The cherry red Porsche hugged the road like a magnet as it weaved in and out of traffic along Interstate 89. The driver, Kim Barrett, felt a rush of endorphins at the thrill of cutting loose on the open highway, leaving lesser vehicles in his wake. How long had it been since he had indulged in a road trip of any duration, where there were no deadlines or schedules or anything else to concern himself with? Up until two weeks ago he had been deeply immersed in his job, on the fast track to advancement as Marketing Manager at Trump Enterprises. All his dreams were finally becoming a reality; lucrative job, a Brook's Brothers wardrobe, a high rise apartment in Manhattan and a former Miss New York as his girlfriend. For a year and a half they had been going strong, and he had even been thinking of popping the question, until fate grabbed him by the collar one morning and bitch slapped him into near oblivion.

And did it ever deliver a double whammy. It wasn't enough that he was unceremoniously fired after arriving to work on a Monday morning. (He really hadn't seen it coming - sales were slow, but that was mostly due to the change in the real estate market, however he had let his guard down and The Donald was not pleased.) It wasn't broadcast across nationwide television, but hearing the dreaded YOU'RE FIRED by The Man himself had its own special sting of humiliation.

As he made his way back to the apartment after cleaning out his desk, he knew he had enough money saved to hold him over for a few months at best. Ariana, his beauty queen girlfriend would help with any financial slack and he was in a surprisingly positive state of mind as he put his key into the front door, his mind busy with calculating all possible modes of damage control.

However, Fate wasn't quite finished with him yet.

He had failed to call and inform Ariana that he was on his way back home. After all, why would he? He felt secure in the strength of their relationship and had no reason to suspect that she'd be busy entertaining another man in his absence … in their bed.

Fifteen minutes later, after a swift upper cut to the jaw delightfully given to the intruder in his bed and a hysterical call by Ariana to building security, Kim Barrett faced the ruin of what had once been his finely orchestrated life. Staring at the tangle of sheets
(Egyptian cotton - he only slept on the best) knotted at the foot of their bed, he turned to the now sobbing Ariana and could only say one thing:

"I need some air. Please make arrangements to stay someplace else tonight, as we have nothing left to discuss. You can come by tomorrow and pick up your stuff."

It was all he could do to not punch a hole in the wall. The veins stood out in his forehead as he glared at the woman that he thought he had loved and who was supposed to have loved him in return. Ariana shrank back from him, eyeing his balled up fists and worrying at how far his temper might take him. He had never struck her, but had always been quick to anger. She moved to where the couch was between them and gave him her best doe eyed look of apology.

"Kimmy, I'm so sorry." She really was. But even she didn't know if she was sorry over getting caught in the act or the loss of lifestyle that was about to follow. Ariana was beautiful, but she had a mercenary soul much like Kim's.

"Save it for your lover." He turned away and headed for the door. It made his head hurt just to be in the same room with her. "I meant what I said, Ari. Do not be here when I come back." He gave her a final, pained glance before leaving, his mind jumbled with the feelings of defeat and betrayal.

He didn't wander far. There was a little dive of a coffee shop two blocks over (the term dive being subjective … this was Manhattan, after all) and he often stopped there in the mornings before heading into work. As he sat in a corner booth the middle aged waitress brought him a latte, shrugging her shoulders jovially when he stared blankly at her smile of greeting. The trail of steam rising up off his cup gave him something to focus upon as he considered his situation, his mind trying to make sense of all that had just happened. Strangely enough, he felt an odd sense of calm overtake him, a numbing sensation that wasn't completely discomfiting and he found that he suddenly had a moment of pure clarity. The answer to the question of what to do now was laid out before him, a gift from the universe for the world according to Kim Barrett.

Reaching for his IPhone, he looked up the number of someone he had once been close mates with, another lifetime ago. Someone he hadn't spoken to in what was most likely years, yet who was also unlikely to beat him over the head for not keeping in touch. His hopeful smile turned into a tight grimace as he dialed and listened to the first ring. What would he possibly say?

A familiar voice answered after the second ring and Kim was startled at how the past all came back to him in a flood of rekindled memories.

"Andy? This is Kim. Kim Barrett."

A momentary silence. "Jesus…Kim? How the bloody hell are ya, mate?"

Okay, so far, so good. He actually sounded pleased to hear from him. "Andy, I was thinking of coming out to visit … um, I need a break."

On the other end of the line, Andy sensed that something was indeed happening in Kim's corner of the world, and while he wondered at the particulars he wasn't about to push for details. He doubted Kim's ego had gotten any smaller over the years, and he sensed that whatever was happening in his friend's life at the moment could wait until they were face to face to discuss.

"You're always welcome, mate. You know that, right?" He'd maybe have a bit of explaining to do some of the others, but not one of them would ever turn him away. "Monna and I could make room for you at our place; the Inn's pretty well booked with the weather and holli and all, but we'll work something out."

Kim felt a flood of relief that Andy had spared him the third degree and a wave of guilt came over him. "Andy, you don't know how much I appreciate this. I know I've been a bastard for not keeping in touch, but I'd like to make it up to everyone. I don't know how long I'll be staying … I … um, don't really have any plans at the moment …"

"Kim, you know we're all here for you. We always have been, bloody hell … are you okay?"

Normally he would have given a cocky type of answer, but Kim knew he owed Andy the truth. At least the condensed version. "Actually, no. I mean, yes … I mean, shit … Andy, I just got fired this morning and I'm newly single as of forty-five minutes ago and I just need a chance to regroup, you know?"

"Hey, no explanations required. These things happen and you can stay as long as you need." Andy hoped that Monna would understand.

They chatted a few more minutes, Kim giving a guestimation of when he would be arriving and Andy briefly mentioning that he had been recovering from some sort of illness. The notion of Andy having anything more than a cold was lost on Kim. He could only deal with one bucket of misery at a time and his own was currently overflowing. A few more minutes to discuss how everyone was doing … Nippers everywhere, mate … Aubrey's wife Natalie is expecting twins! The weather, the holidays … you're having Christmas with all of us over at the Inn … until finally the small talk was exhausted and all that was left was for them to say their goodbyes.

Knowing that he had someplace to go kept him going over the next week as he tied up the loose ends of what had once been his perfect life. The lease on his apartment was up in another month so a chunk of his savings went towards that, and he and Ariana settled upon what furniture she would take and what was left over he would simply put into storage, figuring that he could sort it all out later. It was funny how having something to look forward to in Vermont, however undecided, kept his focus on the future and even though he could barely stand to be in the same room with Ariana for more than a few moments, he managed to keep his cool as she left their apartment for the last time, her eyes red from crying. She had tried to convince him to stay with her in Manhattan and make a fresh start there with her (I never knew how much I needed you until this all happened … we can make this work again Kimmy, I just know it …) but he would have none of it. His mind was made up and there was simply no room in his new life for a cheating girlfriend.

The winter roads were clean and dry. Kim punched the accelerator as he passed the road sign announcing that the town of Stowe Vermont was 25 miles ahead. He felt nervous but hopeful as he passed yet another chugging eighteen wheeler, the Porsche cutting a line along the road that left a flurry of snow and vapor in its wake. As the spire of the church came into view, cresting over the snow capped evergreens, he felt a comforting sense of ease. Everything was going to be okay, he was certain of it. The past was just that and he was content to put it to rest forever. He was ready to face whatever the future held in store.

But would all those he left behind so long ago be ready to welcome him?