"I'm glad. You deserve to be happy," I assure him, tugging him in closer and enjoying his closeness and his warmth. I've always been a rather tactile person, but especially so with the people that I'm closest to.

"I'm happy too," I say after a moment, because it feels important to say. "I miss home very much, but I'm happy. I can see a future here. Oliver and I are going to get married someday, and you'll be there."

Of course there are no guarantees in Darrow, but I can see it clearly. I just have to have hope that it'll happen.