MY HUSBAND LEFT ME ON CHRISTMAS EVE—THEN A BAREFOOT STRANGER IN THE SNOW CHANGED EVERYTHING

Safe meant home.

Safe meant someone who stayed.

Apparently, to Trent, safe meant dull.

I laughed once, bitterly.

The sound disappeared into the snow.

That was when I saw him.

At first, he was only a shadow near the walking path.

A man moving slowly, almost stumbling. His coat was far too thin for the weather. His head was bowed. One arm held his side as if every step hurt.

Then he moved into the pool of streetlamp light.

He was barefoot.