LOVE IN DUNGEON

meant to st

Then two. Somewhere between the morning coffees, salty breezes, and Jac

f making buried thing

matter how deep,

ed with

Mia was wiping down tables. He wore sunglasses, a pres

r," he sai

ster. Jackson, who had just wa

"You have the

looking everywhere for you. You can't just vanish w

to a hush. Jackso

eave," Mia said, voic

l let him know you're still hidin

e left behind

as quiet, but sha

t rising and falling. "

ing a step back. "Because right now,

said, desperate. "I

idn't tell me you're so

voice cracking. "That's who I was

ched hers, but his

rough with people who used me, who played games. An

red that if you knew, you'd treat me like th

hard and

d some

Mia didn't g

if that could hold her heart together. Every word Jackson sai

felt like to be wanted for everything but who you are

t night, beer in hand, s

ng stubborn

e l

you would've trusted her if she told you she had money? Or woul

didn't

ex, man. And you're not the same

"I don't know how to forg

start with forgiveness.

ays p

Mia heard a knock

re, hair wind-tou

helping Nancy bake when her oven broke. The Mia who teaches the kids how to skip ro

. "I'm sorry, Jackson.

were seen, Mia. Even b

haky breath. "D

hate what the world di

silence, thick with

opened

stepped

Just stood there, wrapped in

orgiv

roma

ybe...

ce, steady and endless, like th

ap, and something uniquely him. It was strange how safety could feel l

strand of hair behind her ear, his calloused fing

, voice rough. "No big promises. No shiny

cheeks, but this time t

ant," she whisp

le-the first real one she'd

them, not as a command, bu

t

es. Stay in the life that wasn't perfect, but was real

finally choosing wha

l st

r their legs, sharing a plate of homemade pie that Nancy had left on th

talk much. D

s more in silence than i

one by one, scattered ac

n and the hush of the night, two broken sou

eth