Page 72 of The Summer We Mended
Anna gave a tearful nod, and Cody reached up to brush a strand of hair from her face with the same gentle care their father used to show.
Lily stepped forward then, placing a hand on Cody’s shoulder.He glanced at her and gave a quiet, tired smile.
“Now,” he said, voice a little stronger, “why don’t I make some coffee or tea or… something to keep our hands busy while we wait?”
Anna exhaled, not quite a laugh, but close.“Mom already did.I guess we all picked up on that trait.”
“I guess so,” Cody chuckled.
“And I got it from my mom and grandma.”Lily smiled.“It’s good to keep your hands and mind busy in moments like these.”
There was quiet as they let Anna process the news, while they silently supported her.Lily thought of all the things she could start doing to help her daughter, but all of that could wait.Right now, she just needed to be here.
A little while later, the front door creaked open, and Margot stepped inside with the twins trailing behind her.Their hair was tousled, cheeks sticky with the last remnants of ice cream, their expressions guarded.
“Thought I’d bring them back over,” Margot said gently.“I can help get them bathed and ready for bed if you want.”
Anna stood, brushing her palms on her jeans as she moved toward them.She hesitated just a second, then gave Margot a grateful smile.
“Thanks.I appreciate it.But I think… I need to keep the rhythm tonight.Just… keep it familiar for them.”
Margot nodded in understanding and squeezed Anna’s shoulder before turning to Lily.“I’ll help clean up the kitchen, then head home.Call me if you need anything.”
As Margot stepped away, Anna knelt before the twins.Nora’s eyes were already starting to droop, and Blaze leaned his head against her shoulder.
“Come on, my loves,” Anna said softly.“Let’s get those sticky faces cleaned and into pajamas.”
“I think I’m going to go,” Cody said quietly.“I’m just a phone call away if you need anything or hear anything.”
Anna reached up and hugged her brother before she turned around to the kids.Cody hugged Lily and then slowly made his way out of the house.Lily could tell it was hard for him to leave.
Anna helped the twins gather their pajamas, Nora going first so that Blaze could shower while Anna combed through Nora’s hair gently, humming softly, her movements calm and steady.Her heart ached, but her hands knew the motions, and her voice carried a quiet strength.
When Blaze was finished, the room smelled faintly of lavender and detergent.She helped them climb into their twin beds, pulling the blankets up snug.
Blaze turned toward her, his voice small.“Mommy, why did they say Daddy was missing in action?What does that mean?”
Anna sat between their beds, her hands resting on each of their little legs.“Oh, sweetheart,” she said, her voice sure.“It means that…he’s out there, far away for a little while.And he’s doing something brave and important.”
“But why was that soldier here today?”Nora asked.
“He was telling us that your daddy’s jet went down and that they lost communication with him.They’re searching for him.It won’t be long until they find them.”
Nora’s lip quivered.“What does ‘went down’ mean?”
Anna swallowed hard, taking a deep breath as she chided herself for not thinking this conversation through a little better.
“Your daddy flies jets, remember?Well, he was on a mission up in the air.For whatever reason, his jet stopped flying.When that happens, sometimes all the radio communications with the military are lost because the electrical panel goes out.Your daddy is the smartest, strongest, bravest, and most stubborn man I know.He’s going to be just fine.He’s been trained so well by the Air Force that he knows how to survive and thrive out in the wilderness until his team comes to find him.”
“Daddy is strong and brave, but I miss him,” Nora murmured tearfully.
“Dad can fight bears, Nora.He’s going to be just fine,” Blaze told her as he puffed out his little chest.
Anna nodded, brushing hair back from her daughter’s forehead.“I miss him, too, baby.So, so much.But do you know what I do when I miss him really bad?”
Blaze shook his head.Nora leaned forward, listening.
“I close my eyes and I picture the beach,” Anna said, her voice soft and steady.“I see the waves, and I find the shore, the edge of the sand where the water meets it.And I remind myself that even if the waves get big and scary, the shore doesn’t disappear.It’s still there.Just like Daddy.He’s still there, and he’s coming back to us.”
