Page 125 of Aviatrix

“Kin,” he says, almost pleading, and the sound cracks deep inside me.

I force myself into the chair. “Just tell me.”

“We’ll start with your mom.” He swallows hard. “We tracked her license plate from Cape May to Saint Louis through toll cameras. There’s a shelter there. It’s overcrowded, but we’re trying to confirm if she’s staying there or already moved on. Nothing on the plates since. If she took backroads, it’ll be harder to follow her.”

“Thank you for looking,” I say. “I really appreciate it.”

“We’ll get her here, Kin.”

He shouldn’t make promises like that. But for a second, I believe him. He sounds like the man I fell in love with—stable and strong. Everything I’m not right now.

“And…” He hesitates.

“And what?”

A beat of silence. He takes a breath that makes my chest ache.

“There was nothing at the wreckage site,” he says gently. “Just a scorch mark in the snow. That’s it.”

“That’s impossible,” I whisper. “I saw it. Landing gear. Shrapnel. Everything.”

“I believe you, Kin. But someone—or something—got there before we did.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means we’re no closer to confirming whether it was Major Kopelman’s craft. And the General claims he hasn’t heard from him since yesterday morning.”

That hits like a gut punch.

“No contact?” I whisper. My eyes sting. “He’s gone, isn’t he?”

“We don’t know,” Lark says softly as tears slip down my cheeks. “But we’re not done looking for him. If he’s alive, we will find him.”

I don’t want to break down in front of Lark. But the weight on my shoulders is crushing. I don’t know how much longer I can pretend I’m fine. I don’t know how much longer I can lie to myself. That I’m not still in love with Eli, even if he’s not here anymore.

“I should go,” I manage, heart cleaving in two.

“No, stay,” Lark says gently. “It’s okay to fall apart, Kin. Just for a minute. There’s a lot riding on you, and I know the burden can be heavy.”

So, I do. I let myself fall apart. Because I hate that I wasted so much time being angry at Eli. Burying my feelings. Getting engaged to the wrong man. Living a life that was never mine.

“He was one hell of a pilot,” Lark says.

“Please, don’t. Not right now.”

“He could still be out there. They don’t call him Phantom because he dies.” There’s a pause before he adds, “Don’t give up on him. And don’t give up on me either. I know I don’t deserve it, but I still need you in my corner.”

I wipe my face and stare at the floor.

"I don’t know if I have anything left to give anyone right now, Lark."

He doesn’t respond. Just lets the silence stretch between us like a wound we’re both pretending isn’t there.

I push back in the chair, the metal legs scraping against the concrete.

Lark stands and slowly circles his desk, each step weighed down by burdens he won’t voice.

He looks at me, and I look back. Really look. I see a man trying to stay strong for everyone. A man who won’t crack, even if he wants to.