The sunlight caught the colors of the clothes as she carefully hung them to dry, her movements graceful yet weary from the day's labor.
The moment she saw them approaching, her heart skipped a beat. She set aside the cloth in her hands and ran toward them, her feet barely touching the ground in her rush. Reaching Nolan first, she bent forward, her forehead nearly touching his chest in a bow of gratitude and relief.
"Thank you. You're back. I thought. I thought you would have forgotten me," Cynthia said, her voice trembling slightly.
Nolan crouched slightly to meet her gaze, his expression calm but full of warmth. "No. How could we ever forget you?" he replied softly. His eyes scanned her face, noting the faint lines of worry and fatigue, and he felt a pang of resolve. I won't let anything happen to her ever again.
