Where They Will Be [PUBLISHED]

Part Three

Emily's name was blurred by droplets of water, presumably her tears.

There were a cloud of mist around Amber's eyes as she finished reading the story.

She finally knew what was going on and what it all meant.

She jumped up from the seat and ran up the stairs to Emily's bedroom. She went over to the drawer with the picture frame on top, and pulled out Emily's suicide note that she left at her death scene. It was folded into a tight square. Amber had left it there after reading it and promised herself never to see it again. It saddened her when she remembered Emily was no longer with her.

But now wasn't the time to be scared or afraid. She had to be strong, for her, for Emily, for little James.

She unfolded the little sheet of paper with shaking hands and read the few words scribbled wobbly on it:

I hope he's happy. I love you, my angel.

I love you so much. I'm sorry.

-Emily

When Amber first read the note she had not understood what it meant. Who was 'he'? Who was the 'angel'?

Now she finally knew. She could finally understand the pain her daughter had gone through. She finally understood the reason why Emily chose to make a death dive off the 7th story of the building. And James...

Something shattered into a billion pieces Amber's heart. She couldn't even begin to imagine the agony that the little boy had gone through. She clutched the note and the letter tightly in her hands and held them close to her racing heart.

Amber, for the first time in all her life, had a clear picture of what she must do. She reached up and pressed the papers to her lips and said in a firm, declarative, determined voice, "I'm coming to get you, James. Wait for me. I'm about to give you the home that future your mom had anticipated for you."

She wasted no time to ring up with Matthew to tell him everything that she had discovered. She told him of her plans to go to The School of Homeless Boys and adopt James under Emily's name. She told him how she planned to raise the boy like her own. She told him everything.

Matthew agreed immediately. He knew that if Amber did this, she would crawl out from her shell of depression. James was the answer to everything, to the universe, to beyond.

"I'm going right now," Amber informed him.

"Let me come with you," Matthew pleaded.

"No," Amber said and shook her head, even though she knew he wouldn't be able to see it. "This is something that I must do alone."

"But, would you be alright?"

Amber smiled a genuine smile for the first time in days. "Yes, I think I will. You know something strange? I have never felt so determined, so full of energy, all my life. I have a feeling that I will succeed."

"What if James is no longer in America?" Matthew asked.

"No, he is still here," Amber said confidently. "I can feel it crawling up my spine."