"Are you even listening - Oh. For me? Why are you sending me notes when I'm standing right here?" She bent down to retrieve the scrap and unrolled it to read. With a heaving breath, she looked at me, her great big eyes shining bright and then threw her arms around me. "I love you too. I'm just worried, okay?"

I held to her tightly. "I know. Me too."

"I can come with you. Protect you."

Her words warmed and chilled me at the same time. She'd said she'd ...