Chapter 11
The coastal town of Camden, Maine, welcomed them with the soothing sound of crashing Atlantic waves and the charming rustic beauty of New England architecture. Their new home was a modest, beautiful white-trimmed cottage nestled right along a rocky cliffside overlooking the ocean.
On their first evening in the cottage, Caleb stood on the wooden back deck, watching the sunset paint the sky in breathtaking shades of violet, orange, and gold. Sarah walked out behind him, handing him a steaming mug of black coffee.
"It's so quiet here," Sarah remarked peacefully, resting her hands on the wooden railing as she breathed in the crisp ocean air. "No boardrooms, no corporate backstabbing, just the sea."
"Just the sea and us," Caleb agreed, wrapping his arms around her from behind and resting his chin gently on her shoulder. "We earned every single second of this peace, Sarah."
She turned around in his embrace, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as they shared a long, tender kiss filled with absolute devotion. The dark purple bruises on her face and arms had completely healed, leaving no physical trace of the trauma they had survived.
Inside the cozy kitchen, a small brass table stand held the neatly folded US flag, serving as a quiet tribute to the honor, loyalty, and resilience that brought them across the country. It wasn't a military trophy; it was a household guardian.
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They shared a simple dinner of locally caught seafood at the wooden dining table, laughing and talking about plans for a seaside garden and local community projects. The laughter sounded musical and bright, echoing off the cottage walls like a blessing.
For the first time since their marriage began, Caleb felt completely untethered from the crushing weight of family obligation and corporate warfare. He was simply a husband protecting his wife in the sanctuary they built together.
