Stay Strong

Her New Life

The world around Carina seemed to be spinning faster as the days blended together, turning into months, then years. The quaint streets of London, which once felt foreign and intimidating, had become a part of her routine, a part of her new life. And with that life, she had learned to adapt—not just to the times, but to herself.

It had been a year since that day with the town guard. The scars of the confrontation had faded, but the memory of that moment stayed with her. Every time she looked at George, every time they shared a quiet evening in the garden or took walks along the river, she felt a deep sense of gratitude—but also a quiet unease. It was as though her heart longed for something more than the present moment, something that reached back into the future she had left behind.

But now, she had found some peace. Life with George was better than she could have ever imagined, and yet there was always something bittersweet about it—like she was living in someone else's life, someone else's skin.

"Carina, come here," George called from the doorway of their small home. She had been sitting by the window, watching the clouds drift past. The room was warm, filled with the soft light of the afternoon. The ticking of the old clock on the mantle was the only sound that filled the silence between them.

She turned to face him, and the sight of him always brought a smile to her face. His brown hair, now slightly streaked with gray, was still as handsome as ever, and his blue eyes still held that spark of kindness that had drawn her to him all those years ago.

"Yes?" she asked, standing slowly and walking toward him.

George reached out, taking her hand in his, and for a moment, they simply stood there, the weight of their years together settling between them like a comfortable silence.

"You’ve been so quiet lately," George said softly, his voice tinged with concern. "I know you’ve been thinking about it—the past, your family, what’s left of it. I can see it in your eyes."

Carina felt a lump form in her throat, and she pulled her hand away gently. The truth of it was, she had been thinking a lot about the life she had lost. About the family she would never see again. And though George was more than enough to fill her life with love and companionship, there was always that ache, that pull towards the past that could never be healed.

“I can’t stop thinking about it,” she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t help but wonder if I’ve left too much behind. My family… my life in the future… sometimes it feels like it’s slipping further away.”

George’s eyes softened, and he took a step closer to her, his hand reaching up to touch her cheek. “You haven’t lost anything, Carina,” he said gently. “You’ve built something here, with me, with us. This is real. This is your life now.”

Carina closed her eyes for a moment, leaning into his touch, letting the warmth of his hand soothe the restless ache inside her. The truth was, he was right. She had built a new life here, one that was full of love and purpose. The world around her might have been different from the one she had come from, but it was no less real. No less meaningful.

“I know,” she murmured. “But sometimes I wonder if I can ever truly belong here. If I’ll ever be able to stop feeling like I’m drifting, caught between two worlds.”

George pulled her into his arms then, wrapping her tightly in his embrace. "Carina, you are more than enough. You belong here, with me, just as much as anyone else. And no matter what you feel, I’m here for you. Always."

She let herself melt into his embrace, allowing herself to rest in the safety of his arms. For the first time in a long while, she felt something like peace. A quiet acceptance of what she had become—and of the future she was building with George.

It wasn’t perfect. She wasn’t perfect. But this life, this strange, unexpected life, was hers. And for the first time in a long time, she allowed herself to truly believe that.

They stayed that way for a long while, the world outside forgotten, as they held each other in the warmth of their shared love.

As the weeks passed, Carina found herself embracing her life more fully. She wore the clothes of the time without feeling the pang of missing her old wardrobe. She moved through the streets of London with more confidence, no longer a stranger to the looks of suspicion or curiosity. She had earned her place here, in this time, with these people—and with George.

Yet, as peaceful as things had become, Carina knew that the passage of time would always hold its own challenges. Life in the 1930s was not kind to those who did not conform to its expectations, and the weight of the future still pressed against her heart. She didn’t know how long she could keep hiding the truth of her origins from the world around her—or even from George, though she could see in his eyes the suspicion that he had been holding back for years.

But for now, all that mattered was the quiet comfort of the life they had built together. All that mattered was the love she shared with George, and the promise that no matter what, she would continue to stay strong.

And as she sat by the fire one evening, her hand resting in George’s, Carina felt a deep sense of gratitude for the life she had. It was far from the life she had imagined for herself—but it was hers, and it was enough.