Page 66 of In the Air Tonight

I decide I’ll tell her—and only her—what’s going on. I text to ask if I can come by.

She responds right away.Of course. I’ll make lunch. Can’t wait to see you.

Be there soon.

Denise

NOW

I spend the morning in bed with coffee Kane brought me, listening to him deal with getting Charlotte and Levi to the bus stop and the twins down for their morning nap.

I giggle more than once at the frustrated tone of Kane’s voice as he deals with Levi.

He comes into our room, crawls onto the bed and lands face down. “I want to go back to sea.”

Laughing, I stroke a hand over his dark hair, which is prickly from being cut to military standards.

He turns his head so he can see me. “How do you do this day after day and not kill one of them?”

“I never think about killing them.”

“I know,” he says with a big grin. “You think about killing me for gifting you with four little angels.”

“You weren’t supposed to know that!”

“Ah-ha! While I’m off protecting our country, you’re having homicidal thoughts about me.”

“Every day, and yet, I still can’t wait for you to get home.”

He puts his arm around me and snuggles in close, resting his head on my chest. “I couldn’t wait either. I miss you all so much when I’m away.”

I wrap my arms around him, giving thanks as I do every day for him and our life together. I give him full credit for putting me back together after that traumatic summer with his steadfast love. We were just kids, but he knew exactly what I needed and how to provide it. I’ll never forget that. We got married right after we graduated from high school with only our parents in attendance. No one at UVA knew we were married, and we liked it that way. It was our little secret.

“Dee?”

“Hmm?”

“I’ve been thinking.”

“About?”

“Houston’s visit.”

Every muscle in my body goes tense. The news Houston brought overshadowed the usual thrill of Kane’s homecoming. “What about it?”

“I keep thinking about that son of a bitch out there living his life like nothing ever happened and running forCongresslike the arrogant asshole he is with no fear of his past coming back to haunt him. He has no idea the full extent of what you endured because of him. And now there’s a chance to make him pay for it.” He raises his head off my chest and gazes at me imploringly. “I want him topay.”

“It’s all I can think about.”

He cups my face and compels me to look at him. “I can’t even imagine what you must be feeling. To have your nightmare resurrected after all these years, to learn there was a witness who didn’t come forward at the time… It’s the worst kind of betrayal.”

“I want him to pay for it, too, but I’m afraid.”

“Of what, honey?”

“What if I tear open that wound and it wrecks me again? What if I can’t take care of the kids?”

“I’d be right there with you through the whole thing.”

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