My heart raced in my chest as the cold November wind blew through the airport terminal. It wasn’t just the weather that made me shiver, though. There was a heaviness in the air as I watched Pops and Uncle Jake adjust their bags. Pops, trading his SWAT gear for a sheriff’s badge. Uncle Jake, once a detective, now part of the narcotics task force. Everything was changing.
“This is goodbye,” Pops said hoarsely, a rare c***k in his tough demeanor. Dad hugged him tightly, their unspoken words hanging heavy in the air. A lump formed in my throat as they separated, sharing a quick, tender kiss.
Uncle Jake tousled Stetson’s hair across from me. My twin nodded silently, his usual worry hidden behind a stoic mask. I wondered if he felt the same deep ache of leaving.
Chandler’s arm wrapped around
