“I wish your building had a back door,” I said.

“They’d probably be out there, too. Fucking vultures,” Sarah muttered.

Sarah gave the driver an address and soon we drove through the entrance of Graceland Cemetery.

“Can you please wait?” Sarah asked the cabdriver.

A few snowflakes swirled in the gray sky. I shivered but Sarah seemed oblivious to the cold, not even bothering to button her coat. She led me to the grave where our parents, Josephine and George Emerson, lay side-by-side.

I knelt in front of the headstone and traced their names with my finger. “I made it back,” I whispered. Sarah handed me a tissue, and I wiped the tears pouring from my eyes.

I pictured my dad in his silly bucket hat covered with fishing lures, teaching me how to clean fish. I remembered how he loved to fill his hummingbird feeder and watch the tiny creatures zoom in for a drink, hovering in mid-air. I thought of my mom, and how much she loved her garden and her home and her grandchildren. Sharing my adventures in the classroom with her over Sunday morning brunch wouldn’t happen now. She would never be able to give me advice, and I’d never hear either of my parents’ voices again. I bawled, letting it all out. Sarah waited patiently, giving me time for the catharsis I desperately needed. My tears finally tapered off, and I stood up.

“We can go now.”

Sarah put her arm around me and we got back in the cab. She gave the driver another address and we went to David’s parents’ house to pick up the kids.

Joe and Chloe stopped playing when we walked into the room. I probably seemed like a ghost to them. Sarah had kept my memory alive but the aunt they thought was dead was now standing in the living room. I knelt down next to them and said softly, “Boy did I miss you guys.”

Joe came over first. I hugged him tight. “Let me look at you,” I said, holding him at arm’s length.

“I’m losing all my teeth,” he said. He opened his mouth and showed me the gaps.

“You must be keeping the tooth fairy pretty busy.”

Chloe, slowly warming to her long-lost aunt, ventured a little closer and whispered, “I’ve lost some, too.” She opened her mouth wide so I could see her gaps.

“Geez, your mom must have to put all your food through a blender. You guys are toothless.”

“Aunt Anna, are you gonna live at our house now?” Chloe asked.

“For a while.”

“Will you tuck me into bed tonight?” she asked.

“No, I want her to tuck me into bed tonight,” Joe argued.

“How about I tuck you both into bed tonight?” I hugged them to my chest, fighting the tears.

“Are you guys ready to go home?” Sarah asked.

“Yeah!”

“Then kiss grandma and let’s go.”

Later that night, after I put both kids to bed, Sarah poured us a glass of red wine. Her cell phone rang and she handed it to me.

“Hey. How are you?” T.J. asked.

“I’m okay. Sarah and I went to the cemetery today.”

“Was it hard?”

“Yes. I really wanted to go, though. I feel a little better now, after visiting their graves. I’ll go back again. What did you do today?”

“I got a haircut. You might not recognize me.”

“I’m going to miss that ponytail.”

T.J. laughed. “I’m not.”

“I just put the kids to bed. It took two hours because I read them every book they own. Sarah just poured us some wine and Stefani’s coming over. What about you? Any plans?”

“I’m going out with Ben if we can shake the reporters.”

“How is Ben?”

“Still running his mouth.”

“Have you been to the doctor yet?”

“I go tomorrow.”

“I hope the appointment goes okay.”

“It’ll be fine. Have you gone yet?”

“Tomorrow. Then the dentist in the afternoon.”

“Me too. Remember when I took my braces off?”

“I forgot about that.”

“I’ll see you on New Year’s Eve, Anna. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Have fun tonight.”

Chapter 50 – T.J.

I opened the door when Ben knocked. His eye had swollen shut and turned purple and blue.

“Shit. Sorry about that,” I said.

“Eh, no biggie. You’re lucky I’m so easy-going,” he said.

“Frankly, that’s your best quality.”

“A bunch of guys from school are home for Christmas break. You up for a party?”

“Sure. Where?”

“Coop’s. His parents left for the Bahamas this morning.”

I grabbed my coat. “Let’s go.”

At least twenty of my former classmates were standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Nate Cooper’s living room when we showed up. Rock music blasted from the stereo. Everyone cheered when we walked in the door and a bunch of guys shook my hand and slapped me on the back. I hadn’t seen some of them since before I’d started treatment for Hodgkin’s because I missed so much school that year. It was weird when I realized everyone had graduated but me.

Someone threw me a beer. They wanted to hear about the island, and I answered all of their questions. Ben must have told them how he got his black eye, though, because no one asked about Anna.

I was on my second beer when a girl sat down on the couch next to me. She had long blond hair and wore a ton of makeup.

“Do you remember me?” she asked.

“Kind of,” I said. “I’m sorry. I forgot your name.”

“Alex.”

“You were in my class, right?”

“Yeah.” She took a long drink of her beer. “You look way different than you did when we were sophomores.”

“Yeah, well, that was four years ago.” I finished my beer and looked around for Ben.

“You look good. I can’t believe you actually lived on that island.”

“I didn’t really have a choice.” I stood up. “I’m getting ready to leave. See you around.”

“I hope so.”

I found Ben in the kitchen. “Hey, I’m taking off.”

“You can’t go already, man. It’s only midnight.”

“I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”

“That’s lame dude but okay, I understand.” Ben high-fived me, and I walked out the door.

On the way to the train I thought about Anna, and I smiled all the way home.

Chapter 51 – Anna

I woke Joe and Chloe up so we could have breakfast together. We were finishing our toaster waffles and juice when Sarah walked into the kitchen.

“Good morning,” she said. “Thanks for getting the kids breakfast.”

“Aunt Anna makes the best waffles,” Chloe said.

“Aunt Anna’s boyfriend is coming over tomorrow night,” Joe announced.

“How did you know about that?” Sarah asked.

“I heard you and Aunt Anna talking about it.”

“Yes, Aunt Anna’s boyfriend is coming over to celebrate New Year’s Eve. I expect you two to use your manners and not act like complete hooligans.”

“Aunt Anna needs to get in the shower,” I said to the kids. “She has a busy day ahead of her.”

“Doctor?” Sarah asked.

“And dentist. That’ll be a fun appointment.”

***

I read a magazine while I waited for them to call my name at the doctor’s office. When the nurse asked me to step on the scale, I was shocked when it registered one hundred and two pounds, especially since I’d already had a few days of solid eating. At five foot six, I should have weighed fifteen to twenty pounds more. I probably wasn’t even in triple digits on the island.

I sat on the exam table dressed in a paper gown. When my doctor walked in, she hugged me and said, “Welcome back. I’m sure you’ve heard this a lot, Anna, but I can’t believe you’re alive.”

“It’s something I don’t mind hearing.”