Their embrace was tender yet fierce, as if they were trying to reclaim the lost time between them. Tom whispered sweet nothings into her ear, words that had been trapped in his heart throughout the war. Each phrase was a balm, healing the wounds of separation and fear. Martha could feel the strength in his arms, a stark contrast to the frailty she had imagined as she penned her own letters, worried for his safety and yearning for his return. In that moment, they were not just survivors of war; they were two souls intertwined, ready to reclaim the life they had once envisioned together.