The hot summer wind whipped across the Chilhowee ridge as Leah gazed out over the breathtaking Ocoee Valley. Below, the lake shimmered, and the blue ribbon of the Ocoee River snaked towards the horizon. Far off, a faint clearing peeked through the trees on a small hill. Sheltered by centuries-old red oaks, a peaceful family cemetery stood, meticulously maintained, a testament to the past cherished by the present. Among the weathered stones, a small, gleaming pearl-white marker stood out. Engraved on it were the words:

Lisa Abhain Cloud-Eaton

1953-1991

Loving Mother, Wife, And Daughter

You Forever Are Our Hearts

Til Your Love Holds Us Again

Leah parked her car on a dirt road along the ridge and stepped into the wind. She walked with caution down the white stone path that led to where generations of her mother's family had been laid to rest.

Reaching her mother's headstone, she cleared the area before settling beside the grave, forming her words as she knelt close.

"Hi Momma, I wanted to visit before my trip. I know it's been a while, and there's a lot to catch you up on. Dad's been wrestling with all of it these past few months. The memories here are just too much for him, a constant reminder of you. He's been talking to Grandma Ethel and Aunt Caroline about a job transfer to Houston to be closer to them. But Momma, I don't want to go. I'll be a senior next year and starting all over again...well, it scares me. You know Dad. Once he makes up his mind, it's set in stone. Grandma's flown out twice and it's all she talks about on the phone. I'm trying to get along better with Aunt Caroline but she hasn't changed in her attitude or her opinions."

Her expression brightened as she looked out at the water. "Dad's going to check out the Houston office and I'm spending June with Bonnie. I can't wait to see her again. They came down for the funeral, and it was so nice to see them. Bonnie's driving now, so some trips to the lake should be fun. I vaguely remember going there with you years ago. I fly out tomorrow, all by myself. It'll be my first solo flight. But hey, I get to fly beyond the clouds, just like you are."

She sat and enjoyed the silence and peace of the valley. Looking at the time, she knew she needed to begin her two-hour drive back to the city. Getting to her feet, she whispered, "I miss you so much. My love always, until your love holds me again." Placing a soft kiss on the cool stone, Leah offered a silent prayer before turning to walk back up the path and to her car. Atlanta awaited and she had errands to finish before her flight.

Jake sat in his room, packing for his trip, as he finished a phone call with his friend Allen.

"So what's going on for you the rest of today?" Jake stuffed some crumpled shirts into his bag.

"I'm taking Laura and my sisters out to the Breakers this afternoon. When's your flight?" Allen tossed a football in the air as he laid on his water bed.

"Later this afternoon. My uncle picks me up around nine pm in Chicago, and I'll spend the night with his family before heading up to my grandparents on Sunday morning," Jake sorted a stack of clothes between two extra-large suitcases. He counted out what he thought he'd need: work clothes, casual clothes, and a couple of nicer outfits for church and any social functions his grandmother might drag him to.

"So, what's the plan while you're there? You'll be gone for two months with your grandparents. Are your parents even coming up this summer?"

"They're coming up after the Fourth of July. Part of the reason I'm going early is to help my grandparents work on the old family lake cottage. I'm hoping they let me have the place to myself. We'll see if that actually happens." Jake wondered. "You know, get a chance to hang with my friends up there."

"Friends? Interesting, you mean your grandmother's best friend's niece or something. You showed pictures to me . I know Laura would be less-than thrilled if I were going to spend that much time with some farm girl who looks like Jennifer Grey. If you and Marta are 'seeing other people' for the summer, does she know that's who it is?" Allen teased.

"Oh come on, Allen," Jake chuckled. "You mean Bonnie? She's practically family. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure we aren't somehow related. As for Marta, the last I checked, she broke up and traded me out for the Luke Perry clone."

"Wait, so you guys are totally broken up? Laura heard you all were just going to see other people over the summer, not that it was done."

"A little fact that Laura doesn't know is that Marta started seeing other people before we talked about it. Matt's a sly one, I give him that."

"Ah yes, good ol' Matt Click. How's Mr. 90210 doing? I take it you guys never patched things up over the winter league?"

The thought of winter league still kicked him in the gut. "He's got a flawless arm, but it's annoying that the guy I honed my skills with for years is who my ex cheated with."

"At least you're going on this trip with no strings attached."

"It's pretty sweet." Jake dug around the closet for his Nirvana T-shirt and found one of his Reebok Pumps. Now to just find the other one, he thought as he surveyed the disorganized state of his walk-in closet. "Mom, Dad, and Kyle come out after the fourth of July for like a week or two and then back to the Old Pueblo."

"What are you gonna do for four weeks, besides chase farm girls?"

Jake laughed. "Dude, my grandpa has a list a mile long for that weathered cottage from the fifties. As for chasing girls, Bass Lake is barely on the map, but gossip travels faster than the cars going by on the interstate. What I'm really looking forward to is some freedom."

"I get that." Allen agreed as he wandered down the hall to check on his sisters. "Dad's back to driving long-haul this summer. As long as I'm watching my sisters and not getting into trouble, my mom doesn't care."

"I wish." Jake looked through the pile of crap he had pulled from his closet, finding another belt but not the matching Reebok. "Wish I had your luck; my mom wants a minute-by-minute itinerary of my life. I can't wait to break free."

"And go to..." Allen poured a glass of Crystal Pepsi and raised it as a toast to his friend in a stuffy tone. "Stanford."

"Shut up, Allen," Jake fired back. "You know I don't want to go there."

"Why not? Your folks are loaded, your college is paid for, and you'll get a job at your grandpa's company when you graduate."

"What if I don't want it?" Jake tossed a pairless shoe at the wall.

"I'd say you're smoking crack. Everyone wants that."

"To be told what they have to do for the rest of their life? Why would I want that?"

"Because it's easy." Allen found Nicole playing Mario Kart in the living room and cradled the phone on his shoulder as he decided to join her for a game, selecting Koopa Troopa. "My parents work their butts off to give us what we have."

"But they're always gone," Nicole quietly added to the conversation.

"I know, sis, I know." He gave her a side hug, setting down the controller after the race and heading toward the hallway. "That's the part you don't have to worry about, Jake, money."

Jake was quiet for a moment. "I guess I don't think of it that way."

"Yeah, man, I don't work at Fry's for fun." Samantha was in her room arranging her Barbies for tea. She raised a cup for Allen as he sat beside her. "I do it so if we have a bad month, we can have groceries and Sam can get her meds."

He gently clinked his cup to hers and savored his imaginary tea.

"Wow, I didn't realize it was that bad." Jake looked under his bed, hoping he would have better luck searching there.

"We do okay, and don't feel bad for us. Just saying you may want to think about it before you turn the offer down." Ruffling Samantha's hair, he headed back to his room.

"I know." Jake grunted as he felt the rubbery pump on the tongue of a shoe under the bed. "I just have to figure out what path I want to take."

"You will." Allen noticed the time on the Desert Storm watch his uncle had given him when he got back from Saudi Arabia. "You have a good trip, man. I need to get my sisters ready or Laura's gonna wonder what I'm doing."

"Thanks, you too." Jake hung up the phone as he pulled the Reebok pump out from under the bed and tossed it in the suitcase, looking at the whirlwind of clothes around him. "Well, at least I'm packed," he mused as he latched the suitcases and headed toward the door.