Bound by His Promise
Lucas arrived later, damp from the rain, tie loosened.
He didn’t speak; he just sat beside me on the couch. We watched the news fade into static.
“He’s gone,” I whispered.
“For now,” he said.
“Do you ever think about what comes next?”
“All the time.”
I leaned my head on his shoulder. “Then promise me something.”
“What?”
“When the next fire comes… we don’t face it alone.”
He reached for my hand. “Deal.”
Outside, thunder rolled again—distant, almost gentle.
Maybe warning, maybe reminder.