Page 62 of The Soldier's Homecoming

“Like a family movie day?” Gabby asked.

“Yeah, just like that,” he replied.

“I think that sounds like a great idea, but maybe we should take a walk first. I’ll never fit back into my work clothes if I keep eating like this while I’m home.”

Gabby laughed. Daniel tried to join in, but it didn’t come naturally. Every mention, every thought about Penny going back, leaving them again, made sadness beat through his body.

Knowing that it’d be months before they could sit like this again.

Knowing the risks of her going back overseas with her unit.

“Mommy, what do you wear to work?”

Gabby’s question was innocent enough, but Daniel could see it had put Penny on high alert. No matter how much she tried to hide it.

“You know what? When I come home next, I’ll wear my work clothes off the plane. That way you can see them.”

Gabby raised her eyebrows. “Are they secret clothes?”

Daniel found himself holding his breath while Penny sighed in response.

“Not secret, darling, just different, that’s all,” Penny told her. “When I’m home for good, I’ll tell you all about the clothes I wear and the work I did, okay?”

Gabby looked as if she’d lost interest, but Daniel hadn’t. He knew why Penny wanted to shield their daughter from the work she did, but he also knew how much pleasure Gabby would have, one day, in hearing about the work her mother had done. What she’d been involved in.

“How about once Mommy’s back for good, we tell you stories about all the work we both did?” Daniel suggested, gazing at Penny. He could see from the way she was watching him that she knew what he meant. That he wanted to sit down as a family,together, and talk about the way they’d both served their countries. “We’ve both got some pretty good stories about what we’ve been up to.”

Gabby shrugged, looking happy but not caring, her attention diverted. She was busy looking around the restaurant now, ready to go and move on to the next thing.

But Penny cared.

“I’d like that,” she said, voice barely more than a whisper.

He nodded, but her words meant so much to him.

“I’m proud of everything you’ve done, Pen,” he told her honestly. “Even if it’s made things hard on us, I’m so proud of your work. Of what you’ve been able to achieve.”

She looked down, eyelashes shielding her eyes, not letting him see the expression there.

“I’m proud of you, too. I am,” Penny said.

“Mommy, what’s wrong?”

Gabby’s attention had strayed and was back to them again, and her tiny hand was rubbing at her mom’s arm.

“Sweetheart, I’m fine,” Penny said, eyes full of bravery now. “It’s sad thinking about leaving you again, that’s all, and I can’t wait to be home for good.”

Gabby snuggled into her and Daniel stood up, went to pay the bill to give them a moment alone.

The thing was, he didn’t want to give them even a second alone. He wanted to be with them both all the time.

But for now, he had to feel fortunate that Penny was back in his life at all, however fleetingly it might be. And hope that next time, it was him she was coming back to.

To their home, their daughter, their lives together.

It wasn’t going to be easy. But then nothing worth fighting for ever was.

“Grandma’s here!”Gabby’s high-pitched voice almost deafened Daniel.

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