“I’m here now,” I said, firmly enough that it felt like a promise, not just a statement. I pulled off my coat and draped it around her shoulders, though it did little against the rain. Still, she clutched it instinctively, like it was something solid in a world that had suddenly become unstable.

Behind us, the front door opened.

The sound was soft, almost lost beneath the storm, but Claire froze instantly. Her fingers tightened around my sleeve, and I felt the tremor run through her. Slowly, I turned, my body shifting just slightly in front of hers without thinking.

A man stood in the doorway—her husband. Dry. Composed. Watching us. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in the stillness of him that made every instinct I had sharpen. He didn’t step forward. He didn’t speak. He just stood there, as if waiting to see what Claire would do.