Chapter 2

By the age of 26 I had a doctorate in Chemistry and Software Engineering, and Bachelor's degrees in Mathematics and Physics. I'd used my first two patents to start my own consulting firm – the firm owned the patents so proceeds profited the firm – and was well on my way to becoming fabulously wealthy and successful.

I met Amber when I was 29 and wandering around a fraternity party. My roommate and best friend, Doug, was in the frat and had invited me; I enjoyed the parties and was friends with most of the brothers but I had never joined – I was just too busy. So there I was, nursing my beer (I never had more than two – I just didn't enjoy drinking) when this angel walked in the door. She had come to the party on the arm of this big man who looked like he played football – by himself ... and won ... and she proceeded to get completely bombed. The football-looking guy was having too good a time to help her home when she was on the verge of passing out – so I volunteered.

It isn't what you think. I got her in her dorm and helped her to the bathroom. I held her hair when she threw up – twice! – and helped her into bed, fully clothed except for her gym shoes, which I took off. I then grabbed one of her pillows and leaned into a corner. I woke up the second time she got up to vomit and helped her back into bed, still fully clothed. Along about 6am, when I was sure the worst was over, I left quietly, leaving her a note with my name and number in case she needed anything the next day.

I didn't hear from her for two weeks but then she called me up, out of the blue and thanked me for helping her that night. Evidently, she wasn't drunk enough to forget what I'd done and had been too embarrassed to confront me – but her conscience wouldn't let her go without thanking me. We met for coffee – all on the up and up – and over time, we became really good friends.

It wasn't until almost a year later, long after she'd gotten rid of the big guy who'd brought her to the party, that we began seeing each other in earnest. She was everything I could ever want in a woman; kind, considerate, funny, charming, witty and so beautiful she constantly took my breath away. Talking to her was like talking to no one I'd ever met before; she'd actually listen to me even when she had no idea what I was saying ... and she had a voice that made you hang on her every word when she spoke. I started missing her when she walked out of a room and my day was made whenever I saw her. I had fallen deeply in love.

Her family was so gracious and accepting; I felt included almost from the moment I met them. They had a way of fitting you in, laughing with you and making it seem as if you'd always been there. Her mother was stunning, it was definitely easy to see where she'd gotten her beauty, and her father was this large man who reminded you of a teddy bear – soft and familiar. She was extremely close to her brother, Dave – she went camping with him for two weeks every summer, a tradition that had started when he was 14 and she was 18, camping out in their back yard – and was constantly on the phone with him, seeing how his day was going, how his life was. She was very close to her younger sister Marcie, too ... they were just a really close, nuclear family.

We married when I was 32, newly graduated, and she was 26 and almost through her business degree. We had a baby boy a year and a half later, a few months after she graduated. By then my consulting firm was well on its way to being established as the goto firm if you had a project running off the rails and needed it reigned in. I concentrated in Chemistry and Software, and I had hired a very small staff directly out of college with degrees in engineering, accounting and business. I had also hired administrative assistants and we even had a small, two person research and development team.

Now, at 35, everything was perfect. The Dubai job I'd just finished was grossing us almost a quarter million and my next contract in two weeks was a 6 month chemistry gig for a perfume company that was likely to gross us another quarter million; maybe even a half million if I could get it done fast and have a few of the bonuses kick in real quick. The rest of the consultants were not doing quite as well but I was looking forward to the consulting side of the business bringing in more than 3 million this year ... an almost 20% increase from last year. That was on top of the money from the two patents I'd started the company with and the 4 others our research and development team had filed.

I reached into my laptop bag and dug out the small white box I'd brought as a surprise for Amber. Inside was a gold chain with a diamond pendant in the shape of a heart; set around the pendant were the birthstones for me and our son Mikey. Amber was born in April, so the diamond was her birthstone. I was born in September, so there was a smaller Sapphire and Peridot for Mikey's August birthday. I had spent close to $15,000 US on it but I would have spent 100 times that; although she never asked for anything or seemed to want anything, I always enjoyed buying things for her.

My return was likewise a surprise; it was Tuesday and I wasn't supposed to be home until Saturday.