Mara
"I’m here. I’m home,” he whispered as he pulled me close, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
His arms wrapped around me like a promise, but I could still feel the ghost of every night I spent alone.
“I’m so sorry, Mara. I didn’t mean for this. I didn’t mean to disappear or leave you in the dark that long. It wasn’t supposed to be like that,” he murmured, his voice breaking.
I clung to him, the weight of relief sinking into my bones. The fear, the fury, the ache—I let it all melt away in his embrace. We stood like that, unmoving, until the silence between us felt safe again.
Later, as we dressed after showering together, his eyes landed on my bag and the passport tucked beside it.
“You going somewhere?” he asked, and I didn’t need to answer. The realization hit him before I c
