How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Esmeralda's birthday had arrived.

It was today, in fact, but she was swamped with work and would have to get through it before making any evening plans.

She nodded absently, her gaze flickering with a trace of hope, as if she was waiting for something.

Suddenly, Elodie seemed to remember and arched an eyebrow. "Ah, that's right— your fiancé's back in town. Got anything planned with him?"

Esmeralda's shoulders slumped as she shook her head, crestfallen. "He hasn't even called. I'm not sure he remembers."

Before Fleming went abroad, he always made time for her on her birthday.

Elodie ruffled Esmeralda's hair. "He'll remember. He's back now, and even if he forgets, you can always remind him. Just tell him you want to spend the day together."

Esmeralda's eyes lit up as if a cloud had lifted. "You're right! And it's Sunday, so he's got to be free."

Seeing her friend's smile, Elodie couldn't help but grin too.

"Is everyone here?" Elodie asked as they walked down the hall.

Esmeralda shook her head. "Not yet, but Alex is inside, chatting with a few of them already."

team members from the base would show

up to the

men waiting there, all of them well-dressed and striking in appearance. Two of them, Elodie recognized immediately-they were special ops pilots who'd transferred

Elodie entered, Lily stood up, shot a quick and critical look at Esmeralda clinging to Elodie's arm, then pursed her lips

to see how she was doing. Satisfied she was fine, he began introducing

Greetings were exchanged.

a voice called

late. Traffic was a

voice carried through the room, Elodie felt Esmeralda

down; Esmeralda's breath hitched, nerves written all

the first to crack a joke or stir up some fun.

a surreptitious deep breath, forced her most radiant smile, and turned toward

as she saw who was standing there,

him was a tall, slender woman with

woman wasn't exactly striking, but she had an effortless grace

she was: Fleming's

Esmeralda right away. Instead, he looked around the room. "This

wasn't strictly official, so there was no need