Amy's voice quivers as she tries to explain the situation to Milo. "I don't know what happened. I just got a call from a friend who lives nearby. They said they saw smoke coming from the direction of my shack. By the time the fire department arrived, it was too late."
Milo moves closer and puts his arm around her, offering his support. "I'm so sorry, Amy. That's terrible news. Is there anything I can do to help?"
Amy shakes her head, still in shock. "I don't know. I need to go and see it for myself. I need to know what's left."
Milo nods, "Of course. We'll go together."
As they drive to the fire site, Amy's mind races, thinking of the memories and possessions lost in the blaze. Milo offers her a reassuring hand to hold, trying to comfort her in any way he can.
When they arrive, Amy's worst fears are confirmed. The shack was a charred shell, and everything inside was gone.
Amy breaks down in tears, unable to contain her grief. "It's gone. Everything is gone."
Milo holds her tightly, letting her cry on his shoulder. "We'll get through this together, Amy. I'm here for you."
Amy's hands shake as she takes pictures of the charred remains of her beloved beach shack. "It's all gone. My home, my business, everything," she says through tears.
Milo's heart sinks at the sight of the destruction. "I'm so sorry, Amy. That's devastating."
"I don't know what to do," Amy says, wiping her tears. "I don't have the money to rebuild, and I don't have any family to turn to."
Milo puts his arms around her, offering comfort. "We'll figure something out. You're not alone, Amy. I'm here for you."
As Amy continues to weep, Milo looks around the scene, noticing the police tape and the fireman conducting investigations. "It looks like they're still trying to figure out what caused the fire," he says, trying to distract Amy from her grief.
Amy nods, wiping her tears. "Yeah, the fireman told me it's under investigation. But I don't care about that. I want my life back. Would you look at that? The only thing left standing is the mailbox out the front." she says, her voice cracking.
Milo leads Amy away from the wreckage as the firefighters continue their investigations. The police have cordoned off the area with yellow tape, and it's clear that the fire investigation is just beginning.
As they walk away in silence, Milo's mind races with possibilities of how he can help Amy. But as the notifications on Amy's phone continue to pour in, he knows they need to take action. "Let's go to the beach," he suggests. "Surfing always clears our minds."
Amy nods, grateful for the distraction. Milo can see the worry etched on her face as they paddle to the waves. He knows this won't be an easy fix, but he's determined to do whatever it takes to help her through this difficult time.
On the beach, Amy speaks with a rental firm she knows and borrows surfboards for a surf with Milo.
Amy and Milo paddle out into the ocean, the cool water refreshing against their skin. As they sit on their boards, waiting for a wave, Amy feels a sense of calm wash over her. Being in the water always has a way of making her feel better, even amid tragedy.
As a set approaches, Amy turns to Milo with a smile. "Let's catch this one."
They paddle hard, feeling the wave lift and carry them toward the shore. The rush of the wind and water around them makes everything else disappear, if only for a moment.
As they paddle back out for another wave, Amy turns to Milo. "Thanks for being here with me, Milo. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Milo smiles. "Of course, Amy. We're in this together."
As they catch a wave together, Milo thinks about the next steps they need to take. He knows they can't change what's happened, but he's determined to help Amy rebuild and come out stronger on the other side.
After a surf, the couple sits on the beach, watching the waves crash on the shore. Amy is still in shock, and Milo continues to offer his support.
"We'll figure this out, Amy. We'll make a plan and move forward," Milo reassures her.
Amy nods, but her mind is racing. She thinks of all the time and effort she put into the shack and the surf school she built. Now it's all gone, and she doesn't know where to start.
Milo puts his arm around her, "We can start by finding a place to stay. You can stay with me as long as you need."
Amy looks at him with gratitude, "Thank you, Milo. I don't know what I would do without you."
Milo smiles, "We'll get through this together. We'll find a way to rebuild and make something even better."
As they sit there, the sun sets on the horizon, painting the sky with brilliant shades of pink and orange. Despite the devastating news, Amy finds comfort in nature's beauty and her new partner's support.
Amy can't help but feel grateful for Milo's support. She knows it won't be easy to rebuild everything she's lost, but having Milo by her side makes the journey feel less daunting.
Amy and Milo returned to the fire scene the next day. The once picturesque beach shack now looked like a war zone. The police tape was still up, and fire investigators were on site, going through the remains of the hut.
Amy walked towards the mailbox, which was the only thing left standing. She opened it and retrieved a small stack of mail, mostly bills, and junk mail.
Amy spots something at the back of the mailbox after retrieving her mail. She discreetly puts it in the back pocket of her jeans so Milo doesn't notice.
Milo notices Amy's change in demeanor and asks, "Is everything okay?"
Amy hesitates momentarily before answering, "Yeah, it's just hard seeing the remains of my home like this."
Milo nods sympathetically, "I can only imagine how tough this is for you."
They make their way back to the car, and as they drive away, Amy's mind keeps returning to the object she found in the mailbox. She pulls it out of her back pocket, trying to examine it without drawing attention from Milo.
It's a small, crumpled piece of paper with something written on it in barely legible handwriting. Amy can feel her heart rate increase as she tries to make sense of the writing. She recognizes the handwriting as her ex-boyfriend's, with whom she had a tumultuous relationship before moving to the Gold Coast.
She quickly folds the paper and puts it back in her pocket, not wanting to upset Milo. But her mind is racing with questions. How did this paper end up in her mailbox? Was her ex-boyfriend involved in the fire?
Amy keeps the paper a secret from Milo, not wanting to burden him with her past problems. But the thought of her ex-boyfriend being involved in the fire lingers in her mind.
Milo put his hand on Amy's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
Amy turned around and shook her head. "No, not really. I can't believe this happened. It's like a bad dream."
Milo pulled her into a hug. "I know it's tough, but we'll get through this together. Whatever you need, I'm here for you."
They stood there for a few moments, taking in the devastation. Amy wiped her tears and looked at Milo. "Let's go. There's nothing else here for us."
Milo nodded and took her hand. They left the scene, leaving the investigators to do their work. The drive back to Byron Bay was quiet as both were lost in their thoughts. They arrived at the beach cottage and sat in silence for a while.
Finally, Amy broke the silence. "Thank you for being here for me, Milo. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Milo smiled. "That's what friends are for. We'll get through this together, Amy."
They open the mail in the kitchen in Byron Bay, and Amy spots a letter from the fire department. Her heart sinks as she reads "condemned notice" on the envelope. She opens it and reads the letter, confirming her fears that her beloved beach shack is now considered unsafe and must be demolished.
Tears fill her eyes as she realizes that not only has she lost everything in the fire, but she now has to let go of the place where she has made countless memories. Amy shows Milo the condemnation notice from the fire department.
Milo looks at the notice, his expression turning serious. "What does this mean exactly?" he asks Amy.
"It means I can't live there anymore," Amy says, her voice heavy with sadness. "The property is too damaged to be repaired, and the owner must rebuild. I don't have anywhere to go."
Amy feels a sense of despair as she realizes she is now homeless. She had lost her beach shack, livelihood, and now home. She begins to feel overwhelmed by the situation, not knowing where she will go or what she will do.
Milo notices the distress on her face and pulls her into a hug. "We'll figure it out, Amy. We'll find a place for you to stay. You won't be alone in this."
Amy nods, feeling grateful for Milo's support. They sit on the beach silently, watching the waves roll in as Amy tries to process the last few days' events.
After a few minutes, Milo speaks up. "I know it's tough, but I have an idea. I'll call Dan tomorrow; he will know how to help."
Amy looks at him, surprised. "You would do that for me?"
"Of course, Amy. I care about you. I want to help you in any way I can."
Amy feels a sense of relief wash over her, grateful for Milo's offer. "Thank you, Milo. That means a lot to me. I don't know what I would do without you."
Milo smiles at her. "You'll never have to find out, Amy. I'm here for you, always."
Milo puts his arm around her, offering comfort. "We'll figure something out, Amy. You won't be homeless."
Amy leans into him, feeling grateful for his support. "Thank you, Milo. I don't know what I would do without you."
Milo smiles at her. "You don't have to worry about that. I'm here for you, no matter what."
Amy's eyes fill with tears, touched by his kindness. They sit in silence for a few moments, lost in their thoughts. Finally, Milo speaks up. "Let's focus on finding you a place to live. We will start tomorrow."
Amy nods, feeling grateful for his help. "Thank you, Milo. I don't know what I would do without you."