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"I'm taking him home," announced Abby.

Dennis wanted to fight her decision, but felt he had no right to stop her. After all, this was her husband-- no matter what odd agreement they might of had.

"No," resisted Jake, taking the keys from her hand. "I won't let you do it, Abby. I won't let you walk away because of me."

"I appreciate your concern," replied Abby, "but this is different. I'm not giving up. You are more important than any tournament. I can try again, next year."

"Please, Abby," he begged her. "Don't let me ruin this for you. You wanted it so much."

"You need to go home and rest," she insisted.

"I'll drive him back," volunteered John. "If Jake thinks he can do without you for a few hours, then maybe you should finish, Abby."

"I'll be all right," pressed the young man, his pale face pleading with her.

"Abby, it's up to you," said Terry.

Dennis bit his tongue. He had more to gain by her finishing, but withheld any comments, for he wasn't family.

"Okay, if that's what you want, Jake," sighed Abby. "Dad, please take him straight home and call Uncle Terry's cell phone the minute you get back," she requested.

"We'll take care of him," assured her father, as Jake climbed out of the jeep. "See you later, Sweetheart."

Praying that she had made the right decision, Abby watched while John and Izumi led Jake across the still crowded parking lot to where their car was located. Jake looked back at her before she lost sight of them as they disappeared behind several parked Rvs.

"I'm really sorry," apologized Terry. "He was with me in the store and wanted to leave. I left him alone. I should have been paying more attention. He hasn't had a serious flashback in a while, and I assumed... I don't know what I assumed."

"I wasn't expecting it either, Uncle Terry," said Abby, taking off her green baseball cap and staring at it. "Somehow, I don't think this was as much of a defeat as it looked."

"You won't be sorry that you stayed, Abby," said Dennis, finally interjecting his opinion into the conversation. "I don't think you realize what you just did back there. Do you know what everyone's talking about?"

"After the scene in the store, I can guess," she mused.

"Abby," Dennis continued in earnest, "they're saying you might be the first woman to ever gold medal in all three fly accuracy events with perfect scores! Only one man has ever done it-- let alone a woman!"

Abby was having difficulty rejoicing in the prospect of making fly casting history. The incident with Jake had broke her concentration, and she wasn't sure she could give the performance everyone was hoping for.

It was early evening, and none of them had even eaten lunch. Abby, Terry, and Dennis went to a nearby restaurant and ordered a quick meal. Abby had little appetite, for she was still thinking about Jake and what it all had meant. As Terry was starting into his hamburger, his cell phone rang. Terry answered it and handed it to Abby, who was sitting across from him at the table.

"Abby, it's Jake," said the caller. "We stopped at a gas station so I could call you. I didn't want to leave without wishing you success."

"Thank you, Jake," she answered, as Dennis and Terry tried to pretend that they couldn't overhear her half of the conversation. "No, I'm not angry with you," she replied to his question.

"Abby, it was different this time," said Jake, struggling to make her understand. "I know how it must look to you, but I swear it was different. The memories came back, but I wouldn't give in to the panic."

"I know," consoled Abby, for she had heard him recite the Scripture verses, as if his life had depended upon it.

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