Outside Bell, Book and Candle, Cassie flips through pictures on John’s cell phone. The last time the two saw each other was years ago in Istanbul, where they were part of an archeological dig. While there, Cassie realized that her life was headed in a different direction and she unexpectedly left to pursue her own path. Her departure left John feeling as though he’d abandoned her and things were never the same for John again. But John is now on to the next new chapter of his life, teaching archeology at the college in Blairsville. John now hopes that his new job will give he and Cassie the chance to get reacquainted.
On a sunny afternoon, clad in hiking gear, John and Cassie prepare to repel off a cliff. Through all the years Cassie’s lived in Middleton, she’s never been to this hiking spot. John remarks that the trail is just one of the many surprises he’s discovered since moving to town. John feels an unseen force guided him to a rewarding teaching job, which has also given him the time to pursue an expedition to the Maldives. But while things are looking up for John, he’s got an important deadline that threatens to derail his upcoming dig. By the end of the week, John must name a field supervisor or lose the grant. With Cassie’s help, John’s poured over dozens of resumes and settled on two candidates. Since time is not on his side, John has decided to clear his head and spend the next few days camping. He hopes that the peace and quiet will help him come to a final decision about who will accompany him on the road ahead.
