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Inside it I’ve tucked a letter from me and another from Piper, to remind him how much he is loved and how much we’ll miss him, as well as a photo of all of us.

Logan stands and takes the tiny box from me before kissing me. “I love you.”

“I love you too, come on, I’ll walk you out.”

We walk hand and hand to the front door, where he grabs the last of his things.

“You know the best thing about deployment?” He asks.

“There’s something good about all of this?”

“Of course. We get to have our first kiss all over again when I get back.”

I laugh, and he gives me a wink.

“No more tears. I’ll see you soon.”

He gives me one last kiss, and I watch as he walks out the door. It’s not until his truck is out of sight that I shut the door and fall to the ground in tears.

THIRTY-NINE

Rachel

Christmas Eve

Piper and I are sitting in front of the Christmas tree, waiting for Logan’s video call. When my laptop screen lights up, she cheers.

“LOGAN!”

His handsome face fills the screen. “There’s my girls.”

“Hey, honey.” I wave. “You look tired.”

“It’s early here. Didn’t sleep well last night. I forgot how uncomfortable these beds can be. Enough about me, though. Is someone ready for Santa?”

“YES! Mommy says we can read one story and then I have to go to bed so Santa can come down the chimney.”

“You know, I think a special elf sent me a book that you like to read.” Logan holds up the copy of Night Before Christmas that I shipped to him.

“You’re going to read to me?” Piper bounces in my lap with excitement.

“Is that okay with you? I know this is something you and Mommy usually do together.”

My little girl looks up at me. “Can he, please?”

I shake my head yes and fight back the tears while I listen to him read from a million miles away. When he reaches the end, Piper is nearly asleep in my lap.

“Do you have a few more minutes to spare? I want to go lay her down. Then I have a present for you.”

He checks his watch. “I might be able to manage. Rach, if I lose connection, I love you.”

“I love you too. Give me three minutes, I swear.”

As quick as I can, I lay Piper on the couch, afraid to waste time taking her all the way to her bed. I prop the laptop back up on my legs and reach behind me for the little envelope. “I know you told me not to get you anything. This wasn’t all my fault though.” My hands shake as I reach inside and pull out the picture, holding it up for him to see.

Baby Walsh Reporting for Duty June 2020

Logan blinks twice and rubs his eyes. “You’re pregnant?”

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