“Thank goodness you’re alright.” His voice broke as the words left him, trembling with relief. Tears streamed down his face, yet he was oblivious to the weight of his emotions, to the way they might imprint on her forever.

She reached out gently, her fingers threading through his hair, a soothing gesture meant to anchor him in this moment. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, though she wasn’t sure what she was apologizing for. Was it for what he had been through? For the ...