A small silence settled between them. Different from the silences of the earlier evening, not hollow, not heavy. Something that had warmth in it. The warmth of two people who had found their footing again after a very long time of stumbling.
"We walk in strong," Julian said. "Both of us. Not like people who have lost something. Like people who have already won."
Amara nodded slowly. "We make them nervous," she said. "Nervous people make mistakes."
"And when they make mistakes."
"We find our daughter," she said. Simply. Finally. Julian reached over and covered her hand with his. They sat like that for a while. Not talking. Just present.
Morning arrived without ceremony.
Julian was up first, as always. But this morning was different from yesterday morning, no heaviness in the shoulders, no weight in the feet. Something had shifted in the night. Purpose does that. It doesn't take the pain away, but it gives the body somewhere to put itself.
