pte

ing

aptain Elia

lly know someone until

y knew L

st I thou

-burned building beside the woman who used to be my best friend's whol

e word still stu

d the sky looks like it's been rubbed raw. Ash rode in the front seat of my tr

wing, but the central structure stood upright reinforced by steel scaffolding and f

like me.

d her chest. She wasn't looking at the building. She was looking at the mountai

rn when I par

uck door, and said, "Nice mor

for our marriage," she re

d over to her. She hesitated, then

ally like do

usually li

both making

ew hardwood floors laid over the scorched substructure, windows replaced with modern panes that

e back hallway. "Morning, newlyweds

nore

did

im with clipped steps. "We're co-project manage

d disappeared in

pstairs. The staircase creaked under our weight, but i

d, nodding toward a door with a t

you

"We're separated by a line

guarantee

boundari

lready. "I'm not here to

ed once.

e who knew the geography of one anot

twin bed, desk, dresser. No personal touche

hard, listening to the silence settle in. As

honeymoon,"

is side and kick

tchen organizing mugs and dry goods. She labeled everything, like she wa

pty, save for a gallon of milk

nto town," I sa

k up. "I alrea

rse sh

aper with her handwriting

ng trips or toge

"Afraid the tow

alread

t t

und the ceramic cup in her hand. T

nto town

general store still had the squeaky door, the soda fridge that humm

THER. STRONG

Canned goods, rice, coffee, protein bars. I followed her, grabbing a few things off the list, adding

ed a brow. "You sti

monitoring each other's

," she said. "

dd it to the terms

eckout just in ti

itched voice broke the

th tu

rms wide and her phone already out like she was mid-livestream. "I just k

t's a working part

ic. Tragedy, redemption, rebuilding it's just like a Hallmark movie!

steering the cart forward. "Thanks, Mrs

was a secret. "Don't let her go

winked an

like she'd been holdin

as a mi

hoppin

hole t

into the truck.

long time

ourself. It's

door harder t

the new wood stove flicker against the fresh logs. The walls still smelled fa

h a cup of tea. She pause

n't feel like ho

it t

"Do you ever th

ach tig

ry d

ded. "M

d down the hallway

n't f

ide. Somewhere down the hall, a door creaked. Pipes groaned. The so

iving tog

ed. L

what to say to her that w

hing the same air. Slee

that was th

idn't feel l