“Can you take one last look at the presentation before we head in this afternoon?”

Phoebe nodded, taking the flash drive Rachelle held out to her as she headed out of the office and back to her own desk. Rachelle stared at her computer screen for a moment, going over numbers and her pitch speech. A huge client would be joining them that afternoon, and Rachelle had spent the two months she’d been back from Zaradi focusing on that—to keep her mind off of other things.

Or, rather, other people.

Her finger hovered over the browser as she considered another search. When she’d recovered from the trauma of her departure from Zaradi, she had looked to see what had become of the royal family there. She found one major news story covering their departure, though all it said was that they were unaccounted for, leaving the mystery quite alive.

When Rachelle went to check again, the story couldn’t be found. It had been wiped entirely from the internet, and there was nothing else covering their possible whereabouts. Instead, the press had moved on to other things as the conflict raged on, uncertainty plaguing the region.

Rachelle thought about all the peaceful, friendly people she had passed on the streets of Tara. She sent out a silent prayer of hope to all of them, hoping that the casualties wouldn’t be as bad as they were saying. For the millionth time, she wondered if Darian was alive or dead. She had been so confused by the way he parted with her, had thought of a ton of reasons why he might have acted the way he did. None of it puzzled out in her mind or her heart, leaving her restless and discontented most of the time.

Her colleagues had chocked it up to PTSD, and had given her a wide berth whenever she was seen scowling, thinking about what had happened and what might have been. Of course, there was never any point in dwelling on the past, and Rachelle had tried her best to move forward. The pace of business didn’t slow just because her world was flipped upside down.

As she continued to stare at her screen, lost in her thoughts, Phoebe buzzed in on the intercom.

“Looks great, boss. You’re going to knock ‘em flat!”

“Well, let’s not hope for that. Let’s hope we help them soar. Positive affirmations, Phoebe, remember?”

“Right. You’re going to help them fly!” Phoebe said, ever obedient.

Rachelle grinned. Phoebe had been a rock since she’d returned, and she was grateful for all the support she’d received as she recovered from a terrifying situation.

“All right, let’s get the conference room set up with the usual fare and goodies. Do you need me to order anything?”

“Nope. I’ve got this, boss. You just work on the presentation and leave the rest to me.”

“Have I ever told you how much I appreciate you?” Rachelle asked, and she meant it.

Phoebe laughed.

“Every day. Now, get ready to wow them. I’ll meet you in the conference room in a few hours.”

“Yep,” Rachelle said.

She sat back in her chair, looking out at the skyscrapers of the windy city. A thought struck her in that moment, and she checked the time again. She would have plenty of time to get there and then make it back. Donning a light jacket, she headed out of her office and down the elevator, her purse on her shoulder and her expression determined.

When Rachelle stepped out onto the street, she turned, heading in the direction of Navy Pier. As she walked, she noticed the quick way others passed her by. Since returning from Zaradi, she had slowed her own pace a bit, Darian’s words with her as she carried on with her life. He was always with her, it seemed. The night they had spent together haunted her dreams, whether night or day, and she was often caught staring off into space, needing to be brought back to the present.

It was entirely unlike her.

Ignoring the stream of worried glances from her colleagues, she had carried on. Her work hadn’t suffered for it. While she worked on their next big client, she’d managed to land three smaller ones in the meantime, securing her role as one of their best workers. She had also reached out to several of the people she had networked with at the conference, and they were about to land another key partnership in the Middle East.

Business had been booming, as per usual.

Rachelle took a deep breath, the scent of Lake Michigan reaching her nostrils as she made her way across the network of straight roads to get to the pier. As she walked from pavement to wooden slats, she passed by a few trendy restaurants and an ocean of tourists as she made her way to the one thing she wanted to see.

The Ferris wheel towered above the crowd, slowly turning as passengers boarded and exited. Rachelle waited her turn in line as she stepped up to the front.

“That will be ten dollars, please,” the attendant said.

Rachelle handed him a few bills, and was escorted to an enclosed box with glass windows. It was nothing like the older-style wheel she had gone on with Darian, and in that moment, she regretted her decision to come.

Stepping inside, the glass doors were closed behind her, and she felt safe, even as the wheel began to turn, lifting her high into the air. Sitting on the plush seat, she stared out at the gray morning, Chicago’s unique skyline cresting the coast of the lake. The wind should have been blowing in her hair. The scent of water should have been echoing across her senses.

Instead, she felt as though she was in a glass prison, watching the world from inside a box.

Sitting down, she cast a morose gaze out at the world, allowing herself to relive the ride she had taken with Darian. He had been so witty and kind, his eyes like melted chocolate. She had imagined them so many times in her waking hours, before her mind went haywire and she imagined them staring out cold and lifeless, destroyed by an errant military regime.

Rachelle took a shaky breath, working to calm herself. She had been so plagued by mixed emotions, trying to find any information on Darian and coming up empty-handed, wondering constantly if he was thinking about her, too. She reminded herself time and time again that girlish thoughts would do no good, but her heart never wanted to listen. She would have to get a grip.

As she sat in that sterile box, reminded of what could have been, she was acutely aware of what was. Nothing in her world had changed except for her. She would have to adapt and get back to the life she was living before Zaradi.

She simply had to.

The wheel wound its way back down, and Rachelle disembarked back onto the pier, watching the delighted faces of a pair of twins as they jumped in with their parents.

Rachelle squared her shoulders and walked with purpose back to her office building. The time for wistful reminiscing and empty wishing was over. She would move on. She would find a man like Darian, if not better, and she would have a life full of love and laughter, as everyone deserved. It would come in its own time, and until then, it was time to get back to work.

As the elevator doors dinged open, Rachelle stepped out to meet Phoebe.

“Everything’s ready, and the clients have arrived. I’ve got them in the conference room now.”

“Thanks, Phoebe. Let’s go land this account.”

“Let’s,” Phoebe agreed.

Together, they entered the conference room and were met with three women in sharp suits. All of them stood when they entered.

“Ladies, welcome to KSK Worldwide. I’m so glad you’ve given us a chance to speak with you today about the possibilities of spreading your platform worldwide.”

One of the women reached out her hand, and Rachelle shook it.

“Sandy Johnson, CEO of Femipad. Thank you for taking the time to show us what you can do today.”

“Of course. This is a very important topic, and I’m happy to meet all of you. You have accomplished wonderful things.”

Everyone sat back down as Rachelle made her way to the front of the room, her presentation in full force.

“Over the past five years, Femipad has revolutionized feminine hygiene, bringing desperately needed products to women and girls in poverty-stricken areas around the United States. Now, you are ready to expand beyond our borders, and change the game for women around the globe. Our goal at KSK is to normalize this issue in parts of the world where this topic continues to be a source of discrimination for girls as young as nine years old.”

Rachelle continued through her presentation, detailing just how KSK would work to ensure that their advertising was handled carefully and thoughtfully, so that the company could not only expand and grow, but they would also be doing what they set out to do—help women and girls get access to better hygiene when it came to their cycles. As she reached the end of the presentation, she smiled out at the group of businesswomen.

“Look at us. A room of top-level executives, and not a man in sight. This, ladies, shows the progress that we have been able to make towards a more equal future. Let’s work together to form the baseline for others who don’t have the access that we do. Let’s make a difference for women around the globe, together. Thank you.”

There was applause from the table as Rachelle joined them, folding her hands as she prepared for the question and answer section of the pitch.

“Are there any concerns that I can address for you?” she asked.

The women looked around at one another. They asked a few questions regarding tactical timing and when KSK could launch their first round of advertisements.

“I’m thinking about running a campaign around the likes of knowing when you’re due. Do you know your cycle? Are you prepared? Now, imagine dreading that time every month, feeling shame and fear, losing out on educational opportunities because of your basic human functions. Something along those lines.”

Sandy and her team nodded approvingly.

“It’s amazing how much we take that for granted. Even having a calendar to track that kind of information can be a privilege.”

Rachelle nodded. The room was filled with thoughtful silence as each woman considered these elements to the platform. Rachelle thought about when her last cycle had been. She had never really been big on tracking it, but when she thought about it, she realized that it hadn’t come in an awful long time.

Her arms prickled with goosebumps as she considered what that might mean.

Could it be possible?

Swallowing her disquiet, she smiled back up at the group.

“It seems we have much to discuss, and you have plenty to think about in considering our campaign. If you would like, I’d be happy to touch base with you in a few days, and we can discuss possibilities of moving forward.”

Sandy stood, her team following suit.

“That would be great. I’ll be in touch with you sometime later this week, if that’s all right.”

Rachelle nodded, shaking Sandy’s hand. She hoped it didn’t feel to her as cold and clammy as she felt it was.

“Absolutely. Thank you again for taking the time to join us today. Allow us to show you back to the elevator.”

With each step, Rachelle felt more and more nervous. She kept her smile in place, making pleasant small talk as they made their way to the elevator and waited for it to arrive. As the women stepped inside, they bid each other a kind farewell as the doors closed, and Phoebe looked at Rachelle with excitement in her eyes.

“I think that went really well! You nailed it!”

Rachelle smiled back at her, though it might have come out more as a wince. Phoebe’s excitement faltered.

“Are you okay? Do you think it went badly? Did I miss something?”

“No, no. Not at all. I think we landed it. I just…need to check something. Can you take messages for any calls that come in this afternoon? I might need to head home for a bit.”

“Of course,” Phoebe said, her gaze concerned as she watched Rachelle stride back to her office and close the door behind her.

Rachelle stared at her computer calendar, counting back to when she could last remember her period. She still couldn’t remember when it was, which wasn’t a good sign. Grabbing her coat and purse, she headed back out through her door and straight to the elevator, where she pressed the button over and over again until the door finally dinged its arrival. She shifted from one foot to the other as time passed like molasses, the elevator finally reaching the ground floor.

Rachelle made her way to a local pharmacy, where she blushed as she purchased a pregnancy test. The cashier didn’t seem to care, placing it in the bag and taking her change as though she were buying nothing more than a candy bar. Rachelle fought a rising wave of panic as she walked back to her apartment and stepped inside, ripping at the box as she did so.

She read the instructions, having never taken a pregnancy test before. She told herself that she hadn’t felt anything like morning sickness or cravings. It was far more likely that her body was just reacting from the stress of her evacuation.

She stared at her reflection for a moment, psyching herself up before she took the test and set it back down on the bathroom counter. Not looking at it, she quickly stepped out of the bathroom, pacing like a caged tiger around her apartment.

What would she do if it was positive? She didn’t even know if the potential child’s father was alive, much less where he was hidden from his own government. What would she do?

Rachelle knew that enough time had passed. She knew that she would have to look. She told herself that it was just stress and she was being paranoid, but somewhere a niggling voice in the back of her mind disagreed.

As she stepped back into the bathroom, she closed her eyes for a moment before standing before the counter and opening them to take a look.

As it turned out, Rachelle was pregnant.