Oh my dear anon, what a perfect and timely gift this is! This whole story is a literal hug. Your characterization is superb, and your exploration of loss, anxiety, and the uncertainty left even by a joyful reversal of circumstance is both delicate and profound. And then that hug, and the words spoken and unspoken - perfection.

I adored every word of this, and now I'm going to go read it again. Thank you so much for this wonderful present!