NovelEnglishARRIVAL
LUKE
The attendant held the door as | pushed Josh's wheelchair through the narrow aisle. It wasn't a long walk to the
terminal, but every step felt like we were marching toward something bigger than the three of us could handle.
Sarah walked a few paces ahead, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her head down like she was bracing
against sinvisible storm.
"I don't know why I'm nervous, man," Josh muttered, twisting slightly in his chair to glance back at me. "Why am
| so fucking nervous?"
| didn't answer right away because hell if | knew. My hands tightened on the grips of the wheelchair, my palms
slick with sweat. "Maybe because it's not every day you walk-or roll-out of a crash and straight into a family
reunion." Josh gave a short, humorless laugh. "Yeah. That's probably it."
We fell into silence again as we approached the sliding glass doors leading into the arrivals terminal. The hum of
the airport grew louder, blending with the occasional static-filled announcements overhead.
| kept my focus on the path ahead, on the small trail Sarah's footsteps carved into the gleaming floor. Anything
to stop my mind from spiraling.
| didn't want to think about what was waiting for us on the other side of those doors.
Maybe | didn't want to picture their faces-Jess and Laura, sitting there, staring at us, waiting to see if we'd come
back whole.
Because we weren't whole.
Not even close.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtFuck, | don't even know how to just ease back into civilization...
"Damn," Josh said under his breath, pullingout of my thoughts. "No bags. No shit to carry. Justand this
chair. Guess it's a perk of having your stuff at the bottom of the ocean."
| barked a short laugh, more out of surprise than humor. "Yeah,
« real silver lining there, Josh."
Sarah turned her head slightly, her lips twitching into what might've been a smile before she looked away again.
The sliding doors hissed open, and the noise hitlike a wall. Voices, footsteps, the whir of suitcases rolling
across tile-it all felt too loud, too much. But then | saw them sitting in those hard plastic chairs just outside the
baggage claim.
People were passing them, and the view was hazy, but fuck - | saw Jess, | saw her face, and this time, it wasn't a
dream. She was on the phone and had her face all scrunched up like she was thinking, and | thought. They
hadn't seen us yet.
Josh tensed in the chair, his hands gripping the armrests tightly. "They're right there," he said, his voice low,
almost reverent. "Man, they're really right there."
"Yeah, | murmured, my throat dry. "They are..."
Sarah paused in front of us, glancing back. Her expression was hard to read, but her eyes softened as they
darted betweenand Josh. "You ready?" she asked, her voice barely audible over the rush of people. Josh
exhaled sharply through his nose, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Ready as I'll ever be."
| wasn't sure if | could say the same. My chest felt tight, and my Stomach twisted in knots | couldn't unravel. But
| pushed forward anyway, gripping the wheelchair so tightly my knuckles turned white...
As we rolled closer, Jess's head snapped up, her eyes locking on us like a laser. For a moment, she didn't move,
didn't blink, didn't breathe. Laura turned a second later, her hand flying to her mouth as tears filled her eyes.
"Holy shit," Josh muttered, his voice cracking.
It was Jess-it was really Jess, right
here, within reach. | was Saher
fageher pesuifal fab that aunted
ie Every single night on that
forsaken island. The content is on
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chapter there!
Laura jumped up, but Jess stayed
until Luara turned around and helped
her up. Now Laura was staring at
Josh, her lips TR gilendydikelshe
Was saying = Braye _1scanned Jess
from head to toe to look for injuries.
Why did Laura have to help her up?
Laura reached us first, stopping a
few feet away. Her gaze landed on
Josh, her hands trembling at her
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm: [1 ' [1 f
sides "You're here" she whispered,
fH fH | [ [1
her voice cracking 'You're really here.
Josh nodded, his jaw tight as he tried to keep his composure. "Yeah, Laura. I'm here."
She laughed then, a sound so full of
relief it made my chest ache. She
dropped fq her knbes (Prom of the
: : f son
wheelchair, her hands gripping his. "|
n H
thought-1 thought-" The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
"I know," Josh said softly, cutting her off. "I know."
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