Do you ever feel something bad is coming before it arrives? A pressure in your chest, like a storm forming behind clear skies?
That’s what I felt the moment Nathan failed to do our usual greeting.
It was small—no one else noticed. Just a handshake, a rhythm we’ve practiced since we were pups. But to me, it felt like the earth shifting under my feet. Nathan didn’t look at me like he usually does—with laughter in his eyes, teasing, or quiet confidence. Instead, he looked… distant. Like he wished he could be anywhere but here. His smile was tight, controlled.
Nathan has been my best friend for as long as I can remember.
My anchor.
My quiet strength.
He never judged me for being soft, even when others did. He never looked at me like I was weak, or wrong, or disappointing. And unlike some
