*Natalie*
I stand by the kitchen window, staring out into the encroaching dusk, my mind a tempest of fear and hope. I can barely make out Levi's silhouette as he speaks into his phone, his posture tense with urgency. The warmth from his kiss lingers on my cheek, a stark contrast to the chill of dread that grips my heart.
My father shuffles behind me, his movements labored with worry. "Natalie, sweetie, you should sit down, eat something," he urges, but the very thought of food tightens the knot in my stomach.
I shake my head, keeping my gaze fixed on the fading light. "I can't, Dad. Not until Josh is back home, safe." The words come out choked, a whisper lost in the vastness of my fear.
A heavy silence settles between us, broken only by the muffled sounds of Levi's voice outside. I won
