Page 71 of The Summer We Mended
Anna sniffed.“What?”
“That strength isn’t being fearless.It’s choosing to love through the fear.Choosing to hope, even when it’s hard.”
Anna looked up at her mother.Lily’s face was older now, softer in ways she hadn’t noticed before.But there was a fire in her eyes.Steady.Fierce.
“How did you do it?”Anna asked.
Lily smiled, brushing her thumb over Anna’s cheek.“Because I had you.And now you have them.Your babies.They need your love.Your faith.That’s what he’d want, too.”
Anna nodded slowly, the edges of her grief softening just enough to let those words in.
Lily squeezed her hand.“You don’t have to be okay right now.But you’re not doing this alone.”
The wind picked up, rustling the leaves in the trees, and somewhere in the distance, the twins’ laughter rang out, a sweet, unsteady melody of resilience.
Anna exhaled a long, trembling breath that left her body slumped but lighter.Lily stayed with her, arms still wrapped around the girl who used to be small enough to carry.
And she would carry her now, in whatever way she needed.For as long as it took.
Hope wasn’t always loud.Sometimes it was quiet and heavy and wrapped in tears on a front porch, but it was still hope.
And Lily would help her daughter find her way through it, one step at a time.
“I’m not the first wife to get that visit.There are so many stories of soldiers being found immediately and…I’m holding on to that.”
“What is it that Luke always says?Keep sight of the shore?”Lily asked.
Anna nodded.“It sounds silly now, but…”
“It’s not silly, it’s something for you to hold onto.Faith is super important right now, Anna.Keeping sight of the shore—that’s faith.”
“It doesn’t feel like it.”
“I get that,” Lily replied softly.“Let’s go inside; I’ll make you some tea.”
Anna nodded, and Lily stood.She reached back and took her daughter’s hand in hers.
They were barely inside when the front door swung open with a sharp creak, heavy boots thudding against the hardwood as Cody stepped inside.
“Anna?”he called, his voice clipped and tight.
Anna rounded the corner from the kitchen, her eyes already red, her expression both startled and relieved.Cody closed the distance between them in three quick strides.
“Tom called me,” he said, his voice rough from the drive, his jaw tight with urgency.“He didn’t know exactly what happened.He just said a soldier came by, and you were upset.He thought I needed to be here.I came as soon as I heard.”
Anna swallowed hard and nodded, tears welling again as she tried to find the words.“Luke’s jet went down.They’re… they’re searching for him now.That’s all I know.”
Cody let out a hard, breathless sigh and pulled her into his arms without hesitation.His embrace was strong and grounding, his chin resting lightly against her hair as she sagged against him.He held her like he’d done a thousand times when they were kids, when the world felt too big and scary to take on alone.
“Hey,” he murmured, steady and sure, “Luke’s one of the best.If anyone can survive something like this, it’s him.You know that.He’s smart, strong.He’s coming home, Anna.”
She gave a shaky nod against his chest, and Cody didn’t let go.
Lily stood in the doorway, watching them, her heart full of both sorrow and pride.Cody had always carried the weight of being the big brother with quiet strength, but something about this moment, his instinct to drop everything and be there for his sister, brought tears to her eyes.He hadn’t asked questions, hadn’t demanded details.He had simply shown up.
“I don’t know what to do,” Anna whispered, pulling back slightly, looking up at him.“I don’t know how to wait.I feel like I’m going to come apart.”
“You don’t have to do anything right now,” Cody said softly.“You’ve got people here.Me.Mom.The kids.You just breathe, okay?That’s all you’ve got to do today.”
