23

The morning breeze lightly tapped against the tent walls. Outside, the cold still lingered, but the warmth they had shared through the night remained. Angela slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was the arms wrapped around her. She felt safe and serene. In this broken world, life had granted her a miracle.She gently tilted her head back and realized that some of her hair had fallen over Guy's face. With a slight hint of concern, she whispered, "Oh, I'm sorry—my hair! It's practically covering your whole face.""Mmm, no," he murmured with a smile, "you can't take this lovely smell away from me now. Can they stay a little longer? Soft, warm, and... I don't know. Just perfect."His words resonated in Angela's heart like a simple yet profound melody. In that drowsy jest, she found herself falling even more in love with the man beside her, feeling a warm thrill within her chest. With his eyes still closed, Guy gently traced his fingertips along her arm and snuggled closer. Their closeness was not just a merging of bodies but a fusion of souls. "You don't have work today, do you?" he asked. Angela paused, unsure if it was a genuine question or a joke, until he added, "If you don't, how about we stay here a bit longer? Say... maybe another five or six hours?"Now certain of his teasing tone, Angela smiled. "I'm not going anywhere. Even if I had to, I wouldn't leave. I just want to be here with you," she replied earnestly. "But... instead of five or six hours…" she began, only to be interrupted by Guy's chuckling. She laughed along with him before turning fully to face him, her eyes sparkling mischievously. "Are you up to no good?" she asked, her gaze fixed playfully into his."If you keep looking into my eyes like that, I'll be too mesmerized to speak," he confessed, his eyes never leaving hers. They talked, kissed, gazed, and shared silent smiles and embraces. That makeshift tent had become a heaven of their own.Time passed, and sounds from outside began filtering in. Morning had matured, and people were stirring from their tents. The growing bustle nudged them to rise, and they decided to dress. Guy gathered Angela's clothes and handed them to her, while Angela, in no rush, dressed slowly—deliberately, as if to be seen. Guy grabbed his own clothes hurriedly, ready to throw them on, but before he could finish, Angela looped her arms around his neck and pulled him into an embrace. She kissed him softly on the lips before leaning back to study him with a playful smile."Wait—let me have a look at you," she said. Her eyes traveled over him, and her fingers traced his arms, chest, stomach, and finally slid up through his hair. Guy remained still, like a statue under her gentle exploration, watching her every move."I shouldn't keep you waiting in the cold like this," she whispered.

"It's fine," he replied simply.

Angela handed him his clothes, and they both dressed for the day. Just as they were nearly ready to step outside, Guy's phone began to ring. Phones rarely worked now—signal was scarce—so it took him a moment to realize it was his. But when he recognized his ringtone, his heart skipped with surprise and excitement. "Oh, my phone is ringing!" he said, incredulous. He quickly pulled it from his pocket and saw the caller ID: Mom. His joy surged."Mom?"

"Guy, my son! How are you? Are you okay? Is everything all right?" his mother asked in rapid succession.

"Yes, yes, I'm fine. Are you okay? How's everything there?"

"We're... okay, everything is fine, but..." She hesitated, and in the background, his father's voice faintly muttered, "Don't tell him anything, just... you know."

"Mom? What's going on?" Guy asked, his voice tightening with concern.

"Nothing, it's just... just that..." she paused again.

"Yes?" he prompted, his worry growing. His mother seemed to search for the right words.

"You know how sometimes the news... they exaggerate things," she began, but then her voice crackled, breaking up as static cut through the call.

"Mom? Mom! Your voice is cutting out! What's happening? What are they exaggerating?" Guy tried to listen harder, straining to catch her words."We're... we're fine... waves... Atlanti... coming... but it's o... it's fine... Love you, my son... both... your dad and I... Guy? Do you hear me? So much stat—"

"Mom! I hear you! I'm coming there, I'll come to you!"

"No, Guy, don't... d... don't come—"

"Mom, I love you! Do you hear me? I love you both! I love you both!" Guy's voice cracked as he shouted into the phone, but the line had gone silent. He kept speaking, his breath ragged, his heart pounding. "Mom! I love you. I... I... Mom? Mom!" Tears streamed down his face as he clung to the phone.

Angela, overwhelmed with emotion, gently took his free hand in both of hers. Her eyes, red with unshed tears, met his. She felt his pain as though it were her own, the thought of her own family creeping into her mind.Guy fell into a heavy, trembling silence. Still holding the phone to his ear, he slowly pulled it away and, with a resigned motion, pressed the red button to end the call. He rested the phone against his forehead, his shoulders shaking as he broke into quiet sobs."Oh God," he whispered, his voice cracking. "I can't take it anymore."

He clenched his fists, his body folding under the weight of his grief as he sank to the ground. "Why? Why?"

Angela knelt beside him, holding him close as his pain poured out into the silent morning."What did she say?" Angela asked softly, her voice gentle and curious, but she didn't press him. She simply held his hand, waiting quietly beside him. After a moment, Guy took a shaky breath and tried to gather himself."I don't know... I couldn't understand because of these f***ing lines," he muttered, frustration and fear tangled in his voice. "But I think... I think something's wrong with the U.K." He stared into the distance, his eyes unfocused. "She said the news was exaggerating things, that there was nothing to worry about... but there is something. I can feel it."Angela squeezed his hand. "Hey," she said softly, her tone calm and reassuring. "I think... I think they just wanted to warn you. They didn't want their one and only son to get scared by what he saw on the news. That's a good thing, don't you think? Maybe they just wanted to hear your voice and make sure you were okay."Her words slowly began to settle over him. His breathing slowed as he sniffled and tried to steady himself, drawing in long, uneven breaths and letting them out with trembling resolve."Okay," he whispered. "Yeah... yeah, you're right. I need to stay calm. They probably just wanted to give me a heads-up so I wouldn't panic. That makes sense. Totally makes sense." He nodded, his mind beginning to ease. "Yeah. That must be it."Angela smiled, relieved to see his composure returning. "There we go," she said with warmth. "You're one of the most optimistic people I know. Laughing, making jokes—that's you. That's what suits you."A small, weary smile crept onto Guy's face, his cheeks still flushed and blotchy from the tears."And," he added with quiet conviction, "you're here with me. We're together. Yes, I'm worried about my parents, but... they'll be okay. They will."Guy nodded again, drawing strength from her presence. He began speaking to himself, almost like a mantra. "Okay, Guy. Stay calm. Calm. Breathe. Relax." He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air, and slowly exhaled. "Breathe in..." Another long breath. "And... huuhh..." he sighed it out.Finally, he turned to Angela, a flicker of his usual self returning. "Alright, love. What do we do now?"Angela hesitated, the words poised on the edge of her lips. She wasn't sure how he'd react, but her excitement overrode her doubt. With a determined grin, she announced,

"We're going to the U.K.!"