Page 76 of Devlin

A throat cleared, and Devlin looked up, his gaze locking onto Todd’s. His friend gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod toward Mia. Following his cue, Devlin turned his head and found her staring at him, her dark eyes filled with something he couldn't quite name. She still knew him well enough to read his mind and could see the storm raging beneath the surface. He forced his lips into something resembling a smile, though he knew it was more a grimace than anything else, and tightened his arm around her waist.

When Doc Elaine finished with her shoulder, Mia began to talk. Her voice, hoarse and raw, barely rose above the quiet hum of the generator outside. Haltingly, she recounted what had happened, each word carving deeper into Devlin’s chest. When she spoke of being struck and then hooded, his jaw clenched sohard he felt the sharp pressure radiate up his temples. When she described Charlie cutting her loose, his grip on her tightened involuntarily, his heart warring with the knowledge that he had sacrificed himself to help her, yet being part of the food smuggling ring was the reason she had been kidnapped.

The room had grown eerily silent, the only sound the slow, measured inhales and exhales of those listening. Devlin’s gaze flicked to Todd and Cole, catching the flickers of respect in their eyes as Mia detailed how she and Charlie had climbed onto the truck's roof, inching their way toward freedom. Shock and awe registered on the faces of the others—Ravi, Robert, even the usually unflappable Moses—as they absorbed the sheer bravery and brilliance of her actions.

But when she spoke of Enock and how he had hesitated and then turned on his captors in the end, her voice wavered. The tears came silently at first, then in slow, unchecked drips down her cheeks as she told them how Charlie and Enock had died. By now, others cried softly as they listened to her tale and absorbed Charlie’s duplicity.

“How could we not have known?” Robert whispered. “I’ve spent time with him… ever since I came to this camp. He was one of the first friends I made.”

The tightness in Devlin’s chest became unbearable. He watched, helpless, as Mia unraveled, her body trembling under the weight of grief. His fingers interlocked with hers, grounding him even as his own emotions threatened to spiral. Around them, the air thickened with the heaviness of loss. Not just of their friend but also of the loss of their idea of who he was. Karen’s hands stilled on Mia’s ankle. Elizabeth pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes glistening. Percy reached for Karen, holding her tightly as her shoulders stiffened with unspoken emotion.

Moses exhaled, slow and measured, his face a mask of sorrow. Even Todd looked away, ever the composed one, his jaw flexing as if trying to hold something back.

Devlin swallowed hard. He would carry this memory for the rest of his life—the sight of Mia, broken but unbowed, recounting the horror she had endured. The knowledge that they had come so close to losing her. But he held tight, knowing she had fought her way back.

And Devlin did the only thing he could… he held her closer and let her know, without words, that she wasn’t alone.

Three days later, Mia was assisted into the helicopter Moses provided. Once again, Devlin lifted her, and Todd held her until Devlin could climb aboard. He turned and took her crutches from Cole before settling her into her seat. Moses’s pilot sat at the controls, waiting until they were all strapped into the seats. The rhythmic thrum of the rotors filled the humid air as they prepared for departure. They would meet Jonan about an hour from Entebbe, where he would drive them to the airport.

After a long talk with Dr. München and a conference call with Margarethe, Mia finally admitted what they and Devlin had been telling her for the past two days. It was time for her to leave. With her injuries, she wouldn’t be able to do her job easily for the last month of her tour at the camp. So she had agreed to take her medical leave and return to the States with Devlin. He would see her safely to Kansas before heading back to Montana while she figured out her next steps.

She had confessed to Dr. München that she had suspected him when she’d overheard a partial phone conversation. “Whenyou said she was getting too close and you wanted it taken care of, I was afraid you were talking about me.”

“Oh, no, no… not you, Mia,” he’d exclaimed. “We were expecting a new doctor to be assigned to the camp, but I hadn’t received her paperwork yet. I know I spoke sharply to the WHO assistant on the phone, but I wanted everything in order so she could begin practicing medicine as soon as she arrived.”

Mia had felt foolish, but Dr. München had assured her that she was right to suspect everyone under the circumstances.

The previous night had been a blur of farewells. The dining hall had been alive with music and conversation, a celebration held in her honor. The men and women of the camp, her family in every way that mattered, had come together to see her off. Devlin had insisted she sit for most of it, and considering she could only move with crutches, she hadn’t argued.

The women—Elizabeth, Ritah, Karen, Doreen, and Prossy—had gifted her a beautiful Ugandan kanga skirt, an embroidered blouse, and vibrant jewelry with beads and geometric patterns. She’d smiled at the sight of Percy standing beside Karen, his arm around her, a quiet sign of how much had changed in their time together.

Farid had grasped her hands, his voice unusually soft. “Al-dhahab la yalma‘ illa fi al-zalam…. Gold shines brighter in the dark. Mia, it has been an honor working with you. You have been a shine in the darkness. Your kindness, your strength, everything about you… you have made a difference here. We are better because of you.”

She’d clutched his hands as tears filled her eyes. “I am better for having known you.”

Robert had sat with her while Devlin had quietly stepped away to speak with Moses and Ravi. “I’m glad you’re going home,” Robert said, taking her hand in his.

She lifted a brow, and he chuckled. “What I mean is that you deserve it. But I hope we can still be friends.”

She reached over and squeezed his hand. “We will always be good friends, Robert.”

He looked at Devlin before saying, “He’s a good man, Mia. But I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you.”

She smiled. “No, but it’s nice to hear other people say so.”

He stood, bent to kiss her cheek, and moved away just as Devlin reclaimed his seat beside her. She turned toward him, warmth filling her gaze. “Thank you. For everything.”

“I’m the one who thanks you, my Mia. You gave me a second chance. Not many people in life get that. And I promise I’ll do everything I can to make sure you never regret offering that to me.”

She leaned into him, resting against the solid warmth of his frame. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her close.

Now, as the helicopter lifted off the ground, the vibrations shuddered through her tired body. Devlin’s arm remained firm around her, offering silent support. Below them, the camp grew smaller, its familiar low–slung buildings blending into the vast expanse of land.

Beyond the admin section of the camp, the refugee villages stretched out, a tapestry of resilience and hope. The sight of them sent a lump to her throat. She had spent so many months here, giving so much of herself. Had she changed lives? She hoped so. She knew, without a doubt, they had changed hers.

As they soared higher, the Ugandan landscape unfolded beneath them—lush greenery and the golden stretch of savanna meeting the sky at the horizon. She committed it all to memory, knowing she might never return but never wanting to forget.

Later, as she settled into her seat on the airplane with Devlin beside her, a deep sense of exhaustion settled over her. But her heart was full. She turned to him, lacing her fingers with his.He glanced at her, his blue eyes filled with something quiet and unspoken.

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