Jessamyn noticed the way Jerrick's eyes reddened, a raw, vulnerable emotion seeping through the cracks of his usual stoic demeanor. He was a man of iron, a warrior who rarely let his guard down, but at this moment, his heart was wide open.
She reached for him, cupping his face with tender hands, her thumbs brushing lightly across his cheekbones.
"I'm here, and that's all that matters, Jerry…" she whispered, her voice soft yet steady, laced with a love that had been tested by time and distance, but never wavered.
Jessamyn had been through so much—more than any woman should have to bear—but she didn't hold it against him. She knew Jerrick hadn't abandoned her on purpose. He wasn't callous or indifferent. The circumstances that had kept him away, that had left her to suffer alone, were beyond his control. She was not so foolish as to blame him for it.
