Page 20 of The Soldier's Homecoming

“Why did you leave me, Daddy? I was scared.”

Penny shut her eyes.

“I didn’t leave you, Gabby. Mommy was here and I was only visiting Uncle Tom.”

“But it’s the middle of the night.”

Penny smiled. She might only be five, but it seemed Gabby was too smart to be fooled.

“Sweetheart, I thought you’d enjoy spending some time just with Mommy.”

Silence stretched out. Penny wanted to walk away, she did, but her feet were stuck to the spot as if glue had fixed them.

“She didn’t tuck me back in the way you do when I woke up.”

Penny listened to Daniel chuckle, while her own heart shattered. Was pierced by shards of glass.

“There’s no right way to tuck a little girl into bed, miss,” he said sternly. “So long as it’s followed by a kiss and lots of love.”

Silence again.

“Did Mommy kiss you?”

Penny held her breath. She hoped Gabby was nodding. She had kissed her. Had kissed her so many times she had hardly been able to stop herself.

“Then Mommy did tuck you in the right way after all, didn’t she?”

“But you weren’t there, in your bed, when I climbed in.”

This time it was Daniel who sighed.

“Mom is very tired, and I wanted her to have the bed to herself. So she could, ah, spread out and relax.”

They hadn’t thought this through at all.

Penny made herself move then, propelled herself down the hall rather than torturing herself over listening any longer.

“Penny?”

She stirred the chocolate in the pot, wooden spoon tracing circles around and around.

“In here,” she called softly.

Daniel appeared a moment later.

“Hot chocolate?” he asked.

Penny raised her eyes. “Yeah. Want one?”

He gave her a gentle smile that raised one side of his mouth into the kindest of curves. “I’d love one.”

Penny reached for another mug, finished stirring and poured even amounts into each one. She passed Daniel his, then cupped her hands around her own. It was hot, but she didn’t mind the light burning sensation.

It took some of the pain away from her mind. Where she kept replaying Gabby’s words over and over.

“This isn’t going to work, is it?” she asked.

Confusion crossed Daniel’s face.

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