The Heathrow arrivals lounge was thick with the buzz of early spring travelers—families reuniting, luggage wheels dragging across tile, voices rising and falling in eager welcome, but for Ruby, stepping off the plane with James and Michelle at her side, the air felt heavier.
London’s grey skies were a stark contrast to Tenerife’s warmth, but she didn’t mind. She wasn’t looking for sunshine, she was looking for answers.
James guided her gently through the crowd, his arm a steady anchor as Michelle wheeled their luggage. Ruby looked pale, thinner than the last time they’d seen her, but her eyes still had that flinty, familiar spark. It was courage. Worn and tested, but still there.
Danielle and Marshall, Camilla and Bradford were waiting by the drop-off zone in the Range Rover, all jumpin
