“Susan won’t care,” I said, pulling the blanket over our heads so we could have some privacy. I was all talk, though, because five minutes later, I passed out.

I woke up with a headache. Anna was still asleep, her head resting on my shoulder. When she woke up, we took turns cleaning up and brushing our teeth in the bathroom. Susan set a plate of turkey and roast beef sandwiches on the table along with potato chips and Cokes. She also handed me two individually wrapped packages of Tylenol and two bottles of water.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, patting me on the shoulder.

We tore open the Tylenol and swallowed the pills with a drink of water.

“What day is it, Anna?”

She thought about it for a minute before she answered. “December twenty-eighth?”

“I want to spend New Year’s Eve together,” I said. “I’ll be missing you a lot by then.”

Anna gave me a quick kiss. “It’s a date.”

We ate our sandwiches and chips and passed the rest of the time talking.

“I’ve thought about this day for so long, T.J. I can picture my mom and dad, Sarah, David, and the kids all standing together as I run toward them with my arms wide open.”

“I’ve thought about this day, too. I worried it might never come.”

“But it did,” Anna said, smiling at me.

The sky lightened, and I gazed out the window at the frozen Midwestern fields. When we descended for our landing in Chicago, Anna pointed and said, “Look T.J., snow.”

We touched down at O’Hare a little before 6:00 a.m. Anna unbuckled her seat belt and stood up before the plane came to a full stop.

We grabbed our plastic bags from the overhead compartment and hurried down the aisle to the front of the plane. The pilot and co-pilot came out.

“It’s been a pleasure bringing you home,” the pilot said. “Good luck to both of you.”

We turned to Susan.

“Thanks for everything,” Anna said.

“You’re welcome,” she said, giving us a hug.

Someone swung the door of the plane open.

“This is it, T.J,” Anna said. “Let’s go.”

Chapter 43 – Anna

T.J. and I ran through the jet bridge holding hands. When we came out on the other side, the crowd roared. The flash of hundreds of cameras blinded me, and I blinked, trying to focus. Reporters started yelling questions at us immediately. Sarah rushed forward in a blur and gathered me into her arms, crying.

Jane Callahan was nearly hysterical as she engulfed T.J. Tom Callahan and two girls – T.J.’s sisters I assumed – joined in the family hug. David stood beside Sarah, and he reached out to embrace me. I squeezed him tight and then pulled away, scanning the crowd for my parents.

John was standing there.

He hurried forward and I hugged him automatically. I stepped back, wanting him to get out of my way. Confused, my heart began to pound. My eyes darted over the rest of the people standing inside the roped off area, but I didn’t see my mom.

Or my dad.

I searched again, frantically, and then I understood why their phone had been disconnected. My knees buckled. Sarah and David caught me.

“Both of them?”

Sarah nodded, tears running down her face.

“No,” I screamed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “Your call caught me off guard, and you sounded so happy. I just couldn’t do it, Anna.”

They led me to a chair. Before I could sit down all the way, T.J. appeared beside me.

He sat and pulled me into his arms, rocking me gently while I sobbed. I lifted my head off his chest.

“They’re both dead.”

“I know. My mom just told me.”

He kissed my forehead and wiped away my tears as the cameras captured it all. I didn’t know it then, but less than twenty-four hours later, the pictures of T.J. holding and kissing me would appear on the front pages of newspapers across the country.

I rested my head on his chest and closed my eyes. Sarah rubbed my back. Finally, I took a deep breath and sat up.

“I’m so sorry,” T.J. said, smoothing my hair back from my forehead.

I nodded. “I know.”

It was silent except for the clicking and flashing of the cameras. I turned to Sarah and said, “I want to go home.”

Sarah wrote down her cell phone number so I could give it to T.J. I handed it to him and he shoved it in the pocket of his shorts.

“I’ll call you in a little while.” He wrapped his arms around me and whispered in my ear. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” I whispered back.

We stood up as Tom and Jane Callahan walked toward us, T.J.’s sisters trailing behind. “I’m so sorry, Anna,” Jane said. “Sarah told us about your parents. I felt horrible knowing the news you were coming home to.” She hugged me and when she pulled away she held my hands for a minute. “We’ll call you in a few days. We have some things to discuss.” She smiled and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

Tom Callahan smiled and squeezed my shoulder.

“Thank you for chartering the plane,” I said.

“You’re welcome, Anna.”

Sarah sent David over to tell the media I wouldn’t be giving a statement. John came and stood beside me. He started to reach for my hand and then changed his mind.

“I’m sorry about your parents, Anna.”

“Thank you.”

We stood there awkwardly, like strangers, and he finally said, “I was so happy when Sarah called. I couldn’t believe what she was telling me.”

I took a deep breath and said, “John –”

“Don’t say anything. Just take some time and when you’re ready we’ll talk. I know you probably want to get out of here.” He glanced over at T.J. who stood nearby with his family. “I gave all your things to Sarah about a year ago. I hadn’t been able to do it until then.” His eyes locked on mine. “I’m really glad you made it home, Anna.”

He hugged me and walked away and then Sarah and David led me from the gate.

Chapter 44 – T.J.

My family surrounded me. Alexis and Grace each held one of my hands and my mom couldn’t decide whether she wanted to laugh or cry so she did both.

“I can’t believe how tall you are,” my dad said.

Everyone freaked out about my ponytail.

“No scissors,” I explained.

I noticed a tall, blond guy out of the corner of my eye. He walked up to Anna.

Don’t talk to her. She doesn’t love you anymore.

I watched them until my mom tugged on my arm.

“Let’s get you home, T.J.”

I glanced over at Anna one more time. John hugged her and then walked away. I exhaled and said, “I’m ready, Mom.”

Before we got outside, my mom handed me a coat and some socks and tennis shoes. I shoved the flip-flops in the plastic bag with the rest of my stuff and followed my family to the car.

When we got home, I took a shower, wrapped a towel around my waist, and walked into my old bedroom. It looked exactly the same. My double bed still had the same navy blue bedspread on it and my stereo and CD collection sat in the corner next to my desk. A stack of clothes lay folded on the dresser. My mom did a good job guessing my size considering how much I’d grown.

When I came out of my room, my mom was in the kitchen making breakfast. She gave me a plate of pancakes and bacon and when I finished eating, I sat in the living room talking to my family. Grace, now fourteen, wanted to sit next to me. Alexis, who had just turned twelve, sat at my feet.

I told them everything – Mick, the crash, the contaminated water, the thirst, and hunger, the shark, getting sick, and the tsunami – and I answered all their questions. My mom started crying again when she heard how sick I’d been.