Anastasia had just set the phone down when Flynn''s car pulled up.


    Spotting her at the clinic entrance, he hurried over, worry written all over his face. "Anastasia, are you alright? What brought you to the clinic?"


    Christen, trailing right behind him, exhaled in relief. "Oh, thank goodness, Mrs. Harrison, you nearly gave me a heart attack."


    "I''m sorry, Christen," Anastasia said gently. "I wasn''t feeling too great, but the fever''s gone now. No need to fret." Wanting to shift the focus, she asked, "Any word on your brother?"


    "Nothing yet," Flynn admitted. "But you know what they say: no news is good news. If something had happened, we''d have found him by now. We''ve checked every river nearby and put out a reward, but there''s been no sign. I''m sure he''s still out there." Anastasia stared into the night, determination clear in her voice. "He''s alive. I feel it. He wouldn''t leave us like this. Emmie and Nancy haven''t even called him ''Dad'' yet."


    She refused to stop searching. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever.


    If it took a month, she''d look for a month. If it took a year, she''d search all year. As long as she breathed, she''d never give up.


    The three of them headed back to the Springfield Hotel, where Katelyn ran to Anastasia, tears in her eyes. "Ana, you can''t do that again. I was worried sick!"


    "I''m really sorry, Mom," Anastasia reassured her. "I''m okay, really."


    Since Herman went missing, a shadow of worry had loomed over them all. As days turned into weeks with no trace of him, hope was fading, yet they clung to it, refusing to ept the harsh reality.


    After calming Katelyn, Anastasia retreated to her room, where Salma called on video chat.


    Seeing her children on the screen gave Anastasia the strength she needed to keep going.


    Salma could see how Anastasia had lost weight, her face drawn and weary. Her heart ached. "Ana, you must take care of yourself. The kids are all thinking about you. Pattie keeps asking when you''ll be back and if there''s word about their dad." "Nothing," Anastasia replied, her eyes filled with sorrow. Watching her sleeping baby on the screen, tears welled up and spilled over.


    Seeing Anastasia cry, Salma''s heart ached too. "Ana, you have to look ahead. No matter what happens, think of the kids and the future, okay?"


    Salma worried Anastasia might crumble under the pressure.


    "I know, Mom," Anastasia said, her voice choked with emotion.


    Salma continued, "Monica''s been helping out daily, so don''t worry about things here. The kids are fine I told Pattie you were on a trip and would be back soon. She''s doing great in school. Ms. Liana can''t stop praising her. Emmie''s grown taller and started saying ''Mama today..."


    Listening to Salma talk about her kids, Anastasia''s heart ached with longing.


    How could their happy family beplete without its head?


    Anastasia knew her children needed her to be strong, so she had to keep going.


    From that day on, Anastasia reserved her tears for the solitude of the night, never shedding them in front of others. Two more weeks passed with no news.


    Anastasia decided it was time for Flynn to take Katelyn and Feiman back to Riverdale, while she stayed behind. Nelson and Dailey, who had recovered from their injuries, also joined the search efforts.


    But as time wore on, hope continued to fade.


    The road to the vige where Herman had disappeared had been repaired, and the tragic ident that imed dozens of lives was slowly fading from public memory.


    Anastasia often drove alone to the spot where Herman wasst seen, sitting in her car for hours on end.


    There, she wept silently, mourning


    the loss of the man she loved, on the


    road that had taken him away,


    without even the chance to say goodbye.