Page 103 of Fade (Fighting Fate)

Today she weighed in at 2lb 3oz. The doctors tell me it won’t be long until she’s ready to try breathing on her own. I can’t tell you how excited I am to think of her sleeping in her own little crib like a healthy full term baby. She’s everything to me. Until you come home, she’s all I have.

I’ve tried to think of the words that would express just how much I miss you. This last week has been worse than any other. Knowing you should’ve been home by now breaks my heart. I love you more than ever. Please come back to me.

I will wait for you xxx

Amy.

I saw him the second I pulled into Daniel’s mom’s drive. It was cruel, really. Hope lived inside me every day of my life, so seeing a marine standing on the front porch was surely going to have me wishing it was Daniel.

As I parked and tried to compose my racing heart, I watched him slowly make his way down the front steps. I didn’t miss the way he slightly favored his left leg.

Stepping out of my car, I met his gaze with a cautiousness that spoke of protection. I couldn’t stand to hear any bad news right now.

“Mrs. Stephenson?” he asked.

I swallowed. “Yes?”

He stepped forward and offered me his hand. “My name is Darryl Johns. I was in Daniel’s squad in Syria.” Stepping back, his expression turned hesitant. “I was there when he went missing.”

My breath shook. It was happening. I was finally going to find out exactly what he went through. I tried to collect myself, but it was hard. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to cope with whatever he told me. “You were?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“They won’t tell me anything other than there was an explosion and he disappeared,” I said, tears pricking my eyes.

He frowned. It was clear this was difficult for him as well. Emotion flared around him. Nodding, he twisted the cap in his hands. “We were in Raqqa, aiding in an extraction,” he said, swallowing hard. “A group of Yazidi women and children.”

I remained silent. I just needed to hear it all, then I could breathe.

“We got them out okay, but we were ambushed on our way out. Daniel was clear of it, but came back when my team got cut off. He—”

I pressed my hand to my mouth. I knew what was coming. I wanted to tell him to stop, but I needed this. I needed to know.

Darryl struggled to compose himself. “He saved me. I’d hurt my leg, and he got me out of there. He pushed me over a wall just before the explosion hit.”

Oh

, God.

“I don’t . . .” Darryl paused, his gaze moving past me, toward the curb. His eyes widened before he took a step backwards, the blood draining from his face. “What is this?” he asked, confusion taking over.

Looking back, I saw Ryan striding up the drive. I instantly understood.

“Corporal Johns,” I said, needing to reassure him. “This is Daniel’s brother, Ryan.”

Darryl looked at me, trying to make sense of my words.

“They’re identical twins.”

I saw understanding come to him, but I could tell it still freaked him out. He stared at Ryan the entire way up the drive.

“What’s going on?” Ryan demanded when he reached my side.

Darryl couldn’t stop staring at him.

I shifted on my feet. “Corporal Johns served with Daniel in Syria. He was there when the explosion hit.”

Ryan went deadly quiet.

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