Keith

I wake slowly, the way a man does when he doesn’t want to disturb the moment. Dawn filters through the curtains in pale gold bands, painting the room in quiet warmth. Hope lies beside me, turned slightly onto her side, her breathing slow and even. Peaceful. Whole. Real.

For a long moment, I just watch her.

She’s beautiful in a way that still catches me off guard. Long black hair spills across the pillow like ink, thick lashes resting against smooth, creamy skin. Her lips are parted just enough to remind me how easily she smiles, how easily she laughs when she forgets to guard herself. After everything—after loss,...