That evening, as the group was relaxing on the terrace enjoying a brandy, the last piece of the puzzle fell into place. Jonathan had gone inside to answer a phone call, which turned out to be from Lieutenant Grey. When he returned, Jonathan had explained to the rest of them that during further police interrogation, Michael had revealed the true reason for his quest for cash. For many years, beginning in his late teens, he had suffered with a gambling addiction which had controlled his life and drained him financially. During his college years he became in debt to a bookie whose penalty for delinquent repayment included severe physical reminders. In fear for his own life, Michael had made a desperate move and had traded his parents lives for his own. He had hired DiMarco to eliminate his parents, allowing him, as their sole heir, to collect the benefits of their insurance policies. This money had sustained him for a number of years, along with his salary from Sanders Construction. Recently, however, he was feeling the pinch again and knew that he needed a quick infusion of cash. He had been skimming from the business for quite a while, but he was unable to gain the large amount of money he needed without arousing suspicion. Around this same time he had learned of Andie's true parentage, and the two combined, propelled him toward murder again. His motivation had been strong, and only the incompetence of Tony DiMarco had kept Andie alive.
The next morning, after breakfast, Andie and the Harts walked outside with Derek to his car to say their goodbyes. After spending one night at the home of his new friends, Derek knew he had to return to San Diego to face what remained of his company and to begin rebuilding. He felt more excited about doing this as he had the knowledge that Andie would soon be joining him.
"Call me if you need anything," Jonathan told Derek, shaking his hand, a gesture that just a few days before would have been meaningless. "Anything at all."
"Thank you...for everything. You have already done so much to help both Andie and I."
"Don't forget to call Sam Peters when you get back," Jonathan reminded him, mentioning the name of a business associate in San Diego whom Jonathan had already contacted about helping Derek with the resurrection of Sanders Construction. As soon as Derek had indicated to Jonathan that he had an interest in retaining the company, Jonathan knew that Peters would be an invaluable asset to him. Peters had helped Jonathan save many a sinking business through his business savvy and public relations expertise. Sanders Construction could use some positive PR after all of the talk of the company being sold and the unethical business dealings that Michael had been conducting. Between Derek's determination and Peters' know-how, Jonathan had no doubt that the company could be saved.
"I will, first thing." Derek then lightly shook Jennifer's hand and thanked her for her hospitality before turning to Andie. "And I'll see you in a few days," he said, winking at her and kissing her gently on the cheek. He had wanted Andie to return to San Diego with him, but he had let it drop after she had explained that she had a few things in LA that she still needed to take care of. Knowing she was not one to be pressured, he had left it alone, grateful that she was willing to return at all.
"I'll be there," she replied, with a smile and a wink of her own.
They waited in the distance, watching her form as she kneeled at the grave and placed a simple floral arrangement at the base of the stone. Jennifer and Jonathan wanted to allow Andie her privacy as she paid her first visit to her father's final resting place. They knew it would be an emotional time for her, not many people ever had to say "hello" and "goodbye" to a parent at the same time. For Andie it was a time of mixed emotions, the happiness of finally knowing her true parentage and where she came from, and the sadness of knowing that she would never know her father's love.
They watched her move to the stone bench that faced the gravestone, the bench that the Harts had placed there for their frequent visits to the site, as well as the visits of Max's many friends. Though his physical being was no longer present in their lives, whenever they needed to feel a connection to their friend, Jennifer and Jonathan would come there to talk with him, to laugh and to cry. Sometimes they came together, and sometimes alone. Especially in the first months after his death, they would have long conversations with him, almost feeling as if he were sitting next to them. It was a beautiful place for quiet contemplation, one that Max had chosen himself several years before his death. It sat on a bluff with the view of a valley below, with trees for shade and a calming, peaceful feeling. There was almost always a breeze present and the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. One could almost forget that they were in a cemetery, there was such a feeling of tranquility.
"Do you think she's okay?," Jennifer said softly. "We should give her some time alone but what if she needs us?"
Taking her hand and, leading her away from where they had been leaning against their car, Jonathan responded. "She's fine, darling." He led her to a shaded spot under a large tree where they both took a seat leaning against the tree for support. They both knew that the other's thoughts were of Max and for a few minutes they just sat in silence, watching Andie in the distance as she talked to her father. They both knew what she was going through and hoped that this visit would bring her some sort of closure.
"I think Max would really be proud of her," Jonathan said, with a touch of pride in his voice. "In the words of Max, 'she's quite a lady!'"
"She sure is." Jennifer leaned against her husband's chest, reclining her head back to rest on the front of his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and rested his cheek against the softness of her hair. They just sat there, lost in the moment, until they saw Andie rise from the bench, kiss the tips of her fingers and brush them against the top of the gravestone. She then turned away slowly and, without looking back, walked toward the Harts. They rose from the ground, brushed the grass from their clothes, and walked to meet her.
As they came face to face with her, they saw a different look on her face, one of peace. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying but in them was a look of contentment. Jennifer immediately moved to hug her and the two fell against each other in an embrace. After a few seconds, they moved apart, both wiping away their tears.
Not wanting to rush her, neither Jennifer or Jonathan said a word or made a move to leave.
"I think I'm ready to go now," Andie said finally, with one last glance behind her. "Thank you so much for bringing me here. I guess it was just something I needed to do."
"Believe me, we understand," Jennifer said smiling as the trio walked toward the car, without uttering another word.
The voice on the loudspeaker announced the boarding of flight #1433, the commuter flight that would return Andie to San Diego. After spending a leisurely morning with the Harts, they had driven her to the airport and waited with her for her plane's arrival.
They had spent the previous evening going through the contents of Max's room, allowing his daughter to take whatever personal items of his she wanted. They knew that he would want her to have them and they already had so much of him. Hours had flown by as each item had triggered many stories of Max and his adventures. Each picture of him caused one of them to launch into a story. Jennifer and Jonathan loved talking about their friend and they wanted Andie to know what kind of a man her father had been. He had been such a gentle and loving man, despite a sometimes rather gruff exterior, and it was important to them that she know that. He had been someone who would do anything to help a fellow human being, a stranger just the same as a friend. But most importantly he was their friend, and their family. And now Andie was too.
Andie was touched by their kindness and knew somehow that she would never feel alone again. Regardless of how things went with Derek, she knew that she could always count on the Harts and that they would always be there for her. She had never had that with anyone but her mother and couldn't believe her good fortune. It was the one gift that her father had been able to give her--the friendship of Jennifer and Jonathan. They told her that she was always welcome to come back anytime and she knew that somehow in a very short time a bond had formed that would never be broken. And all three of them knew that somewhere Max was watching them and smiling.
"Well, I guess I'd better be going," Andie said reluctantly, not wanting to leave her new friends.
"We'll be down to see you in a couple of weeks," Jonathan reminded her, sensing her anxiousness.
"I can't wait," she replied happily, remembering that she and Jennifer had plans to 'shop till they dropped' while Jonathan helped Derek with some business matters. Andie was going to find a new apartment in San Diego and Jennifer had promised to help her furnish it. Though Derek wanted Andie to stay at the house with him, she felt it would be better if she find a place of her own to begin her new life. Everything in her life had changed and she was optimistic that it was for the better.
She hugged her new friends goodbye as the airline attendant announced the final boarding call for her flight.
"Take care of yourself, Andie, and we'll see you soon," Jennifer told her as she released her from an embrace. They had promised not to say goodbye, as it wasn't the end of their relationship, it was merely the beginning. Max had brought them together and now she was family.
"See you in a couple of weeks then," she replied, her eyes misty but her smile shining. "Don't get into too much trouble without me!," she called to them as she walked away. But even after knowing them for such a short time she knew that was an impossible request.
They laughed as they watched her walk through the gate leading to her plane. They watched through the large windows as her plane departed and taxied down the runway before rising into the sky.
Turning to his wife, Jonathan spoke first. "Well darling, I believe we have a plane of our own to catch."
"Lead the way," she replied and the two of them walked arm in arm through the corridors of the airport to the section reserved for private jet departures.
The Hart Industries jet gently ascended through the clouds, finally reaching its final cruising altitude. Jennifer and Jonathan released their seatbelts, got up from the large leather seat which more closely resembled a living room couch than an airline seat, and stretched. Making his way to the fully stocked bar, Jonathan pulled a bottle of champagne from the refrigerator beneath and poured out two glasses.
The interior of the plane was decorated beautifully, one would almost feel as if they were sitting in their own living room, rather than in a plane floating through the clouds.
Returning to his wife, who was settled on a luxurious well-cushioned sofa in the main cabin, he handed her a long-stemmed glass full of champagne and took a seat next to her, draping his arm around her shoulders.
"To our long anticipated getaway," he said, raising his glass to hers till the crystal clanked together and let out a high pitched ring. They both sipped from their glasses contentedly.
"Finally! New York here we come!," she added, excitedly. "I'm so glad we were both able to clear our schedules and make the trip after all. Now nothing can keep us from enjoying the next 3 days."
"Well, let's hope not!" he agreed. "But let's face it, we seem to have a knack for finding trouble. Or does trouble find us?" They both laughed.
"At least this time, the trouble was all worth it," Jennifer remarked, feeling that a postponed vacation was a small price to pay for discovering Max's long lost daughter. "I'm glad everything seems to be working out for Andie. I know she was only here for a few days but I'm going to miss her. It was like having a little part of Max with us."
"Darling, we'll be seeing her in just a couple of weeks." He didn't like seeing the sad look on his wife's face and had just the plan to erase it. Moving his arm from behind her back, he reached over and took the glass from her hand, placing it, along with his, on the small glass topped table directly in front of them.
"Now," he said, looking at his watch, "I believe we have several uninterrupted hours before we will be arriving in New York. I don't suppose you have any ideas of what we could do to fill that time, do you?" The look in his eyes told her all she needed to know.
"Hmmm.....," she said coyly, "I think we still have a deck of cards in the cabinet from when Max traveled with us. Let me check...." She attempted to rise from the couch but was quickly pulled back onto her husband's lap.
"That wasn't exactly the game I had in mind," he said, pulling her face around toward his with his strong hands and gently brushing her lips with his.
"Perhaps I could interest you in a game of chess then," she said playfully, rubbing the area of his chest exposed from the open buttons at the top of his shirt with her forefinger.
"You think you're cute, don't you?" He said, feigning irritation but secretly loving it when she was in one of these moods.
"Are you saying I'm not?" She said this with a slight pout on her face and a seductive look in her eyes, a look she knew he could never resist.
"Well, that probably wouldn't be the first word I would have chosen to describe you," he replied, widening his eyes and raising his eyebrows in a devilish look.
"No? What word would you have chosen?" She loved putting him on the spot, leading him down a path where he could only get himself into trouble.
"I've got a better idea," he said, knowing the trap he was about to fall into. He pulled her over into a reclined position, her body resting on his. Brushing a stray hair from her face, he kissed her, lightly at first, then with increasing intensity. Their bodies melted together, igniting their passion.
Jennifer pulled away, elevating herself from the couch. Jonathan looked up at her breathlessly, knowing exactly where his wife wanted him to follow. She reached for his hand, drew him to his feet, and began leading him to the small sleeping quarters near the rear of the jet.
As they passed through the narrow doorway of the private quarters reserved only for them, Jonathan pulled his wife into his arms, staring deeply into her eyes. As he looked into the depths of her soul, he knew, as always, that there was no other woman in the world for him.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear, knowing that no words could ever begin to express the intensity of his feelings for her.
"And I love you," she replied, brushing his cheek with hers as she tightly closed her arms around him. She had never meant the words more as her love for him grew with each passing day.
They closed the door behind them, entering their own private place. As the plane soared through the sky and the night grew dark beneath the clouds, the Harts knew only each other. Their love, the depths of which only they could ever understand, took them to places where no one else could follow.
