The Journey Home

Table of Contents

 

 

 

Praise for Michael Baron's

When You Went Away
:

 

 

“Nicholas Sparks fans will rejoice to hear there's a new male author on the scene who writes beautifully about love and emotionally charged relationships. Tears of sadness and joy go hand in hand in this immensely satisfying story. It's hard to believe that this is Baron's first work of fiction. Outstanding!”

–
Romantic Times Book Reviews

 

“A gem. I couldn't put it down. The characters are people I'd like to know.”

– Peggy Webb, author of the
Southern Cousins Mystery Series

 

“Michael Baron writes with such depth that the emotions were tangible. It is rare that a talent like this comes along. This will be a classic. This is one to read and recommend.”

– BookreviewsRus

 

“Touching, tender and gentle, the moments between father and son in
When You Went Away
pull at the heartstrings and the tear ducts . . . an exceptional read, and one that makes me want to watch for more works by this author in the future.”

– Freelancing and Fiction

 

“Michael Baron creates an unforgettable tale. . . . I truly loved this story. It is so well-written that it's hard to keep yourself separate from the fictional characters. I absolutely recommend this book and plan to read every other work written by this author. Triple-A reading!”

– Fresh Fiction

 

“More than a novel about grief and fatherhood; it's a novel about being lost and the journey to find the right path.”

– Savvy Verse & Wit

 

“Simply breathtaking!
When You Went Away
is an exquisite literary nugget not to be missed!”

– The Book Resort

 

“
When You Went Away
is one of the best books I have ever read. I absolutely, 100%, loved this story. Michael Baron's writing is amazing.
When You Went Away
is an absolutely beautiful story.”

– Mom-Musings

And for
Crossing the Bridge
:

 

 

“Writing eloquently about life, death, loss and love, Baron has a firm grasp on human frailty. This emotional story is about a man coming to terms with his past and trying to figure out his future. Excellent!”

–
Romantic Times Book Reviews

 

“I fell into this story and the depth of emotions the author carries throughout. . . . Mr. Baron touches my heart and soul with his book. Telling a romantic story from the male perspective is not only a unique one, but breathtaking as well. I am looking forward to putting this on my shelf and re-reading this for many years to come.”

– Coffee Time Romance

 

“A love story that tugs on your heart from page one. The characters came to life to the point I didn't want the story to end. . . . The characters took on a real-life quality whereas they could have been my family and friends. I highly recommend this warm and touching love story.”

– CMash Loves to Read

 

“This novel is a slow, elegant glide; with a heart. I am pleased to say that it stole a place in my heart – as well as on my shelf. The settings, details and characters are beautiful created. If you enjoy romantic novels, this is one for you!”

– Book Crazy

 

“This book was very emotional and really made me feel for the characters. It was hard to put down because I was so involved with the story that I needed to find out what happened next. If you like love stories that will make you cry, this is certainly one for you to read.”

– Confessions of an Overworked Mom

 

 

“This was a masterpiece in character development stories with just enough intrigue and a few twists and catches to keep you reading without ever feeling like high action additions were vital. From the main characters to the minor ones to the extras, each character served a clear role in this book – they weren't being mentioned just to be there. Baron has done well with this novel and I will certainly be looking forward to more from him in the future.”

– A Good Addiction

 

For my mother and father.
Your journey inspires me.

As always, I want to thank my wife and children for their encouragement, support, and occasional story ideas.

 

Thanks to Baror International and The Story Plant for their energy and commitment.

 

Thanks to Barbara Aronica-Buck for the beautiful cover and interior design.

 

Thanks to Susan Elizabeth Phillips for the great comments and for acknowledging that men can write like this.

 

Thanks to the numerous food magazines, websites, and television shows that have provided me entertainment for so long and have at last become “source material.” Gourmet, you are gone, but you will never be forgotten. Thanks too to those who have willingly tasted the dishes invented in this novel. Your cast-iron stomachs are an inspiration.

 

Thanks to the Long Island towns that served as models for the places visited in this novel. I never thought I'd ever thank the Long Island Expressway (commonly known as “the world's longest parking lot”), but it too deserves acknowledgment.

 

I'd also like to thank the fans and bloggers who have written such encouraging things about When You Went Away and Crossing the Bridge. It is exponentially easier to write when people tell you that you've touched them.

Joseph opened his eyes and nothing seemed familiar. He was lying on a couch – why was he lying down? – in a room he'd never seen before. It was a nice room, a beautiful room, actually, with warm colors and many homey touches, but that wasn't the point. The point was that he'd never seen this room before.

People were looking at him. Four, five, six people in different parts of the room, heads tipped toward him, eyes expressing concern and a hint of curiosity. He sat up quickly and felt light-headed, his vision swimming a bit, until he leaned back against the cushions.

“Where . . .” he said, his voice sounding foreign to him.

A woman perhaps in her late thirties approached him and put a hand on his arm. “Don't exert yourself. You've been through a lot.”

Joseph looked at the woman through eyes that were having trouble adjusting to the setting. “Where am I?”

“This is our home,” a man with a thick black beard said from off to Joseph's right. “We brought you inside.”

“What happened to me?”

The man shrugged and looked at some of the others in the room. “I can't really say.”

This was like a bad episode of
The Twilight Zone
. Joseph leaned forward, feeling his head spinning again. When he stood, though, he felt surprisingly strong. Had he passed out on his way to – where had he been going before this happened? He couldn't remember anything.

“Thanks for your help,” he said, extending his hand to the man that had last spoken to him. “I'm feeling better now. I should get going.”

Another woman, this one seemed to be in her mid-sixties, gestured with both hands for him to sit back down. “Give yourself a little time,” she said. “You look a little confused.”

Joseph chuckled at that. “Well, yeah, you could say so. I don't normally wake up surrounded by strangers.”

“We're safe, if you were worried about that,” the first woman said.

It hadn't dawned on Joseph to worry about his safety. He looked at the others in the room. He could tell that they posed no threat. In fact, they seemed pleased to have him around. Maybe they were always dragging people in off the street. Maybe this was just a normal day for them. This didn't seem to have flustered them at all. If someone had passed out in front of his house, he would have been beside himself.

“Dinner's almost ready,” the older woman said. “Why don't you have something to eat?”

Now that Joseph thought about it, he was feeling a bit hungry. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten. This came as no surprise, since he couldn't remember anything else, either. He tried to call some memory – any memory – to his mind, but it only gave him a headache.

“Thanks. Yeah, that would be good.”

While the others in the room moved around, Joseph sat back on the couch, trying to make sense of these incredibly strange circumstances. He looked out the window and saw that the sun was setting. Had he been running errands and gotten into some kind of accident? He tried to remember anything that had happened that day before he woke up here and he couldn't. He truly couldn't remember anything at all. He searched his pockets for clues, but they were empty. Did his hosts steal his wallet and his phone? They didn't seem like the kind of people who would do that sort of thing, but how much did that really mean? Maybe this was all part of their scam. Make him feel that they cared about him, so that he'd never suspect them. Maybe he hadn't passed out; maybe they'd
knocked
him out.

He slumped, rubbing his temples. Closing his eyes, he tried to bring back anything to help him understand what he'd been through today. He didn't feel pain anywhere on his body, so he couldn't have experienced a physical trauma. So much for the people in this room – and it really was just the most comfortable-looking room – assaulting him in some way.
However, he had to have been through something extremely traumatic to cause his memory to disappear so completely.

Think, Joseph. Think.

He stared at the nothingness behind his eyelids. Then, from the back of his mind, a sensation crept up slowly. It was sensual and very appealing. It drew him deeper into the couch, relaxing his muscles and soothing his confusion. This sensation had no form and it had no name. But it was definitely human, definitely female, and definitely intimate. Joseph tried to bring the sensation closer, but it eluded him. Whichever way his thoughts moved, the sensation seemed to stay equally far away. Still, he continued to chase it. This meant something, something important. He was certain that if he could find this feeling, his memory would follow.