Page 33 of Signed With Love

That’s the longest text she’s given in two weeks.

What I don’t say to Claire is that I check on Billy every day. I help him research that old Hogan Cipher he’s into right now, just to make sure he’s comfortable. I hadn’t told Claire that I brought her mom some groceries, and I know her dad is taking his medications because it was the first thing I asked when I got here this morning.

“Did you see this?” Billy asks as he slides a sheet of paper my way.

The paper is worn and old. It’s been hidden away in stacks of old books about settlements in the area throughout the 1900s. My mom had tons of research on the Hogan Ciphers that I passed on to Billy. She never spoke of it much, but I know she’d tell me not to bother and that it was the biggest hoax of them all. Yet she never threw the research away. Her eyes would go dark when I’d mention it, so I moved on.

“I told you, old man, it’s a hoax.”

He chuckles, but I accept the paper anyway. It’s the ciphertext. The paper the text is written on is worn, tinged in brown, and aged. Its coarse texture and weight makes me recall holding this once before. I couldn’t have been more than ten at the time. The old telegram logo is all but vanished, the ink barely visible now. The numbers are a coded plain text that can only be read with the proper decoder.

“Can’t really do much with this without the decoder,” I remind him.

“True.” Billy sighs and grabs one of the old and bound journals resting nearby. “Have you read these?”

I glance up from my phone and slip it into my pocket. There isn’t a response from my text that I sent Claire telling her we could take care of her father before our date.

“Nah. Not interested in my mother’s diaries.”

I pushed things too fast with Claire. I live in the moment. Claire doesn’t. She’s structured and poised. I’m rough and jagged. I scared her away.

“They’re more than diaries.” Billy clears his throat.

“Shit. Sorry. Lot on my mind.”

“Is this about my daughter?” he asks.

“Come on, old man.” I reach for some survey papers. “Have we reviewed these yet?” I attempt a conversation switch.

“Give her time. She’ll work out whatever has her all worked up. Like I told you from the start, Claire is a tough cookie to crack. With an old man like me for a dad, it makes sense.”

I nod. Without using words, I let him know I’m thankful for the advice. We spend the rest of the evening going over the maps, then I straighten up our mess when the sun starts to set.

“Take your meds, old man,” I say, then rise from the table.

“Yeah, yeah.” He waves me off. “I’ve got this. Make sure you check those old flight patterns before you stop by again.”

I smile and wave the rolled paper in my hand, then snag a yummy pastry from Gloria on the way out.

???

“There’s my girl,” Chadwick says, then shoves past me. He takes Claire in his arms and squeezes her. He digs his phone out and starts writing her a message. I watch from my spot next to the loading hangar.

She’s here. I hadn’t expected her this early or for her to come by work. She wasn’t supposed to be in town until later tonight, but it’s only lunchtime. The need to take her in my arms is overwhelming, but I don’t. Billy’s words ring in my mind. Take it slow. Give her time. But patience was never my strong suit.

Claire looks over Chadwick’s shoulder as he’s typing. It’s quick, and he hands her the phone. Her smile is gentle and her eyes soft. She’s dressed in a warm sweater and that denim that molds to her body. My eyes continue to take in the details of her in person because I’ve missed her so much during the couple weeks we’ve been apart.

As Chadwick steals my girl’s attention, her eyes are dancing in humor, but I can no longer stand the distance. My stride is quick until I’m close enough to wrap my arm around her and pull her into my chest. Her back knocks against my chest as my arm tightens around her. I lower my head so I can kiss the top of her head. All things Claire flood into me, and I can finally breathe. Even lifting off hasn’t brought me this level of calm.

She uses a shampoo that reminds me of sandalwood and springtime. Her warmth is the same as the sun beating down in the summer. She gives the phone back to Chadwick. Her hand rubs across my forearm, wrapped across her chest and resting on her shoulder. I’ve buried her into my body just to get close enough to her.

“I’ve missed you,” Claire says. Her voice is delicate. I squeeze even tighter.

I hadn’t given her much of a way to communicate to me without using her voice. I feel bad because I know she doesn’t like to, but a bloom of pride swells in my chest because she spoke with Chadwick nearby. My friends are her friends, and I’m happy she’s comfortable with them.

Chadwick is grinning as he hands her his phone back. He gives me a wink. Claire’s body shakes in my arms, and I try to see what Chadwick wrote to her, but she gives his phone back. I lower my head and nip the skin on her neck playfully. She laughs, and it’s the best fucking sound I’ve ever heard. Well, it’s right there with the sound of her moaning my name.

Just thinking of that sound makes me growl. Claire spins in my arms, her hand landing on my chest. The movement allows me to steal her lips. I kiss her, one of those consuming ones that lets her know exactly how much I’ve missed her.

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