Page 57 of The Soldier's Homecoming

She started spooning sauce over the spaghetti.

If she didn’t let him in now, actually give him a chance to prove himself, she was going to run out of time.

Daniel stoodbeside the bed before settling down on Gabby’s chair. The action itself set her off into hysterical giggles.

“Daddy! That’s way too small for you.”

He fidgeted until he made her small wooden chair creak, like a giant in a fairy’s seat.

“Daddy!”

He started to slurp his pasta, trying hard not to laugh as he ignored Gabby’s protests at his behavior.

“Daddy!”

Penny joined in, sitting cross-legged on Gabby’s bed.

“Daniel, be careful,” she scolded.

He shrugged dramatically, finishing his mouthful. “What?”

Gabby bounced so hard she splashed sauce on the bed.

“You’re too heavy! You’ll break it.”

He put down his fork and grinned at her. “I promise I won’t, honey.”

She huffed. “You will.”

He glanced at Penny and saw the smile on her face. She’d looked happy while she was here, especially at Gabby’s party, but this was the first time he’d seen her so relaxed. The kind of relaxed they’d always used to be around one another.

“Sweetheart, I was only playing around.”

Gabby still looked worried. “Come up on the bed and sit with us.”

There wasn’t much room but he wasn’t going to say no.

“This is fun,” said Gabby, as he climbed on. “I feel way better now, you know.”

Daniel was listening to his daughter, but his eyes were on Penny. Her expression hadn’t changed, she was still relaxed, comfortable looking, even though he was now cross-legged beside her, knee touching hers.

She picked up her fork again and started to twirl her spaghetti. Gabby was happily doing the same.

But it was Penny who he couldn’t take his eyes off, and she returned his gaze. Even though her flushed cheeks signaled a hint of embarrassment, she only glanced away to bring the pasta to her mouth, before turning her eyes back to his again.

“What are we going to do tomorrow?” he asked.

Penny didn’t respond. Gabby practically started to bounce again. Clearly over the worst of her flu.

“What about work?”

“It’s the weekend,” he told her. “And stop bouncing, you’ll make yourself sick.”

“But you sometimes work on a Saturday,” Gabby said, ignoring him.

Daniel shook his head and pushed his knee a little firmer against Penny’s.

“‘Not tomorrow, kid. Tomorrow we spend the entire day together.”

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