Chapter 18

CHAPTER 18

***ARCHIE***

I t had been hours since the moon had risen slowly in the sky, but Archie didn't want to let go of Felicity, and she seemed perfectly content to stay right where she was in his arms. "It's getting late. I should probably go home," he said. "It's been a long day, and I'm sure you want to get some sleep."

"Hmmm……I'm okay right where I am," Feliciy said sleepily. "I don't want to let you go."

"I don't want to go either, but we both need to get some sleep," he said. "It's after midnight, and I was hoping we could go for a run in the morning. I've really missed that."

"Me too, it's been great having someone to run with," she said, then looked up at him. "And I'm getting spoiled having such a perfect place to run. It's going to be hard to go back to running in the park after this."

It hit him suddenly that he didn't know where that park was. "Felicity, I just realized that I don't know that much about you. We've been over just about every detail of my life, but I don't even know where you live," he said. "I've been such a selfish jerk. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be so self-involved."

"It's okay, Archie. We've had a lot going on, and there's really not that much to tell," she said, stretching up and kissing him. "I'll give you the short summary if that will make you feel better."

"That's a start, but I want to know everything about you, Felicity," he said, looking into her eyes. "Your favorite color, your favorite food. I want to know all about your childhood, I want to know your hopes and dreams."

"That could take a while," she said, grinning up at him.

"Fine with me," he said, returning her smile. "Forever might not be long enough."

After he kissed her until they were both breathless and wishing Brittany wasn't inside the cabin, Felicity settled back into his arms. "Brittany and I share an apartment in a little town just outside of Chicago where we grew up, and my parents live a few miles away. When I met Joe, we moved into the city, and I got a job teaching elementary school, which I adored until he got me fired because he wouldn't leave me alone while I was working. I haven't worked since then, but I'm going to have to figure out something soon. I can't keep letting Brittany and my parents support me."

"Do you think you'll go back to teaching?" he asked. "It sounds like you really enjoyed it."

Felicity was silent for a second. "I don't know, with this scar on my face, that might not be possible," she said. "Kids can be brutal, and it might scare some of them, I don't know……"

He shifted so that he was looking directly at her. "Felicity, you know that scar doesn't matter to me, and I'm sure it wouldn't matter to your students," he said. "But if you want to have it fixed, I know someone who you could trust. We went to medical school together, and she's almost as good as I am."

"I'll think about it; I'm just not sure I'm ready for another surgery and recovery; it's been so long since I felt healthy," she said. "I'm going to have to make some decisions soon, but I thought I'd give myself this time on the island before I do."

"I understand," he said, then hesitated. "Will you do me one favor, though? Keep me in mind when you're making those plans."

Felicity smiled up at him. "Silly man, you're always on my mind now," she said, then stretched up and gave him a kiss. "I don't know what will happen after we leave here, but I want us to be together."

"Me too," he said. "I'm going to call Bruce tomorrow. I'm interested in hearing what he has to say, but no matter what, I'm turning in my resignation first thing in the morning. I'm done working for Susan's father."

"Well, then it looks like we're both at loose ends," Felicity said, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe we both need to make a change. I've been thinking about moving away from home. There are so many bad memories there, it might be nice to get a fresh start someplace new."

"That sounds very appealing," he said. "I wouldn't mind leaving my old life behind and starting a new one with you."

"Then that's what we'll do," she said. "Start over somewhere new."

"But first, we need to get some sleep," he said. I really should go, Felicity. As much as I'd love to stay, that's not fair to your sister."

"Just a few more minutes," she said, snuggling back into his arms. "Then I'll let you go."

It was more than a few minutes later when he finally climbed down the ladder and headed back to his cabin, a smile of contentment on his face. The next few months were going to be the hardest of his life, but it was going to be worth it to free himself of Susan for once and for all. He'd never imagined how much it would change his life when he arrived on the island, but he'd be forever grateful to the forces that stepped in to send him down the right path.

He was in love with the perfect woman, and they had a bright future stretching out in front of them. He'd learned what was most important in life, and he'd never forget that lesson. There was a plan slowly forming in his mind, but he needed some sleep to make sure he hadn't lost his mind, that he wasn't grasping at straws trying to hold onto an old dream.

***Felicity***

Felicity put her book down, then stretched lazily in her lounge chair and stifled a yawn, wondering if she should take a nap. She looked over at Brittany, surprised to find her sister watching her, and sat up a bit straighter. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking how much you've changed since we got here," Brittany said. "I know some of it is Archie, but it's more than that. You've got more confidence, you're not hiding in the shadows anymore, and I'm so proud of you."

"Oh, Brittany, thank you," she said, tears springing to her eyes. "But it's not just Archie; it's you. Without you, I never would have made it this far. I love you, big sister."

"I love you too, little sister," Brittany said. "Now tell me the bad news."

"What bad news?" she asked. "Did I miss something?"

"Oh, come on, Felicity, you and Archie belong together, and I don't exactly fit into the picture," her sister said. "I'm not upset, I'm so happy for you, I just want to know what your plans are."

"We haven't made any yet, at least not specific ones, that's why I didn't say anything," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "But we were talking about making a fresh start someplace new to both of us. You've done so much for me, Brittany, but I want you to have your own life, and I don't know if you'll be able to do that with me around. This really has nothing to do with Archie. I've been thinking about it for a while. I wasn't going to make any decisions until we got back, but……"

"Things have changed," her sister finished for her. "It's okay, Felicity, it really is. I promise, I just want you to be happy."

"You're not mad, and you don't think I'm abandoning you?" she asked, then let out a sigh of relief when Brittany laughed. "I was so worried."

"Little sister, I'm ready to get back to my life," she said. "I will miss you if you move, but we'll talk on the phone and video chat. I'll visit you, and you'll visit me; it will be great."

They had lunch on the beach, took a swim to burn it off, and then began to pack up to go back to the cabin for a nap. "I wonder how Archie's phone call went this morning," she said, folding up her towel. I thought we'd see him at lunch. Maybe I should go find him. It might not have gone as well as he hoped."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that," Brittany said, pointing up the beach toward the village. "There he is now, and he's got a huge smile on his face. Maybe I should make myself scarce. You two probably need to talk."

She gave Brittany a hug. "You're the best sister ever," she said. "I'll be back in time for dinner."

Suddenly nervous as she watched Archie approach, Felicity had the feeling that her life was about to change, and for a split second doubted her feelings for Archie. But when he got to her, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her, the doubts faded away, replaced by the warmth of the love they shared.

"Where did Brittany go?" he asked when they came up for air. "I hope I didn't run her off."

"No, we were just getting ready to head back to the cabin," she said. "She's just giving us some privacy to talk. I told her about moving away and starting over."

"Was she upset?" Archie asked, guiding her back over to the chairs. "Because I came up with a plan that might take us farther away than you expected, but only if you agree."

"Archie, what are you talking about?" she asked. "How far away?"

"That's up to you," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Hundreds or thousands of miles, it just depends where you want to go."

"You're still not making any sense," she said, shaking her head. "You're going to have to explain this better."

"First, I have to tell you about my conversation with Bruce; that's what set this all off to begin with," he said, making himself comfortable, a pleased smile on his face. "As it turns out, Susan's greed is going to be her downfall. Instead of asking for a specific amount of money in alimony, she asked for a percentage of my income. There's nothing in the divorce decree requiring me to make a certain amount of money, just that she gets half of it."

"Half of it?" she squeaked, shocked. "That's crazy, Archie, I can't believe……"

"At the time, I was so beaten down it didn't matter, but it matters now," he said, a malicious smile on his face. "That one little clause in the divorce decree is going to get me my freedom."

"But how?" she asked, and then it hit her. "Wait, I think I know what you're planning. You're going to stop making money. Half of nothing is nothing. But how are you going to get away with that? The courts won't just let you sit around doing nothing when you could be working."

"Oh, I'll be working, doing what I've always wanted to do," he said. "I won't be making much money, but I'll finally be doing some good in the world, and I hope I can talk you into going with me."

"You lost me again," she said, shaking her head, but smiling at his enthusiasm. "Where are you going to work?"

"I've already been in contact with my friend, the one I told you about," he said. "She runs a non-profit that helps bring healthcare to some of the most impoverished places in the world. She's been bugging me to come work for them for years. It's exactly what I've always wanted to do, but not without you, Felicity. Sharon was very interested in your credentials when I mentioned that you're a teacher; I don't suppose you'd want to go to Thailand or Africa, or someplace equally exotic for a year?"