The road stretched out before and behind Faith. The miles she'd already covered swept behind her like a wedding train. The miles left to cover spread before her as far as the eyes could see.Faith Donovan was going home. After all the tears and sorrow, she was returning to the one place where she felt most comfortable. It was true what they said after all. There is no place like home.It'll be a bit of a shock for everyone to see her come home in her pearly white car and her fancy new dresses. Someone might just keel over and die from shock.The truth was Faith was no longer that girl that left home all those months ago. She was changed inside and out.Her thinking, her behavior... just everything. She hoped this new her wouldn't rub anyone the wrong way. Not just her family, but the neighbors as well.When you grew up with next to nothing around families facing the same struggles and hardships as you, you ended up as more of a community, a family, than just neighbours.But her new re

Kaylee walked past Faith as if she wasn't there and disappeared into the house. If not for the telltale sign of her clenched jaw, Faith would have freaked out worrying if her sister had gone blind.She gave her brothers a helpless look. They shrugged and rolled their eyes.Kaylee was the drama queen of the family. Everyone knew not to mess with her when she was in a mood. Faith knew none of the boys would willingly get involved in their drama. It had been the same growing up. This particular drama had been on for a while."Is she still mad?" She asked.It was little Toby who answered. "She's big mad.""So everytime Dad told me she wasn't around for me to speak to her on the phone..."Paul winced. "Sorry.""How have you been coping?" Faith asked Paul sympathetically. "By reminding myself that I only have one year left in the madhouse," he answered with a sigh."You've only been at it, what? One year? Remember, I was in charge here for my entire childhood.""And I salute your fortitu

Faith hurried back in with a small luggage. She made everyone move their plates aside and placed it on the table top.She probably should just wait until they were all done eating but she couldn't bring herself to. She was so excited to give them what she brought and see their reactions.Faith unzipped the bag and threw it open. "So there's something for everybody," she announced. "Except you guys, mom and dad. Sorry.""It's fine. You shouldn't have bothered getting any gifts at all," Her mum said."Yeah, you didn't have to go to any trouble," her Dad added."I disagree!" Kaylee exclaimed, making them all laugh."It's fine,' she said to her mum, then announced, "I'll start with Toby."She pulled out a small package and passed it to him. He grinned, bopping up and down on his chair as he hurriedly unwrapped the present.He unvieled his gift and gasped. "A Nintendo switch! No way! Mum look."She looked it over in his hands. "What is this?""It's for playing games. Nobody else at school

Faith was wolfing down her breakfast at an alarming rate because if she didn't, the three soldiers standing in front of her with folded arms and squinted eyes would drag her off without breakfast.Faith chuckled. "You guys are making me uncomfortable. I'll choke on my food at this rate if you keep looking at me like that."The only response from her three senrtires were deeper frowns. Faith looked over at Paul and rolled her eyes. "You would think I stole the Mona Lisa."He laugned. "I guess as far as they're concerned, if they don't get that ride, you're just as guilty as someone who stole the Mona Lisa."To the kids he said, "Guys, sit down. One would think you've never ridden in a car before."Kaylee scowled. "Eric Paul's cousin's truck doesn't count!""Faith's car is so much cooler," Toby gushed."You should see one of Devlin's cars," Faith murmured but the sharp-eared kids still heard."Who is Devlin?" Kaylee demanded."No one," Faith answered quickly, too quickly."I bet it's th

Devlin prepared himself to begin to speak. Right before Faith's eyes, she saw him transform. A shadow fell across his face, grief entered into his eyes and his shoulders hung down as though being crushed by a heavy weight.Immediately, Faith remembered that she'd seen this before...this man...this version of Devlin. He look older, greyer, more frail. This was a man wrecked with grief and with a start, she realized that this man had always been there under the shadows, lurking and waiting.For every smile and every happy moment she'd had with Devlin, this grief-stricken man was watching, crying beneath the mask.Even without hearing what he had to say yet, Faith's eyes began to water. She fought the urge to pull him into her arms and hug him, to tell him that he was not alone. She fought the urge and she waited.Devlin started speaking. "What I'm about to tell you, I've only ever told three people. I told Casiuss all those years ago when we met. I told Sheila when I was trying to convi