Piers steps back a half pace, but keeps his grip on me as I tremble out my hurt and anger, looking up into his troubled gray eyes.

"What happened?" His British accent clips, words tumbling over themselves in his anxiety. Is it over my state or does he have his own dire news to share? "I tried to reach you when you called, but I just couldn't leave and missed you. I stayed, hoping you'd come back."

I gulp down my overload of emotions and the need to cry all over again, ...