pte

aptain Elia

ing out of desperation does

to beli

know b

ack the charcoal one with the patch on the inside elbow and

ainst the wide Montana sky. Behind me, Ash sat in the bed o

me wan

d up my collar a

ld books, Pine-Sol, and something faintl

er crossword and gave me a tight n

worked since 2018, but mostly to burn off nerves. My boots echoed against

m B was open. I paused in

alread

y Q

ine just beyond the trees. Same dark hair, same determined jaw. But different, too. Sharper aroun

turn when

're

inside.

stiffened. "In

ry, I needed ten more minutes to remember how to

er gaze hit like a sucker punch. Her eyes weren't angry

't seen each other since the funeral five ye

began, then stop

do y

ember how your laugh sounded when Luke

ila envelope in her han

. Me

s?" Her voice was

l, arms crossed. "Didn't

That's not a great s

a real m

I regretted it instantly.

hed between us

at the papers.

kno

g the reconstruction. Presenting

emotional entangl

sed into a lin

act

sil

ou didn't tell me

out an hour be

away the second Be

didn'

use this town is falling apart. And becau

self. Swallowed

thing again. I can't bring him bac

. Deeper than

this to hurt

ow again. "No. But that

ve a respon

in like a force of nature, a

nderful. Let's get you two

a look that could've

itself was a

line while the county clerk oversaw the process. Betty chirped in the backgroun

ature line. Spouse 1: Elia

anything," Lily sai

ked a

she said again, a

ign

did

e that, we w

reets. I walked her to her car out of habit more than anything. She parked a black S

ive in that place?" she a

Plumbing's rough. Electrical's new. T

row. "Separate bed

to make you

alrea

n't a

ntractors," I said. "Betty wa

rse she

brin

ur

r in public

first expression that wasn't made

nd drove off with

n Street and told myself I wasn't hurt. Tha

s wr

ps with Ash curled up beside me. The wind had picked up. Somewhere down

as the night before Luke shipped out. We'd had dinner at the old inn back when it had working lights and

the corner. Jea

ut because he made it look

I was the one pretend

lready unloading supplies. The place still smelled like char and d

mediately found a warm patch

iced the cracks. The sag in

an a federal grant and two emo

ow up early," came

urn

nd a flannel shirt rolled to her elbows. She lo

closer,"

e in a t

ive in

ed. Brie

there,

id, "Let's