One Year Later

"DAD!!"

Max yelled for her father while stumbling out of the kitchen holding a pink cake with "Congratulations!" drawn on with white icing.

"Dad! I got it!"

She almost dropped the large pink sprinkled cake as she swung open the red front door of the Redding home.

Jeremy laughed at Max, obviously amused by her poor hand-eye coordination.

Delia chimed in sweetly, "Thank you, honey!"

Delia and Jeremy looked amazed at the perfectly drawn letters. "I don't know how you do that, Max!"

Jeremy shook his head. "If I was in charge it would look like pasta."

Max smirked and placed the cake on the folding table in the front yard. "You are absolutely right."

Delia laughed, clearly not surprised at Max's usual candor.

"Sorry, Dad!"

"No you aren't!" He playfully knocked her with his shoulder. Before she could retaliate, Michelle hurried out of the chocolate brown house next door, smiling from ear to ear.

"They're close! Chris just called!"

Max's face lit up like a starry sky.

Anna Johnston had finally arrived after being out of the country for two months. She was a full-time writer for Bela and had been asked by Siobhan Wild herself to cover the story of her debut as an actress in a movie about forbidden love filmed in Greece.

Anna's life had become a whirlwind since her successful first interview. She was the youngest person in Bela history to become a full-time writer and as her boss, Sarah Scott's, personal favorite she was offered the best opportunities. Just as Max had expected, she'd conquered the world.

Max had attended therapy that year as she said she would. After Eric Dalton had been sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole, she slowly realized that his conviction had little effect on her inner issues. The night terrors were still present, she still had flashbacks, and she still felt alone. Max's therapist was blunt and hilarious and she really seemed to care about Max's wellbeing. She was perfect for Max and her mostly snarky attitude. Somewhere along the line Max's train of thought shifted, and she learned to love and trust again — not only the people around her, but also herself. She realized that she couldn't allow her experience with Eric to define her. After that, she began the next part of her journey, learning to enjoy the world and the people in it.

Max was grateful when Chris ended up asking Anna's mother if he could stay with her. He told Max that she and Jeremy should be alone together and that after all this time, Jeremy deserved all her attention. Max would never admit it, but she too needed every bit of his time. Max watched Chris and Michelle grow incredibly close. He and Max helped her around the house, and when Anna had to leave they helped when Johnny passed away. A few months after the trial, Johnny succumbed to lung cancer. It devastated them all, but he said to Anna and Max not long before his passing, "I'm not afraid of dying, my girls. Not anymore. We are all back together, and we always will be." A few days later they laid him to rest, knowing he'd moved on in peace.

Anna and Chris rounded the corner and headed toward their friends and family. As the car moved closer, Max could see that Anna's face was lightly tanned, her freckles dark, and her eyes glowing in the sunlight.

She'd said to Max before she left, "I love the traveling, I do. But nothing makes me smile more than being home with you."

Max didn't tell her, but that night she cried. She always had such a hard time understanding love, but after slowly figuring out how to let her walls down, she understood what Anna was feeling.

Chris parked the car and Anna leaped out. Running to Max, she screamed, "Babe! I missed you so much!!"

Max laughed at her best friend's never ending energy and said softly, "I missed you too."

"Is this all for me?!" Anna fluttered her eyelashes sarcastically, grabbing Max's hand.

Chris walked up and put his arm gently around her waist. "Of course, baby! Surprise!"

Anna jumped up and down. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Sweetie, we are so proud of you!" Delia jumped in. "Here, grab a plate!"

The miniature feast, complete with hot dogs, hamburgers, fruit salad, and so much more was perfectly put together by Delia. Everyone was gathered around the table ready to dive into dinner when Anna whispered to Max, "So, I have tons of vacation time on my hands and I want to go back to Greece for a while."

Max raised her right eyebrow with a grimace on her face. "What? You're leaving me again?"

Her face fell, but Anna smirked. "Nope! You're coming with me!"

Max bit her lower lip and shock flashed across her face. "I can't do that, Anna! That's crazy!"

"Why? You NEED a tan, babe." She giggled and grabbed Max's hand again. "You have to experience this, Max. It was so stunning. I was thinking the entire time how badly I needed you there! I NEEDED to see this with you."

Max looked down, still biting her lip. "God, I don't kno—"

"Will you cut it out? You're going and that's final." She nodded her head at Max, signaling the conversation was over. "Now hand me the damn potatoes."

Max laughed and grabbed the bowl. "YOU'RE a damn potato."

Anna threw her head back and said loudly, "GOOD ONE."

Everyone chuckled and continued to fill their plates. As they sat down in the lawn chairs Jeremy had placed outside that morning, Anna's smile got smaller. Holding up her drink, she looked up at each of them.

"This one's for Dad."

They all held their cups up in agreement. Every meal they gave a nod to Johnny.

"All right you guys!" Anna's face brightened. "What's the word? Give me the gossip!"

She looked a little too excited, expecting drama. Max spoke up. "Actually," she said, turning her head toward her father. "It looks like Miss Delia is going to be a Redding."

Anna's eyes popped. "Shut up!! You're getting married?!"

Delia's smile was brighter than the sun as she held out a silver shining teardrop-cut engagement ring.

"I am literally freaking out! Mr. R.! I had no idea you had game! Kudos, sir!"

Jeremy lowered his face into the palm of his right hand. "Thank you, Anna. I think?"

She chuckled and looked at him lovingly. "Definitely a compliment."

The minutes passed by as the group shared the adventures of their last two months.

Max and her father had started a small music school in their house, and were hoping to move into a building soon. Delia had been promoted from teacher to principal, Chris started working at a local newspaper, and Michelle continued her career as a police officer for Monroe County.

Max looked around at the family in front of her and was overcome with joy. All of those years fighting to be left alone, wishing she could disappear, had faded away. With crystal-clear eyes she saw what she had really wanted this entire time: a world where she could love and allow herself to be loved, a world where she could trust and have faith. In her small circle of family, this was now what she had. And it was only the first chapter in her new story.