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Joel POV

I awoke early this morning with a slight knot of fear in my gut. I propped up on my elbow, facing Miranda and watching her sleep. It's hard for me to wrap my mind around the fact that in a few hours, I would be saying goodbye to her as it was time for her to fly back home.

While I know I am completely capable of carrying out the next steps of my transition plan including securing my apartment, starting my new job, and continuing with my court ordered counseling and reentry classes, the thought of doing them with Miranda thousands of miles away does not sit well with me. Having her support and being able to talk to her every day on the phone simply does not compare to having her here with me when I come home from work or when I may need some physical affection. I'm not just talking about sex either, although that's great too. I'm talking about the little things that have made me feel safe in this essentially new world over the last week. If she only knew what those little g