After We Said Goodbye

PATHS CROSSED

By the time the meeting ended, the rain had become heavier.

Chairs moved across the floor.

Folders were gathered.

People began leaving in groups.

Adrian remained at the table, reviewing the photographs once more.

He heard footsteps approaching.

He didn't look up.

Maya stopped on the other side of the table.

"Captain."

Adrian raised his eyes.

"Representative."

She hesitated.

It was barely noticeable.

"Your report."

He handed her the folder.

Their fingers almost touched.

Neither reacted.

Maya opened it.

She looked through the first few pages.

Then closed it.

"I'll speak with the council tonight."

Adrian nodded.

"Good."

She turned to leave.

"Maya."

She stopped.

Adrian rarely used names when a title would do.

Especially now.

She turned back.

"Be careful."

Her expression softened slightly.

"I always am."

She walked away.

Adrian watched the door close behind her.

He stood alone in the conference room.

Outside, thunder rolled over the mountains.

He looked once more at the map.

Three red circles.

Three communities.

One mountain.

One faction determined to resurrect a war that had already taken too much from both sides.

He had a mission.

That was enough.

He turned off the screen.

The room went dark.

Adrian gathered the remaining reports and stepped into the corridor.

Two of his men were waiting outside.

Lieutenant Daniel Reyes stood beside the window, arms crossed, while Sergeant Tomas Cruz leaned against the wall, scrolling through the deployment notes on his phone.

Both straightened when Adrian approached.

"Sir."

Adrian nodded.

"Have the men informed?"

"Yes, sir," Reyes replied. "They'll report to the barracks by 0500."

"Good."

Adrian handed him the folder.

"Prepare for mountain deployment. Full equipment. Nothing unnecessary."

"Yes, sir."

Cruz waited until Adrian had taken two steps.

Then—

"So."

Adrian stopped.

He didn't turn around.

"Don't."

Cruz smiled.

"I haven't said anything yet, sir."

"You were about to."

Reyes glanced at Cruz.

"He's right."

Cruz looked offended.

"You're supposed to support me."

"I'm supporting him."

"Traitor."

Adrian finally turned.

"What?"

Cruz straightened, though the grin remained.

"Nothing, sir."

Reyes looked toward the conference room.

"Your ex-wife."

Cruz winced.

"Subtle."

"What?" Reyes said. "She is."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"She's the tribal representative."

"Yes," Cruz said. "And your ex-wife."

Silence.

Adrian stared at him.

Cruz raised both hands.

"Just making sure we're all aware of the situation."

Reyes gave him a sideways look.

"He's been aware for five years."

"Thank you, Lieutenant Obvious."

Reyes shrugged.

"You're welcome, Sergeant Divorce Counselor."

Cruz looked back at Adrian.

"So... that was awkward."

"It wasn't."

Reyes snorted.

Cruz pointed at him.

"See? Even he knows it was awkward."

Adrian started walking again.

Cruz followed.

"Sir."

Adrian kept walking.

"Sir."

"What?"

Cruz lowered his voice.

"You okay?"

Adrian stopped.

"I'm fine."

"Right."

"I'm fine."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were going to."

Cruz smiled.

"You're getting very good at predicting me, sir."

Reyes walked past them.

"He's had five years of practice."

Cruz laughed.

Adrian gave both of them a warning look.

They continued down the corridor.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Cruz glanced toward the conference room again.

"She's changed."

Adrian said nothing.

"Not that she wasn't always..." Cruz searched for the right word. "Well, Maya."

Reyes raised an eyebrow.

"Excellent description."

"You know what I mean."

"Unfortunately."

Cruz ignored him.

"She seems more settled."

Adrian's steps slowed almost imperceptibly.

"She belongs here."

Cruz looked at him.

"You say that like you already knew."

Adrian said nothing.

Reyes caught the silence.

"Did you?"

"No."

The answer came quickly.

Cruz studied him for a moment.

"You haven't spoken to her in five years, right?"

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"Not properly."

Reyes looked at him.

"Not properly?"

Adrian gave him a look.

Reyes lifted one shoulder.

"I'm just clarifying."

Cruz nodded thoughtfully.

"That's actually worse."

"How?"

"Because if you haven't spoken properly in five years, then this is basically your first conversation with your ex-wife since the divorce."

Adrian's expression hardened.

"Are you finished?"

"Almost."

Reyes sighed.

"That's never a good sign."

Cruz grinned.

"I was just going to say that if we're deploying to the northern sector, you're going to see a lot more of her."

Adrian stopped walking.

Both men noticed.

Cruz's grin disappeared.

"That's what I was going to say."

Reyes folded his arms.

"Which is unfortunate for you."

Adrian looked at him.

"Why?"

Reyes gave him a completely straight face.

"Because you clearly hate being reminded that you were once married."

Cruz coughed to hide a laugh.

Adrian stared at Reyes.

Reyes's mouth twitched.

"Respectfully, sir."

"Get to work."

"Yes, sir."

Cruz started walking away with Reyes.

Then he turned back.

"Sir?"

Adrian closed his eyes briefly.

"What?"

"If you two kill each other in the mountains, can I have your office?"

Reyes grabbed Cruz by the shoulder and started dragging him away.

"Come on."

"What? I'm planning ahead."

"You're planning your own funeral."

"Same thing."

Their voices faded down the corridor.

Adrian remained where he was.

For the first time since the meeting began, the corners of his mouth almost moved.

Almost.

Then his expression settled again.

Five years.

He had wondered where Maya had gone.

He had never asked.

Not once.

He had told himself there was no reason to.

Their marriage had ended.

Whatever life she chose afterward was hers.

That had been the agreement, even if neither of them had ever said it aloud.

Yet now he knew.

She had gone back to the mountains.

She had been living there all this time.

And in forty-eight hours, he would be going there too.

Adrian looked toward the dark windows.

The mountains were hidden behind the rain.

Somewhere beyond them was Maya.

His former wife.

The woman he had spent five years pretending no longer mattered.

The same woman whose territory his unit was about to enter.

His mission came first.

It always had.

It had to.

He turned toward the operations room.

"Forty-eight hours."

Then he walked away.

Behind him, the rain continued falling over the mountains.

And for the first time in five years, Adrian knew exactly where Maya was.

He only wished he knew why knowing mattered.