5 comments/ 39197 views/ 7 favorites The Escapee Ch. 01-02 By: coaster2 Chapter One: He had to escape. He had no choice. There was always something there to remind him. He sat in the forward lounge of the ferry and looked out to the west toward 'The Island'. He needed to look forward, not back. He needed to find something or someplace to start again. Start again? No, that wasn't possible. There would be no new beginning, no fairy-tale rescue for him. He would just have to move on and look for the next place to be. When Shannon died, a big piece of him died as well. He did the predictable and threw himself into his work; his business. But it was futile. He spent the hours and did the work, but there was no relief. The final straw was the death of Abby, her Chocolate Lab. Cancer had destroyed Shannon and old age and heartbreak had destroyed Abby. He knew then it was hopeless. He couldn't go on this way. There was no continuation; he had to be somewhere else and do something else. He sold his business and then their home and furnishings. He gave as much as he could to their son, Mike, but in the end, much of their chattel went to the Goodwill. He said goodbye to his parents and they wished him well with a distinct air of understanding and yet sadness. He packed his clothes and the precious things that came from their marriage and shoved them randomly into his Volvo wagon and headed for Vancouver Island. Close enough to civilization and far enough to be 'away'. They had talked about retiring to the Comox Valley many times, but Shannon's disease, her treatments and finally her death put an end to that dream. And so she was gone, unable to share anything with him anymore. He checked into the Riverside Bed & Breakfast and the next day, made arrangements for a heated storage container for his clothes and the other things he had brought with him. He kept one suitcase and a selection of clothes to last him over the time it would take to find a place to live. He relaxed and drove aimlessly around the area for a couple of days to get the lay of the land and see if he could pick out an area that he would be happy with. Three days after his arrival, he walked into the Valley Real Estate office in Courtenay and asked to see a sales representative. Donna Remple was almost fifty and dreaded counting the days until that number was confirmed. She had sailed through forty without much thought, but this milestone was proving to be a larger obstacle. She had been divorced for almost fifteen years and her only child, Melanie, was attending the University of Victoria, studying god-knows-what. The young woman had no sense of direction and despite having been raised by her mother with only occasional guidance from her father, she was just coasting along, wondering what might come next. Melanie's mother was the polar opposite. Donna was a driven woman; determined to succeed and she had accomplished that and more in the little community. She was the top sales agent in the Valley and served on a number of volunteer committees in the district. She had been asked to run for Town Council, but had politely declined; recognizing the workload and the polarization of opinion that would result. She also knew that her single-minded nature had been the cause of the failure of her marriage to Jim Remple. He was a mild-mannered gentleman with a successful tax and investment business and was happy with what Donna viewed then as modest success. They were probably never quite right for each other and it took them almost twelve years to figure that out. They parted without animosity, but knowing they had failed at something important. When Jack Matheson walked into the office that morning, she quickly sized him up. Early fifties at most, tall; over six feet, handsome in an unconventional way, neatly dressed, distinguished graying at the temples, no glasses, nice nails and a wedding ring. Qualifying the customer was a very old habit. "Can I help you?" "I'm looking for a representative. I'm thinking of moving here." He was looking at her carefully. "I'm Donna Remple. I can help you." she smiled as she held out her hand. "Jack Matheson." He sensed her stiffening as he gave his name. "Something wrong?" he asked simply. "Any relation to Geoff Matheson?" she asked carefully. "No ... not that I know of. I'm new to the area." he answered with a slight smile. "Good ... I mean ... welcome to Courtenay Mr. Matheson. Why don't you come into my office and we can talk there." He nodded his acceptance and followed her to the small glass-walled office in the rear. He was watching Donna Remple and thinking that this was an attractive woman; slightly overweight, but not dramatically so. He wondered idly when the last time he thought about another woman might have been. It hadn't been on his mind much lately. He sat in the upholstered chair opposite her and waited for her to begin. "Is your wife going to be here as well?" she began. "No ... no she's not." he answered averting her eyes. "I'm ... on my own." he continued. "Oh ... I see." She seemed to take a breath and then began again. "What type of a home are you looking for?" "Nothing fancy. Not a bachelor pad and not a townhouse. I kind of like my privacy. A bungalow, I guess. Maybe with a basement and preferable with a garage." The woman was rapidly making notes as he talked and looking up at him on occasion. She stopped for a moment. His eyes ... there was a sad look about them. A wedding ring but no wife. Divorced? Not likely. Separated? Possibly. Widowed? Possibly. At some point she'd find out. She liked the look of this guy, but it was just a first impression. Besides, with that last name, he was going to have some questions coming his way that he wouldn't expect or understand. "Well, there's a pretty good inventory right now, so I'm sure we can find more than a few houses to look at." she offered cheerfully. "I have a suggestion. Why don't I drive you around to some of the best districts and show you what's what and then we can weed out the better choices." "Fine. When would you like to do that?" he asked. "Well, I have all afternoon free. How's your schedule?" she smiled. "Open. Let's do that." he said succinctly. Donna Remple was intrigued. There was something about this man that was missing, but she couldn't put her finger on it. She wanted to get to know him better; better than just riding around in the car and looking at houses. "I have a suggestion, Mr. Matheson. Why don't we have lunch and I can get a little better idea of what you're looking for and then we can come back here and see what there is in the inventory. I know this area very well and I can steer you away from the areas you wouldn't be happy with." She was pleased that she didn't detect any wariness on his part; he was nodding agreement as she spoke. "Sure ... that would be fine. By the way ... it's Jack." he smiled. "And it's Donna." she smiled in return. She was pleased that they had gotten off to such a pleasant beginning. Donna chose a little pub down by the river for lunch mainly because it had small broken-up areas that would afford more privacy and less noise. She saw the favorable reaction by Jack as they entered and knew she had made a good choice. They found a small booth in a back corner and ordered a drink before their meal. Jack's local ale and Donna's white wine arrived and they ordered their lunch. Jack had a feeling of comfort with Donna that he hadn't expected. She was a professional and he was satisfied he was in good hands, but the other part of the equation was her personal style. She was composed and not pushy or aggressive. He had seen the numerous awards on the wall of her office and knew she was a top sales person in the district. He expected someone more dynamic and was surprised that she was anything but. Donna was also surprised. She felt no need to be aggressive with Jack. She didn't need to push him. He knew what he wanted and she suspected she was going to have to be careful around this man. He was stronger than he looked at first glance. She was also aware of her attraction to him. That hadn't happened in a long time. It certainly hadn't ever happened in this short period. She was also curious about him. She asked him to describe his ideal home and after some hesitation and thought, he spelled out the criteria of his "perfect home". Again, she was surprised; it wasn't what she expected. It wasn't an all-male domain and yet it wasn't some Good Housekeeping model either. It seemed to be a mix of ideas that came together better than she thought they would. She also realized that there were only a few homes in this area that would fit his description. "Maybe you should design and build your own home." she finally suggested. "Maybe ... but I'd rather not." he grinned. "I gather that there's nothing in the "inventory" that looks quite like what I've described." "Not that I know of," she laughed. "but, we won't know until we look." she added. She was enjoying the conversation. "Why don't you make a list of Musts, Wants and Likes? It's what I usually work from anyway. I don't often get a client that has such detailed ideas of what they like. I'm sure we can find something for you and then you can decide if you want to build your own. OK?" "Fine. It'll take me a while to put that list together, so maybe we can postpone this afternoon until I have it ready. I don't want to waste your time." "No ... don't think about it. I can still show you around and help you get an idea of what's available and which are the most desirable areas." Donna was hoping she wasn't sounding too desperate. She really wanted to spend more time with this man and this afternoon would be perfect. There was nothing to rush either of them. She had turned her cell phone off for the lunch as was considering leaving it off. "Well, if you're sure it's not an inconvenience." he offered tentatively. "Let's skip the office and we'll take my car and just drive around. I have a good area map that I can give you and you can make some notes if you see something. OK?" she asked a little more confidently. "OK." They finished their lunch and Donna paid the bill after a brief argument about it with Jack. After all, he was the customer she reminded him. They walked out into the sunshine slipped into her late model Lexus and they were off. "So ... is your husband in the business Donna?" As soon as he asked, he knew it was transparent. "No ... I'm not married ... if that's what you're asking." she laughed. "Not very subtle, huh." "Not very." she was still in a good mood. "I was married, but it didn't take. I have a twenty year old daughter to show for it." Jack was silent for a few moments. "You wear a wedding ring." Donna finally stated. It was a statement of fact as well as an unspoken question. "My wife died." he said simply. "Oh ... oh ... I'm sorry." "Yah ... me too." "Accident?" "Cancer." "Oh, dear. Was it ...?" "Very." He looked away, out the side window. Even after almost three years, he would tear up when he thought of her. He kept thinking he would get over it and it hadn't yet happened. He wondered if he ever would. He waited as the impulse subsided and then once again looked back out the windshield. Donna knew what was happening and was silently kicking herself for pushing him into that territory. They rode along in silence for a while. Donna had lost the opportunity to talk to him. She chose to say nothing as they drove toward the west side and Comox. Soon she would be able to tell him about the community and show him some of the areas that she thought he might be interested in. At least it would change the subject. By four o'clock they had covered most of the areas that Donna had wanted him to see. They hadn't stopped at any of the houses, but she could tell by his comments that he had seen a couple of likely possibilities and she filed that information away until she was back at the office and could look up the properties on the Multiple Listing site. "It's nearly five." Jack observed. "Can I buy you a drink as a thank you?" "That would be nice ... but you don't have to thank me." she said demurely. "Oh ... I don't know about that. You turned your cell phone off. I appreciate that." he said quietly; looking at her with a slight smile. Donna was jolted and her eyes widened momentarily. He had seen that and it had registered. It was an important piece of information about Jack Matheson; he was very observant. They returned to the pub by the river and sat again in a small booth near a window overlooking the river. It was a partly cloudy sky with off and on sun and reasonably warm for an early April day. "I think I'm going to like living here." Jack offered finally. "It is a lovely place." she said simply. "Why did you turn your phone off?" he asked abruptly. Donna was nonplussed. She was completely unprepared for the question and stammered her reply. "Well ... I uh ... wanted to give you my ... full attention." He smiled at her discomfort and just nodded. "So, what's the singles scene for middle-aged people like us around here?" Again, something completely out of the blue. "Uh ... well ... I guess you could say limited." she stumbled. She looked across at him and could see the humor in his eyes and she began to relax. "I've been single fifteen years, so except for new arrivals like you, I've pretty well exhausted the supply." When she said it, she snorted a laugh. "Well then ... I have something to offer." he said in a deadpan delivery. Donna almost choked and snorted her wine again. She was completely off-balance and yet none of the conversation was anything but light-hearted. She struggled to maintain her usual composure, but had given up any idea that she could lead this man around in her normal, authoritative way. He had destroyed that idea completely. "Yes ... I suppose you do." She looked at him again and was intrigued by this man and his ability to completely control her without any hint of overt power. "I was going to suggest dinner tonight ... if you're not already committed. I'm sure you hate to eat alone as much as I do." he continued in "that" voice. "That's very thoughtful, but I won't be alone tonight." she said almost with regret. "I'm going to be with almost fifty for dinner tonight. It's the Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting." She didn't want to lose the moment. "Perhaps another night? Tomorrow?" she asked hopefully. "Tomorrow it is. I'll look forward to it." he smiled and Donna began to relax again. They talked about the houses they saw and Donna had made a note of the two that caught Jack's eye. She would print out the MLS information on them in the morning and Jack could pick them up at the front desk if she wasn't in the office. She would likely have some catching up to do since she had been caught with her cell phone off for the entire afternoon. They talked about the town and the neighborhoods and when Donna looked at her watch she realized she was already late for her dinner meeting. "I've got to go. I'll see you tomorrow. Call me on my cell and we can decide where to go for dinner." she said quickly. "Fine. Enjoy your meeting. I'll pick up the info in the morning and call you after lunch. That OK?" "Perfect. Talk to you then." she finished and hurried out of the pub to her car. Jack sat back in the booth and closed his eyes for a moment. When the attractive young waitress came by, he ordered another ale and asked for a menu. His B & B was just around the corner and he could walk there in less than five minutes. He had a feeling he would be seeing a lot of this pub in the future; providing the food was decent. It had been an interesting day. For the first time in many, many years, he was attracted to a woman other than his wife. She didn't look anything like Shannon. His late wife was like a blonde willow; lithe and slim, flaxen-hair caressing her shoulders, pale blue eyes and elegant bearing. She might have been a model except that she was shy and would almost disappear in a crowd if she chose to. He closed his eyes and thought of her. It was almost as though she was with him again. He could see her standing in their garden, but she was transparent. She was wearing one of those feather-light summer dresses she loved and a wide-brim straw hat to keep the sun off her. Again, a tear trickled down his cheek as the image grew dimmer and finally vanished. Donna was nothing at all like Shannon. The two women were like paintings; Shannon the delicate watercolor and Donna, the boldly colored oil canvas. Donna was voluptuously proportioned with large breasts and an ample backside. She wore her dark auburn hair short and her nicely rounded face featured deep brown eyes. Her clothing choices and posture portrayed the power she held in the community. She broadcast confidence and while she smiled often and genuinely, Jack could see the foundation of her persona in her eyes. Her outward self was a shell. It wasn't really her, but she had built it as a safeguard for herself. He had seen this before. Successful business women, driven to succeed and learning that they would be given no quarter in the male dominated environment. Their protection was a fine balance between aggressiveness and femininity; toughness and the hint of sexuality. It was a narrow beam to walk and it appeared that here, in the Comox Valley, Donna Remple had learned to walk it very well. Jack finished his ale, ordered a glass of red wine with his meal and thought about what he wanted to do about Ms. Remple. He was attracted to her and found her sexually desirable. For a while, he had thought perhaps he might not ever have these feelings again, but he was wrong. His fascination wasn't for her body alone, but she truly was 100% all woman. His little game of power this afternoon quickly upset her equilibrium and it was an important step in deciding just exactly how he would seduce her. She bore no resemblance to Shannon and so he felt no guilt or discomfort at this point. They would never be compared, he thought. Chapter 2: John Michael Matheson was born in November 8, 1955 to Mike and Muriel Matheson of Burnaby, British Columbia. When he graduated from High School, he was a full fledged "geek", an A student with an interest in almost anything in the physical sciences. He was never considered an athlete but a few who knew him were aware he was an avid skier with a penchant for reckless speed and a better-than-average middle distance runner. His disguises were the "Clark Kent" horn-rimmed glasses he was forced to wear and his ever-present pocket calculator. No self respecting girl would be caught dead with the class nerd. It came as no surprise to his parents that he would choose the Sciences and spend five hard-working years at the University of British Columbia earning a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering. It was a perceptive career choice. The personal and small network computer age was in its infancy in the late '70's and "Jack" as most people called him, was in on the ground floor. Within five years, he had started his own business as a consultant on application and implementation. He couldn't believe how lucrative the field was and how many charlatans were posing as "experts". His credibility and fees rose exponentially and by the mid 1990's he was very wealthy and very secure. Along the way, he had lost the glasses in favor of contacts and ultimately, laser surgery. The pocket calculator became an Organizer, then a Palm Pilot and finally a Blackberry. The middle distance runner became a part of the jogging fad that swept North America and his wealth afforded him a very nice cabin at Whistler Ski Resort to satisfy his need for speed. He had also acquired a wife and a son. The Escapee Ch. 01-02 Jack met Shannon Dunne on Grouse Mountain as they stood in line waiting for their turn on the chairlift. She was wearing a light blue ski parka and matching insulated pants, topped off with a whimsical toque decorated with cartoon characters. She was a pure blonde with pale blue eyes and a lovely sprinkling of freckles on her upper cheeks. Her face was flushed red from the raw, damp day, but she was smiling and obviously enjoying herself. She was also obviously on her own. "Hi ... I guess we'll be sharing a chair." Jack began tentatively. "Really?" she said turning to look at him. "How do you know?" "Uh ... I counted heads and it figures we will be paired." "Oh ... that's nice." she said absently. "My name's Jack ... Jack Matheson." he said, holding out his hand. She looked at it for a moment and then at him before taking it in her gloved hand. "Shannon Dunne." she said, squinting at him in the bright glare of a milky sun on snow. That was about the entire repertoire Jack possessed when talking to females; particularly attractive blonde females. They waited in silence until their turn came and having lined themselves up, slipped onto the chair and felt the lift accelerate as they swung up and away toward the top. "You come here often?" Jack tried again. "Every weekend. I've got a season's pass." she replied. "Lucky you. I get up here when I have a break and I'm not cramming. I'd love to do this every weekend." "What school?" she asked. "U. B. C. ... Engineering." "Oh ... those guys." she said with a note of distain. "How about you?" he asked. "U. B. C. Arts." "Oh ... those guys." he laughed. She looked at him with the look of one who had been insulted and then it softened and the next thing Jack knew, he was in love. The smile did him in. By the time they'd reached the top, they'd agreed to ski together and by noon, they were having lunch together. He was trying to learn everything there was to know about her and as she spent more time with him, Shannon became less and less wary and more and more open with him. They agreed to meet at the campus Library foyer at noon on Monday and Jack was ecstatic with his find of a potential girlfriend. Jack would learn that Shannon was shy and that her behavior and openness with him Saturday on the mountain was uncharacteristic. She was from well-to-do parents while Jack's family was solid middle-class. She had no particular aim in life yet, but she did want to experience the University environment and was encouraged to do so by her parents. She was an only child while Jack had an older sister, Marilyn, who had married and moved to Ottawa the previous year. He was an uncle twice now as she had just given birth to twin boys. Both Shannon and Jack were virgins and remained so for almost all of their University time. That changed when Jack approached the end of his final year and Shannon still had a year to go. They had been inseparable for almost a year and a half and while they indulged in heavy petting and the usual fondling, they had not bridged that final gap. It worried Shannon that Jack would graduate and she would still be in school. She feared losing him to some nameless corporation that would send him somewhere a long way away. He might even meet someone else. She was convinced now she was in love with the tall and now handsome young man. She had put a lot of effort into getting rid of the "nerd" image that Jack had carried. She convinced him to try contacts and after a couple of false starts, he was happy with the change. She began to pick out his wardrobe and soon the checked shirts and baggy pants had been replaced by more "hip" garments favored by the campus men. She convinced him to carry his calculator and pens in his briefcase and even splurged to buy him a new pair of the latest Nike sneakers to wear on campus. It was her birthday gift to him and he was stunned at her generosity knowing how much they cost. The final touch was the haircut or hair styling as she called it. His transformation was now complete. For his own part, Jack had known for some time that he was in love with Shannon. She was exactly what he wanted and needed. She had seen past his superficial appearance and found the real Jack Matheson. She was shy and almost fragile in appearance and yet he realized she was like a Bamboo tree; she would bend but not break. She had an inner strength that he both admired and envied. Each had taken the other to meet the parents and happily, they all got along very well. Despite the difference in social status, the four parents obviously approved of their offspring's choice of companion and they had little doubt this would be a permanent match. Frank Dunne was easily manipulated by his daughter and he was often "lending" her money which she spent on her "Jack Matheson Improvement Project". Mike Matheson was immensely proud of Jack and his accomplishments. He was certain to be a success and it only remained to be seen which field of endeavor he would choose. His choice of Shannon as his girlfriend was impeccable in Mike and Muriel's opinion. She was a polite and lovely young lady with a quiet charm that any prospective parent would admire. They particularly liked the transformation she had wrought on Jack as he matured into a fine-looking young man. Shannon's decision to have Jack take her virginity was not a spur of the moment consideration. She had thought about it for months and there had been a couple of false starts that Jack never knew about. Finally, nearing the end of Jack's final year, she decided she would go through with it. She had prepared herself both physically and mentally. She was on birth control pills and had been for some eight months. She wanted to experience Jack in the most natural way and it only remained to find the proper location. The opportunity came when her parents went to Boston for a conference and then a short vacation on Cape Cod. They would be gone two weeks and the house was all hers. She couldn't decide whether to tell Jack what she had in mind or just let it happen. She invited him to come home with her on the Friday her parents left and she would make dinner for them. Jack was happy to accept. He phoned his mother and let her know of his plans and then drove Shannon to her home that afternoon. They had eaten and Jack had opened a beer as they sat on the patio in the warm spring evening. Shannon was nursing a Seven-up and was nervously anticipating the coming evening. She had no idea of how to initiate the process, but she knew she would be making love to what she hoped would be her future husband sometime that night. Oddly, Jack also seemed to be in some discomfort and it was because he too realized that this evening would be an important one for them. He put the beer down on the side table and turned toward her. It was now or never. "Shannon," he began. "I have something to talk to you about." He was hesitant but resolved to continue. "You know, I'm sure, how I feel about you ... about us. You must know I am in love with you." He stopped and gulped some air to try and steady his nerves. "I have no ring ... but I want to know ... if you would marry me?" he finally concluded. He was frozen in place; holding his breath in anticipation of her answer. Shannon looked at him wide-eyed and almost in shock. She had not expected anything like this and she was completely caught off-guard. She sucked her breath in, her eyes still welded to his as she forced herself to rise from the low lounge and stand. She was almost unable to move again until his hand reached out instinctively to steady her. It was the sobering moment that she needed. "Oh ... John ... oh God ... I can't believe this ..." She made the one step toward him and awkwardly bent to embrace her man. "Yes." was her only other utterance as she began to cover his lips with hers. You could hear the breath go out of both of them as they sighed their mutual relief. Jack stood to embrace and capture his new fiancé in his arms. Shannon wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him tightly to her. "When did you know?" she finally asked. "I've loved you from that first moment on the chair lift. You are my first and my only." he said quietly. She tilted her head back and looked searchingly at him. "I mean ... when did you know about tonight?" she asked. "I didn't. I didn't know when I was going to ask you until a few minutes ago. I've been trying to work up the courage to do this for months. I was sure but I just couldn't get the words out. I was afraid you might say no ... or you might want some time to think about it." "Yah ... I wanted some time all right." she giggled. "About one second!" She looked up into he eyes and could see the love he held for her. "I've been in love with you for almost as long ... you big goof. What I've been trying to find out is how you knew tonight I wanted you to make love to me. I mean ... real love." she said with a deadly serious look on her face. "Oh Shannon ... I didn't know. I've wanted us to for so long, but I didn't want you to do anything you didn't feel right about." he confessed. "Well, now that I'm going to be a married woman ..." she laughed. Then her face turned serious again. "I wanted you tonight even though I had no idea you were going to ask me to marry you. Tonight was to be our night. Are you OK with that?" "God ... yes! If you are ... I am very OK with that." he answered, searching her face for confirmation. It was awkward and a bit messy, but they consummated their relationship that night and again the next morning and again several times that weekend. Each time, they learned more about each other and explored more of what would give the other pleasure. By Sunday they were truly enjoying their intimate time together. Jack's absence had made it obvious to his parents that they were, as his mother put it, "shacking up" at Shannon's place that weekend; but only after Jack had told them of his proposal to her. Jack's father smiled and nodded his head in affirmation as he heard the news and Muriel smiled and wanted to talk to Shannon and her parents. When she learned that they were away on a trip, she realized Jack and Shannon had grown up and that she was going to have to adjust to the times. They were married at the United Church in Kerrisdale and the reception was hosted by the Dunne's at his Golf Club in Point Grey. Shannon completed her education while Jack went to work at the Sperry regional office. He was soon to learn that the corporate world of organization and bureaucracy in lieu of common sense was not for him. He rankled at the structured methods of solving problems and was infuriated far too often by bad corporate decisions made by people who seldom visited or listened to their customers. He lasted five miserable years before resigning and starting his own company. In the meantime, they had started a family. Shannon had become pregnant just a few months after she had graduated and both Jack and Shannon were delighted. Shannon had chosen to be a stay-at-home mom and with the help of her father, they had a down payment on a small house in Richmond as a belated graduation present. The pregnancy, however, was not quite so easy. Complications in the last trimester threatened the health of both the mother and the baby and it was touch and go during the delivery. Everything worked out all right in the end, but the stress had taken a large toll on Shannon and she was confined to bed for four weeks until she was able to resume normal activities. The further consequences were that she could have no more children. The baby, a boy, was named Michael Francis Matheson after the two grandfathers and they were the two proudest grandparents in the land. Jack's income from his new business was tight for the first few months, but his success was guaranteed when he pulled down a substantial contract for a multi-store building supply dealership and within two years his financial wellbeing was no longer an issue. The younger Matheson's lived their lives in ascending prosperity and soon moved to a nice home in the upper part of West Vancouver with a magnificent view of the city, English Bay and the Gulf. As Michael grew, it was obvious he was going to be a handsome young man; athletically gifted but a serious student, like his father. Jack watched with pride as his son shone on the football field both for West Van High School and U.B.C. Like his father, he was enrolled in Engineering, but in Michael's case, it was the Mining and Mineral Processing Faculty. It was a choice that mystified his parents. The first sign of problems with Shannon's health had occurred while Mike was in his last year of high school. She had been feeling weak and lacking energy. She thought it might be anemia, but the family doctor could find nothing wrong and prescribed a regimen of vitamins for the time being. When the symptoms persisted, she was referred to a specialist and then another and then another. In the end, she was diagnosed with Leukemia and the prognosis was not good. As her health deteriorated, Jack spent more and more time with her; leaving the running of the business to his understanding staff. He was available for major decisions, but everyone understood that his first priority was looking after Shannon. Jack was the last to accept that the condition was terminal. They had hoped that the treatments would force the disease into remission, but it never happened. Shannon was dying. It was as if Jack was being eaten by the same disease. He was listless and despondent; more so than Shannon. She had that inner strength that would carry her until the very end. Jack couldn't bring himself to understand that he could lose the only woman that he had ever known and loved. Without her, he wasn't sure he could carry on. When she died, he found out he could continue, but not with any sense of purpose. Mike had taken it much better than his father. He knew what was happening and it broke his heart, but he was proud of his mother's strength and he only hoped that when he married, his love would be as strong as his parents' was. And now, here he was, three years later; running away. Not far away, but away. He needed another life and he needed to be another person. It was here, on the Island, that he would try to be someone else. Chapters 3 & 4 tomorrow. For those of you wondering about the early reference by Donna to a Geoff Matheson, I direct you to my story "Foul Language", which will explain her reaction.