“And let me just say,” Jane said, taking her hand and leading her to the passenger side. “I’m so sorry that it’s had to be this long before you could come. William has just hated it.”

A familiar sting of anger flared. I’ve hated it too.

Hated that she’d had no contact with William in the past three, long years. She thought of him every day, and longed to see him for a million reasons. She wanted to hold him, run her hands through that thick, unruly red hair. See those eyes, the brilliant color of blue.

Blue.

“I know it’s impossible for your mother to make the trip,” Jane said, hurrying over to help Roxy inside.

“Her health isn’t great. But she’s made the transition to Tennessee really well. Anne is staying with her while we’re here.”

Jane settled into the driver’s seat. “It’s remarkable, isn’t it? That she’s even still alive. I would like to meet her. But I suppose that will probably never happen.”

No. It hurts to realize it, but no.

It had all happened so quickly that day. She’d come out of the strange trance to find herself feeling light, as if a burden the size of a grand piano had been lifted off her shoulders. Stella, Roxy, and Kate had surrounded her, repeatedly asking if she was OK. They told her that her eyes had rolled back in her head and she hadn’t moved. She’d replied she was fine, and asked about William.

They didn’t know. Then came the excited cries from the tents nearby.

Not long after, the helicopters started taking off, carrying the others, still under heavy guard despite the overwhelming proof pouring in across the globe: The disasters had stopped, almost immediately, all over the world.

Lynn had insisted that she remain, but the general was not having it. The danger was still too real. Roxy actually sat herself on the ground, stating that she would not move her considerable behind until she knew William was safe.

After an hour, the general had stridden over with his phone, telling them all to gather around. “Our drones can go in now,” he said, pointing to the screen.

His finger extended to the video of a red-haired man walking towards the Jeep. Holding his hand was a little girl who looked remarkably like the one who’d been rushed away with Quincy.

With that, the general summoned the soldiers to have the women taken to a helicopter. “I don’t have time to deal with you,” he said, practically shoving them all inside. “What our crews found inside that rock formation … Not to mention that thousands of people around the world have suddenly returned.”