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Her heart relaxed, when Alessio truly squeezed.

“I – Sorry,” He stammered.

Leana didn’t pull away or look at him. So many things still rushed through her mind.

After a minute or two, Alessio spoke again, “I’ll keep searching until we find your father- I believe we’ll find him eventually, but if we don’t…” Leana stepped back. Alessio’s face tightened, and he wavered, too many wrinkles on his face, for a youth his age.

Leana squeezed her eyes shut, What if…? Tears begged to fall.

“…I honestly don’t know what I’ll do.”

Leana fell back into Alessio, hands pressing against her face. If Father’s gone? A hole gaped in her heart. Something she doubted could ever be filled. He’ll never meet little Hemen. Bethan might not even remember him; all the joy. Domnik… Domnik is gone. Mother will weep… Grandfather will, too. He loves Father, so very much.

We wouldn’t laugh again. Father wouldn’t play silly pranks, and convince us to do dumb things? He wouldn’t be there to listen to me cry and just hold me close and bring me back to reality and sing to me.

“I don’t know either.” Her voice sounded breathy, broken. I assume time will move on. Even if our hearts won’t. “So many in this war, have lost fathers. Brothers, friends…” Why shouldn’t we feel the same pain? Why should we be spared, when others aren’t? Leana sucked in a shaky breath. But he could be alive. Father could. Longing to get home. “But he’s not dead, until we know he is.” Leana’s voice deepened, and she pulled back, just enough to look at Alessio’s face. She shook her head. “Not until we know.”

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