A few days later, the new family was given the green light to head home.

Darian was cradling three of their children—Logan, Tawil, and Zyla—while Rachelle was strapping the other two boys and girl—Riyad, Connor, and Sara—into one of the triplet strollers. Over the past couple of days, they hadn’t had much time to chat about things other than immediate needs. They had six surprise children and nothing to clothe them in, no cribs for them to sleep in, none of it. Darian had made quick work of securing all of their needed items, including a very large SUV that could fit them all.

Rachelle had tried to bring up what they would do after their hospital stay ended, but something always seemed to interrupt. They never seemed to have enough time.

“All right, everyone’s ready. Why don’t I go grab us a quick lunch before we head out? We’re going to need our strength if we’re going to survive this without the nurses!”

Rachelle laughed.

“You’ve got that right. Lunch sounds perfect; thank you.”

Darian nodded with a smile as he nearly skipped out the door. Rachelle had never realized how much he had always wanted children. He had brought it up during one of the many feedings, though he hadn’t had time to elaborate, as an emergency diaper change situation presented itself.

The babies slept peacefully in their strollers as Rachelle straightened the area around her, making sure she wasn’t forgetting anything. Not that she had arrived with much. Mani came in, then, with a box in his hands and a mournful expression.

“Mani? What’s the matter?” she asked.

He handed her the box without a word, and she took it, her expression deeply confused. Sitting on the bed, she opened the lid to find a series of unopened letters.

“You must understand, I had to protect him and uphold my duty. Any correspondence would have put him in danger. When he gave them to me to deliver, I simply kept them in the trunk of the car and let him believe that the embassy was holding them.”

Rachelle stared. There had to be at least a hundred letters stacked away that Darian had written to her. Her eyes were watery when she looked back up at Mani.

“But he was able to send something to the embassy. That’s how I found him.”

Mani nodded.

“That was the only permitted communication. You finding us was an accident that frankly shouldn’t have happened. We were meant to be totally locked down until further notice. Your tenacity, however, circumvented all of it.”

Rachelle wasn’t sure if he was more annoyed or impressed. He took a step back.

“You have my apologies for the deception, though I will never apologize for doing whatever it took to protect Sheikh Darian. I have known him all his life, you see, and I would give mine for him in a heartbeat.”

Rachelle processed his words. As angry as she wanted to be, knowing that they could have been communicating the entire time that she had felt so lost and alone, Mani’s motives were pure. She knew that he had been doing his job and what he had to do to ensure Darian’s safety.

“I forgive you,” she said.

Mani nodded, leaving her alone with the envelopes and her children. After he left, she made short work of tearing the first one open. At least Mani had been organized. She could tell they were arranged by date, the first one dated not long after the siege. Rachelle unfolded the paper and began to read.

My Dear Rachelle,

I am trapped in a safe house now, far away from Zaradi. I can’t tell you where I am, because that would endanger you as well as myself. Please do know that I am safe and well cared for, and that I made it out alive. I desperately hope that you did, too. I was told you were brought to the American embassy, but other than that, I have no knowledge of what happened to you.

How could this have happened? I’ve thought about our last moment together so many times, thinking of how much better I could have handled it. I should have held you and kissed you and taken you with me. I should have told the guards that you were under my protection. Instead, I let them take you from me, and now I don’t know if you are dead or alive.

This is pure agony.

You must know, if you get this, that I love you. I know it’s crazy, and I know our time together was so short, but you are the most amazing woman I have ever met in my entire life. There is no one like you, Rachelle. I would give anything to have you here with me, as I stare out at this blank wall of nothingness.

Please know that I am safe, that I love you, and when this is all over I will come find you. I hope you feel the same. The other night, I dreamed we were back on my balcony watching the stars together. Perhaps we will do so again, someday soon.

Until then, I remain yours truly,

Darian

Rachelle cried as she read through a few more letters, and when Darian entered the room, his eyes darkened with concern as he saw her crying.

“Rachelle? What is it?”

He walked over, and she gestured to the pile of letters in her lap. Wiping her eyes with a tissue, she gave him a watery smile.

“Mani kept your letters to protect you. He just delivered them to me, with an apology.”

Darian approached her, taking one of the letters in his hand and staring down at it.

“That stinker. We could have saved so much heartache if he’d delivered these.”

“You know why he couldn’t,” Rachelle said, though she shared his sentiment.

Darian shrugged, sitting on the bed next to her.

“I guess.”

“I love you, Darian.”

His eyes widened in surprise as he looked down at her.

“You do?”

Rachelle laughed.

“Are you seriously asking me that? I just drove halfway across the country while eight months pregnant to track you down.”

“Well, yes, but I assumed a big part of that might have just been for the sake of the babies…”

He glanced down, then back up at her.

“I wasn’t sure if you really felt the same way I did. I mean, we spent such a short amount of time together.”

“And yet, here we are,” she replied with a smile.

He ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes filled with adoration as he glanced back to the letters.

“You’ve done a bit of reading, so now you know just how much I desperately love you, too. I promise you, Rachelle, I promise that I will be here for you and our children for the rest of our lives. Forever.”

He leaned down and kissed her then, deeply. Months of fear and stress and heartache poured out from them, transforming into nothing but warm, heartfelt love.

One of the babies began to fuss, and Darian pulled back.

“Looks like it’s time to go. Are you ready for our next adventure?”

She gazed up at him with adoration in her eyes, her heart filled to the brim.

“With you by my side, I’m ready for anything.”