Jack and Rose walked along the length of Bridge Street, past the little town square with its shade trees and benches, past the pumping station and the firehouse, almost to the edge of town. The street had narrowed and the sidewalk had run out. Ahead of them, the road continued out to the farms. To their right were several large wooden buildings. The sign said, "CHIPPEWA FALLS LUMBER, Ted Edmunds and Son, Proprietors."

Jack stood in front of what appeared to be the office door and looked up at the sign.

"What are we doing here?" asked Rose.

"We are going to visit my best friend, Jay. This is the last place I was before I left Chippewa Falls, five years ago. I haven't been in touch with him since," said Jack.

"Why not? Don't you think he might have been worried about you?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I know it was not the right thing to do. It's just that I never had a place for him to write me. I was moving around all the time. And I just never knew what to say," Jack explained.

Jack told her that this place had been a refuge for him in the days after the fire. And that he and his friend Jay had been inseparable until he left. Rose listened to this with great interest. Except for his brief friendship with Fabrizio, she had thought Jack had been kind of a loner. He had never mentioned Jay at all before now.

"Why haven't you talked about this, Jack?"

He shook his head.

"The times I spent here, were so special. I just wanted to keep those memories all to myself. When I was away, I would take those memories out from time to time. It was a little link to my past and some happiness. Jay and I and his family had a special bond. His mom always treated me like her own. And Jay was always welcome the same way at my house. I, I was here, when it happened."

Jack looked down a minute. The last two days had been better than he expected, once he had gotten that visit to the hill over. He was not going to get himself down again. No, visiting here with Jay and his family should be a happy time. He was just nervous what they would think about him and Rose.

"Might as well go in there," he thought.

Jack took Rose's hand and opened the office door. A tall middle-aged man sat at the desk. He looked up when he saw Jack and then stared for a minute.

Slowly he spoke, "Jack, I never expected to see you again. Where have you been all these years?"

"I've just been wandering, but finally I decided to come back and properly pay my respects to my folks again and let you know I'm okay. So, here I am."

The man got up and walked around the counter and took Jack by the shoulders.

"Looks to me like you finally grew up son. Who is this?" he said looking a Rose.

Jack took a breath. He wanted this all to go well. Ted Edmunds was like another father to him.

"This is Rose, my wife," he said, hoping to see approval in Ted's face.

Ted looked surprised at first. They he took Rose's hand and shook it warmly.

"Your wife? My, you have grown up, Jack."

He studied Rose again and asked her how long they had been married.

Rose felt that her mouth would not open. She felt slightly embarrassed when she finally told him, "six days."

Ted looked at amazement at Rose and Jack. He thought that while they were not exactly hiding something, there was more going on than they let him know.

"Six days and you came here on your wedding trip?" He tried to make light of things. "Can't you do any better than that, Jack?" he said teasingly.

Jack smiled and said, "Well, we are going to Yellowstone and then California. This is just on the way."

"All the way to California. You must be doing well, young Jack to afford a trip like that," Ted commented.

Jack was just about to say something when they heard a shout at the door.

"Dad, Dad, I need you to come out and.............................Oh my God, Jack, Jack!"

Jack turned and looked at his friend Jay who came towards him. Jay came to Jack and they clasped each other tightly.

Rose watched this scene, feeling for the moment like an outsider. Jay was about 3 inches taller than Jack. His hair was long and straight and his skin was darker. He had his father's build and smile, but there the resemblance stopped. While he was clearly glad to see Jack, she could see that he held himself in reserve. There was something different about Jay, but Rose could not place what it was.

Jack and Jay stood apart looking at each other.

"You haven't changed that much," said Jay. "Same old mop of hair, still hanging in your face," he commented as he patted Jack on the side of his head.

"Well, you haven't changed much either," Jack told him. "Same wisecracks."

Ted headed to the door. "Please excuse me, I better go see to that problem that you came to get me about."

Jay turned to Rose and said, "Please forgive me, I got so excited about seeing Jack. I didn't mean to ignore you. Aren't you going to introduce us, Jack," asked Jay, giving Rose a wink. "You know miss, you should watch out for old Jack here. He has quite a way with the ladies."

"So I've noticed," said Rose, smiling broadly.

"So, Jack I am waiting. Who is this beautiful lady?" asked Jay again.

"You'll have to forgive me," Jack sighed. "You know when we were younger, we kind of made a pact that before we got married, we'd get each other's approval on a bride."

Jay stood watching Jack, as he drew Rose closer to him. He had sensed that this woman was someone very special.

"Jay, I hope you approve. Because Rose and I are married."

Jay moved forward and shook Rose's hand.

"How could I not approve. You always had all the luck, Jack," said Jay, sincerely. "Hey, come on. You know who will want to see you now. Mother."

Jack nodded. He remembered the comforting arms of Jay's mother that held him the night before the funeral. She had made all his favorite food and helped him decide what to wear that day. She had told him that he was like a son to her, and always would be.

"Let's go on up to the house. Follow me, Rose."

Jay led the way through the well organized lumber yard. Several men worked at stacking boards. Others were loading a wagon under Ted's direction. Where the forest began and the lumber yard ended, stood a large log cabin. There were pieces of sturdy log furniture on the porch. Crisp white laundry hung on a line on one side of the house. On the opposite side was a tidy garden. It was already cultivated and ready for planting.

From out of nowhere, a huge black dog came charging at Jack.

Jack braced himself as the dog put his paws on Jack's chest and began enthusiastically licking his face.

As Jack and the dog greeted each other, Jack said, "I see old Rufus is still going strong."

"Yeah," said Jay. "He's nine, but still acts like an overgrown puppy."

"He acts like he's your long lost friend," commented Rose.

Jack was kneeling and giving Rufus the desired belly scratching. "Oh, he is. When we did something, Rufus was right there getting into trouble with us. Right, Rufus?" he said to the dog.

While Jack was busy petting Rufus, Jay had a few questions for Rose.

"So how long have you been here?" he asked. "I had no idea he was back."

"I guess you know Jack," she told Jay. "He wanted to do things his own way. He needed to work through things before he told anyone he was here. He told me he was saving the best for last," she said, smiling at Jay.

Jay nodded. "He certainly is full of surprises today."

Jack stood up."Go on Rufus, go say hi to Rose."

Rufus pranced about the yard, then headed to Rose. She bent down and tentatively allowed Rufus to greet her. She was not afraid, just not quite used to a big dog and his boisterous behavior.

As Jack and Jay stood watching Rose, Jay questioned his friend as well.

"It's been five years, Jack. Where have you been? Something's happened to you and it's not just Rose, is it?" he guessed.

"No," said Jack, not offering any further information.

He could never keep anything from Jay. Jack knew that he himself was pretty intuitive about people, but Jay even more so. He had a special gift.

"You want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Later," said Jack solemnly. "When we are all together."

Jay nodded and pressed the issue no further.

"Why don't you go in and surprise Mother," suggested Jay. "You know she has that soft spot in her heart for you."

"I know," said Jack hesitantly.

"Go, on," urged Jay. "I'll bring Rose in after a couple of minutes."

Rose looked up just as Jack disappeared into the cabin. Before she could question where he was going, Jay gave her an explanation.

"It's okay," Jay told her. "He just wanted to surprise my mother. The two of them have kind of a special bond."

Jay could see the confusion in Rose's face. Apparently the story of Jay and his family was one thing Jack had not shared with his bride.

Trying to ease the situation, he said, "Rufus is really taken with you. He must sense that you are a part of Jack."

As if on cue, Rufus covered Rose's face with his pink tongue. All she could do was laugh.

Jack pushed the screen door open and stood looking at the familiar surroundings. Sitting at the table sewing was Jay's mother. He waited quietly for her to notice his presence.

Finally, she looked up.

"So, you have come back to us. I knew that before many more seasons had passed, Blue Hawk would return."

She got up from her chair and walked to Jack, opening her arms to him.

"Oh, Golden Moon, I had to come back and see you again. It's been too long," Jack said as they hugged.

"It is good to see you, Blue Hawk," she told him as she held him at arms length studying the boy she remembered who was now a man.

"You know, I have not heard that name in five years. I've thought about the ways of your people and everything that you taught me. But I never shared it with anyone. It was somehow too special, too private," Jack replied quietly.

"You are here now and we must celebrate and remember the old days. But let me look at you again," said Golden Moon.

She looked into his eyes for a few seconds.

"You look tired, as if you carry a terrible burden. And yet I sense contentment in you as well. You must share this with me. You know just as with your own mother, you cannot hide anything from me."

"I have not forgotten that," said Jack.

He thought for a minute. Unsure as to how to phrase the next words.

"Golden Moon, I have brought someone with me."

"A friend?" she asked.

"No," said Jack, seriously. "Much more than a friend."