lethargy, reveling in Mike’s fingers caressing her back.
“Hey, you awake?” he asked in a gravelly voice.
“Hmm…wallowing in bliss. It was beautiful. My
imagination didn’t do it justice.”
He brought his hands to her face and touched her,
almost as if he were memorizing every line. “We’ve got to
talk. Settle this thing between us.”
“There’s nothing to settle,” she said and realized she
meant it. “I’ll conquer this fear the same way I did my
others. Promise me you’ll stay safe. Katy and I will keep
the home fires burning.”
Cyn buried her face in his neck and hoped no tears
would spill on his skin. “I love you. So damn much.”
Mike rolled to his back and brought her with him.
“Thank God Peter brought us together. Without his
interference, we might never have met.”
Cyn’s insides melted. “Peter was like that. He always
wanted to make things right for people.”
Beneath her belly, his penis stirred to life. Thoughts
of Peter vanished.
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Cyn’s eyes shot open at the magnified creak of
floorboards. The branches tapping on the windows
sounded like fingers. Had the hot water heater always
sounded so loud?
Her eyes burned with unshed tears. Mike had been
gone three hours.
Remembering Katy’s words to Mike last night
brought a smile to her face. He’d woken her to say
goodbye. His daughter had yawned, given him a big hug
and said, “Watch your back.” Then promptly went back to
sleep. Definitely a military child. Cyn, on the other hand,
had wanted to chase Mike out the door, cling to his legs
and beg him not to go.
She jumped out of bed when a low-flying jet rumbled
overhead. Possibly Mike’s ride to the other side of the
world. Panic welled in her chest. At the window, an
overcast sky prevented even a glimpse of the lights on the
transport plane. “God go with you,” she murmured.
Heart heavy, she trudged back and huddled under
the covers and breathed deep of Mike’s lingering scent on
the sheets. Closed her eyes and prayed for sleep.
An hour later, she gave up, climbed out from under
the tangled blankets, and shoved her feet into her warm
slippers.
By the time Katy rose, she’d done three loads of
laundry and washed the kitchen floor. Now they sat out
back on the patio, enjoying breakfast.
Katy licked yogurt off her spoon. “What are we doing
today?”
“You’ve got strawberry yogurt on your nose.” Cyn
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forced a bite of cereal into her mouth. “Haven’t got plans.
Any suggestions?”
“Could we go to a movie? Daddy always says it’s
cheaper to rent a DVD, but I like the big screen.”
With forced enthusiasm, Cyn said, “Sounds great.
We’ll look in the paper to see what’s playing.”
“Can Misty come?”
“If her mother says it’s okay.”
Katy jumped out of her chair. Cyn sucked in the
warmth of Katy’s hug and kiss before she took off like a
small twister. “I love you, Cyn,” she called over her
shoulder. “You’re the best. Gotta go call Misty.”
Cyn drained her cup. She needed to make a call as
well.
****
mistake, she wondered, as she maneuvered her truck
through the military housing complex. She’d not been in
this neighborhood since the night she’d left for the Hope
Bridge. Just the thought of that dark day brought a chill.
In the backseat Katy chattered about the movie
they’d seen this afternoon. “Hey, Cyn, are you listening to
me? Did you like
Shrek the Third
?”
Driving on autopilot, Cyn took a left, managing to
run onto the curb. “Sorry, sweetheart. I thought it was
great.” The lie slipped from between her lips. Truth was
she didn’t remember one damn thing about the movie.
“Tell me again where we’re going?”
“To a get-together for military wives.”
“You mean the support group?”
Was there nothing this child didn’t know? “You’ve
heard of it?”
“Sure. Misty’s mom goes when her daddy’s overseas.”
Cyn parked along the tree-lined street and shut off
the engine. “Mona Kelley said you could play with her
kids while we meet. You okay with that?”
“Sure, but we’re not going to be here for hours, are
we?”
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“You’ll be home in plenty of time to watch your
favorite show.”
“’Kay.”
Hand in hand, they went up the walkway and rang
the doorbell.
Mona opened the door and grabbed Cyn in a hard
hug. “Welcome, Cyn. I’m thrilled you decided to join us.”
Embarrassed, Cyn glanced away. “Thanks. It’s just
that…I’m thinking…I want to...”
Mona ruffled Katy’s hair. “Sue and Angel are
upstairs playing Monopoly. Why don’t you run up and join
the game.”
Once Katy had left, Mona took her by the arm and
led her to the living room where six other women sat.
“Ladies, for those of you who don’t know Cyn, she lost her
husband a while back. She’s been staying with Major
Spencer and today he deployed to Iraq.”
Cyn squirmed amongst murmurs of sympathy. With
a smile she said, “I didn’t come here for sympathy. I came
to share my experiences and to help others.”
Mona squeezed her arm. “Of course, you did.
Learning to accept support is sometimes more difficult
than giving it. Let’s sit down. Rachel was just sharing her
particularly difficult week with us.”
Three weeks later, Mike’s buzzing anticipation
vanished the instant he drove into the yard. The
darkened house and the bright outside porch light didn’t
bode well. Out of habit, his gaze went to the dashboard
clock, although he knew damn well what time it was. Too
damn late for Katy and Cyn to be out.
He slapped his palm on the steering wheel. Why
hadn’t he called when he’d arrived at Fort Drum? He’d
returned home five days early and had wanted to surprise
them. Well, the surprise was his. Where could they be at
this time of night?
Images of hospital emergency rooms zipped through
his mind. Stop it. Don’t look for disasters where they don’t
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exist. With a sigh, he climbed out of the front seat and
grabbed his bag from the back. Once he’d secured the
strap on his left shoulder, he plodded toward the house.
Pausing, Mike saluted the American flag raised on
the pole in Peter’s honor. It waved gently in the night
breeze. Several times in Iraq he’d sensed the young
soldier’s spirit watching over him. Peter had not
materialized so Mike assumed that he no longer had the
ability to do so.
Once inside, he tossed the Army duffle bag on the
floor, sat down and unlaced his boots, kicking them off his
feet. The house was spotless. Had Cyn done nothing but
clean in the time he’d been gone?
Since he’d showered on base, he poured a drink,
dimmed the lights and lowered himself into his favorite
chair prepared to wait—and worry.
Before he had time to work himself into a state of
panic, headlights flashed across the wall. His gut
tightened. Memories of their last night together had been
a constant source of comfort in Iraq. Soon she’d be in his
arms again.
In less than thirty seconds Cyn was in his lap. “God,
I missed you,” she said between kisses. Why didn’t you
call to tell us you’d be home early?” She pulled back and
ran her hands over his body. “You’re okay? Not hurt?”
He buried his face between her breasts and
swallowed the emotional lump lodged in the back of his
throat. “No more than I missed you. I wanted to surprise
you. I’m fine. Great now that I’m touching you.”
Cyn covered his mouth with hers. He threaded his
fingers through her hair, gripped her head to hold her
still. Their tongues tangled, making up for the past few
weeks of abstinence.
Mike dragged his lips away. “Where’s Katy?”
“She’s staying at Mona Kelley’s tonight. She fell
asleep and I didn’t want to wake her.”
He groaned when Cyn pressed her breasts against
his chest. “I didn’t know Mona was a friend of yours.”
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Cyn sighed and stopped nibbling on his neck. “She
wasn’t until right after you left. I’ve joined the military
wives’ group.”
Mike couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d told
him she joined a bungee jumping team. “That’s wonderful.
I’m proud of you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t do it as soon as Peter shipped
overseas. Then I might not have traveled the dark road.”
“And we might never have met.” His hand cupped
her breast.
Her breath hitched. “Keep that up and there’ll be no
more talking.”
“Marry me, Cyn.” The words rushed from his mouth.
He hadn’t planned on proposing tonight. Relief that he
had made him weak.
She pushed back, her hands on his chest. Seeing her
blue sparkling eyes calmed his insecurity. “I’ll marry you
any time, any place. You’re my other half.”
“From this day forward,” he murmured.
“I’m sorry Katy isn’t here. She’d be over the moon.”
Mike tightened his grip. “Tonight is for us. Want to
go upstairs?”
Cyn rolled off his lap and took off at a run. “What do
you think? Last one there has to cook supper for a week.”
Mike grabbed her on the second step.
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The Wedding Day
Cyn scanned the small crowd waiting for her to walk
down the garden path. A hot sun beat down on the late
September day, warming the air to an unseasonable high.
There wasn’t a cloud in sight and no breeze to disturb the
beautifully decorated tables.
Happiness bubbling in her heart threatened to choke
her. She wanted to run wild across the lawns, screaming
her joy.
Katy tugged on her dress. “Come on, Cyn. They’re
starting the song again. People are lookin’ at us.”
Mike paced on the grass ahead. She grasped Katy’s
hand and walked toward her husband-to-be.
The next ten minutes passed in a blur. Cyn had
wanted to savor each moment. Tonight she’d watch the
video to see what she’d missed.
“Cyn?” the minister’s voice penetrated the fog
swirling in her mind.
She gazed into Mike’s eyes. “I do…for always.”
The collective cries of amazement that shot up from
the crowd had nothing to do with the minister
pronouncing them man and wife. Everyone stared in
amazement at the American flag flapping wildly in the
still air.
A sense of peace seeped into Cyn’s soul. She lifted her
gaze to her husband. “It’s Peter wishing us well.”
The love in Mike’s eyes turned her knees weak. “I
know. We owe him. He brought me to the Hope River that
night.”
“You may kiss the bride…” The guests’ excitement
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almost drowned out the minister’s words.
Cyn and Mike sealed their union with a passionate
kiss. “Let’s grab some alone time,” Mike whispered.
Hand-in-hand, they started back to the house. Katy’s
young voice rang out in the still afternoon. “Daddy,
Mommy, wait for me.”
Mommy.
Cyn’s heart melted. In that instant her
marriage became real.
Mike trailed a finger down her cheek. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. You and Katy are a package deal. I
wouldn’t want it any other way.” She turned in time to
catch Katy as she charged across the lawn. “Come on
sweet pea. Let’s go change so we can enjoy the fantastic
food everyone brought.”
Could life be any better? Cyn didn’t think so.
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