Page 14 of Heart of a Hero

“Well, we just wanted to put away the dinner dishes so you wouldn’t come home to a mess,” Olivia said, her smile wide and eyes bright, bouncing slightly.

Karen took in her daughters, noting that Laura could now look straight into her eyes and wondered if she would grow taller. Olivia wasn’t far behind, with her preteen growth spurt just starting. They were the light of her life, but Olivia jumped back before she could slide down that mental and emotionalpath and said, “Will you look over my English essay? Laura read it and thought it was okay, but I really want your opinion, too.”

The next hour was spent finalizing homework, preparing clothes and backpacks for the next day, and taking showers. As she walked into Olivia’s room to tuck her in, her daughter looked up and laid her book on her lap.

“Hey, Mom,” Olivia said softly.

“Hey, baby,” she replied, just as softly. She sat on the edge of the bed and allowed her gaze to roam over her youngest’s face. The child was morphing into a young woman right before her eyes. Sometimes Olivia bounced with excitement, seeming more like a child. Other times, Karen caught sight of Olivia standing in front of a mirror, gazing at her reflection with an eagle-eyed stare as she tried on clothes. Karen remembered those days… both with herself and with Laura. When you were on the cusp of womanhood and wondered how society’s standards would judge you.

Karen prayed she was guiding them the right way while acknowledging that not having a father during these formative years made the pressure on her all the more painful.

“Did you have a good time at your meeting tonight?”

“I did. I got to see Ginny and Brogan?—”

“Ooh, we need to go back to the Pub soon.”

Karen laughed and nodded. “Maybe this weekend.” She looked down at the book Olivia was reading. It was an age-appropriate teen mystery book. “Is it a good story?”

“Yes!” Her daughter’s eyes were bright as she continued, “There’s even a little romance.”

“Romance?”

“Yeah! The main girl has paired up with a guy she likes in high school, and they’re looking for clues together.” Olivia’s shoulders slumped as she wrinkled her nose. “I jumped to the back of the book to see if they get together or kissed… but itseems they’re just friends.” She perked up and quickly said, “But maybe they’ll be together in the next book.”

“You know it’s okay if they only stay friends, right?”

Olivia rolled her eyes. “Of course, I know that, Mom. Friendships are good, but romance should happen for everyone. We all need a happily ever after. I want that someday… just like you and Dad.”

Her heart pounded as the image of Mark moved through her mind. Blowing out a long, slow breath, she smiled as she nodded. “I did have that with your father.”

“Do you think you’ll find that again, Mom?”

Karen’s head swung around, and she spied Laura leaning against the doorframe. Her long-legged oldest was wearing sleep shorts and a T-shirt. Her stance appeared casual, but her expression held an emotion that Karen couldn’t define but felt to her bones was significant. Strangely, Mark moved through her mind again. She pushed it back, reminding herself that she barely knew the man. She didn’t know his own marital or widower story. Yet… his face remained.

“I… I don’t know, sweetheart.”

Laura pushed off the doorframe, walked into Olivia’s room, and sat on the opposite side of the bed. Karen now stared at her daughters, wondering what was on their minds. They had loved their father with all their hearts, as he had loved them. The first few years after he died were the worst… each mired in their own grief. She’d made sure they had individual and family counseling to learn how to understand their despair and how to function as a new family of three. Pictures of Jeffrey were in the house, but now there were photographs of just them as they are now. They comfortably talked about him, but the references were fewer.

Laura and Olivia shared another look, then Olivia said, “It’s just that we were talking while you were at your meeting, and we… um…”

Laura picked up where her sister left off. “We just wanted you to know that it’s okay if you find another romance. We don’t want you to worry about us.” She shrugged. “You know… like if you meet someone you like and feel that you can’t… you know… have that because of us.”

Tears pricked the backs of her eyes as she stared at the most precious things in her world. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she nodded, fighting to get past the desire to sob. Finally, she sucked in a deep breath and forced out a smile. “I’m not looking for romance, girls. But I promise that if someone comes along who is the right person… and they’d have to be the right person for all of us… then I’d be open to love again.”

She had no idea what to expect, but the relief on both girls’ faces struck her, and she was surprised she didn’t double over from the emotion. In unison, they fell forward into her arms, and she hugged them tightly again. Their familiar scent of shower gel and shampoo filled her as she buried her face against their heads. Opening her eyes, she spied the framed family picture of the last Christmas Jeffrey was alive, sitting on Olivia’s nightstand. Blinking back the tears, she silently thanked him for giving her such amazing daughters.

“Okay, babes, we’ve got to get some sleep. Tomorrow will come, and you need to be ready for school,” she announced as they pulled away. “By the way, I met someone tonight at the meeting who talked about the American Legion youth running clubs. I thought you?—”

“Running clubs?” Laura asked, her eyes wide with interest. “That could help me prepare for track and cross country.”

“I want to do that, too!” Olivia joined in. She hated soccer but loved to run, hoping to join her sister someday on the high school teams.

“Okay, I’ll find out from Mark when the run practices are, and we’ll get you signed up.”

“Mark?” Laura asked, her head tilted as she lifted a brow.

“Yes. Mark Robbins. He’s a detective for the county and one of the sponsors for the running program.”

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