Page 10 of The Soldier's Homecoming

“I—want—Daddy!”

Daniel entered the room to see Penny’s face crumpled. She composed herself within a half second, but he didn’t miss it.

And he didn’t want to cut her out, either.

“Honey, why don’t you let Mommy help you?”

She shook her head, determination clear on her face. Burning in her eyes.

“No! I—want—you!” She punched out each word.

Geez. The last thing they needed right now, with every- thing this tense, was Gabby having a tantrum. She’d been so good lately, had hardly planted her bottom lip down in anger and refused to do what he asked for months.

Until now.

Her timing was impeccable.

“I’ll go and get dinner started.” The sadness in Penny’s voice made him look up.

He shook his head, resisting the urge to glare at Gabby.

“No, stay,” he asked.

Penny looked up at him, hope shining in her eyes,

“Can Mommy help us?”

Gabby caught her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing on it softly. She nodded, eyes flickering between them.

“Okay, then,” he said.

Penny shot him a grateful look. He fought to break his gaze, to pull his eyes from hers. After so many years of being so close, of knowing what the other was thinking before they said something; of touching each other, brushing against one another without even thinking about it.

And now the distance was painful.

Daniel walked over to the closet and looked through Gabby’s clothes. “Pink T-shirt?”

He looked back over his shoulder as Gabby sat on the bed, still pouting. “The sparkly one.”

Daniel laughed, catching Penny’s raised eyebrow as he did so.

“Come over here,” he said to her, beckoning with one finger.

Penny pushed off from the doorjamb where she’d been leaning. She looked unsure, but she did it anyway.

“Check out the sparkly T-shirts and tops,” he said, voice low, although he knew Gabby could hear him. “And she orders me to get the sparkly one like I’d know which one she means.”

Penny laughed, but she reached for a soft, pink tee with a dog on the front. He watched as she fingered it, pleased that the air between them had relaxed, if only temporarily.

“I remember buying this,” Penny said, lifting the top and pressing it to her face. Inhaling the scent. “We saw it after lunch, on our way back, before I shipped out. It was too big for her then.”

Penny was right. It was the day before he’d waved her goodbye. The day before he’d effectively become a solo dad. Been left alone.

He pushed the thoughts away. She was here now and that’s what mattered.

“Is this the one?” Penny asked, voice filled with hope as she held it out.

Gabby nodded.

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