The way he removes his hat, the way it’s pressed against his chest, it’s a movement that’s so uniquely Ray that it feels like it knocks the air right out of her lungs. Because, even without a verbal confirmation, her heart knows that it’s him. It’s the man that hadn’t minded a woman that was reluctant to share much about her past. It’s the man that had loved her, flaws and all; a man that hadn’t wasted any time in proposing to her with a beautiful ring that she still wears every day. Because even now, even knowing damn well that she’ll never see him again, she can’t let him go yet. Despite their goodbyes, the closure that she tells herself they got in whatever way they could, she still misses him.

She still loves him, so much that when he says her name, it makes a teary laugh get caught in the back of her throat.

Allison Chestnut. It’s not a name that anyone in Eglaf uses - it’s one that she herself doesn’t even use because she’s not ready to really talk about the second marriage she has failed at, but the familiarity of it feels as if it makes her heart skip a beat.

“Yeah, it’s me.” The confirmation is barely out of her mouth before she’s already wrapping her arms around him, holding him close. Because she needs to make sure this isn’t some sort of dream; she needs to make sure it’s him. That he’s real. That he’s here, and she can only hold onto him tighter as if to make sure he won’t disappear.

“God, I’ve missed you so much,” she breathes after a moment, but not pulling back yet. She can’t. She has been longing for this for so long, that she’s not ready to let go of him yet. “Are you okay? Did you just get here?”