Later that night, Mark tossed and turned in the recliner trying to fall asleep. Tick, tick, tick; the sound of the second hand moving echoed in the room. After an hour of changing positions and looking at the clock, he finally dozed off.
Mark felt a gentle hand on his left arm. Then a soft voice spoke to him. “Mark. Mark?” the voice said. He cracked open his eyelids. Nicole stood next to him, smiling.
“Nicole?” He sat up quickly. “Nicole, you’re awake!” He jumped up out of the chair and wrapped her up in a hug. “Oh my God. I knew it. I knew you’d come back to me.” He squeezed her tight and she caressed his back to comfort him.
“It’s okay now, baby. Everything’s gonna be okay,” she reassured him.
He sobbed on her shoulder. “I was so afraid I was going to lose you.”
“Mark?” she spoke in
