Chapter 64 The Picture

• Ardal
• Kadeem’s hand interlocks with mine and a familiar warmth floods over me. Five children are giggling and hollering feet away, but they fall to a dim background hum.
• Amber afternoon light spills from the windows, highlighting Kadeem’s chiseled features and chocolate brown eyes. The worn leather band of his watch is pressed against my wrist, a gentle reminder of the passage of time, even in a moment that seems endless.