Page 43 of My Forever Soldier

Olivia was all ears. She’d never known that Luke was weak when he was younger. All she’d ever known was the fit, strong, athletic Luke. The soldier.WeakandLukeBrownwere not words she would have ever strung together.

“I was bullied every day in foster care, picked on in class, made to sit out on activities because I couldn’t catch my breath long enough to run. Then I learned how to breathe properly through my nose, how to control my asthma, followed alternative practices that a doctor had told me about.” He shrugged. “It changed my life.”

“Does the army know about your condition?”

Luke’s eyes turned on her then, stormy and dark, as if she’d said something terrible to offend him. “All I know is that I set a record on the fitness test when I joined, and I’ve never had a problem.Period. As far as I’m concerned, asthma was something that used to control me, but I mostly grew out of it.”

The door swung open then, filling the room with a bright, artificial light.

“He still asleep?”

Olivia turned and smiled at the nurse. “He seems to be doing great, thanks.”

“If anyone knows how to beat this, it’s me,” Luke told her, covering Ollie’s hand with his when the nurse had checked Charlie’s condition and left again. “I’ll teach him how to deal with it, trust me.”

Olivia smiled at Luke and watched the stern lines of his face as he looked at Charlie. He was hard to read, one minute light and chatty, the next serious and deadly. But one thing she was sure about was that she was pleased to have him here.

Parenting was tough, and it was nice to have some- one by her side for once. Especially since that someone was Luke.

They werelucky Charlie was such an easy kid. Luke looked in the rearview mirror and grinned at his son. Olivia was riding in the back with him, babying him, and the boy didn’t like it one bit.

“Mom!” He wriggled away and Ollie sighed.

“You’ve been very sick, sweetheart. I’m just trying to look after you.”

Charlie rolled his eyes and squirmed some more.

“Mommy, you’re embarrassing the kid.” Luke was pleased he was in the front seat. Ollie glared at him as if she’d punch him given half the chance.

“Yeah, Mom, you’re embaroosing me.”

That made them both laugh. Charlie joined in, which made them laugh all the more.

Luke pulled the car into the drive and stopped outside the garage. He made it around to the other side in time to hear Ollie offer to carry Charlie. It didn’t go down well.

“He’s okay. You know that, right?” Luke asked her. “He doesn’t have a life-threatening illness.”

Ollie nodded, but she didn’t look convinced.

“Let’s get inside. Come on,” he told her.

Luke couldn’t help but think how different the house looked this time around. The last time he’d walked up the front path he’d been confronted by a silence that had worried him, and then he’d found Charlie. This time, his boy was waiting at the front door, wriggling on the spot. He sure didn’t like to stand still for long.

“What’s for dinner?” he called out to them.

Luke stifled a laugh. Typical boy. Playing and eating, that was all he thought about.All a kid should have to think about.

“Let’s see,” said Olivia as she unlocked the door and let them all in. “How about homemade pizzas?”

“Yay!”

“Luke?” she asked.

He put his hands in the air. “Fine by me.

“Come on then. Charlie, you can help.”

Luke saton a stool on the other side of the counter and watched the fun. Charlie was standing on a chair so he could help his mom, and there was food everywhere. Flour was smudged on Charlie’s face, hair and the front of his T-shirt, and now he was trying to help spread sauce on the dough while Olivia cut up tomatoes, basil and peppers. The one Charlie was working on was a mini pizza, which he’d insisted only have ketchup and cheese.

---