Becca followed Christian back into the mission and they returned to Patrick’s office. She sank down into the chair, her body still feeling the aftereffects. Christian disappeared and returned a few minutes later with a bottle of water. “Drink it all,” he said. She drank thirstily, giving him a grateful nod when she was finished.

“Your visualization techniques are really impressive.”

“I learned from the best,” he replied. She gave him a half smile. Early on in their relationship, Becca urged Christian to consider mindfulness training. Every time she tried to get him on board, Christian dismissed it as too hippie-dippie. “You do your things your way. My way is working.”

The nightmares and sleepless nights and the occasional angry outbursts told a different story. She made him a bet. “Meditate once a day for six months, and if your sleep isn’t better and you don’t feel more grounded and at ease, I’ll do the dishes and the cooking for the next six months. If you do feel better, then you’ll wait on me hand and foot.”

Never one to walk away from a challenge, Christian agreed. At the end of the six months, he was a convert, and Becca enjoyed six glorious months free from kitchen duty. He even implemented a mindfulness component when training new officers.

“What’s going on, Becs? Do you know that kid?”

She nodded, her stomaching churning. “He was living on the streets with Ash when I found her.”

So he’s the boyfriend?” Christian asked.

“I would bet my life on it. His name is Nate Sutton. They were living together with a bunch of other kids in this pedophile’s house when we found Ash. Nate went out to get food and wasn’t there when the cops were called. They were separated that day.”

Becca remembered Ash’s single-minded obsession—find Nate. It was all she talked about. “We promised we would always be there for each other. He has to be freaking out now that I’m gone,” Ash said. Becca empathized. Ash had no one until she met Nate. It made sense that she wanted to find him again.