They shook hands warmly, then Leanne asked, “What are you doing here? Or can I ask?” She set her plate of food next to Cynthia’s and pulled out a metal chair.

As they sat down, Cynthia said, “It’s not a secret. I took a position here at the hospital. In the OB ward.”

Leanne grinned. “That’s fantastic. Tim said something about you being in Charula when we were there visiting Captain Norton. Sorry we didn’t see each other.” She unwrapped her sandwich. “He didn’t say anything about you moving here, though.”

Cynthia felt herself blush. “As far as I know, Rick doesn’t know I’m here.”

Leanne gasped. “You’re kidding!”

“No. I’ve been trying to call him, but he never answers.”

Leanne looked around and leaned close to her. “They’re not here right now.”

“Where are they?” Cynthia asked before giving it a second thought.

After a moment of puzzled eye contact, Leanne said, “Somewhere with no cell service.”

Suddenly the stress of Rick not answering his phone drained out of her. “Oh.” She looked at her sandwich. Not here meant deployed, on a mission, and the way Leanne delivered the message gave her the impression that they wouldn’t discuss the details. Why hadn’t she thought of that? It should have occurred to her the longer he went without answering. “Well, I guess that explains it, then.”

Leanne studied her for several seconds. “How come you didn’t know that?”

Cynthia cleared her throat. “We, uh, had a bit of a breakup. I moved here as part of a hope of reconciliation.” She felt a little foolish. “Now I’m beginning to wonder”—she took a deep breath to steady herself and looked Leanne in the eye—“if I did the right thing. I did try to call him and tell him I was coming.”

A slow smile spread across Leanne’s face. “I love this.” She took a bite of her sandwich, then wiped her lips with a paper napkin. “Look, they’ll be back in a few weeks if all goes well.” She leaned close again and said quietly, “They kind of come and go without much word or warning.”

Cynthia opened her water and took a long drink from it. “I can wait.”

Leanne grinned and raised her own water in a salute. “Welcome to the world of waiting. It’s just part of the life.”

Cynthia enjoyed lunch at the chapel. Leanne was new too, so it did them both good to have the company. Afterward, Cynthia went to a furniture store, settling on a gray couch and matching chair. At a home store, she found turquoise and yellow pillows for the couch, and a gray-and-turquoise rug with yellow accents to tie it all together.