Page 111 of Wandering Souls

He tugged her against his side, wrapping an arm over her shoulders. “What? To call me Dad?”

She nodded as they left the hangar.

He let out a hearty laugh and hugged her. “You’ve made an old man very happy. Go. I’ll lock up.”

“Are you sure?”

Stepping back, Damien held her by the arms and looked at her. Tears hovered in his eyes as love shone at her. “Welcome home, Abigail. We’re glad to have you back.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, turned her toward the Jeep and gave her a gentle push. Abi didn’t need to be told twice. Breaking into a jog, she crossed the tarmac to her vehicle and hopped in. With a roar of the engine, she hit the road and drove into Wills Crossing.

The main thoroughfare through town buzzed with excitement. The pub overflowed with customers and people partied in the street. Celebrating their reprieve from the fire danger, the happy smiles and exuberant cheers filled her with a sense of hope as she drove through the center of town to the quieter neighborhood where Ray lived. His street was eerily silent when she pulled up at the curb behind his sportscar. At least she could be sure he was home.

Abi let the engine run for a moment. Staring out through the window, she studied the house. Grace’s white Toyota Prius sat in the drive. The front windows glowed amber in the dark. A shadow crossed one of them, before the front door swung open to reveal a teenage girl. The smile on the kid’s face stretched from ear to ear. Abi saw her call back into the house before she ran down the front path, shouting Abi’s name.

There was no backing out now.

Abi cut the engine and got out. She’d hardly made it to the curb when Millie ran into her, throwing her arms around Abi with a squeal.

“I knew you’d come back.” She giggled. The force of her hug squeezed the air from Abi’s lungs. “Wait. Youareback, aren’t you?”

Abi held the girl and breathed in the smell of apple and strawberry shampoo. “I need to talk to your uncle. Is he home?”

Pulling back, Millie bounced on her toes. The light from the streetlamp highlighted the wonder in the kid’s green eyes. Pressure settled on Abi’s shoulders. If Ray wanted nothing to do with her, Millie would be so disappointed and Abi... she couldn’t think about that.

“He was in the shower. I’ll go get him for you.”

Uncertainty powered through Abi’s veins. “Is he okay, Millie?”

The fresh-faced teen shook her head. “You really hurt him.”

Abi stepped back. “I know. If he doesn’t want to see me, I’ll understand.”

Millie narrowed her eyes. “Don’t listen to a word he says, Abi. He needs you.”

And with that, she turned and raced back to the house where Ray had already appeared in the doorway. Millie kissed his cheek on her way in but for a long time, Ray didn’t move. He simply stared at her as she stood on the footpath. Partially hidden by shadow, she couldn’t read his expression, couldn’t see the look in his eyes. Abi had no idea what to think.

Tremors quaked through her muscles, making it hard to stand still. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other uneasily and wiped her sweaty palms down the pants of her cargos. The silence was deafening. Abi sensed he was testing her.

On the verge of saying something, she held her tongue when he stepped out of the house and pulled the door closed. He walked slowly toward her, passing through more shadows before entering the range of the streetlight. She gasped softly at the heavy fatigue that hugged his handsome face. The thick stubble was new, along with the dark circles under his eyes. A fresh graze adorned his left cheek and she wondered if he’d sustained it today.

Abi’s heart ached for him. Guilt burdened her soul. It took every ounce of strength to stand her ground, when shame wanted to send her scurrying away. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. What could she possibly say to make up for the pain she’d caused?

“You must be exhausted,” she started.

He only nodded.

“I wish I could’ve done more. The chopper’s bucket doesn’t hold a lot of water.”

Surprise lit his eyes. “That was you?”

“Yes.”

“When did you get back?”

“Damien came to the base this morning, to hear my results. When he got Hollywood’s call, we left straight away.”

Confusion clouded his eyes. “You left the Army?”

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