Page 34 of Undaunted

For the next three weeks, I heard nothing and that was the hardest of all. Every morning, I woke up wondering if he was okay and every night, I scoured all the news I could find in case something happened. When he finally called me again, it was to tell me that although they’d found Ryan and the team three days after they arrived, Trevor had to stay to finish the mission. He couldn’t tell me about the details except that Ryan was safe and airlifted to Bagram before being transferred to Norfolk a week later.

He’ll be okay, Trevor said.That’s what matters.

When he asked me how I was doing, I told him about my uneventful drive back to Philadelphia two days before my hooding ceremony to meet up with my family and how I hoped he’d be able to make it in time.

While Trevor couldn’t promise to make it to the ceremony, he vowed to do the best he could. At least, he was honest. But as I sneak another glance behind me and see the seat next to Gabe still empty, I know I have to accept that Trevor’s probably not coming. I hate letting my happiness hinge on his attendance. As if it’s not enough that my family is here, but it would have been nice to celebrate this big day with him.

Trevor would’ve been the icing on the cake that’s taken three years to complete. Three years of hard work that led to my internship in Virginia Beach where he happened to live two doors from my best friend.

Hehasto make it to my hooding ceremony.

But I really can’t complain. Trevor and his friends are safe and that’s what matters.

I turn my attention to the ceremony. We’re getting to the part where each one of us gets called on to the stage to receive our hood from our adviser. This is the moment I’ve been waiting for, from the day I told Gabe I wanted to go back to school to the last day of my internship in Virginia Beach, bittersweet because I truly enjoyed my time there no matter how hard my clinical instructor pushed me.

But isn’t that how life goes, especially when it comes to things—and people—you want?

With every candidate who walks on stage and receives their hood, I applaud. My hands hurt from all the clapping, but I don’t care. I know every one of the doctoral candidates and after the last three years we’ve spent together, I can’t believe this is it.

We made it.

“Claudia Paloma Romero.”

As I get up from my chair, I hear my family yelling and cheering behind me. They applaud and whistle loudly and I can’t help but beam from ear to ear as I hand my hood to my adviser and turn around so she can put it over my shoulders as I face the audience.

That’s when I see him. Wearing a black button-down shirt and blue jeans, Trevor stands next to Gabe whistling with his fingers. He’s so loud people around them turn to look and laugh. Wide shoulders, stubble darkening his square jaw, it’s Trevor through and through and I almost forget where I am.

I return to my chair, my cheeks aching from all the smiling, my heart full. The world seems to fade away and as I turn to look behind me and catch his eye, he’s all I see. He winks and I giggle.

The sight of Trevor sitting with my family almost makes me cry with joy but I don’t. I know better than to ruin my makeup during the ceremony.

That part can wait till later.

* * *

“Trevor!”

I must have shrieked his name as guests make their way out of the auditorium to meet the new crop of physical therapy graduates, but I don’t care. Before I know it, I’m in Trevor’s arms and I hold on to him for dear life.

No crying, Claudia.

But I do. As I breathe in his scent, a blend of earthy cedar, juniper berry, and home, I never want Trevor to be away from me ever again.

“God, I missed you,” he murmurs as I press my face into his thick neck. “So does this mean my future PT sessions will be free?”

I laugh. “Nope, and only because I’m top of the line, baby.”

He chuckles. “That’s my girl.”

“I will still extract some type of payment though, if you know what I mean,” I say, biting my lower lip and winking at him playfully.

“Oh, I do.”

Behind us, Gabe clears his throat and I see my mother standing next to him. Behind her, the rest of my family is waiting.

“Mama, I did it.” I unwrap my arms from around Trevor’s neck and hug my mother, a sense of accomplishment washing over me.

How long have I dreamt of this moment?

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