i/?

[Ashley knows before unfolding the paper that it's from her love. No one else she knows is able to leave the sun's warmth on something like he does. The greeting in his cursive only vindicates that instinctive knowledge.

[There's a sinking feeling in her stomach as she reads, despite the bloom of affection at the confirmation of their unspoken love being mutual. Still, she tries to reason her way out of it. How could he possibly time this? If he's no longer in this world, how would he know to leave it in this book - on a love poem?

[Something to tease him about, then. A sweet letter, but how was he going to pull this off? She gets out her phone to text him, to invite him over.

[He's not in her contact list any more. She checks it again on the mental network even though she knows they're the same system.

[She'll check again tomorrow. People Port back in all the time. She herself exPorted for three weeks and felt like she was back home for only a week. Maybe he and Sundance are just on a brief visit home.

[The Williams women are a decisive bunch. They do things when they’re ready. Not before, not after.

[And she's not ready to lose him.]