He shouldn’t be here.
How did he even know where she lived?
“Maya!” he called, like they were old friends meeting by chance on a morning stroll. “Good morning!”
She hesitated, brows drawing together.
“Dr. Beckett?” Her body tensed. “What are you doing here?”
He smiled — wide, warm, practiced.
“I hope I didn’t scare you,” he said quickly, hands raised in a calming gesture. “I just… wanted to see you before I go.”
“Go?” she echoed.
“I’m leaving tonight,” he said, voice low and slightly breathless, like this conversation mattered deeply. “Director picked me for this year’s outreach program. Humanitarian rotation. I’ll be gone for months — maybe a year. Rural placement. So… we won’t be seeing each other again.” He gave a sheepish shrug. “So… this is goodbye.”
She blinked, unsure what
