The news came on a Saturday morning.
Maya was in her shop, working on a new design for a local bakery, when her phone buzzed on the desk. She glanced at the screen and saw Jesse's name. She smiled, picking it up. The morning light was streaming through the window, casting warm golden patterns across her sketchbook. She'd been lost in her work, the rhythm of her pencil soothing and familiar, the smell of fresh paper and ink filling the air. Outside, she could hear the distant sound of a truck on the highway, the cheerful chirping of birds in the trees, the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. But the sight of Jesse's name made her heart skip with anticipation. He'd been gone for a week, visiting Rachel, and she'd been wondering how things were going.
"Hey, you," she said. "What's up?"
"G
