There it is.
The Delicate Arch stands alone on the edge of a massive sandstone bowl. It defies gravity. It looks fragile, like a strong wind could topple it, yet it has stood against storms, wind, and time for thousands of years.
I walk to the edge of the bowl and sit, taking in the view.
The wind whips my hair across my face. I touch the sapphire at my throat—myoceandropin the middle of the desert.
I close my eyes and let the realization wash over me.
For so long, I thought I needed Dorian to be the wall that protected me from the world, to be safe.
But looking at this arch—standing alone, carved by the very elements that tried to destroy it—I know the truth.
I don't need him to survive.
I survived Andy and the loss of our baby. I survived Leah and the warehouse.
I don'tneedDorian. Iwanthim.
The difference is staggering. It’s the difference between a cage and a home. I choose him, not out of fear, but out of love.
I pull out my phone. I have signal, miraculously.
A message from Dorian is waiting.
Every dawn without you
Is a day without a heart,
An empty world, with us apart.
Every word from you
Is a spark of light,
That makes the world feel right.
Walk your path, my love.
I smile, tears pricking my eyes.
"You, okay?" Silvia asks, plunging down beside me.
"Yeah," I say, my voice clearer now. "Let's go under the Arch."
"Now, look at you!" Silvia exclaims, her surprise and joy evident. "What have you done with delicate Della?"
I stand, feeling strong on my legs, and pass Silvia, taking the lead.
"I just realized being delicate doesn't mean being weak." I turn with a smile. "Are you coming, beach girl?"
I take a deep breath and make a complete rotation with open arms, absorbing the vastness of this ancient place.
And I feel… free.
* * *
Dorian
