Elise glanced at him with gentle concern. She couldn’t imagine what war memories he carried. She wanted to prod him to talk more about the days before the war and what it felt like to fight for your country. However, she also knew that human grief was fragile and that some things were best left alone.
The veteran shifted slightly, glancing at Elise’s necklace again before speaking in an almost absent-minded tone. “I’m flying out to meet family, too. My wife died recently, and my son lives in the city.” Elise smiled in reply. She felt a protective warmth toward this ancient man.