I'll Be Seeing You

Eighteen.

The first year of school felt like it would never end. The days dragged on, and the work got harder as time passed. But I loved every bit of it. My professors were great, and I made some amazing new friends—people I often studied with in group sessions. Since I was pursuing my ADN, the entire program was just sixteen months long, which meant I was now only four months away from graduation.

Mark was thriving at the family business. He had nearly tripled their workload, and the company was doing so well that he brought Tommy on as his right-hand man. For the past year, they had been working with Chelsey's boyfriend, Carter, on a major project. We met Carter during Dave's birthday dinner when the whole family got together.

Dave had been right about him—Carter was a really nice guy and an incredible architect. He even showed me a draft of the plans for the house they were designing and asked for my input on some of the design elements. They were building a lake house for a newlywed couple, and the bride's vision happened to align closely with mine. It was easy for me to offer ideas based on my dream home.

Over the past year, I had grown much closer to Mark's family. Dave had become the father I never had, and Chelsey and I developed a bond that felt unbreakable. We were so close that sometimes I felt guilty for seeing her as a sister, knowing mine was still out there somewhere, navigating life without me. But I never lost hope that we'd find each other again someday.

As for Mark and me—things couldn't have been better. I know it might sound cliché, but we really do have the kind of relationship most people only read about in books or see on the big screen. We never fight. We talk things out. When one of us is having a rough day, the other steps in without question. Sometimes, it almost feels too perfect to be real.

"Okay, the Jeep's all packed and we're ready to go. Tommy said they're just about to leave, so if we don't make too many stops, we should get there around the same time," Mark said, grabbing the mini cooler from the counter.

"I'm so excited. I can't wait to be on the beach."

"Me too, baby. It's our first vacation together, and I know how much you love the ocean. Let's hit the road so we can get there and enjoy the day."

We'd been planning this beach trip for months. Tommy and Rene had just taken the next step in their relationship and moved in together, so we spent most of our free time bouncing between our place and theirs. It was great having another couple to hang out with. We decided to take a vacation during my spring break, going half and half on a beachfront house in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

We had a six-and-a-half-hour drive ahead of us. It was five in the morning, so we expected to arrive around noon and get the keys to the house at one. That would give us plenty of time to unload, relax on the beach, grab dinner, and do some shopping before it got too late. Since we were staying for a week, we planned to stock the kitchen and eat in most nights to save money for other things.

Three hours into the trip, Rene called and said they were getting hungry. We found a Bob Evans just off the next exit and stopped for a quick breakfast. The service was fast, and we were back on the road in no time. We drove with the windows down, the radio blasting, and Mark's hand gently wrapped in mine. I couldn't stop looking at him. Even after all this time, it still felt surreal—this was my life now.

"Babe, wake up," Mark whispered. "We're at a rest stop if you need to use the bathroom."

"I do, actually. How much longer until we're there?"

"About an hour. We're making good time."

Fifteen minutes later, we were back on the road. That last hour felt more like ten. As soon as I caught the scent of salt in the air, I knew we were close. If you've ever been to the ocean, you know the feeling. You can smell it before you see it—and it's one of the best feelings in the world.