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Paul simply nods and offers his condolences, then leaves. I see the grim look on his face as he shuts the door behind him, though. We both know that taking time away right now could prove even more detrimental to my chances. But if I’ve realized anything in the last few weeks, it’s that there are many things more important than a person’s career.

I turn back to my mom and nod. “I’ll book us plane tickets to North Carolina tonight.”

Looking up, I notice Odette standing a few feet away, looking pained and uncomfortable, like she’s not sure what to do. The moment our eyes meet, the tears I’ve been holding back sting my eyes. Something about looking into her eyes makes me feel comfortable releasing this pent-up emotion. By the time the first tear rolls down my cheek, she is at my side with her arms wrapped around my waist and her head laid gently on my chest. I don’t hesitate to wrap my arms around her shoulders and we simply stand there holding each other and crying together.

“Please come to North Carolina with me,” I whisper into her hair.

“Of course I will,” She replies without hesitation.

David offers to take Mom to the hospital so they can wait for Dad to finish his surgery. With his arm around her shoulders, they say their goodbyes and head out to David’s car. Odette has the presence of mind to hand them an umbrella so they don’t become drenched all over again.

I pull out my phone and begin looking for tickets, hoping we can fly out in the next few hours, while Odette packs our suitcases. I’ve never had anyone pack a suitcase for me before, at least since I’ve been an adult. But right now, all I can think of is my sister losing her husband and their unborn baby losing her father. The thought makes me want to vomit.

Three hours later, we all board our flight. Dad’s surgery ended just as David and Mom arrived at the hospital, and Odette and I went to Brooks’ house to tell him the devastating news. Thankfully, we all managed to get on the same flight.

Once we’re in the air, I slide the armrest up and pull Odette into my side. She lays her head on my shoulder.

Kissing the top of her head, I breathe, “I’m sorry everything is a mess right now, but it means the world to mean that you were willing to come.” I lean back so I can look into her eyes.

Odette closes the distance between us and touches her soft lips to mine briefly. “I’m sorry, too. And despite needing some space, I do care about you… Maybe too much.”

It’s my turn to kiss her. I slide my hand to the back of her neck and pull her closer as her hand comes up to caress the line of my jaw. Just as I tilt my head to the side so I have a better angle to kiss her, I hear the old lady seated next to Odette clear her throat. We sit up straight and glance at her just long enough to see her scowling back at us.

We land in Fayetteville, North Carolina, at 11:00 PM and take an Uber to Sophie’s house. A few of her friends greet us at the door when we arrive, puffy-eyed and somber. Mom rushes straight inside to find Soph. It breaks my heart that she was completely alone when an officer—whom she probably didn’t even know—knocked on her door and informed her of Sam’s death.

Sophie’s friends murmur their goodbyes and drift out the door as we make our way inside, giving us space to be with Sophie alone, I assume. Inside, the house is simple and clean. I can tell that Sophie enjoyed decorating and taking care of the place—at least until yesterday. Tonight, though, it’s dark and smells stale, a scent I might expect from an old, abandoned house. This must be the smell that takes over when there’s so much heartbreak in one small space.

We enter the living room and my heart squeezes painfully at the sight.

Sophie is disheveled, her eyes red and her face streaked with tear stains. I expected to find her sobbing, but she is completely silent. She just looks numb and a little angry. The swell of her pregnant belly shows underneath her baggy t-shirt, a painful reminder that Sophie’s baby will never get to meet her father. Mom has her arms around my sister and Dad sits on the sofa next to them, rubbing her back. We all silently surround her, just letting her know we’re here.

After an hour, Mom finally convinced my sister to go to bed and try to sleep. The rest of us grab whatever pillows and blankets we can find and lay down wherever we can conjure a comfortable spot. Odette quietly lies down next to me on the couch and I hold her tight. She doesn’t fight it.

I’m pretty sure I could fall asleep anywhere, as long as she’s in my arms.

Two days into our stay in North Carolina, it already feels like two weeks. We’ve spent all of our time helping Sophie make funeral arrangements and wrap up loose ends with her landlord so she can come home with us afterward. She was adamantly against staying in North Carolina by herself.

With Sam’s funeral tomorrow, we spend today helping her pack up what she needs to fly home with us. The military movers will pack up the house and move the rest later. For now, she will move in with my parents, which I think is a good plan. As excited as we are to have Sophie back in Wichita, I hate the circumstances behind it.

Since Odette wanted to do some more packing, Sophie volunteered to come with me to get lunch for everyone. I imagine that she was ready to get out of the house.

We have barely started driving when she turns to me with a serious look on her face. “How are things going with Odette?”

“Soph, we don’t have to talk about this.”

“I want to. I’ll go crazy if we talk about the funeral or the move or anything else about Sam. I want to talk about something else for just a minute. So, how are things going with Odette?”

I look over at her from the driver’s seat. “What do you want to know, exactly?”

She crosses her arms. “When I saw you two in December, she could barely look at you. But over the last few days, I keep seeing the two of you stealing glances at each other. And don’t think I didn’t notice you guys snuggled up on the couch these past few mornings.”

I chuckle. “Stealing glances?”

“Yeah, you know, those coy, flirtatious looks.” She smiles cheekily, though it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Long story short, I wasted the first six months of our marriage trying not to develop feelings for her.” I smile and shake my head at how ridiculous that sounds. “Obviously, it didn’t work very well. I assumed I was too much like Dad to make her happy.”

“What? You’re nothing like Dad,” she scoffs.