austin had just gotten home from work and was worried since he hadn’t heard from her in a while. He, too, had been following the weather reports on his phone, and it didn’t sound very good. He knew the risks the driver was taking by being on the highway at night. One patch of black ice and the bus and passengers could be in great danger.

“Why don’t you get off the bus and stay there at the station for the night. Maybe there’s a hotel nearby. I don’t feel good about this.” The tone and uncertainty in his voice frightened her.

“Don’t you think if the highway patrol felt it was unsafe, they’d have already shut down the interstate by now?” She told him. She tried to be optimistic, looking for any reason she could to assure them both that it wasn’t that bad yet.

“True, but it’s too dangerous to be out. Just stay there, Katie. Please, just see if there’s a room you can stay in. I can borrow someone’s truck in the morning then drive over to pick you up.” He begged.

“Austin, I can’t,” she hesitated for a moment. “The bus has already pulled out.”

“Dang it, Katie.” Austin spoke angrily into the phone. It wasn’t like him at all to lose his cool.

She’d felt like she’d let him down, and there was nothing she could do about it now.

Had she talked with him sooner, she may have been convinced to stay behind. But the bus was already headed down the highway. And what about Jack? What was he supposed to do? She couldn’t get off the bus and leave him.

“Promise me if the bus makes another stop, you’ll get off. Please.”

“I will. I love you, Austin.” Katie ended the call and put her phone away inside her purse.

Austin was right. She should have gotten off the bus and called it a night. Maybe Jack could have stayed with her, too, and tomorrow he could’ve gotten on the next bus that was headed out. Surely his ticket would have allowed him to do so since the weather was so dangerous.

Katie hadn’t bothered to tell Austin she was almost out of money though. So even if she had remained at the station or tried to get a room, she didn’t have the money to pay for it. She wasn’t sure if the hotel would be accommodating given their situation.

She didn’t want to pull her wallet out and count what she had remaining in front of the other passengers or Jack either. Because she had bought the shirt for Jack, according to her calculations, she had just enough left to buy something for breakfast in the morning and that was about all. She might could count out enough change from the bottom of her purse to buy a soft drink or coffee. She still had some snacks packed in her bag that she’d try to nibble on and make it through until tomorrow.

She didn’t regret buying Jack the shirt or buying him food—not in the least. She’d rather go without than see the man go hungry and freeze to death.

“I’m sorry, Jack. Would you like to borrow my phone to call someone? Let them know you’re okay and that you’ll be late arriving?” Katie asked, but all he did was shake his head no.

She pulled out her Kindle again and started back on the story she’d been reading earlier‒she needed something to get her mind off things. She dimmed the screen and after getting through another chapter, she was finally able to get engrossed in the story. At one point she looked over at Jack and noticed he’d placed his head against the window again. When she saw he didn’t move any, she realized he was fast asleep. She was getting sleepy, too, but she was reaching a good part in the story and was curious to see how it played out.

She pulled out her phone again to check the time and found the “I love you” text from Austin. The noise of the bus had prevented her from hearing the text alert. It was followed by another text that said “stay safe.” She returned her own personal message to him and placed the phone in her pocket rather than back in her purse. That way, if he sent her another text, she’d be able to feel the vibration. Her phone charge was less than halfway now so she wanted to save as much of the battery life as she possibly could, especially since she’d need to contact him tomorrow once she had a better idea of her arrival time. She would only send him another text if it was an emergency. She’d completely forgotten all about charging it while they were at the Maysville station.

She finished up with the chapter she was reading then rested her Kindle in her lap. The bus was silent except for the soothing hum of the engine. She tilted the seat back just slightly and shifted until she was comfortable again. She figured she’d shut her eyes for a few moments. The bus was warm again, and before long, she drifted off to sleep.

Outside, it was pitch-black. The only lights came from the faint glow of the bus’s instrument panel up front and the occasional headlights from a random car still out on the highway.

Unaware of anything going on, Katie began to dream. The night was July 10^th—her birthday. Austin had surprised her with concert tickets to see Bruno Mars. The evening had been magical and one she’d never forget. They both had danced and sang along without any cares in the world. Bruno sang the words to his song “Treasure,” and even now, she could feel herself swaying to the beat.

Or so she thought.

She leaned to the left, then right. But she didn’t stop. She kept leaning and leaning until...

There was no music. No song. No lyrics.

Katie’s eyes suddenly jolted open. She gripped the arm rest to keep from falling. Not sure of what was really happening, she began hearing people scream. It happened so quickly there was no time to react.

She knew the bus had been going well below the posted speed limit. Had they hit a patch of ice? Was the bus skidding out of control? She knew it was moving faster and faster and didn’t appear to be slowing down. Then, she realized it was skidding sideways. Something was terribly wrong.

Jack moaned, so frightened he couldn’t speak. She felt his hand clamp down on her arm right before he fell against her. She tried to brace herself, but the weight of his body against hers was too much.

“Noooo!” Katie screamed.

The left side of the bus lifted off the ground while the bus was still skidding sideways. There was a loud thump as the right side hit the ground. Katie, still conscious, could feel her body falling and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She could feel things bouncing against her body. Something sharp hit against her leg—the pain so severe it nearly took her breath away. Her body landed with a hard thump against something cold and within seconds someone, or something, fell on top of her. The bus continue to bounce and skid. Suddenly, pieces of glass pierced her skin and she immediately felt warm blood coat her skin.

Voices screamed for help but there was nothing she could do. Panic had already consumed her. As she lay against the roof of the bus, she realized it was no longer moving. It had, in fact, come to a stop.

She tried to move but couldn’t. Suddenly, she wondered about Jack.

“Jack.” She called out, not even sure if he was near. “JACK!”

She called his name over and over but no one answered. Where was Jack? Was her friend okay?

Katie’s heart was pounding rapidly, and she could feel herself starting to hyperventilate. The sounds coming from the other passengers frightened her. Were they injured, too? What if they all needed to crawl out of the bus?

All of a sudden, something fell and hit Katie in the head. Her eyes closed from the excruciating pain, then her body went limp. She was knocked unconscious.

Chapter Seven

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Two days later

Christmas Day

Katie’s eyelids fluttered, and she opened her eyes slightly. Her left eye felt like something was preventing it from opening all the way, so she tried to lift her hand to her face to find out what was going on. But her hand wouldn’t move. No matter how hard she tried to lift it, her hand just wouldn’t budge.

“Katie?”

As she tried to focus her vision, all she could see was white. White was everywhere. Bright, white lights. Then, as her eyes focused a little more, she realized what she was seeing was actually the ceiling.

“Katie?”

She heard her name again, but she had no idea who it was. The voice sounded familiar, but, since she didn’t know where she was, how was she supposed to know who was calling out her name?

Katie tried to turn her head towards the voice, but there was a sharp pain in her head that caused her to cease all movement. The pain scared her and she could feel her body trembling as she cried out. Why was this pain shooting throughout her body?

“Katie? Can you hear me?”

The voice sounded like ... It sounded like Austin. Austin was supposed to be meeting her at the bus station but she couldn’t give him an exact time. She sent him messages, updating her location...

Wait.

“Katie? Honey, it’s me. Can you hear me?”

Was Austin already here? Was she home already?

Katie tried once more to turn her head to see if it was indeed Austin. She closed her eyes when the pain was unbearable. Then, someone lifted her hand and wrapped their own around hers. It was warm and soothing, comforting.

“Come on, Katie. Talk to me.”

Katie opened her eyes again and this time her vision was clearer. Standing above her was Austin. What was going on? Where was she?

“Austin?” Katie mumbled groggily.

“Shhh. I’m here, baby. I’m here with you. You’re going to be okay.” Austin whispered then began to brush her hair away from her forehead.

“What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

Austin heard the panic in her voice.

“You’re fine,” he told her again. “You’re in the hospital, Katie. There was a bad accident.”

Tears began to slip from the corners of Katie’s eyes and make their way down to the pillow. She blinked a few times as they began to sting her face.

“I’m in the hospital?”

“Baby, your bus was involved in an accident on the interstate. It hit a patch of ice and the driver lost control.” Austin wasn’t sure how much he should tell her just yet.

“Noooo!” she sobbed.

“But you’re okay. I’m here.” He held her hand tightly in his. ”You’re parents are here. We’ve all been waiting on you to wake up.”

“I’ve been sleeping?” Katie asked. “For how long?”

“You’ve been asleep for two days now. When the ambulance brought you in, you were unconscious. The doctors ran several tests because you’ve got a pretty nasty bruise on your head. Just to make sure there wasn’t anything more serious. Everything came back fine, though. You are so lucky, honey. We are so lucky.” Katie could hear the emotion in Austin’s voice.  “The nurses did their best to clean the dirt from your hair. Apparently a tree limb came through the bus window and just barely missed you. It could’ve been so much worse, baby.”

Austin started getting upset the more he told her about the accident. She realized, from what he told her, that she was fortunate to be alive.

There had been forty-seven passengers on the Express Bus Lines bus that night. Sadly, three of them hadn’t survived—one of them being the driver. Some of the injuries had been more serious than others but all of the passengers had been transported to nearby hospitals. The injuries ranged from hypothermia and shock to broken bones and lacerations. Had there been more vehicles on the road that night, the accident could’ve turned out to be much worse.

“Oh my God.” Katie managed to say between sobs. “How am I? What happened to me?” As Katie tried to lift her arm once again, she realized something wasn’t right.

Austin knew Katie was one of the fortunate ones. “The doctor’s said you had suffered a slight concussion from the impact. You’ve got a broken arm and a pretty nasty gash on your leg. You’ve got some smaller cuts, too, but those didn’t require any stitches once they got you cleaned up. You’re going to be sore for quite a while because you’ve got some internal bruising, but for the most part, you got lucky. Real lucky. Katie, someone was obviously watching over you that night.”

“Jack. What about Jack? How is he?”

“Jack?” Austin asked uncertain who she was referring to.

“Yes, Jack. Is he here, too?”

“I’m not sure. Jack who? Was he on the bus with you?”

“Yes, we were sitting together. He’s got to be okay. Can you find out for me?”

“When the nurse makes her rounds again I’ll ask her about this Jack person. Maybe she knows about him.”

“No, I need to know now. Please. Just find out if he’s okay. He can’t be hurt because he’s going to see his wife. He’s going to be with her for Christmas.” Katie continued to go on and on about Jack. “He’s got to be okay.”

“Katie, calm down. I’m sure he’s fine.”

“Just go check, please.”

Austin stood up and walked towards the door. He knew Katie would keep asking about this other passenger so he might as well find out any information he could. Just as he was about to leave, Katie’s parents walked back in to the room. Her mom and dad had gone down to the cafeteria to grab a bite to eat. They were going to be so surprised to see Katie was awake. This would work out just right—her parents could keep her occupied while he checked on Jack.

When Austin had gotten the phone call from the sheriff’s department the night of the accident, he had immediately thought the worse. Since he was the last person Katie had called, it was the first number the authorities had tried to reach. Thank goodness her phone had still been in her pocket. He just knew the deputy on the phone was going to tell him something devastating had happened and that Katie hadn’t survived. But when he told him she was alive and that he needed to get to the hospital as soon as the weather allowed him to travel, Austin had been on his way. The bad weather wasn’t going to stop him from getting there. He ended up borrowing a four-wheeled drive truck from a friend of his dad’s, and he’d been on his way by daybreak. He didn’t even wait for Katie’s parents. He hated knowing she was in the hospital with no one by her side.

The drive had taken him several hours. All along he’d had a bad feeling about her trip, and it was one of the reasons he’d tried talking her into getting a room. Both of them would be home now instead of in a hospital. But no, Katie hadn’t wanted to stay on the bus. She had mentioned then something about this Jack person, saying she hadn’t wanted to leave him behind. What was it about Jack, whoever he was?

Austin walked down to the nurse’s station and asked if he could speak to the head nurse in private. An older lady, whose name badge said her name was Sheila, stood up and escorted him over to an empty room.

“Can I help you with something? I’m Sheila, the head nurse for this shift.” She told him. Austin and Katie’s parents had become familiar faces to the hospital staff, and, so far, everyone had been super nice.

“Yes. My girlfriend has been here for a couple of days now. Katie. Katie Karlisle down in 212. She was brought in from the bus accident a few days ago. She’s just now wakened from being unconscious, and she’s asking about another passenger that was onboard.”

The nurse nodded her head, obviously well aware of the accident Austin was referring to, and continued listening to him.

“Even though my girlfriend, Katie, was traveling alone, she had befriended a gentleman who was also on the same bus. She’s only referred to him as Jack, but she’s asking about his condition. I hate I don’t know more about him or even his last name, but there were only so many passengers on the bus.”

“I tell you what, son. We’re not really allowed to give out that sort of information since you aren’t family, but because your situation is a little different, I’ll see what I can do to find out something. I know the passengers were sent to three hospitals in the area so if he’s not registered here, I should be able to track him down at one of the others. Tell your girlfriend I’ll get started on that right now. You said his name is Jack?” Sheila asked.

“Yes ma’am. Jack is the only name she gave me. She said he was older, and he was going to visit his wife in a hospital.”

“As soon as I find out something I’ll let you know. Are you going to be down in her room?”

Austin nodded, grateful the nurse was so willing to help. “Yes. Thank you ma’am. This is really important to Katie.”

Austin made his way back down to Katie’s room and informed her the nurse was going to get started right away on tracking down Jack. Katie looked relieved, and I sensed there was more to the story than the little bit I’d been told.

Austin and Katie’s parents walked down to the waiting room while one of the nurses wheeled Katie down the hallway for more tests. The nurse had informed us if everything came back good, Katie could be released the following morning.

The Karlisles and Austin had been very fortunate this Christmas. For Austin, having Katie open her eyes on Christmas Day had been the greatest of any gifts he could’ve ever received.

Chapter Eight

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A knocked sounded on Katie’s hospital room door and a nurse peeped her head around. When she’d gotten back from her tests, the nurse had given her something to help her rest and it hadn’t been long before Katie fell back asleep again. Her parents tried to talk Austin into going back to the hotel with them but he had insisted on staying. Even if she was sleeping, he wasn’t going to leave her side. Not now, not ever.

When Austin saw that it was Sheila, the nurse he’d spoken with earlier, he stood up and walked over to the door. They both stood in the hallway just outside Katie’s room so as not to disturb her.

“I wanted to let you know I’ve checked around for the gentleman you were seeking information about.” Sheila paused for a moment before continuing. “Sadly enough, I’ve been unable to locate anyone by the name of Jack. Since I wasn’t sure if Jack was his first or last name, I checked using both. I hate to say this, but there’s not a “Jack” listed anywhere. I’m sorry, hun.”

“Are you serious? This is really odd.” Austin was confused and wondered if Katie may have had the name mixed up. Maybe she thought he’d said his name was Jack, and it was really something else. No, he was pretty sure she’d called him Jack.

“If you’d like, I can give you the phone number for the sheriff’s department and maybe they can be of better assistance. I’m sure they’ve got names of all of the passengers that had been on the bus. It’s probably just some mix-up with the names the reason why I’m unable to locate him for you.”

“Sheila that would be perfect. I bet you’re right. They had to contact the families. Thank you for suggesting that I reach out to them.” He was disappointed Sheila hadn’t been unable to locate Jack, but he felt positive the sheriff’s department could give him everything he needed as far as checking on Jack’s condition.

Austin walked down to the waiting room and pulled out his cell phone. A muted TV was on in the corner but no one else was in the room. He punched in the phone number that Sheila had given him and waited for someone to pick up.

“Molton County Sheriff’s Department, how may I direct your call?” The female dispatcher sounded warm and friendly.

Austin introduced himself and briefly shared his story with her. Without hesitation, she transferred him over to a Deputy Hardin who could possibly give him the information he was looking for.

“Hardin.”

Austin was taken back a little from the abrupt sound of the deputy’s voice. “Yes, my name is Austin Burke, and my girlfriend was onboard the Express Bus Lines bus that was involved in that terrible accident a few days ago. She’s just recently come to from being unconscious and is concerned about the gentleman she was sharing a seat with. I was hoping you’d be able to help me find out something on his condition.”

There was a brief pause and the sound of some paperwork being shuffled around. “Do you know the name of the person you’re trying to locate?”

“The only name my girlfriend gave me was “Jack.” She wasn’t certain if it was his first or last name, but surely there weren’t very many passengers with that name.”

“Can you hold please?” The deputy asked.

“Sure.” Austin stood up and paced around the waiting room. He felt like he was on hold forever—that maybe the deputy had forgotten about him. He looked down at his watch and realized it probably hadn’t been as long as it felt.

“Mr. Burke?”

“Yes, I’m here.”

“You said the name of the individual in question is Jack?”

“Yes, Jack. Did you find someone by that name?”

“I’m sorry but none of the passengers were named Jack.”

“Are you sure? Maybe his name is Jackson and he just used “Jack” as a nickname.” Austin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. How could none of the passengers be named Jack? He’d felt so confident the sheriff would be able to help him out.

“I double checked, sir. Of all the passengers traveling that night, eighteen of them were men and there were no tickets purchased by anyone with the name of Jack or Jackson.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I know Katie said his name was Jack. She mentioned it several times.”

“Do you know which station he purchased his ticket from? It’s possible he was using someone else’s identification. If we knew the station we might be able to narrow it down and pinpoint a name.” The sheriff was being supportive and offering some suggestions to help me out and for that I was thankful.

“I don’t know that bit of information. I’m not sure but I think Katie said he was already on the bus when she boarded. What if I find out where he was going? Would that help?”

“It’s possible but it’s apparent this “Jack” person may not have been using his real name. I’m not aware of all the circumstances, but do you feel it’s really wise for your girlfriend to be in touch with this gentleman if he’s not really who he claimed to be? If he’s using someone else’s identification, there may be a reason why he doesn’t use his real name.”

“You’re right. I’m not sure what I’m going to tell her. I know she’s going to be heartbroken, though, knowing I wasn’t able to find anything out on his condition. To know the person she thought she was traveling along side of wasn’t really who she thought is going to upset her even more.”

“I understand, sir. Well you’ve got our number. Dispatch should be able to connect your call to me or another deputy if you need to contact us with anything else.”

“Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Hardin. You’ve been a big help.”

As Austin hung up the phone he couldn’t believe what he’d just found out. How could this “Jack” person not be who he said he was? How could he lie to Katie?

Austin walked back into Katie’s room and saw she was still resting. Rather than wake her and give her the disturbing news he’d discovered, he reached for the blanket one of the nurses had given him. He tried to get comfortable in the chair that he’d slid over next to her bed, but no matter how much he twisted and turned around, there was simply no getting comfortable tonight. He kept replaying the conversation with the sheriff over and over in his head. It was terrible to discover the kind of joke this Jack character had obviously played on Katie.

He turned on the TV but muted the sound. The last thing he wanted was to disturb her. He knew he needed to get some sleep especially if Katie was being discharged in the morning. When he finally closed his eyes, it was already after midnight.

Austin stirred when he heard the light knock on the door. Katie, too, began to move around in the bed and looked up when the nurse peeked her head around the door.

“Sorry to wake you, sweetie, but I wanted to let you know the doctor was making his rounds a little earlier than usual this morning. Once he’s stopped by, just call down to the nurse’s station and one of us will be down to help you with your bath.”

“Thank you.” Katie replied. She brought her hand up to touch her hair. She was pretty sure she looked a mess since she’d not had a shower in several days. The nurses had assured her she looked fine and they had done their best to clean her up, but she still felt dirty. Of course Austin hadn’t said anything about her appearance.

She was going to have a difficult time doing normal things like washing and drying her hair as long as her arm was in a cast, but she’d somehow figure it out. Hopefully her arm would heal quickly. As for going back to school and her job, she wasn’t sure how she was going to do that. She wouldn’t be able to make the specialty coffees or carry a tray of food. If she wasn’t able to work, where would she get the money to pay her expenses for the upcoming semester? She had to have the money just to make it.

She still couldn’t believe she was in a hospital instead of at home with her family and Austin and that yesterday had been Christmas. The last few days had been...They’d been unexpected and overwhelming. Emotional and traumatic, too.

Austin had apologized for not having her Christmas present with him and promised he’d give it to her the moment they made it back home. That was the last thing she was worried about. On their way home, Katie figured would be a good time to tell Austin about buying the food and shirt for Jack, expenses she hadn’t planned on having. Taking care of Jack had been the right thing to do. He’d understand why she didn’t have a gift for him. He’d insist she didn’t have to get him anything, just being with her and knowing she was going to be okay was the best gift he could ever get from her.

She was still struggling that she had no recollection of even being brought in to the hospital. The bus skidding out of control, the screams and moans—that was all that clouded her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she became upset.

Jack. She wondered what Austin had been able to find out about him. She prayed he’d survived the accident unharmed. His wife needed him more than anything. How would she ever be able to pull through if something happened to him, too?

“Good morning.” Austin stood up from the chair and stretched. He leaned down to kiss her on the forehead.

“Morning.” Katie did her best to smile despite the sadness she was feeling from thinking about Jack. She was beyond ready to be released so she could go home. She yearned for her own bed and her own pajamas. No doubt, it was time to retire her hospital gown.

“Did you sleep well?” Austin asked.

“I suppose. I’m just ready to get out of here.”

“Me too, baby. Me too.” He reached for her hand and lightly squeezed it. Then, he reached up and traced his fingers down the side of her jaw. He used his thumb to wipe away a tear that had managed to fall. “Just days ago we were texting and counting down the hours until we’d see each other. Who would’ve ever thought we’d wind up in the hospital?”

“I know. Did you find out anything on Jack?”

Austin knew it was only a matter of time until she questioned him again. There was no way he could avoid telling her what he had discovered.

Katie sensed something was wrong judging by his silence and the look on his face.

“Oh no. Please tell me he’s okay.” She teared up immediately, and Austin quickly tried to think of something he could say so she wouldn’t get even more upset.

“Katie, I....” Austin paused for a moment. “I don’t know how to say this.”

“Just tell me, Austin. Is Jack okay?” She managed to say in between sobs.

“Baby, I honestly can’t say.” This wasn’t the answer he wanted to give her and Katie looked somewhat confused by his response.

“What do you mean? What did you find out?”

“That’s just it, Katie. I had one of the nurses help me, and I even spoke with a deputy sheriff who assisted with the accident. There’s.....there’s no record of him. No one knows anything about him.”

“How can that be? He had to have been taken to a hospital. Didn’t you say all the passengers had been taken by ambulance?”

“They were. But there’s not one person who was admitted with the name Jack.”

“Well that can’t be right. Even if he’d already been released, there should be something about him. Someone’s got to know something.” Katie feared the worst. “There’s got to be a mistake.”

“Katie, I had the sheriff double check the names of all the passengers who’d been on the bus with you that day, and no one using the name Jack had even purchased a ticket. There’s simply no record of him.”

“You’re lying. He was there with me. I bought him food. I bought him something to wear. He sat beside me. I know he was there.” Katie tried to plead with Austin to believe her.

“I don’t doubt you, Katie. I don’t. There’s just no record of him being a passenger.” Austin felt bad that he’d been unable to find out information on Jack. Just listening to her go on and on, he knew she deeply cared for his well-being. He had to wonder, though, if maybe they guy had just been taking advantage of her. Or, he cringed even considering this thought, but what if she’d imagined the whole thing. Had Jack existed at all? Could she have fell asleep and dreamed it all? But when she talked about buying him things, well, he was even more certain the guy had just used her.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door and the doctor stepped in. After reviewing Katie’s test results from the previous evening and giving her instructions on what she needed to do once she returned home, the doctor signed Katie’s release paperwork. They were relieved to know she was going to be okay. They were finally going home.

Katie’s parents arrived at the hospital just as the doctor finished with her.  Everyone thanked him and told him how grateful they all were for the care she’d received.

Austin was relieved the conversation had been steered away from Jack yet again.

Chapter Nine

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Shortly before noon, Katie was released. On the way to Glenwood, she rode with Austin while her parents followed behind. It was hard getting comfortable in the big, bulky seat of the four-by-four pickup, but she figured it was probably due to the bumps and bruises she still had. Other than her arm being in a cast and the cut on her leg that had required a few stitches, she was doing fine. She did, though, fear getting back on the highway so soon after the accident, so the doctor had prescribed her something to help her relax. It also helped that the weather had drastically improved.

Her parents had picked up her suitcase, carry-on bag and purse from the sheriff’s department while she had still been unconscious. Lucky for her all of her things had been located amongst the bus debris.

Her mom had picked out a pair of jeans and a sweater for her to wear home from the hospital, but she’d had to settle for a pair of pajama bottoms instead. Anything was better than the gown she’d been wearing.

She’d already started thinking about what she was going to do about school and her job at the Grill when she returned to Dalton. She called Claire, who had been worried sick about her.  She’d heard about the accident and when Katie hadn’t answered her phone after numerous attempts, she feared the worse. Claire was relieved to hear her best friend was okay. It was still difficult to talk about, but she knew it would get easier over time.

That night, after they’d finally made it home, Austin had helped her change and get into her own bed. She needed rest, and even though she begged him not to leave, he promised to see her the next day.

****

Before she knew it, Katie only had a few days left before it was time to leave again. Staying in the hospital those few days had shortened her winter break. The holidays had not gone the way she’d anticipated but, none the less, she made the most of them and had enjoyed the time she was able to spend with Austin and her parents.

Austin had agreed he would drive her back to school when it was time for her to leave. There was no way she was getting back on another bus anytime soon. Her parents were in agreement and had no trouble letting him have the time off from work. They knew he would see to it that Katie returned safely.

The day before she was supposed to leave, Katie had a change of heart and decided she wasn’t ready to return just yet. She knew she could easily fall back into her routine of attending classes and fitting in time for studying and her homework, but she knew there was no way she could work as long as her arm remained in the cast. There was still six to eight weeks left of wearing it. Her parents were going to be faced with her medical bills soon enough so getting temporary support from them was out of the question, too.

She grabbed her purse from the chair in the corner of her bedroom and began looking through it. She knew there was a card in there somewhere that had her advisor’s name and direct phone number on it. She needed to find out her options.

After talking everything over with her advisor, Katie decided to take the semester off and remain in Glenwood. While she didn’t want to fall too far behind, she’d gotten approval to take a few online courses. Under normal circumstances, it was required that she stay in the dorm to honor her scholarship requirements, but the university was willing to make this an exception because of the accident. She was thrilled they were so agreeable to work with her. And, she’d be with Austin.

Claire was sad she wouldn’t be coming back until the fall, but Katie promised her she’d come to visit during Spring Break. Come fall, it’d be just like old times again. She also spoke with her boss at The Grill, and they, too, were willing to place her on a leave of absence. She was too good of a worker not to honor her request.

When she shared the news with Austin later that night, he’d picked up her, hugged her tightly and spun her around until she was dizzy. For the moment he had forgotten about taking it easy with her. To say he was happy was an understatement.

“Oh Katie, that’s wonderful. I kept wondering how we were going to do this again. This is the best news!”

Katie had been home for a few weeks now, and she decided to finally unpack all of her things. She’d only pulled out what she’d needed at the time, and there’d been no hurry for the other things. Now, she figured it was time to put everything away.

For the most part, she’d mostly been lounging around her parent’s house and taking it easy, but today she felt like getting out for a change. Austin was back on his routine with working for her father down at Karlisle’s Kitchen and slowly everything had returned to normal. Austin would be starting back to school the following week, but she didn’t worry knowing they’d still be able to spend time together instead of only through a phone call. She’d try to do her own school work while he was in class so they’d have their nights free.

With her good arm she lifted her bag onto her bed and dumped out the contents. It didn’t appear that anything had gotten damaged during the accident and she was thankful for that. The word search puzzle book that she’d bought at the gift shop for Jack fell to the floor, and Katie bent down to pick it up. The pen she had clamped to the front of the book was no longer there but a pen wasn’t a big deal. The cover and pages were a little wrinkled and frayed, but it didn’t’ really matter. Before Katie could place the puzzle book back on the bed, an envelope slipped out and drifted down to the floor.

She hadn’t recalled there being anything inside it when she’d purchased it. She picked it up and quickly noticed the smudge marks on it. Where did this come from?

She flipped it over and noticed the flap was tucked inside instead of it being sealed. She carefully pealed it back, uncertain if the envelope was even intended for her. Inside was a folded piece of paper. When she pulled it out, she realized there was money inside it, too. Her hands began to tremble. Slowly, she counted out five twenty dollar bills. One hundred dollars. She was confused more than ever.

Katie carefully opened the paper. She scanned over the small, scraggly hand-written message, and as soon as she read the name at the bottom, the paper fell from her hand and landed on the floor.

She was shocked to say the least.

Her eyes began to sting from the tears that had suddenly welled up. Just when she’d finally stared to put the incident behind her...That Jack was a part of her past that she’d never have the answers to.

She willed herself to read it.

My friend Katie,

It has been a pleasure traveling with you, and I hope we can one day meet again. I’m sorry things may not have been as they seemed, and I hope you will understand. I wasn’t completely honest with you in the beginning and for that I am sorry. I couldn’t risk someone discovering me and turning me in. I can never repay you for your kindness and friendship but I hope this helps you with your Christmas present for your boyfriend.

May we meet again one day, your friend, William “Jack” Clay

Katie was confused. What did this letter mean? Things may not have been what they seemed? And how did it get inside this book inside her bag?

Katie almost crumbled up the paper but stopped herself from doing so. She reread the note again then stared out her bedroom window. So Jack really did exist. Her friend Jack was really a live person and not someone fictitious that she’d started to believe. When Austin had tried to find out about Jack’s condition after the accident and he had come up empty handed, Katie had wondered if maybe Jack had just been a figment of her imagination after all. She knew she had spent money on things for him, but how can someone just vanish without a trace? Unless, of course, they don’t want to be discovered.

With unsteady hands, she reached for her cell phone and called Austin.

“Babe, I found him.” She belted into the phone. “I found Jack.”

“Slow down, you did what? You found Jack?” Austin tried to make sense of what she was talking about.

“Well, I sort of found him. His real name is William Clay. Jack was just his nickname.”

Katie shared with Austin about the envelope she’d found along with the money and the note. Austin was shocked but somewhat relieved to know that there really had been someone and he’d not used Katie like he’d come to think.

When they’d finished talking, Austin took a break from work to make a phone call. He still had the phone number for Deputy Hardin programmed in his phone. After relaying everything to the sheriff, all he could do now was wait. Hopefully the sheriff’s department would be able to find out something for him this time.

Later that evening, Austin and Katie cuddled up on her parent’s couch to watch a movie. Austin’s phone rang, and when he recognized the out of state number, he excused himself to take the call in the kitchen. Katie paused the movie then stood up to stretch her legs. The cut on her leg had healed but still itched from time to time. She figured it was healing on the inside.

She stood in the hallway leading to the kitchen. She didn’t want to eavesdrop on Austin’s phone call, but she was rather curious as to who’d be calling him this time of night and that he couldn’t take the call in front of her.

“Yes, I see.”

She heard him say. Who was he talking to?

“I’ll let her know. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Katie sensed the phone call had been about her. Why was Austin talking about her behind her back? What was going on?

As Austin headed back towards the living room, he bumped into Katie in the hallway.

“I’m sorry, honey, I didn’t see you standing there.” He acted normal as though the phone call hadn’t been important at all.

He reached for her hand to lead her back to the couch.

“Who was on the phone?” Katie asked, anxious to find out what it was all about.

“Come, sit down with me. I’ve got something to tell you.”

Katie faced Austin on the couch as she waited for him to explain.

“That was Deputy Hardin. He was she sheriff I spoke with while you were in the hospital. The one who had tried to locate Jack.”

“Yeah, I remember you mentioning his name. But why’s he calling you now?”

“After you called me this morning, I put in another phone call to him with the information you gave me about William Clay. Katie, he found Jack. He found your friend Jack.”

Katie couldn’t hide her emotions.

He was real.

“Tell me, what did you find out?”

“Katie...” Austin paused for a moment. “Jack is in the hospital.”

“Oh no. Is he okay? How bad were his injuries?”

“That’s just it. He didn’t have any injuries from the bus accident. He’s... he’s in a mental institution, Katie.”

Stunned, Katie stared at Austin. “What? A mental hospital? But I thought his wife was in the hospital.”

“He’s not well. Katie.” Austin paused for a moment so Katie could come to terms with what he was saying.  “He’s unstable...mentally. You see, Jack was the name of his son. Apparently William Clay’s son had been in the Army and was killed.”

“Yes, he told me about his son. But he said his wife was the one in the hospital, not him. He said she couldn’t handle the pain and had tried to kill herself.”

“Katie, William Clay was the one who had tried to kill himself. Not his wife. The hospital reported him missing a few days before the bus accident. Somehow, he’d walked right out the front door. He obtained a bus ticket and had been dodging the authorities. He kept changing buses until he discovered you.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I can’t believe it.” Katie found it hard to form her words. “The poor man.”

“I know. What a remarkable story. His wife must’ve been beside herself knowing he was missing. Alone and in the cold...”

“I suppose the accident is what really saved his life then. Someone was able to identify him and bring him back safely to his family.”

“Actually, no, there’s more. William Clay wasn’t hurt from the accident—not one scratch. Before the authorities and ambulances arrived on the scene, William somehow managed to walk across the interstate and flag down an eighteen wheeler headed the other direction. The driver picked him up, not knowing the severity of the accident, and agreed to take him to the next town. The truck driver is the one who turned him in after dropping him off. He thought something seemed unusual about William and wanted the police to check on him. Hard to believe isn’t it?”

“Thank goodness he was unharmed and that he’s been found okay. The whole time he had me thinking his wife was sick, and it’d been him the entire time.”

“Katie, his illness wasn’t something to take lightly. The death of his son must’ve been devastating and more than he could handle.”

“Wow. I don’t know what to say.”

Austin embraced Katie, and she leaned back into his arms. He pulled the blanket up around her and helped her get situated before starting the movie again. Both of them were grateful to be there together. She didn’t want to be apart from him again. Ever

Epilogue

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In the fall, Katie returned to Dalton. She’d worked most of the summer, just like all the previous summers, and had saved a good bit of her money. She and Claire decided to find an apartment together off campus since they were now officially juniors and were no longer required to live in the student dorms. They also decided to look for a roommate who could help them share the expenses.

Austin took out a student loan and did what he felt was the right thing to do for his relationship with Katie. He transferred to Dalton so he could continue to spend time with her instead of waiting for the holidays for her to come home. He simply couldn’t stand to be away from her after coming so close to losing her in the accident. He also became the roommate both girls were looking for.

Now, when it came time for Katie to go home for Christmas, she and Austin traveled together. Never again would she travel alone or by bus.

A few years later, Katie graduated with a degree in psychology, and not in education like she had originally planned. She found a job at a clinic working with troubled individuals who had endured something traumatic in their lives, such as William “Jack” Clay. She knew in her heart this was what she was supposed to do.

On Christmas Eve that year, Austin proposed to Katie. She, without a doubt, accepted his proposal and the following year, she became Mrs. Austin Burke. And since Christmas was always such a meaningful holiday to them both—given the accident and discovering Jack—Austin and Katie decided to share the news with both of their families. She and Austin were expecting a son, and they were going to name him “Jack.”

Katie often wondered whatever became of William Clay. She never tried to contact him, but she would never forget the ride home for Christmas that year. The story of Jack would remain in her heart for the rest of her life.

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The End

Available November 2015