Daniel lowered his head.
I gave him a small smile and walked away.
That afternoon, I went to the memorial.
For the first time in decades, I arrived without the old photograph in my handbag.
I carried a single white rose.
I placed it beside the names of the missing servicemen and stood there quietly.
I did not tell Thomas about my day. I did not explain my choices or ask the silence for answers.
Instead, I thought about the young woman I had been.
She had loved sincerely. She had waited because she believed she was honoring a promise. She had built a life despite carrying an unanswered question.
She had not been foolish.
She had simply been young, hopeful, and unaware of how long a person could live inside an unanswered goodbye.
I took the photograph from my coat pocket. I had brought it after all.
For a moment, I considered leaving it beside the rose.
