Emma and Cal’s marriage was a happy one. They shared farm work, childcare, laughs, and affection. Unfortunately, it ended too quickly. Always a hard worker, Cal collapsed in the fields and never got up again. Emma was heartbroken.

Gabriel had lost his beloved father. At least he had his cats for comfort.

Stella celebrated another birthday without her father. She wondered what she could have done differently to keep her father from leaving. She had only seen him three times since they left. Three times he had come asking for money to pay off debts. He would spend a little time with Stella and Kerry before disappearing once again. Stella hadn’t seen him since she was ten.

Stella was also upset about her recent breakup with her boyfriend of a year. He said she was too clingy. She just missed him and wanted him to know she loved him, she had told him, but he didn’t want to be with her anymore.

Before that was Mick. Stella thought she was in love, but Mick was often busy. He didn’t take her out much. Stella tried to hold on to him, but Mick told her he wasn’t looking for anything serious.

She sighed. What was wrong with her? Couldn’t any man love her?

Kerry was more carefree. He was full of energy. As a child, his teachers often complained about his inability to sit still for long or taking to long to line up at the end of recess. So, Sadie was surprised to hear Kerry’s teacher praise him.

“He’s really bright,”the teacher told her,”He should go to college. He could go far.”

Kerry wasn’t too excited about school. He longed to be outside, to be active.

Sadie and the teacher were able to convince Kerry to give it a try, if even one semester.

Kerry enrolled in college. To his surprise he enjoyed one of his classes. He would go home and share what he learned in Archeology class with his mother. He had found what he was looking for, a way to have adventures.

Kerry continued with college after the semester is over and earned a bachelors degree.

He returns from an expedition and talks excitedly about it to anyone who will listen.

Sadie is mourning another break up, but she can’t help but be happy for her brother. She listens to his stories and wishes she had something in her life that would bring her such joy.

Kerry’s excitement is dampened by Stella’s sadness. He tells her that he will be returning to the dig site in a couple of weeks. Maybe she could go with him and visit the sites while he works, he suggests.

“I don’t know,” said Stella.

“It will be fun,”Kerry encouraged her.

Kerry had to be at the dig site most of the day leaving Stella on her own. She went on tours to see the sights. On one tour she met Carlos.

“This tour is mediocre,” he told her,”I can show you the sights and give you the history without reading from a script.”

Stella agreed. After seeing some places, they went to dinner.

Carlos made Stella’s heart flutter. He smothers her with compliments, brings her flowers. They began spending every day together.

“My trip is almost over,”Stella sobbed.

“Don’t worry. We will only be apart for a short while. We will see each other again,”Carlos reassured her.

“You won’t forget me?”Stella asked.

“Never,”Carlos promised as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. “We were meant for each other. Fate brought us together.”

Stella smiled as Carlos led her into the bedroom.

Stella and Carlos exchanged addresses and promised to write to each other. They would see each other again. Stella wiped away tears as she said goodbye to him.

Stella told her mother about Carlos. She was disappointed in her mother’s reaction. Instead of being happy for her, her mother told her she was happy she had fun, but she hardly knew this man and he lived far away.

“You don’t get it,” Stella snapped. She got up and went to her room. She wrote a letter to Carlos. She couldn’t wait to get one from him.