Byron Pierce

He disappeared before my eyes. I found myself grinning the rest of the morning. Aaron wasn't the only one who would be OK.

He started to fade a bit. "Well, I'll be going, but I needed to thank you, for all you've done for my family. Aaron's going to be OK now."

to have to worry about you hovering around while I'm with women, Cindy or otherwise." He laughed loudly. "Then don't worry about it!"

get over it." I nodded. "I probably will, eventually." "Well, that Cindy chick should help take your mind off things." "Listen, I don't want

"Thanks to your son, it did work out. Except for that little part about my killing my best friend, that is." "Oh, that," he replied. "You'll

"And you, my friend," he replied. "I came to apologize. I'm glad it worked out as I thought it would and you didn't have to go to prison."

had a choice. Except for on soap operas and 'Lost,' dead is pretty much dead." "Well..." "It's good to see you, Phil," I said, sincerely.

see you again," I said. "I'm like a bad penny. Besides, you didn't think I would really leave you, did you?" I laughed. "I wasn't aware you

meditate for an hour every morning, no matter what. This morning as I opened my eyes I heard a soft chuckle. Phil. "I didn't think I'd ever

Serenity changed my life many ways. I'm extraordinarily wealthy, allowing me to purchase Tops, which is actually very exciting. And I still

Without then I wouldn't have Raven." "True. But when I realized what happened I should have -" She cut me off with another hug. "It's over."

go through all of that," she said. "You're sorry? After what I put you through?" "Hey, I know Phil's powers of persuasion, remember?

my shoulder & looked up to see Sofia. "Hey," I said. "I've been meaning to talk to you." Sofia hugged me tightly. "I'm so sorry you had to

"Right back at you. Without the whole charges being dropped thing." We laughed, and Dennis turned to other well-wishers. I felt a hand on

his hand. "Good luck, man. Now that the charges have been dropped, I hope you can find what you came to Bay City looking for." I nodded.

"But I promise that, given the chance, I'll take as good care of Tom for you as you did for me all those years." I nodded & Dennis held out

counting on you to take care of my boy -" my words faded as I got choked up. "I know we've had our differences in the past," Dennis said.

colliding." Dennis laughed. "And now they always will," he said. "But not over a woman, thank God! Dennis, thank you for what you said. I'm

Last night I made my way thru the crowd to Dennis. "Hey," I said. "Hey yourself," he replied. "So, here we are again. Seems our lives keep

by my leadership of Serenity, would take another major hit. Maybe it was time to contemplate a new career.