Page 52 of Soaring and Steadfast

“I have no idea except I got this weird email from my husband telling me he’s alive and won’t be home for a while. I guess something happened on the ship?” Stephanie’s voice cracked on the last word, the uncertainty gnawing at her.

A pause. “Have you seen anything on the news?”

“No.” Lila’s voice was thin, strained.

“Me neither,” Stephanie admitted, but her tone carried the same unease. “But then again, they could be playing it down to keep it from being front and center…”

Lila squeezed her eyes shut. The military was careful about what made it to the media, but surely, if something serious had happened, she would have heardsomething.

“I tried texting Louis…” Her voice wavered, frustration thick in her throat.

“I tried Lance too…”

Silence.

Then, as if the universe had chosen to mock them, both women spoke at the same time.

“No service.”

The words echoed between them, sharp and final like a door slamming shut. Lila sagged onto the couch, gripping the phone like a lifeline as a heavy sigh left her lips. She glanced around her tiny apartment, taking in the clutter of half-packed boxes, the piles of bills, the remnants of a life she had been so sure of just a few weeks ago.

Now, everything felt empty.

Hollow.

Lila missed his easy smile, his boyish charm, the way he held her hand and touched her cheek before he kissed her, as well as his warm laughter. She had scrolled through their old messages just for comfort, falling more and more in love with his silent, steady presence.

She had been waiting for Louis to pull back into port so they could finally talk about the next steps, about what came next for them. But now? Now, she didn’t even know if there was a next step because she couldn’t get in touch with him.

A familiar ache settled in her chest; the same one that had been with her since her last relationship had left her picking up the pieces of a life she barely recognized. She had sworn neverto wait around for a man again, to never let herself be stranded in uncertainty or trapped somewhere. She had made her own choices, built her own life. She didn’tneedLouis to set things up for her.

But she had always relied on his text messages when she struggled mentally—his silent, unwavering support, the knowledge that no matter what, he was there. And now, he wasn’t.

Her grip on the phone tightened with determination.

Fine.

If she couldn’t control what was happening outthere, she could control what happenedhere.

“So,” Lila said, her voice steadier than she felt, “is that apartment in the next building still available?”

Stephanie didn’t hesitate. “I have no idea, but I can find out. Why?”

“I’m moving to Florida.”

A beat of silence, and then Stephanie let out a breathless laugh, full of relief and something close to joy. “Phenomenal, girl. You just get your bum down here, and we can move your stuff later…”

Lila bit her lip, a small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth for the first time in days. “Actually… my stuff here is crap. I’ll pack a suitcase and donate a bunch of things to charity. It would be easier that way.”

“I can work with that,” Stephanie said, her voice thick with emotion. “When you get here, we’ll hit the thrift stores and go shopping—just us girls.”

A lump formed in Lila’s throat, but this time, it wasn’t from fear. It was from the warmth of knowing she wouldn’t be alone in this. She had friends there in Stephanie, and even if everything fell apart with Louis – she would be okay. She was choosing to step forward, even when everything inside her wanted tobackpedal or take a few more days, weeks, months, years, to process this – but she was clinging to that one thing that kept repeating in her mind, heart, and soul.

I miss Louis…

“I would love that,” she admitted, her voice soft but sure.

And she meant it.

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